The essential Fleetwood Mac playlist

Released in 1977 on the band’s iconic album Rumours, “The Chain” was co-written by Mick Fleetwood, Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, Christine McVie, and John McVie. It’s since become one of the band’s most recognizable tunes and frequently opens a Fleetwood Mac live show. 

The second single from Rumours, “Dreams” was written by Stevie Nicks and marked the band’s first #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It found a resurgence in 2020 when TikTok user Nathan Apodaca filmed himself skateboarding and drinking cranberry juice while vibing to the song, which inspired copycat TikToks from Mick Fleetwood. 

A song that highlights the romantic tension between Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks, “Go Your Own Way” has since become a legendary break-up song. It wasn’t exactly a favorite of Nicks, though, who took issue with the way the song’s lyrics portrayed the couple’s tumultuous relationship. 

This top-ten hit, written by Christine McVie, is decidedly among the most upbeat tunes in the Fleetwood Mac canon. That could have something to do with former president Bill Clinton, who used the song as the theme for his campaign during the 1992 presidential race. 

Released in 1975 on the band’s self-titled album, “Landslide” is a stunning showcase of Stevie Nicks’s stellar songwriting. It’s since inspired two iconic covers — one from the Smashing Pumpkins, and an equally emotional take from The Chicks. 

A thoroughly ‘80s track written by Christine McVie and released on the band’s 1987 album Tango in the Night, “Everywhere” was a major hit for Fleetwood Mac in both the United States and Europe. 

With its catchy melody and lyrics written by Christine McVie, “Little Lies” scored Fleetwood Mac a #1 hit on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart upon its release in 1987. Decades later, it remains the band’s most recent #1. 

The title track of Fleetwood Mac’s 12th full-length album, “Tusk” is widely regarded by both critics and superfans as one of the band’s most innovative tracks even if it wasn’t a major commercial success. It’s a master class in creative instrumentation, with cameos from the University of Southern California marching band. 

Arguably the most recognizable Fleetwood Mac tune written by Stevie Nicks, “Rhiannon” is based on the folk tale of a Welsh goddess that Nicks encountered in a book written by author Mary Bartlet Leader. 

Inspired by a steamy extramarital affair with a Fleetwood Mac tour lighting director, “You Make Loving Fun” was a staple of Fleetwood Mac’s live show up until the retirement of writer and lead vocalist Christine McVie in 1997. 

Originally intended to be a Stevie Nicks solo effort, “Gypsy” appears on Fleetwood Mac’s 1982 album Mirage. It was the highest-charting song from that record and remains a favorite among Nicks obsessives. 

Yet another Fleetwood Mac song tied to the tumultuous relationship between Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham, “Never Going Back Again” is all about moving forward and learning from one’s mistakes. The song’s simple melody and philosophical lyrics earned praise from critics, and even though it wasn’t a major chart hit. 

Released as a B-side with “Go Your Own Way,” “Silver Springs” was the source of major consternation between Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham. Nicks was miffed that the song, which offered her take on the couple’s rocky breakup, wasn’t included on the band’s 1977 album Rumours. It was eventually released in 1997 and earned the band a Grammy Award nod in the Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals category. 

Penned while Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham were still performing as Buckingham Nicks, before teaming up with Fleetwood Mac, “I Don’t Want to Know” was released on “Rumours” in 1977. 

Its title an allusion to Nicks’s lengthy battle with cocaine addiction, “Gold Dust Woman” seems deeply biographical for her rock n’ roll life. It’s also been covered by a wide range of artists, from ‘90s grunge band Hole to country troubadour Waylon Jennings. 

Some say that “Sara” refers to Stevie Nicks’s friend and the ex-wife of Mick Fleetwood, others say it’s about a child conceived by Nicks and Eagles frontman Don Henley. Whatever its origins, the song’s tender lyrics, and Nicks’s emotive singing make it a total classic. 

A song that helped launch Fleetwood Mac into rock superstardom upon the release of the band’s self-titled 1975 album, “Say You Love Me” peaked at #11 on the charts, but is #1 in the hearts of many fans of Christine McVie. 

Written by songwriter and frequent Stevie Nicks collaborator Sandy Stewart about a love that could not compare to the majesty of the Taj Mahal or the Great Pyramids of Giza, “Seven Wonders” is only a few songs not written by members of the band. Nicks did score herself a writing credit on the song, though, after mishearing a lyric in the recording studio. 

Written by McVie, “Over My Head” is one of the tracks that helped make the self-titled “Fleetwood Mac” album a major success in the United States. It’s the kind of song about an intense romance that pretty much anyone can identify with. “I’m in over my head,” McVie sings. “But it sure feels nice.” 

One of the band’s earliest singles, released in 1969, “Oh Well” was written by founding Fleetwood Mac guitarist Peter Green. While it may not have the recognition of the band’s bigger hits, it offers an early glimpse into the sound of a band that would grow into rock royalty.