Fleetwood Mac (music group)
Fleetwood Mac is a British-American rock band that gained immense popularity, particularly known for their Grammy Award-winning album *Rumours* released in 1977. Formed in the 1960s in England, the band initially focused on blues music before evolving into a more rock and pop sound as they transitioned to the United States. The classic lineup featured Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Christine McVie, Lindsey Buckingham, and Stevie Nicks, all of whom had successful solo careers alongside their work with the band. Over the years, Fleetwood Mac experienced numerous lineup changes, with members departing and rejoining at various times, shaping the group's dynamic.
Key albums include *Fleetwood Mac* (1975), which marked a turning point in their career, and *Tusk* (1979), which followed the massive success of *Rumours*. Despite internal struggles and personal conflicts among band members that often influenced their music, they continued to produce popular albums throughout the 1980s and beyond. Fleetwood Mac's influence is underscored by their induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. The band faced significant changes with the death of Christine McVie in November 2022 and discussions about its future following her passing.
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Fleetwood Mac (music group)
Fleetwood Mac is a British-American rock band best known for its Grammy Award–winning album Rumours (1977) and other releases, including Fleetwood Mac (1975), Tusk (1979), and Mirage (1982). The band originated in England in the 1960s and eventually migrated to the United States, where it found fame. In the decades after its formation, Fleetwood Mac underwent many lineup changes as band members left and rejoined the group at various times. The classic lineup consisted of Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Christine McVie, Lindsey Buckingham, and Stevie Nicks, all of whom enjoyed solo careers while working with Fleetwood Mac. The group produced more than a dozen studio albums as well as numerous compilations, live albums, and rereleases.
Background
Fleetwood Mac originated in the early 1960s with drummer Mick Fleetwood, bassist John "Mac" McVie, and guitarist Peter Green, who had performed together in the band Bluesbreakers. They left that group and formed the British blues band Fleetwood Mac in 1967. Guitarist Jeremy Spencer completed the lineup. While Fleetwood and McVie provided the band with its name, they would have little influence over Fleetwood Mac in the years that followed.
The band signed with Blue Horizon and released its debut album, Fleetwood Mac, in 1968. The album was a hit in the United Kingdom, but not in the United States. The same year, guitarist Danny Kirwan joined the band. Fleetwood Mac then released Mr. Wonderful (1968), the US compilation album English Rose (1969), and its third studio album, Then Play On (1969).
By 1970, Green had left the band, and Fleetwood Mac adopted a more rock/pop sound, releasing Kiln House. The band added Christine Perfect—who later married John McVie and became known as Christine McVie—as a vocalist and keyboardist in 1971. That same year, the band went on tour. While in the United States, Spencer disappeared to join a religious cult. Christine McVie and Kirwan then led the band for its 1971 album Future Games.
Changes to the group's lineup continued with the addition of guitarist Bob Welch, who contributed to the 1972 album Bare Trees. Afterward, the band fired Kirwan and replaced him with guitarists Bob Weston and Dave Walker for the 1973 album Penguin. Walker then left Fleetwood Mac; Weston stayed for Mystery to Me (1973) but quit after that album. In 1974, the band released Heroes Are Hard to Find and relocated to California. Welch then left the group.
Around 1975, Fleetwood Mac added the American duo of Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. Buckingham contributed vocals, wrote songs, and played the guitar and keyboard, while Nicks provided a raspy voice and a hippie/gypsy look. The new lineup released another album titled Fleetwood Mac in 1975. It became a huge hit, producing singles such as "Rhiannon" and "Say You Love Me."
Continued Career
Professionally, things were looking up for the band; however, the members' personal lives were in disarray. The McVies divorced, and Buckingham and Nicks ended their romantic relationship. These issues found their way into a few songs on the 1977 album Rumours, which became more successful than any of the band's other albums. It produced the singles "Go Your Own Way," "Dreams," and "Don't Stop" and became the second biggest-selling album of all time in the United States. It received a Grammy Award for album of the year in 1978. The two-album Tusk debuted in 1979, along with the singles "Sara" and "Tusk." While it went multiplatinum, it was not as successful as Rumours.
After a tour to promote Tusk, band members Fleetwood, Buckingham, and Nicks worked on solo efforts in 1981. Nicks released Bella Donna, which claimed the top spot on the musical charts. Buckingham released Law and Order, and Fleetwood worked on The Visitor. The band reconvened in 1982 to work on Mirage, which hit number one on the musical charts and produced the singles "Hold Me" and "Gypsy."
Afterward, band members Buckingham, Nicks, and Christine McVie each took a hiatus to concentrate on solo projects. Nicks released Wild Heart (1983) and Rock a Little (1985), McVie found success with the single "Got a Hold on Me" in 1984, and Buckingham released Go Insane (1984). Fleetwood Mac reunited in 1985 to work on a new album, but Buckingham announced that it would be his last project with the band. Tango in the Night debuted in 1987.
Fleetwood Mac replaced Buckingham with guitarists Billy Burnette and Rick Vito and recorded Behind the Mask in 1990. It was not a hit and failed to earn gold status—a first for the band since 1975. Vito exited the group in 1991.
The classic Fleetwood Mac lineup (Fleetwood, John McVie, Christine McVie, Buckingham, and Nicks) reunited in 1993 to play at President Bill Clinton's inauguration. Nicks and Christine McVie then officially left the band, and Bekka Bramlett and Dave Mason replaced them. The new lineup released the album Time in 1995 to little fanfare.
Meanwhile, Christine McVie, Buckingham, and Nicks continued to work on solo efforts, but none of them found much success during this time, which led to speculation that they would rejoin Fleetwood Mac. The classic Fleetwood Mac lineup reassembled for a performance that was released as The Dance (1997). The live album boasted a new version of the single "Landslide" and led to a successful tour. In 1998, the band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The reunion was short-lived, however, as Christine McVie again left Fleetwood Mac.
The remaining members worked on Say You Will (2003), which reached gold status in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada. The album produced the hit singles "Peacekeeper" and "Say You Will." Band members then took a few years off to work on various projects but reconvened for a tour in 2009.
In 2013, Fleetwood Mac launched a thirty-fifth anniversary tour and rereleased a Rumours box set. During the tour, the band released an EP called Extended Play. To the surprise of many, in 2014, the group announced that Christine McVie had rejoined the band and a new album was in the works; from 2014 to 2015, the group embarked on a large tour. In 2018, with no new album having materialized, it was announced that Buckingham was exiting the group once more, and Mike Campbell, who had played guitar with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and Neil Finn, who had provided vocals for Crowded House, were brought on board. Over the ensuing years, conflicting statements were given by Buckingham and Nicks over the context of the former's dismissal. While this lineup did ultimately perform on the road between 2018 and 2019 and future recordings were hinted at, no album of new Fleetwood Mac music came out.
Another particularly impactful shakeup for the band occurred upon the death of seventy-nine-year-old Christine McVie in November 2022. In a 2023 interview, Nicks stated that she did not intend to continue the band following McVie's death.
Bibliography
Bienstock, Richard. "Christine McVie on Fleetwood Mac's 'Peculiar' 'Mirage' Sessions, New LP." Rolling Stone, 26 Sept. 2016, www.rollingstone.com/music/features/christine-mcvie-on-making-fleetwood-macs-mirage-new-lp-w441626. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.
Bienstock, Richard. "Mick Fleetwood on Fleetwood Mac's 'Overlooked' Smash 'Mirage.'" Rolling Stone, 20 Sept. 2016, www.rollingstone.com/music/features/mick-fleetwood-on-fleetwood-macs-overlooked-mirage-w440355. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.
Farber, Jim. "Christine McVie, Hitmaker for Fleetwood Mac, Is Dead at 79." The New York Times, 30 Nov. 2022, www.nytimes.com/2022/11/30/arts/music/christine-mcvie-dead.html. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.
"Fleetwood Mac." AllMusic, www.allmusic.com/artist/fleetwood-mac-mn0000182900. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.
"Fleetwood Mac." Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, www.rockhall.com/inductees/fleetwood-mac. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.
Ivie, Devon. "Stevie Nicks Sees 'No Reason' to Continue Fleetwood Mac." Vulture, 2 Oct. 2023, www.vulture.com/2023/10/stevie-nicks-fleetwood-mac-future-barbie.html. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.
Spanos, Brittany. "Stevie Nicks on Secret to Fleetwood Mac's Longevity, Touring Like Prince." Rolling Stone, 14 Sept. 2016, www.rollingstone.com/music/features/stevie-nicks-on-secret-to-fleetwood-macs-longevity-w438642. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.
Stevens, Kyle. "Stevie Nicks Talks about Empowering Women, Fleetwood Mac and Her Next Tour." Huffington Post, 23 Sept. 2016, www.huffingtonpost.com/kyle-stevens/stevie-nicks-talks-about‗b‗12064244.html. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.