New poll! "Hotel California" vs. "(Don't Fear) The Reaper"

There are two 70s groups that had a lot of "wait, they did that song?" songs when I was growing up: Fleetwood Mac in a good way, Eagles in a bad, bad way. I will reluctantly give them "Hotel California"....but I still vote "Reaper."

Dan Hogg

I hated The Eagles BEFORE I ever saw The Big Lebowski.

Griffin

No yeah that is a plotline in beowulf

Hope Keeley

I chose Hotel California, because it sounds better.

Joel Thomas

Will Ferrell has done irreparable damage to Don’t Fear the Reaper to the point where I can’t listen to it without thinking “haha funny cowbell song”

DIPDOP

I don't hate "Hotel California" but I've heard it too many times. I've also heard "Don't Fear the Reaper" many times but haven't gotten tired of it yet. On that basis, I voted for "Reaper".

Christopher Herman

I hate Hotel California with a passion that is illogical but steadfast. At best it’s an exploration of fame and California written by that irritating stoned kid who dropped out of college Freshman year to become a homeless busker. (And not the good kind of homeless busker that eventually becomes Jewel.) At worst it’s Don Henley gazing at his own reflection jn the mirror thinking about how hard it is to be famous. A long, boring song about nothing by a vapid asshole. And fuck the rest of the Eagles for whatever part they had in its creation. I do like Desprado though. Can’t be all negative here.

Eric Lane

I feel the need to defend "Hotel California" from all the millenials who hate the Eagles because THE BIG LEBOWSKI told them to and like "Don't Fear the Reaper" because of Christopher Walken.

Peter Theriot

“Turn up The Eagles, the neighbors are listening…”

Jack Darnell

I’m going with the less cool pick that has the great groove, legendary guitar solo, and mysterious storytelling lyrics… …which also happens to be the one my dad picked when I asked him to help me chose 😅

Jack Darnell

If the rest of The Eagles' music sounded like Hotel California they'd probably have a better reputation.

MJS

Both songs have some absolute all timers when it comes to guitar solos/licks. It's like picking my favourite child at this point.

Mr Spaghett

Dear god I wish there was a dislike button on comments

Timothy Holmes

I'm genuinely disappointed they didn't put Carry On Wayward Son against Don't Fear The Reaper, I've been hoping for that specific matchup for literal years.

Timothy Holmes

So basically he wants you to believe he's the Forrest Gump of rock music?

Timothy Holmes

They did end up contributing backing vox to "FM (No Static at All)." That's up there with Peter Cetera's backing vox on Billy Joel's "My Life" as a 'huh, so they knew each other" moment in 1970's rock.

Dan Hogg

There is zero valid reason for Hotel California to get more than 3 percent of the vote in this matchup.

Timothy Holmes

Reaper gets in and gets out. It's succinct.

Sally Graves

not enough discussion on the guitar solos. obv dont fear the reaper’s bridge guitar solo is masterful, but the feeling that a 14 y/o gets learning *both* parts of the ending hotel california guitar solo is like having a superpower

sgeddegs

I wish more members of The Eagles would stop fearing the reaper.

Geoff Cox

Hotel California is not overrated, just over-present. It's a masterpiece. But without it the Eagles still have an incredible run of hits. Reaper is the one shining moment for Blue Oyster Cult and cowbell appreciation and must be protected.

Paul Anderson

I think what really sours me on The Eagles is knowing about the acrimony and in-fighting that went on. Either make music interesting enough to warrant your massive egos, or be happy being millionaires for making mid-ass soft-rock and shut the fuck up.

David Yurch

Only one was in the Iron Claw.

lukas

"Don't Fear The Reaper" was the basis for a cyberpunk murder FMV mystery game starring Christopher Walken.

Michael Russell

I think my dad will haunt me if I don’t pick Hotel California.

Mallory W

As a radio listener (yes we exist), on multiple occasions Hotel California has come on the rock station, so I switch to the pop station for a bit, and once that station finishes a song I switch back and Hotel California is still playing, so I do one more song on the pop station, and I switch back again and Hotel California is STILL GODDMAN PLAYING - I don't think I would hate HC as much as I do if it were like a 1/3-1/2 the length

Natalie Koppen

I gotta FEVER, and the only prescription is i hate the fkn Eagles mann 🤒

Jeremy Tyler

Is Don Henley so much of an asshole that I'm going to vote for (Don't Fear) the Reaper even though (A) Don FELDER actually wrote the bulk of the compelling music for Hotel California and (B) Henley and Glenn Frey, odious though they may be, wrote brilliant lyrics that will be quoted until we're all dead? Related question: Is Don Henley the man who wrote Dirty Laundry because the media actually reported on the naked 16-year-old girl who nearly died at his house from a drug overdose? And is he the same person who has an army of lawyers scouring YouTube just in case someone wants to use five seconds of The Long Run in a music theory video? Yes on all counts. BOC wins.

Beau Dure

Wait. BOC is the best hard rock band? What yacht do you live on?

Merda d'artista

Points to "Don't Fear the Reaper" for knowing that "Romeo & Juliet" is a *tragedy.* Meanwhile, "Hotel California" is a song about the excesses of that lifestyle by... a group of guys who embodied all those same things. I would say it's hypocritical, but I legitimately don't know if the Eagles are self-aware enough for that.

Jon Heiman

What a coincidence, "Don't Fear the Reaper"'s guitar solo/bridge takes *that* over the edge for me!

Jon Heiman

"What is Will Ferrell’s career without More Cowbell???" Still fucking amazing; an SNL legend even without that sketch.

Jon Heiman

I say "Hotel California" needs to be taken down a peg, that's why I'm going with "Don't Fear the Reaper"

Jon Heiman

I've had a rough night and I fuckin' hate the Eagles, man.

Audrey Ingalls

I got a fever and the prespriction is to vote is vote for Don't Fear The Reaper by Blue Öyster Cult. I like The Eagles and I think Hotel California is the song that I listen to too much and went from loving to just being tired by it. I rather Take it to the Limit or Take it Easy.

Eric

Don't let the choice paralysis hold you back: just start reading! They really are fantastic.

Kelley Runyon

One time my friend said “And in the masters’ chambers, they gathered for the feast. they stab it with their steely knives but they just can’t kill the beast.” I responded by saying that this was the plot to Beowulf and I’m not sure I’m wrong.

Ryan McPherson

Elisabeth, yes XD Glad someone got it lol

Angela

Elizabeth the musical, right?

Hope Keeley

I have had the craziest one sided beef with the guitar solo in hotel California since I was 8 and waiting for my turn to pick the music on a long car ride. Logically I should have learned to appreciate it by now but the malice still lives in my heart

Hope Keeley

I think part of the reason I love Don't Fear the Reaper so much is that it reminds me of one of my favourite(non-English) musicals where Death is not only a main character, but a romantic lead too(it's this awesomely weirdass blend of Evita and Phantom of the Opera). Don't Fear the Reaper indeed XD

Angela

Honestly despite a lot of the comments, both of these are amazing songs. That said, in pretty sure the only one I ever searched up to play is Don't Fear the Reaper, so I guess that's enough reason for me to vote for it.

BuckTurner

Confirmed that Don't Fear the Reaper is quite easy, and boring, to play.

Meghan Weber

I've been trying to learn Hotel California, so I looked up Don't Fear the Reaper, and I think I could pull that one off fairly easy, so giving it to the Eagles for the challenge.

Meghan Weber

End the poll at 666

Chaz Mania

I can’t vote for Reaper as it gave us one of the most annoying SNL skits until David S Pumpkins

Sarah Bee

Looks like the Eagles are going to see the Reaper when this poll closes 😛

sammy aurora

For a vaguely Halloween themed episode, Going by band names alone "Blue Öyster Cult" is by far Halloweenier than "The Eagles".

Chaz Mania

My first job was at Blakes cider mill’s haunted barn. Since I wasn’t scary (short) and couldn’t scream all night (asthma) they weren’t sure what to do with me. Finally they gave me this big grim reaper mascot costume and told me to walk around the cider mill part. Some of the little kids were really scared, so in order to cheer them up I started dancing around. Everybody loved it, and it became my whole thing to goof around with the guests before they went into the barn or hayride. I ended up getting a free shirt from Blake’s for doing such a good job. Pretty soon in, the DJ would start playing don’t fear the reaper when they saw me start walking out. So that’s what I always think about when I hear the song. This story shouldn’t really affect anyone’s vote, I just wanted to share a fun memory.

Katie Gunn

No, VH1 did.

Michael Murphy

Yeah like, if you'd asked me just yesterday I would've said Hotel California was a great song (because I usually only hear the chorus in passing on the radio) but hearing the full version really exposes how tiresome and short on ideas it is. Whereas Reaper is not only much shorter and tighter but has that awesome bridge to break it up.

sammy aurora

Do the Gipsy Kings put Hotel California over the top, or does that just highlight what everyone else here is saying?

Why We Watch

I know. It’s tough to accept 😔

Connor Rankin

1. Congrats on the two months. I’m sorry my comment triggered you, it will be deleted shortly. 2. You’re assuming some things about my relationship to substances and abuse that are very wrong. My point is that the song seems shallow and insincere. 3. I’m sorry, but this song you really have a connection to sounds like ass.

Nat

I already decided years ago that Don't Fear The Reaper was the song I wanted played at my funeral, so it's not even a question.

Michael Murphy

i guess so, actually interested to hear what Under The Covers 4 brings

Tristan

But but...The boys of summer 😢

Juliana Fernandez Casas

Nothing the matter here, you were introduced by a loving fan who nailed it.

Crescent Minor

BAaa HAHA HA HA! I used to miss these polls and feel awful back when I was drinking! You are joking and RIGHT!

Crescent Minor

Heh ... you are correct to the millionth degree about Hotel California. This 2 months sober alcoholic here loves the song in spite of his alcoholic daddy. I pretended not to know how attacked he felt by that song and used to play it where he could hear as a bratty kid. He deserves it, trust me. To the addict, the possibility of raw dogging life without IT is indeed a wild revelation. It spits in the face of a fear as lifelong and annihilating as the fear of death. If your mind and its possibilities have never been crushed down into a tiny, narrow trap by running in this cycle since forever, then I don't expect it could ever make sense how such a small thing as living without a drug could seem impossible enough for its true doability to rip the roof off your brain. If what you can imagine for yourself has never become so small, how could you ever know how big it is from there to imagine a sober you?

Crescent Minor

Danny nails em every time. 😍

Crescent Minor

That is the line that can make me crack up laughing at the cheesiness.

Crescent Minor

Oh, fair, very fair Eagles opinion. I'd be much more conflicted between those two titular singles. I'm curious to see what song Todd would pit against One of These Nights.

Crescent Minor

Holy shit. Okay. I always heard someone being convinced to give love a chance even though one of them will grieve for the other one day. I'm learning from this comment section stuff about band reputation that I never had before; growing up, the Eagles had a lot of esteem as musicians in my house, and it feels weird to hear y'all talk about them as a B-tier jam band. I suppose after all these years I can hear what you mean, but I listened to them with reverence as great old music for too long.

Crescent Minor

That is very fair. I have to listen to the song on my own instead of play it where my parents can hear because it's still too overexposed for them. 🫤 In my opinion, that indicates that the song is captivating enough to prompt such overplay, but I get it.

Crescent Minor

Austin beat me to it. Backing him up, then. If you like Don't Fear the Reaper that much, pit it against its opponent fairly. It ought not to be necessary to give Reaper its due for being about love in the face of impermanence, then refuse to give Hotel its due for being about the scared helplessness and yet also the guilt of realizing you're already an addict.

Crescent Minor

I just laughed at you slightly, as if I never wildly misinterpreted a song. I used to think Wild World was directed at a daughter, not a girlfriend leaving you.

Crescent Minor

Forget predicting the poll results, the real interesting percentage split is between SNL quotes and Big Lebowski quotes in the comments

Gal Hazor

as someone who voted for hotel california, the only parts i enjoy THAT much are: 1) the chorus, 2) the ending guitar solo, and 3) the way he says "programmed to receive" in that silly sinister techno voice

Austin F

oh I know I can start anywhere with Discworld, that’s what makes it hard

I hope you have a good day!

There’s a television miniseries based on The Eagles’ Hotel California. It’s called The Lost Room. Imagine if they made JJ Abrams’ Lost about the Hotel California motel. Not kidding. On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair ✅ Route 66 We haven’t had that spirit here since 1969 ✅ “The Lost Room has existed outside of normal time and space since 1961 "the Event" took place.” “Of our own device” ✅ The series is 90% maguffins “I saw a shimmering light/Last thing I remember I was running to the door” ✅The last scene I remember is of the main characters running to a door to get to The Lost Room and it glowing I loved it, I have be one of 2 people who remember it who didn’t create its wikipedia page, it almost definitely sucks, and you are all now cursed with knowing its existence.

I hope you have a good day!

The trick with Discworld is you can basically start anywhere (ironically the first books are not ideal to start) - Soul Music is technically 2nd in the Death subseries (Mort is before it) but is a fine place to start - Hogfather, the 4th Death book and 20th overall was my first or second discworld book, and it was fine

Matt O

Thank you for specific book recommendations for Discworld, I haven’t known where to start. In addition, to trade, they’re worse, but I like the Riverworld series

I hope you have a good day!

y’all, nobody can vote for Hotel California. they’re still stuck in the Hotel

I hope you have a good day!

We haven’t had jeans like those since 1969, Seasons don’t fear hitting the floor, Forty thousand men and women every day got them paper stacks, tattoo above their crack Shawty can get low but she’ll never leave

I hope you have a good day!

I was finding this a little difficult, as I like both songs and don't loathe the Eagles, but then I remembered Sir Terry Pratchett taking "Noli Timere Messorem" (dont fear the reaper) as his (and his character's) motto, and his books (especially the Death series) mean a lot to me. That's nerd shit, obviously, but so is Blue Öyster Cult. Easy win with the associations there, GNU Terry Pratchett. Oh and read Disworld - recommending Soul Music/Reaper Man/Hogfather

Matt O

In middle school I had to pick a song to translate from English to my native language. I picked Hotel California. Definitely voting for Don't fear the reaper

Lazurit

Hotel California isn't even the best song on its own album (that would be "The Last Resort." Easy vote for Reaper.

Blinky

I like unique stories told poorly more than common stories told well sometimes. Reaper is an epic about coming to terms with death and taking love in hand through it; a eurydice, hyacinthus, kyparissus, hell, romeo and juliet like in the song. Hotel California is “real fucked up hotel” AND you’re stuck there. I have many epics of love and death. I have one weird fucked up mind prison hotel.

I hope you have a good day!

I’m not voting for Reaper because I don’t like Hotel California I’m voting for Reaper cause I’m a Frank Ocean fan

Jayden Egan

I should note, I'm someone who likes "Hotel California"...when it's just the chorus playing in passing on the radio.

sammy aurora

My policy is that songs over five minutes should have some kind of movement and contrast to justify the length. "Reaper" delivers that in spades, whereas "Hotel California" just ploddingly repeats the same musical idea for eight minutes so you're exhausted even before the two-and-a-half-minute guitar solo kicks in. "Reaper" is prog rock, "Hotel California" is jam band shit.

sammy aurora

It annoys me that every song on Agents of Fortune is better than every Eagles song except Hotel California. I would really like to not vote for the Eagles but that song is undeniable

Jane Doe

I'm kinda partial to the Gypsy Kings' Spanish folk cover of Hotel California.

The Omega Geek

As an owner of a 12-string guitar, I am legally required to vote for Hotel California. Sorry BÖC, more cowbell all you want but they have twice as many strings as you, can't argue with that.

Gator McKinley

My dad tried to tell me that he was playing hotel California at a guitar center in Anaheim in the 1980s when who happened to walk in but the eagles?! He was shredding the solo so hard that Don Henley and the rest of the band jumped in to play backup and they all rocked out together. In the timeline, this is after he spent new years eve in a hot tub with George Lucas but before he lived next door to Gwen Stefani and watched no doubt practice in their garage... I have enough of these “stories” to write a damn book. Needless to say Blue Oyster Cult has my vote.

saltypeach

Sorry if I was not clear, the best hard rock band is Blue Öyster Cult

Kieran J Commanda

The Eagles are the ‘best hard rock band’ ever? That is some champion-level trolling.

Merda d'artista

I used to think Hotel California was a happy song. Ever since I actually paid attention to the lyric I am now comically biased against it.

Evan Z.

1) Yes, but we just take it as a vibes movie

Why We Watch

i'm kinda mad i'm picking Hotel California, but Don't Fear the Reaper is just dull in the first half for me. the breakdown is great, but even though Hotel California is up there amongst the greats for most overplayed song, nothing matches that dark, latin-influenced yacht rock vibe! it's like The Doors but Jim Morrison went to rehab, found Jesus, and is doing much better now

Yurple

still not over learning that hotel california's WIP title was "mexican reggae" really wish i enjoyed BOC enough to rationalize picking that one instead, but unfortunately joe walsh was trapped in his own hotel california known as "the eagles" and he's still pretty good

Kite

Just my personal thought, I know Don't Fear the Reaper is their biggest song, and it's a great pairing with Hotel California.

Kieran J Commanda

Long, boring song by the best hard rock band ever vs. hard hitting all time banger by the lamest soft rock band. A lot of BÖC songs wouldn't be out of place on Halloween, but I think my pick would be I Love the Night

Kieran J Commanda

If i could submit a third party vote, it would for Carry On Wayward Son by Kansas.

Nico Niconi

Here’s some hot takes: 1) Big Lebowski is quotable, sure, but it doesn’t hang together that well as a movie. 2) The Eagles were a pretty good band. 3) The SNL sketch is mostly funny because of all the people breaking when Will Ferrell dances. All this being said, “Hotel California” is a pretty good song, but “Reaper” is a full-on banger.

Clay Peterson

Like many others, I despise the Eagles. However, I concede that “Hotel California” is one of the greatest Classic Rock songs ever made, which just makes me even angrier that the Eagles are capable of greatness but instead choose to write the shit they wrote instead.

Christian Reiswig

I always forget that “Don’t Fear The Reaper” is in John Carpenter’s Halloween, so that’s appropriately spooky. To the same effect, I still find it odd that The Exorcist has the Allman Brothers “Ramblin’ Man” in it.

Christian Reiswig

Steely Dan had a good side jab at the Eagles in "Everything You Did". The Eagles wanted to retaliate in "Hotel California" and ended up chickening out of it by changing their lyrics from "steely dans" to "steely knives". I can't vote for a band that were too afraid of a duo of jazz dorks. Damn Eagles, you suck.

TimeBombMan

Lots of these people must be high on colitas. Is "Hotel California" overplayed? Sure. Yes. But it's still a much better song than "Don't Fear the Reaper." By miles and miles

Preston A. Rickwood

I’m visiting family, and I asked my classic rock loving dad while we were driving. He couldn’t decide but the radio played Don’t Fear the Reaper like two minutes later. I relistened to both songs just now and the radio was right.

Syd B

I have to give it to Blue Öyster Cult here. Without (Don’t Fear) The Reaper, do we get The Stand? Do we get More Cowbell? What is Will Ferrell’s career without More Cowbell??? I love Hotel California and I have very special memories of singing it with friends at The Duplex, but man. That cowbell, though. Also, how big does BOC get without it? Do we still get Godzilla or Veteran of the Psychic Wars? The (fuckin’) Eagles (,man) are fine without Hotel California.

Jill V Friedman

BOC is the better band but Hotel California is the better song. Hotel California's Guitar solo takes it over the edge for me.

Mr Spaghett

8 year olds, Todd and Alina.

J.D. Laney

that's such an overly literal reading of hotel california, which is not remotely subtle about its symbolism. it's like saying sia's chandelier is actually about hanging onto furniture. i don't mean that to be confrontational (and i don't even like the eagles), but that felt disingenuous.

Austin F

I listen to Don’t Fear The Reaper once and I’m fully saturated. I can play Hotel California on repeat until I end up there. Reaper is the better song, but Hotel California gives me more unique emotions. Hotel California feels like getting out of the House of the Rising Sun and ending up in Twin Peaks.

I hope you have a good day!

i voted for hotel california just because i like the way it sounds more. that kind of rock that's slow, guitar-heavy, and kind of quirky. i call it "dad in minivan music", and it's very nostalgic for me

Austin F

Voting for Don't Fear the Reaper, but if it was the Hispanic Hotel California from the Jesus scene in Big Lebowski then I'd vote the other way.

Aurone86

“Apple Bottom Jeans” to the tune of “Don’t Fear the Reaper”

Cole Cox

It should have been don’t fear the reaper vs the Killing Moon, this isn’t a third party vote for The Killing Moon I’d still vote Don’t Fear the Reaper but do think it fits better.

Jam Life

I mean there are a TON of eagles songs better than Hotel California. Personally, I love The Last Resort.

Lanth

One of these nights is my favorite eagles album, Hotel California the album is pretty crappy overall. That said the song Hotel California is still quite good, I'm a big fan of the live acoustic version from hell freezes over.

Stacyswirl

Yeah I love both of these songs but Don't Fear the Reaper definitely comes out ahead

Lanth

Listening to the songs again to vote, I noticed the weird phrasing at the end of Hotel California "We are programmed to receive." I will now envision the night man at the end of the song as a Robby the Robot looking robot going "BEEP BOOP WE ARE PROGRAMMED TO RECEIVE" from now on.

Bryan C

If you want to. For me, it's just one of these songs that take worn-out romantic concepts like "love can transcend death" and tries it on seriously (like Dido's "White Flag" turned the trope of "I will literally love you forever" into a dark, twisted reality, or like Aronfosky's movie "The Fountain" plays with the trope of "I will never get over the death of my wife"). When you do that it always gets messy and weird, and this is not a blind celebration of that trope, but a look at how glorious it would be if we could actually forget our nature and not fear death (one of the defining things that separate us from the animals) - and at the same time a stark and dark reminder of how powerful the fear of death still is (that's the middle section in my eyes). There is no transcendence without fear, you cannot deny your human nature, you can just try to overcome it. And become like the wind and the rain and the seasons and mythical figures and live forever.

Daniel Bickermann

The fact that this poll isn't a 95:5 or higher blowout is astonishing to me, for the record.

Rhiannon M

A contemplation about the MOST timeless, dreaded, unknowable subject in all of human endeavor vs whinging about the entirely predictable decline of a chinsy tourist trap. Oh Sophie, we're really in it now!

Rhiannon M

i feel like overexposure has killed hotel california dead

no

if i never hear hotel california again it will be too but we all need more cowbell

NinjaTylerBlack

Definitely Don’t Fear The Reaper. And the album it’s on, Agents of Fortune, is really good too. I do find the rest of their stuff pretty unlistenable, though. Is that a common view???

njwaite

Have we stopped heating the Eagles yet? Because I’m not entirely sure why we were supposed to in the first place. Having said that, Hotel California is quite good, and Don’t Fear the Reaper is one of the greatest songs of all time.

Jakob Eyjólfsson

Hotel California is a cheesy b-rate horror story about a man that sees a blinding light and ends up in a mysterious hotel full of greed, alcohol, and lust. (Don't Fear) The Reaper is a haunting tale about a depressed woman being convinced to commit suicide by the spirit of her lover. But, like my taste in movies, I enjoy the schlock a lot more than the masterpiece, so Hotel California gets my vote.

River

One of these nights is a better record that hotel California. I will die on this hill. Any I’m voting for the gojira band cause they did a good song at the olympics

Robert_boy_genius

The first Rock Band had a huge influence in my taste in rock music, and I’d argue that no song works better in that game for all four parts than Don’t Fear the Reaper

Staghorn

But for real, Todd if we’re doing Halloween can I pencil in Witchy Woman vs Godzilla instead?

Michael Gibler

Well now you’re just wrong twice

Michael Gibler

I'm sorry, is this supposed to be a competition? *Hotel California has half the support of a pretty-sounding yet somewhat unstructured song* Oh ... I mean, okay ... I don't see what compelling and subtly horrifying narrative is being weaved in Don't Fear the Reaper, but I guess it's got something else going for it. Maybe people find the vagueness of the point of the song to be a good thing, makes it kinda vibey? I get that, but the tight riff and mounting tension and freaky imagery of Hotel are just too damn good.

Crescent Minor

Out of my fucking cab OUT OF MY FUCKING CAB!

Alex Georganas

Oh for sure, Hotel California is probably 60-70th percentile best Eagles song

Michael Gibler

Whatever happens, please vote 🩷

Albert Farkas

Showed this question to my dad and he visibly gagged at blue oyster cult winning

Sam

The line “Romeo and Juliet/we can be like them” and the other random bridge lyrics negate how good the opening of Don’t Fear The Reaper is. I liked it much better when I only knew the instrumental Guitar Hero version

AthenaSalem

even tho the NSP cover of don’t fear the reaper was my number one played song on spotify one year, the eagles gotta take this one.

Margaret Clark

Haha. I am a Ravens fan though

Chad lamasa

I had a Blue Oyster Cult phase in highschool and Don’t Fear the Reaper still holds up for me. Meanwhile, the Eagles have always been a bad band in my eyes.

Sol Rabbit

don’t fear the reaper is badass. hotel california is stupid. also hotel california has less cowbell, so reaper gets my vote.

kate schwalls

Just Don Henley.

Dork Mode

"Life in the Fast Lane" is better than "Hotel California" IMO

Dork Mode

I genuinely love both, so I’ll probably flip-flop a bunch.

SpectralTime

I hate the FUCKIN' EAGLES, man!

Dork Mode

This was such an easy choice.

Lars von Trash

Growing up in Europe, where those songs aren't everywhere, I only found both of them in my early twenties. I have no opion about the Eagles at all, but "Hotel California" instantly felt like a novelty song, as if a mid-tempo cover band saw The Shining and made a wannabe-spooky, repetetive song. "Don't Fear The Reaper" on the other hand felt like some genuine musical artists read Dylan Thomas' "And Death Shall Have No Dominion" and tried to find a musical expression to all the glorious, dark, and genuinely frightening implication of trying to transcend death. That guitar solo is one of the darkest, most beautifully terrifying things in popular music.

Daniel Bickermann

Fun fact you can use to annoy people at parties: despite what the More Cowbell sketch claims, the percussion instrument used on Don't Fear the Reaper is clearly a wooden block of some kind.

Jared Walske

This was tough as I like both songs, as sort of things I hear now and then on the radio etc. I listened to both all the way through. Hard choice but while both songs are probably a bit repetitive and technically switching to a completely different tune in the middle means (Don't Fear) The Reaper is less repetitive, but to me it FELT more repetitive by the end (also the middle bit just feels out of place). So I went with Hotel California. Fun fact I found the Hotel California in San Francisco on a trip in 2010, it was a Best Western.

Allan Olley

No amount of more cowbell jokes can ever really remove what a banger Don't Fear the Reaper is, the kind of romantic Gothic classic that actual goth bands would kill to say they written. (The fact that it was written by a bunch of bikery dudes from Long Island is really the cherry on top) Hotel California is good, don't get me wrong, I love it, but this is not a contest.

Jared Walske

So (Don’t Fear) The Reaper is about mutual suicide right? I feel like it is but everyone tells me I’m crazy

Tyler Crone

Gonna be a double hipster and vote for Hotel California. Sorry, The Dude, but I gotta vote for the underdog...

Charles Arthur

Which guitar is cooler, Don Felder's double neck or Buck Dharma's headless steinberger scooped out to look like swiss cheese (aka the cheeseberger)?

JazzySpF

There was an Eagles cover band playing at the theatre I work at a couple weeks ago. I was more excited for them doing Boys of Summer then Hotel California. Don't Fear the Reaper is such a jam, there's no competition.

Angela

Hotel California is a little worse, but The Eagles are often way too maligned, its “cool” to hate them, so i voted for them.

Michael Gibler

I am not American, this is news to me...I should hate the Eagles???

Juliana Fernandez Casas

If this isn't a squash match, I'll eat my hat

Roughhousin By Proxy

Growing up, my younger brother misheard the song as 'Don't fear the Reaper, just fear the Reaper'. Even after growing up and knowing better he'll still say that to me whenever he catches me complaining about not understanding the youth with their skibidis and rizzles.

Jim Brown

Voted for (Don't Fear) the Reaper because of it's use in Prey (2006)

Paul Stepchenko

Both 10/10 songs. Voted for Don't Fear the Reaper but I wish I could hear Hotel California for the first time like when I was a kid and could genuinely get creeped out by it

the purple shaman

i do find it funny asl that steely dan went thru a critical (re)appraisal while eagles are still eating shit to this day (to a specific demographic ofc) like obv its bc steely dan has better sonngs and chops, but they certainly got the same vitriol as eagles for the same reason back then

sgeddegs

One of these bands was a weird, adventurous, and full of cool as fuck dudes who spent their career making a catalog full of explosive, electric science fiction and fantasy infused rock masterpieces. The other is the fucking Eagles, a band of miserable assholes who always made their unhappiness my problem. Hotel California can’t save them these days. Fuck the Eagles

AnalogSkullerosis

Big Lebowski quote VS Saturday Night Live Quote?

Bruxistentialist

Hating eagles is such a hipster move. Hotel California has no hope here.

T. Ryder

The best thing about Hotel California is that they make a reference to a much better band ("they stab them with their steely knives"=Steely Dan). BÖC all the way!

Jim Storch

Ah shit we're allowed to do this? Then seconding fuck this year and screw the Eagles

Nir revel

Geez I don’t they’re THAT bad of a football team

Connor Rankin

Come on, folks. I've had a rough year and I hate the fucking Eagles

Lucy Daughter of None

Even when I was a teenager and didn't dislike the Eagles, I thought Hotel California was fucking stupid. Blue Oyster Cult, on the other hand, has aged like fine wine and certain kinds of cheese.

Ben Cook-Feltz

I usually hate the dad rock episodes of song vs song, but Hotel California is the one dad rock song I hate with such a burning passion that it’ll make me so incredibly happy to have the opportunity to vote against it in a poll.

Hillel fraenkel

It's a Halloween episode with a Blue Oyster adult song and it's NOT Godzilla???? For shame Todd. For shame.

Nir revel

I was so sure Hotel California would be crushing. Truly, other people's souls are dark to us.

Alina

we gotta trust the process hotel california is gonna come in clutch

sgeddegs

Hotel California is the best Eagles song. Obviously the answer is Don't Fear the Reaper

Charlie L

This might just be a me-and-my-brother thing, but I've always associated Don't Fear The Reaper with the '90s The Stand miniseries, so I'm inordinately fond of it. Hotel California is... fine, basically. A purgatory song is maybe destined to be boring, idk.

Calla the Crick

Nat

Or “On Top of Spaghetti”

Connor Rankin

genuinely shocked by these early votes, let’s see what happens with the mail in ballots

Kijib

Lest we forget that Elvis Costello had Hotel California playing during his This Year’s Model album cover photo shoot to achieve that sour expression. Perhaps we should ask him which song he prefers

Connor Rankin

One of the best songs ever vs. one of the worst songs ever? Yeah, never smashed a button faster than BOC's here.

Vince Whitacre

i think i lost my classic rock cred when the first time i heard (Don't Fear) The Reaper was the Ninja Sex Party cover

Tristan

I despise the Eagles especially that song.

Chad lamasa

Halloween episode, eh? Cast my third party vote toward Sisters of the Moon.

Mouser