{"id":3070,"date":"2026-06-22T17:45:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-22T21:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.songfacts.com\/articles\/?p=3070"},"modified":"2026-06-22T17:14:18","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T21:14:18","slug":"the-story-of-how-bob-seger-co-wrote-this-no-1-hit-by-eagles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.songfacts.com\/articles\/the-story-of-how-bob-seger-co-wrote-this-no-1-hit-by-eagles\/","title":{"rendered":"The Story of How Bob Seger Co-Wrote This No. 1 Hit by Eagles"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In 1979, “Heartache Tonight” was released as the lead single of Eagles’<\/a> album, The Long Run<\/em>. The album hit No. 1 on the US Billboard<\/em> 200 and peaked at No. 1 in multiple other countries as well. Additionally, the album’s lead single “Heartache Tonight” hit No. 1 on the Billboard<\/em> Hot 100. The hit was co-written by Don Henley and Glenn Frey, along with longtime Eagles collaborator JD Souther, and fellow rock icon Bob Seger. JD Souther wrote or co-wrote many of Eagles’ hits, also including “Best Of My Love,” “Victim Of Love,” and “New Kid In Town.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bob Seger<\/a> had a successful career of his own by 1979. Long before Eagles and Seger were rock stars, Glenn Frey and Bob Seger had crossed paths. Their friendship dates back to the 1960s when the two were involved in the Detroit rock scene. They bonded over a mutual love for Jimi Hendrix and spent time listening to music together. At the time, Seger became a mentor to a young and inexperienced Frey. He included Glenn Frey on his 1968 hit “Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man,” where he contributed backing vocals. It would be Frey’s first brush with success, and the two remained friends for decades to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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