Mick Fleetwood wishes that his Fleetwood Mac bandmates Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham would put their differences aside. https://t.co/cGrXyy3HYN

— Us Weekly (@usweekly) February 4, 2025

“I always have a fantasy that [Stevie] and Lindsey would pal up a bit more and just say everything’s OK for them both,” said Fleetwood. “But we’ve had such an incredible career.”  

Nicks and Buckingham’s relationship stretches all the way back to their high school days when Nicks joined the band Fritz. They became involved romantically before moving to Los Angeles and forming Buckingham Nicks. They released one album before joining Fleetwood Mac in 1975, though they were initially hesitant with the band’s reputation for being a meat grinder for musicians.  

Their romantic split during the writing and recording of 1977’s ‘Rumours’ produced some of the most iconic Fleetwood Mac songs, but those tensions often spilled over into their live performances, most notably a performance of ‘Silver Springs’ in 1997.

The pair’s professional relationship reached boiling point in 2018 when Buckingham was asked to leave the group, with Nicks giving them an ultimatum that she would leave if he stayed. In 2021, Buckingham claimed that Nicks had never got over him, while Nicks countered by saying that she “gave him more than 300 million chances.”

 

 

 

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Following the death of Christine McVie in 2022, the future of Fleetwood Mac has been in the air. Mick Fleetwood acknowledged the impact of her passing, describing it as something that changed the band forever. “Losing Chris, it was beyond unexpected,” he told US Weekly. 

McVie was instrumental in shifting Fleetwood Mac’s sound from their blues roots to the pop-rock sound they would become known for, and wrote hits like ‘Everywhere’, ‘You Make Loving Fun’, and ‘Little Lies’. As the keyboard player, she would be heavily involved in the more electronic-influenced ‘Tango in the Night’, released in 1987. Since her passing, the band have released no original material, though 2023’s ‘Rumours Live’ performed well, reaching 19 on the UK Charts.

Fleetwood has previously shown a willingness to reunite the band without McVie, though Stevie Nicks has remained resolute in her stance that Fleetwood Mac is done. “Without Christine, no can do. There is no chance of putting Fleetwood Mac back together in any way,” she told MOJO in October 2024. On the other hand, Buckingham said he would reunite the band “in a heartbeat” when asked in February 2024.  

Fleetwood has remained active since The Mac’s disbandment. He released an album with ukulele player Jake Shimabukuro in 2024, and teased an upcoming solo album on which he would sing too. His comments to US Weekly seem to suggest the drummer is itching to get back on the road, “I miss playing as much as we used to. ​​I’m hoping next year, one way or another, some band somewhere will say, ‘Come and play with drums or something.’”

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Despite their last studio album coming in 2003, Fleetwood Mac are one of the most enduring acts of their era. ‘Rumours’ is a mainstay on the UK Album Charts, spending over 1000 non-consecutive weeks on it. With an upcoming Apple+ documentary, Fleetwood Mac are as relevant as ever, even if the surviving members don’t reunite.

This momentous performance reunited Fleetwood Mac’s classic lineup after a six-year hiatus, showcasing the enduring legacy of one of the world’s most beloved rock bands. 

Continuing the 25th Anniversary celebration of The Dance, a newly upgraded HD version of the music video for “Silver Springs” is available now. Subscribe to the official Fleetwood Mac YouTube channel today so you don’t miss what’s coming next! https://t.co/8QheKlk8W4 pic.twitter.com/0jhHhkiBb1

— Fleetwood Mac (@fleetwoodmac) September 2, 2022

The band was formed in London in 1967 by drummer Mick Fleetwood and guitarist Peter Green, initially gaining fame for their blues-based sound with their 1968 self-titled debut album. Green’s haunting guitar arrangements on tracks like ‘Albatross’ captivated audiences and established the band’s early identity. 

Following Green’s departure in 1970, the band underwent a major transformation with the addition of American musicians Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks in 1975. They joined Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, and Christine McVie, forming the classic lineup that would define the band’s most commercially successful and influential era.

From this era, emerged their most famous album, ‘Rumours’, in 1977, which continues to be one of the best-selling albums of all time, selling over 40 million copies worldwide. The album featured iconic tracks like ‘Go Your Own Way’, ‘Dreams’, and ‘Don’t Stop’, fusing folk-rock, pop, and soft rock with deeply personal lyrics inspired by their own turbulent relationships and internal struggles – a prime example of the 1970s rock ethos.

The band’s success soared over the following decade with the release of three more albums, featuring hits like ’Everywhere’, and ‘Little Lies’. Their ability to evolve across genres while staying true to their core sound is what has made their music both timeless and influential. However, the band was slowly unravelling, and Buckingham’s departure in 1987 marked the end to their classic lineup.

Thank you for 1 BILLION streams of “Dreams!” Listen here: https://t.co/s0sP5bX4qp pic.twitter.com/OxPEd0OINZ

— Fleetwood Mac (@fleetwoodmac) June 27, 2022

Despite this, Fleetwood Mac endured and have reunited various times including in 1993 at the Presidential Inauguration, highlighting their ability to transcend generations. 

Clinton used the song ‘Don’t Stop’ as a unifying, energetic anthem of positivity, aligning with the optimistic and forward-thinking message of his campaign. Lyrics like “Don’t stop thinking about tomorrow” emphasise the positivity and progress he hoped to embody as he advocated for change and revitalisation following the economic struggles of the late 1980s.

His use of music as a campaign tool reflects a long-standing tradition in presidential elections. Throughout history, music has played a pivotal role in shaping public perception and energising supporters, evolving from simple campaign jingles to iconic pop songs.

This tradition dates back to George Washington’s campaign, where his supporters modified ‘God Save the King’ to ‘God Save Great Washington’ – mocking the anthem of their former rulers. However, the relationship between musicians and presidential candidates has not always been smooth. A notable example of this tension occurred during Donald Trump’s 2020 campaign, when the Rolling Stones threatened to take legal action in response to the use of  ‘You Can’t Always Get What You Want’ as his rallies.

Monday will see his return to the White House, with various musicians performing at the inauguration ceremony, including The Village People. The 1970s American disco group, famous for their dance-pop hits and vibrant stage personas, will perform twice at the ceremony, following the adoption of ‘Y.M.C.A’ as part of Trump’s 2024 campaign.

Fleetwood Mac’s historic performance at President Clinton’s 1993 inauguration highlights the bands enduring influence on both music and culture. ‘Don’t Stop’ encapsulates the optimism and hope of Clinton’s campaign as well as demonstrating the enduring power of music to unite and inspire.

Monday (January 20) not only marks a defining moment in modern politics with Trump’s inauguration as the 47th U.S President, but also serves as a reminder of the powerful connection between music and politics.

1. Ed Sheeran – ‘Mathematics Tour Collection’

Sheeran does it again, releasing a collection of his biggest hits included in the set list of his record-breaking ‘Mathematics’ Tour which will resume this January in Asia and make its way back to Europe in the summer. The album debuted at number five and has spent 14 weeks in the UK top ten, peaking at number one for the first time this week. It marks Sheeran’s eight album to achieve this milestone, fourteen years after ‘+‘ had first reached the position.

2. Sabrina Carpenter – ‘Short n Sweet‘

We’re now used to seeing Carpenter dominating charts after she created new records with the singles off ‘Short n Sweet‘, which have altogether spent more than twenty weeks at number one. ‘Short n Sweet‘, released last August, has spent nineteen weeks charting and has never left the top three! It debuted at number one, where it spent two non-consecutive weeks. It is Carpenter’s first album to achieve the UK top ten and her sixth studio album overall.

3. SZA – ‘SOS‘

SZA’s highly anticipated second studio album, ‘SOS‘ was released in December 2022 and debuted at number two. It has spent 108 weeks in the top 100, recently making a big comeback in the top 10 thanks to the deluxe version ‘Lana‘ being released. It’s a big accomplishment for a second album, considering her debut ‘CTRL‘ had only peaked 45, and ‘SOS‘ will perhaps climb to number one once the physical copies of the deluxe are released: it will make the artist’s first ever number one album.

4. Chappell Roan – ‘The Rise and Fall of a Midwestern Princess‘

The album spends another 29th week in the UK top ten, charting for an overall of 38. It previously peaked at number one, and it’s Chappell Roan’s first album to do so as well as her first ever album to chart in the UK. The album was originally released in September of 2023, and Official Charts included the artist as one of those whose slow-burn career turned out to be worth it in 2024.

5. Charli xcx – ‘BRAT‘

Another slow-burn career, and the artists behind mxdwn UK’s best song of 2024. ‘BRAT’ debuted at number two and it took the album a good while to achieve the number one position but it eventually did. It has spent an overall of 30 weeks in the top 100 since its debut back in June of last year. It is the artist’s second number one album and her longest charting yet.

6. Elton John – ‘Diamonds‘

The collection of hits has spent 373 weeks in the top 100 since its debut in 2017, peaking at number two in 2023 for two consecutive weeks. British legend Elton John currently has eight albums peaking at number one, and, including ‘Diamonds‘, he has so far spent 1433 weeks charting in the UK top 100.

7. Billie Eilish - ‘Hit Me Hard and Soft‘

The album first appeared on charts in May 2024, with a strong debut at number one. Ever since, it has spent 25 weeks in the top ten and 33 in the top 100. It is Eilish’s third album to peak at number one, her first was back in 2019 when the artist was only 17 and broke the record for the youngest female artist in UK history to achieve a number one album.

8. The Weeknd – ‘The Highlights‘

Another collection album, which has spent 204 weeks charting and has peaked at number two, spending there many non-consecutive weeks. It is the artist’s sixth album to reach the UK top ten, three of which have achieved the number one position.

9. Taylor Swift – ‘The Tortured Poets Department’

Swift’s twelfth album to peak at number one and the biggest album of 2024 in the UK. It has spent 37 weeks on charts, ten of which at number one, since its release in April of last year.

10. Fleetwood Mac – ‘Fifty Years – Don’t Stop’

Peaking at number 5 and spending 320 weeks charting, it is the band’s 13th album to reach the UK top ten. It was released to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the band’s creation and includes their biggest hits, including UK number one ‘Albatross’.

While the documentary remains untitled, Fleetwood Mac’s Instagram hinted at a possible connection to their iconic 1977 album, Rumours, with the caption: “It’s not a Rumour.” A release date has not yet been announced.

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The project promises to chronicle Fleetwood Mac’s tumultuous 50-year journey, from the meeting in 1974 (the most recognisable line-up) all the way through to the present day. The film will delve into the band’s personal and professional highs and lows, including the interpersonal drama that inspired much of Rumours.

The 1977 album Rumours became one of the best selling albums of all-time, with over 40 million copies sold worldwide. In fact, it was the tenth best-selling album on vinyl in 2023, with 323,000 certified sales. The album is well-known for its lyrical content which addresses the personal turmoils of the musicians. Take ‘Dreams’ by Stevie Nicks, and ‘Go Your Own Way’ by Lindsey Buckingham; both address the pair’s breakup from different viewpoints.

Director Frank Marshall, whose work includes acclaimed music documentaries like ‘The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart‘, expressed his admiration for Fleetwood Mac’s ability to transform their chaotic personal lives into timeless music. “This will be a film about the music and the people who created it,” he said.

The creative team also includes Emmy-winning writer Mark Monroe, who previously collaborated with Marshall on Disney+ show ‘The Beach Boys’. Producers Nicholas Ferrall and Jeanne Elfant Festa, who have both worked with Marshall and Monroe before, are on board as well.

Fans can expect exclusive new interviews with band members Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Lindsey Buckingham, and Stevie Nicks, as well as archival footage of the late Christine McVie. The film aims to explore the chemistry between the group and their creative process, which has helped them sell over 140 million records worldwide.

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The announcement comes as Apple TV+ continues to expand its music documentary catalogue, following hits like ‘Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me’ and ‘Beastie Boys Story’. This may be Apple’s strategy to compete with Disney+ and Netflix, both of whom have found success with shows like ‘The Beatles: Get Back’ and ‘Wham!’.

Fleetwood Mac remains culturally relevant, even with a much younger audience, with their song ‘Dreams’ going viral on TikTok in 2020 thanks to a video of a man skateboarding with cranberry juice. The band’s popularity ensures a well-established audience for the documentary, tapping into a streaming trend driven by nostalgia.

@420doggface208

♬ Dreams (2004 Remaster) – Fleetwood Mac

A 2021 Vice report on the rise of music documentaries and biopics attributes their success to familiar fan bases and easy accessibility. However, the genres face challenges of oversaturation, as seen with the mixed reception to recent biopics such as, ‘Bob Marley: One Love’. With Christine McVie’s passing in 2022, any possibility of a full reunion has been ruled out. This film will likely serve as the band’s definitive statement, offering glimpses of some of the most definitive moments in the history of the group, and could be some of the last original material we see of them.

Not *The* Fleetwood Mac, though. The second Fleetwood Mac.

— Angus (@gibsona07) November 19, 2024

On X (formerly Twitter), one user questioned the absence of Peter Green in Apple’s announcement. The guitarist was one of the founders of the original incarnation of the group, which was called ‘Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac’. He left the group in 1970 after struggling with his mental health, and was diagnosed with schizophrenia four years later.

While we don’t know exactly when the documentary will drop, or even what it will be called, there is already a considerable amount of excitement online. With Marshall, Monroe, and the rest of the team leading the project, this will be a must-watch for any music fan.

Breaking the BST headliner news on her social media channels, Nicks said: “Anything that draws me back to London – and therefore to England – fills my heart with joy. And to be able to visit and make music … is always a dream come true…”

Best known for her contributions to rock band Fleetwood Mac, Nicks joined the group in 1975 and made a name for herself with her captivating vocals and poetic songwriting, eventually going on to have a successful solo career with hits like ‘Edge of Seventeen‘ and ‘Bella Donna‘. After the death of her bandmate Christine McVie in November last year, Nicks informed fans that this would in fact be the end of the road for the group following a jampacked revival tour and emotional final performance at Radio City Music Hall in 2018, closing the chapter on a much beloved era for millions of fans around the globe.

As for the remainder of the UK summer line-ups, Nicks has been tipped as one of the rumoured artists for Glastonbury 2024 after organiser Emily Eavis announced this year’s legend slot would be occupied by a female artist. The world-renowned performer and hugely influential fashion icon also recently unveiled her 2024 US tour, as well as a string of 12 extra dates, including New York, Salt Lake City and Nashville.

For those eager to snatch tickets, general sale kicks off at 10am on Wednesday March 6. You’ll be able to buy tickets on the official BST website here. For presale access on Monday March 4, you can sign up here. American Express Cardmembers can take advantage of the presale from Friday 1 March at 10am. Prices for all of the shows at this year’s festival have not been revealed, but like all BST shows, tickets will be divided into different packages, including General Admission, Gold Circle access and VIP Packages such as the Ultimate Diamond VIP experience, The Ultimate VIP Hydeaway and Great Oak Roof Garden.

The sale of 5.9 million units this year is the highest amount of vinyl records sold in a single year in the UK since 1990. This past week, with the aid of Christmas sales, set yet another record with 250,000 records being sold in the UK, the highest amount for any week since the start of the 21st century.

The immense popularity of vinyl sales this year can positively be attributed to a number of artists, not least American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, who has a staggering three albums in the top 10 biggest-selling records this year. Swift, unsurprisingly then perhaps, also claimed the honour of being the artist behind the year’s best-selling album. Her LP 1989 (Taylor’s Version), a re-recording of Swift’s fifth album, 1989, originally released in 2014, sold 78,767 units. The other Swift albums that made the top 10 list include the other album she re-recorded this year, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), and her latest original studio LP Midnights.

The Rolling Stones album Hackney Diamonds, released in October this year, came second in the top 10 list and is followed closely by Lana Del Rey’s Did You Know There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd. Other albums to feature in the list include Blur’s latest LP The Ballad of Darren, Fleetwood Mac classic Rumours, Pink Floyd’s iconic The Dark Side of the Moon, and Lewis Capaldi’s Broken by Desire to be Heavenly Sent.

Commenting on the recent surge in popularity of vinyl records, BPI chief executive Dr Jo Twist OBE said, “Led by vinyl, the resurgence of physical product underlines the resilience of the UK music market at a time when streaming consumption continues to hit record levels.

She continued, “Whilst LP sales have now been on an upward path for the past 16 years, it is encouraging to see a stabilisation in demand for CD, as well as new generations of music fans falling in love with the cassette. It is giving people more choice than ever in how they enjoy their favourite music.”

The resurgence in popularity of the vinyl record is a trend not likely to slow down anytime soon, despite streaming services dominating the airwaves. The pleasure of physically owning an LP and adding it to a colourful and diverse collection are among the reasons for buying records, as American anti-folk singer-songwriter Jeffrey Lewis eloquently illustrates in his 2019 single ‘LPs‘. Watch the music video below:

In an interview with Vulture, Nicks stated: “When Christine died, I felt like you can’t replace her. You just can’t, Without her, what is it? You know what I mean? She was like my soul mate, my musical soul mate, and my best friend that I spent more time with than any of my other best friends outside of Fleetwood Mac.”

Nicks also added: “Christine was my best friend. When I think about Taylor Swift’s song ‘You’re on Your Own, Kid’ and the line ‘you always have been,’ it was like, that was Christine and I. We were on our own in that band. We always were. We protected each other. Who am I going to look over to on the right and have them not be there behind that Hammond organ? When she died, I figured we really can’t go any further with this. There’s no reason to.”

Upon McVie’s death, Fleetwood Mac also released a statement in which the band called McVie “truly one-of-a-kind, special and talented beyond measure” later adding “She will be so very missed”.

pic.twitter.com/NhXmJjWLtt

— Fleetwood Mac (@fleetwoodmac) November 30, 2022

Born in Lancashire, United Kingdom, Christine McVie joined Fleetwood Mac in 1971, four years before Stevie Nicks joined the band. McVie’s debut as a full-time member was on the album Future Games, having already made guest contributions on albums prior and was married at the time to Fleetwood Mac bass guitarist John McVie.

Christine McVie became a consistent songwriter and singer for the band, writing and singing hits such as ‘Warm Ways’, ‘Say You Love Me’ and ‘You Make Loving Fun’. After a long tenure with the band, McVie retired from the band in 1998, before reuniting with the band in 2014.

Nicks described McVie’s influence and importance to the band as to why the band could never tour again, as she said: “And her songs, you take out all of those songs. Christine was the pop star. She wrote all those really super pop hits. None of the rest of us could write those songs. What would happen is we’d have to take the songs out, like we did when she actually retired for 18 years. We couldn’t re-create those songs. So we became a much more hard-rock band.”

Fleetwood Mac’s Christine McVie Sells Songwriting Catalogue to Hipgnosis

Fleetwood Mac Announce New Super Deluxe Version of ‘Fleetwood Mac Live’

The track, titled “Little Darlin” was released this week by Rhino Entertainment and was originally recorded by McVie in 2004 when working on her solo album, In the Meantime.

McVie would have turned 80 on 12th July 2023, with Rhino working together with McVie’s nephew, Dan Perfect, to release a remastered version of “Little Darlin” on this date to celebrate the singer’s legacy. Perfect was involved in the original writing and production of In the Meantime back in 2004, and has continued to play a significant role in his aunt’s career.

Rhino have also shared further plans to release reissues of McVie’s solo album In the Meantime as a whole, in addition to a reissue of her self-titled 1984 album later this year. These projects are also being overseen by McVie’s nephew, Dan Perfect, who shared his thoughts in the liner notes of the re-release.

Perfect said, “When my aunt Christine McVie died unexpectedly last year, plans were already afoot for the re-release of this solo album, which is perhaps her most personal and intimate project.”

Perfect also shared, “Chris and I had been working for some time on remixing the original tracks in Dolby Atmos, and Chris was excited and intrigued by this process, which was bringing fresh life and contemporaneity to the songs… I dearly wish that she could have lived to see this re-release as she would have been delighted.”

McVie’s former Fleetwood Mac band member Mick Fleetwood also paid tribute to her to mark her 80th birthday. He released a spoken word adaptation of McVie’s track, “Songbird,” saying in the track, “As the songbird sings, now from the heavens, to you Christine, I wish you all the love in the world. But, most of all, I wish it from myself.”

Mick teamed up with Jake Shimabukuro to produce the track, with Mick on vocals and percussion.

“Songbird” was also performed by Mick Fleetwood, Sheryl Crow and Bonnie Raitt in tribute to McVie at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards earlier this year.

McVie passed away in November of 2022 following a brief illness, and has left behind a huge legacy that is still being celebrated after her passing.

Fleetwood Mac shared their thoughts via social media, writing, “There are no words to describe our sadness at the passing of Christine McVie. She was truly one-of-a-kind, special and talented beyond measure. She was the best musician anyone could have in their band and the best friend anyone could have in their life. We were so lucky to have a life with her. Individually and together, we cherished Christine deeply and are thankful for the amazing memories we have. She will be so very missed.”

McVie left the band in 1998 following the band’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and her win of a Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music in 1998. McVie remained in semi-retirement for 15 years and rejoined the band in October 2014. The singer has announced that she has now sold her 115- song back catalogue to the company Hipgnosis.

Fleetwood Mac’s Christine McVie Sells 115-Song Catalog to Hipgnosis https://t.co/8XFgoERUvs

— Variety (@Variety) August 9, 2021

Hipgnosis was founded by Nile Rodgers and Merck Mercuriadi in 2018 and has also successfully obtained songwriting rights from the band’s Lindsey Buckingham. McVie follows in the footsteps of the co-founder of the band Mick Fleetwood who secured a deal with BMG and Stevie Nicks who has a deal with Primary Wave. It is reported that the deal with Hipgnosis includes ownership of McVie’s songs, financial interest, and writers shares of her songwriting credits (Inclusive of McVie’s solo work) and worldwide copyright.

McVie expressed her excitement and stated, “I am so excited to belong to the Hipgnosis family, and thrilled that you all regard my songs worthy of merit”.

Mercuriadi’s from Hipgnosis has hailed McVie as being one of the greatest songwriters. Hipgnosis has amassed a market value of £1.4 billion and has also acquired the catalogue rights to other big artists such as Shakira, Michael Buble, Neil Young, Mark Ronson and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers.

Mercuriadis speaking of the deal said “Christine McVie is one of the greatest songwriters of all time having guided Fleetwood Mac to almost 150 million albums sold and making them one of the best-selling bands of all time globally,”

McVie thanked Hipgnosis for their deal and expressed that she wishes to maintain their relationship in any way that she can. In the wake of increasing streaming numbers, the song “The Chain” that McVie co-wrote with Mick Fleetwood, Lindsey Buckingham, John McVie and Stevie Nicks has been streamed 1 billion times.