Together original members Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Bernie Leadon, and Randy Meisner were Eagles. Formed in 1971 while touring with Linda Ronstadt, Eagles are the highest-selling band in American history with 150 million copies worldwide. "Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975)" held the title for all-time highest-selling album until 2009 when Michael Jackson's "Thriller" took the top spot following his death. The group later expanded to include Don Felder, Joe Walsh, and Timothy B. Schmit. Over the course of their career, Eagles have won six Grammy Awards, been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and are always included in the "Greatest Artists" lists in publications all over the world. We'll do our best to narrow down the list to just seven awesome songs as we pay tribute this week to Eagles.

John Cougar, Johnny Cougar, John Mellencamp, John Cougar Mellencamp, whatever you want to call him, you need him in your play list.

John Mellencamp rose to fame in the 1980s, but his classic writing style has made his songs relevant stand the test of time.

Simple, heartfelt, and catchy it doesn't matter what style of music you listen to you'll be able to relate to Mellencamp's songs.

He has sold over 40 million albums worldwide and has had 22 Top 40 hits in the United States. He holds the record for the most tracks by a solo artist to hit number-one on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart (7), and he has been nominated for a Grammy 13 times, yet only winning once.

In our opinion, John Mellencamp is one of the most underrated songwriters of our time. His music is damn good, and you'd be missing out on a great musical experience if you didn't give his tunes a listen.

To help you get better acclimated to his work here are seven John Mellencamp songs you gotta hear.

3. Hurt So Good

From the American Fool album, "Hurt So Good" is flat-out a great song. His raspy voice, great lyrics, and rockin' beat makes this song a classic representation of Mellencamp's work. A little trivia, Mellencamp released this song under the name John Cougar.

As far as storytelling goes, there are fewer songs better than "Jack & Diane." From the American Fool album, "Jack & Diane" was an awkward song to produce, according to Mellencamp's statements on the song. Yet to date it's his biggest hit and a classic jam that deserves a place in everyone's music collection.

Side note: Any song that uses the word "ditty" in its lyrics is worth a listen.

Another great hit from The Lonesome Jubilee album, "Cherry Bomb" is an all-around classic hit. It's got a great beat, catchy lyrics, and is a song you can dance to in your kitchen.

Another great song from the Uh-Huh album, "Crumblin' Down" has a gritty feel, great beat, and is a "get you pumped up" kind of song.

From the Uh-Huh album, "Pink Houses" was inspired when Mellencamp was driving on a overpass on the way home to Bloomington, Indiana from the Indianapolis airport. He passed an old man sitting in front of his pink shotgun house holding a cat in his arms, completely at peace with the traffic speeding along the highway in his front yard. It's a great story and "Pink Houses" is a great song no matter how many politicians try to ruin it by using it in their political campaigns.

Before your write off Styx as just a cheesy, rock band that sings about alien abductions and robots, know that there is a whole lot more to this classic band than meets the eye.

After listening to some song by Styx, not only will you enjoy the lyrics, music, and vocals, but you will also feel, at times, like you’ve just taken part in an enjoyable and engaging theatrical performance. This is the power of Styx.

SOME HISTORY

If you’ve never heard of Styx, we’re glad you stopped by. Famous for their work in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Styx is a prog-rock band that blends heavy hard-rock guitar with strong ballads, musical theater, and opera. Styx is unlike any other band out there.

Twin brothers, Chuck (guitar) and John Panozzo (drums) joined with their neighbor, Dennis DeYoung (vocals and keyboards) under the name, The Tradewinds, in Chicago in 1961.

After a bout on the college circuit the trio added two more members, John Curulewski and James “J.Y” Young, and then they the changed their name to Styx, which is the river in Greek mythology that connects Earth and the Underworld.) Tommy Shaw replaced Curulewski in 1976.

REASON TO BELIEVE

If you have decided to give Styx a listen but don’t know where to start, know that while listening to Styx songs, it’s important to keep an open mind.

“Come Sail Away,” one of their bigger hits, is about being abducted by aliens, and the Kilroy Was Here album is a conceptual piece that recreates a rock opera about a futuristic world where singing and performing rock music has been outlawed due to the efforts of Dr. Evert Righteous, an evangelist.

It may help to know that part of the Kilroy Was Here album was inspired by a California religious group accusing Styx of backmasking satanic messages into one of their songs from the Paradise Theatre album, “Snowblind.”

SPLIT DECISION

If theatrical-themed songs aren’t your cup of tea, don’t worry. There are two sides to Styx.

On one hand, you have the elaborate, conceptual albums Styx became known for, but on the other hand, you’ve got the hard-rock songs that have come to represent classic rock in general.

Songs like “Renegade,” “Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man),” “Blue Collar Man,” and “Too Much Time On My Hands” are all great hard-rock songs that are catchy and easy on the ears, and “Babe” is one of the best power ballads of all time, edging out “Lady,” another awesome ballad from the Styx II album.

GRAND ILLUSIONS

All bands have their demons, and for Styx, they suffered from creative differences. DeYoung wanted the theatrics, but Tommy Shaw wanted to stick to the hard rock.

The band eventually broke up in 1984, with both DeYoung and Shaw launching solo careers.  Neither one achieved the same success as Styx.

STYX ROCKS

Whether it’s the theatrics or the hard rock you’re looking for, Styx has a whole lot of both.  If you think hard rock is too harsh to sing along to, give Styx a try. You’ll find their music is both catchy and rockin’.

If you just want to rock without the theater, that’s fine, but we’d be willing to gamble that even the most serious rocker won’t mind going to the theater when Styx is playing.

1. "Too Much Time On My Hands" is from the Paradise Theatre album is catchy and has a great beat, and the perfect song to listen to when you're feeling bored.

2. "Blue Collar Man" is from the Pieces of Eight album, and is a classic battle cry for those tired of working. Give it a listen on your morning drive to help give you strength to handle the day.

3. From the Styx II album, "Lady" is a one of the best power ballads ever written. Whimsical piano and synthesizer accompany simple and moving lyrics in this classic love song DeYoung wrote for his wife.

The song was rerecorded for Styx: Greatest Hits under the title "Lady '95", but whichever version of the song you go with, "Lady" is a must-have for your collection.

4. If you've never heard "Mr. Roboto" from the Kilroy Was Here album, you're missing out on not only an incredible song artistically, but also a fun song that anyone can sing along to no matter how old they are. "Mr. Roboto" is classic Styx and one of the songs that makes this band so awesome.

5. "The Grand Illusion" is a great song to jam to when you're trying to get yourself pumped up for pretty much anything. The music is pleasantly exaggerated, and the lyrics are poetic and creative. Don't be surprised if you find yourself dancing around your living room, jamming on air guitar, air piano, and air drums, while busting out the vocals. The Grand Illusion is theatrical like that. It's okay. We're doing that, too. You know, deep inside, we're all the same.

6. "Renegade" from the Pieces of Eight album is just fun. It uses phrases like "the jig is up." How can you not like it? The song starts slow, but quickly picks up. Passionate and fast-paced, this song is an all-around great jam.

If you have the taste for Styx or if nothing here fancied your palette, you might want to also check out "Babe," "Fooling Yourself (Angry Young Man)," "Don't Let It End," "Lorelei," "Show Me the Way," "Crystal Ball," or "Suite Madame Blue."

One thing's for sure, there's a lot of Styx to go around and their style is so eclectic there's bound to be something in there for everyone.

With the recent passing of Phillip Everly (Jan. 3, 2014), we’d like to take this time to pay tribute to The Everly Brothers. If you don’t have the Everly Brothers in your music collection, you’re missing out on one of the most beautiful harmonies you’ll ever hear in music.

Early On

Don and Phil Everly started out singing as part of The Everly Family on a radio program in Iowa. When the family moved to Tennessee, Don and Phil transitioned out of the family act and into a duo.

If you think the Everly Brothers are just old-school crooners in a time when music was vanilla as vanilla ice cream, you’d be sorely mistaken. Everything we call country rock today has stemmed from the Everly Brothers’ influence.

Influence

They were the Beatles’ Beatles, gods for Simon & Garfunkel, and the wave the Beach Boys rode in on.

“Cathy’s Clown,” “Wake Up Little Susie,” “Bye Bye Love,” “All I Have To Do Is Dream,” and “Be-Bop-A-Lula” are among the Everly Brother’s 35 Top 100 songs, more than any other duo. 

“Wake Up, Little Susie” was a bit controversial for the time because naysayers thought the song was too sexual. The song was banned on radio stations in Boston and other part of the country.

International Presence

Not only were the Everly Brothers popular in the United States, they were just as successful in Britain, thus the connection to the Beatles. In the U.K. they had 30 chart singles, 29 in the top 40, 13 top 10 and 4 at No. 1 between 1957 and 1984.

Accolades and Tributes

Rolling Stone has labeled them “the most important vocal duo in rock.” They have been inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Country Music Hall of Fame.

Three Everly Brothers tribute albums were released in 2013, including Norah Jones and Billy Joe Armstrong’s “Foreverly.” There have also been several famous covers of their songs including Alison Krauss and Robert Plant’s version of “Gone Gone Gone” off the “Raising Sand” album, Reba McEntire’s “Cathy’s Clown,” and a-ha’s “Crying In the Rain.”

Although their influence runs deep through today’s music, the main reason you should add the Everly Brothers' music to your playlist is their harmony. It’s beautiful, soothing, and graceful, the perfect background for just about any day of the year.

"Wake Up Little Susie" is a classic Everly Brothers' tune. It's catchy, clever, and quite controversial for the time. It was banned from the radio in places like Boston for its suggestive lyrics. The song has been covered by Simon & Garfunkel, the Grateful Dead, and Alvin and the Chipmunks, to name a few. If there's one Everly Brothers' tune you must have, it's this song.

If you haven't heard "Cathy's Clown" then you really need to have a listen. Not only is the song the Everyly Brothers' biggest hit, but it was also a huge influence on The Beatles, who once considered calling themselves The Foreverly Brothers. The Beatles recreated the vocal arrangement of "Cathy's Clown" in their first U.S. single, "Please Please Me."

The song "Bye Bye Love" was rejected by 30 other acts before the Everly Brothers. The song became the duo's first million-seller reaching number two behind Elvis and number 1 on the country charts. The song is catchy, which is probably why it's been covered by people like George Harrison, Simon & Garfunkel, Roy Orbison, and Ray Charles.

You gotta have "All I Have to Do Is Dream" in your playlist. It's so beautiful and relaxing and sad and soothing all at the same time. Enough said.

"Bird Dog" is a lesser known Everly Brothers' hit, but the lyrics are clever and the beat is fast-paced. The song's simple and very fun to sing. Give it a listen and you'll find yourself singing the song later on in the day.

"('Til) I Kissed You" is a must-have Everly Brothers' song. A swanky beat and beautiful harmony is at the core of this song. You'll find yourself singing this song to your significant other, if you're on good terms, as you twirl them about the living room.

"Gone Gone Gone" is a classic break-up empowerment song. If you've ever kicked someone to the curb because they treated you less than in your relationship, then give this song a listen. You'll find yourself feeling a whole lot better. As a bonus check out Alison Kraus and Robert Plant's cover of this song from their album, Raising Sand.

If you like your music to include rockin', ballsy, fun, soulful, and unapologetic tunes, then Janis Joplin is the perfect addition to your playlist.

Known as "The Queen of Psychedelic Soul", "Pearl" among friends, Janis Joplin was born in Port Arthur, Texas and rose to fame in the late 60s as the lead singer for Big Brother and the Holding Company.

During the group's breakthrough performance at the Monterey Pop Festival, Joplin wowed the crowd with her cover of Big Mamma Thornton's "Ball and Chain." The performance was featured in the 1968 concert film "Monterey Pop".

The band's debut studio album was release in 1967, shortly after the Monterey Pop Festival. The album spawned hits like "Down on Me" and "Bye Bye Baby."

The band members worked well together on stage, but by 1968 they were being billed as "Janis Joplin and Big Brother and the Holding Company," and the constant media attention Joplin received was creating tensions within the band.

"Cheap Thrills" was released in 1968, and the world got the gifts of great songs like "Piece of My Heart" and "Summertime."

The stress inside Big Brother and the Holding Company didn't diminish with their rise in popularity, and it wasn't long before it was clear that Janis was destined for a solo career. Her last performance with the band, sans a couple reunions in 1970, was on December 1, 1968.

Free of her ball and chain, Joplin quickly formed a new band, Kozmic Blues Band. Although the band's first album didn't have as much commercial success as "Cheap Thrills", several hits like "Try (Just a Little Harder)", "Kozmic Blues", and "Little Girl Blue" were fruits of that labor.

Janis performed at Woodstock on August 16, 1969. Though she had been reluctant at first, once arriving and seeing the large crowd, Joplin became energized and nervous. Although she had struggled early in her life with drugs, it was at the Woodstock concert where Janis started using again.

During the Woodstock performance Joplin, hopped up on heroin, was not at her best. Though the crowd didn't seem to care Janis was disappointed in her performance and insisted it not be used in the documentary film "Woodstock: Music from the Original Soundtrack and More."

After Woodstock, Joplin continued to struggle with drugs. Her performance with Tina Turner at Madison Square Garden was not good, and she stumbled through another band, The Full Tilt Boogie Band.

She hopped aboard the Festival Express Train Tour through Canada in 1970, and her inconsistent performances while on tour were attributed to her heroin and alcohol use.

She produced some solid performances on Festival Express with songs like "Tell Mamma" and "Get It While You Can", but other times she would go on long bouts of incoherent tangents.

During late August, September and early October 1970, Joplin and her band rehearsed and recorded a new album, but Joplin would die before the album's release.

Joplin died at the age of 27 of a heroin overdose on Oct. 4, 1970.

The album "Pearl" was released in 1971 and became Joplin's greatest selling album of her career, producing hits like "Me and Bobby McGee", "Mercedes Benz", and "Move Over."

Written by Kris Kristoferson, "Me and Bobby McGee" is Joplin's biggest hit single.

Since then, Rolling Stone has ranked Janis number 46 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time in 2004, number 28 on its 2008 list of 100 Greatest Singers of All Time, and she was inducted into the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame in 1995.

Although her life was short-lived, Janis Joplin was a kick-ass blues rocker with spunk, passion, and an irreverent presence that was contagious. She gave electrifying performances and left everything on the stage. If you don't have this Pearl in your music collection, you're missing something truly special.

They've been coined as America's band, once seen as the primary competitor for the Beatles, and have the most Top 40 hits of any American rock band. If you don't have the Beach Boys in your playlist you're missing out on a killer wave, dude.

Formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California the Beach Boys, originally Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, Mike Love and Al Jardine, are more than than just a southern California teenage rock band singing simple tunes about cars, girls, and surfing. The Beach Boys managed to create a collection of music that's classic, clever, and enduring despite being plagued by creative and management differences that have haunted the band for over five decades.

In the early years, their music had simple sounds that were as predictable as the tide but the lyrics and beats were catchy, memorable, and fun.

Songs like "Surfin' Safari", "409", and "I Get Around" are what put the Beach Boys on the map, but as the Beach Boy's songwriting skills developed so did the complexity of their music.

The complexity of the interaction among the band members also grew. Brian Wilson played a dominate role in the group. His inability to relinquish control to other members only intensified as the Beach Boys grew in popularity.

During the mid 60s, under Brian Wilson's lead, the Beach Boys began experimenting with a more psychedelic sound. Songs like "Good Vibrations", "God Only Knows", and "Caroline, No" gave the band more depth as artists, but the use of psychedelic drugs among the band members only added to their struggles as a group.

In the late 60s and early 70s Brian Wilson battled severe depression and substance abuse issues. The album "Sunflower" was released in 1970, and although the collection was a true collaborative effort and had some solid tunes, it crashed hard on the charts.

The band rallied in the 80s with the help of tribute songs by David Lee Roth and The Fat Boys, as well as with their own hit "Kokomo" in 1988.

Today internal bickering over writing credits, management, and creative direction still exist. Several law suits are pending and their unpredictable on-again, off-again relationship makes getting tickets to a Beach Boy's reunion concert unnecessary. Listening to their music however, when you're on vacation, when you need a pick me up, or simply when you just need a good sing-a-long, comes highly recommended.

You might not want to invest in the complete box set, but several of their tunes should hang loose on your playlist.

Here's our pick of four awesome songs by the Beach Boys.

If you don't have The Beatles in your music collection, you don't have a music collection.

Formed in Liverpool in 1960, not only are The Beatles the best-selling band in history, but they were also revolutionary musicians, songwriters, and artists.

Coined the "Fab Four," the best-known members of The Beatles are John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. Musicians Pete Best (drummer) and Stu Sutcliffe (bassist) played with the band briefly in the early years, but did not receive world recognition for their involvement.

The Beatles music started out as a blend of skiffle and 50s rock-n-roll, but later evolved to include a variety of genres like pop ballads, classical, and psychedelic rock.

Beatlemania took over in the United Kingdom in 1962 and by 1964 The Beatles led the "British Invasion" on the American pop market.

From 1966 on The Beatles produced what many critics consider to be their best music, including the innovative and widely influential albums Revolver, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles (White Album), and Abbey Road.

The band broke up in 1970.

As of 2012, The Beatles hold the record for most number-one hits on the Hot 100 chart with 20 and have won seven Grammy Awards and an Academy Award for Best Original Song Score.

The awards and accolades The Beatles have received are impressive, but their music is what makes them legendary.

If you only have time to sample one song from The Beatles, it sucks to be you.

If you have more time, try anything from The Beatles White Album, Sgt. Pepper's, or Rubber Soul. Close your eyes, hit play, kick back, and embrace the genius that is The Beatles.