Cher Wanted to Be The Eagles—But Never Got the Chance!

Cher, the enduring icon whose career spans decades, is synonymous with iconic hits like Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves and If I Could Turn Back Time. However, despite her undeniable success and remarkable evolution, the superstar has long harbored an unfulfilled artistic ambition—one that would have taken her down an entirely different path. She didn’t want to be Cher the pop diva; she wanted to be part of the Eagles, the country rock band that defined a generation.

Cher’s solo career skyrocketed after her split from Sonny Bono in the 1970s, and while she found success with chart-topping singles, the artist was often at odds with the music she was creating. While Cher was being hailed for her distinctive contralto voice and her ability to craft catchy pop songs, her true artistic desires remained unaddressed. Her biggest hits, including Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves, Half-Breed, and Dark Lady, were undeniably successful, reaching the top of the charts. Yet, as Cher’s career progressed, she grew increasingly disenchanted with these hits.

David Geffen, the record label executive who was also a former love interest, confirmed Cher’s frustration, revealing that she wasn’t particularly fond of her popular songs. “She didn’t like a lot of her big hits,” Geffen admitted. “She wanted to sing rock ‘n’ roll.”

Despite her massive success, Cher was often left yearning for something more. In a 2017 interview with Billboard, she was asked about her iconic song Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves and whether she agreed with the notion that it was one of the best pop songs of the previous decade. Her blunt response—“I’m not a Cher fan”—left no doubt that her tastes lay elsewhere, perhaps indicating that the work which made her a household name didn’t align with her true musical aspirations.

So, who did Cher admire musically? While many might expect her influences to align with the pop world, Cher’s idols were rooted in a completely different sound—one that was far removed from the glitzy pop world she helped shape. Cher had a deep admiration for artists like Bruce Springsteen and Joni Mitchell, whose songwriting and raw emotional storytelling captivated her. But above all, Cher was drawn to the Eagles, a band known for their country rock sound, harmonies, and heartfelt lyrics. Their style, steeped in the richness of Americana and rock, was what Cher wished to emulate during her career.

“I’m not a Cher fan,” Cher quipped in a surprising third-person reference during the interview. “I just don’t think my aesthetic taste lies in her direction.” This remark underscored her dissatisfaction with the music she was known for, and in many ways, her comment was a lament of the fact that she never truly got the chance to pursue the kind of music that spoke to her deepest artistic sensibilities.

Cher has long been open about how she wished her career could have taken a different course, and this became particularly clear when reflecting on the massive success of If I Could Turn Back Time. “By that time, I figured out I wasn’t going to ever be The Eagles,” Cher admitted, highlighting her frustration with the limitations of her career.

Though Cher ultimately carved out a place for herself in pop music, achieving global stardom with hits like Believe and continuing to redefine her career for decades, she never lost her desire to explore a different genre. She often performs her early hits with less enthusiasm, a testament to the fact that her heart wasn’t fully invested in them. For Cher, the pop diva image was a necessity—one that helped her achieve success, but never fully aligned with her core artistic vision.

In the end, Cher’s career is a testament to her ability to adapt and thrive, even when her artistic dreams didn’t fully align with her commercial successes. While she may never have had the chance to explore the country rock sound of the Eagles, Cher’s legacy remains undeniably influential. And perhaps, in some alternate universe, there’s a version of Cher who is rocking out with a guitar in hand, fronting her very own country rock band.