Fleetwood MacImage via Mark C Austin
By
Fiona MacPherson-Amador
Published 44 minutes ago
Curious from birth, Fiona is a music writer, researcher, and cultural theorist based in the UK. She studied her Bachelor of Music in London, specializing in audiovisual practices, and progressed to a Master’s in Arts and Culture from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. Her MA research focused on the societal impact of sound within urban communities and how the narratives of art can contribute to their shaping and commentary.
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1977 was the year that the world was blessed with Fleetwood Mac’s eleventh studio album, Rumours. The album was released way back in February, but its addictive pop rock sensibilities entranced the public to keep wanting more throughout the entirety of the year. Rumours was recorded at a, famously, tumultuous time for the quintet, who were suffering an array of personal issues. It was certainly an interesting example of why it’s never a good idea to start an office romance. Despite obvious personal difficulty at this time, Fleetwood Mac could be thankful that the flurry of emotions fueled some of the greatest rock and pop songs of the decade, if not the century. The real beauty of Rumours is the way it displays the songwriting of each member fairly and unapologetically. Even in the midst of a rift, the band members could see past any grudges for the sake of the music. Thanksgiving is a time to be around family. Much of the time, it’s (hopefully) filled with joy, but Fleetwood Mac showed that despite any nasty rumors, there’s always enough mutual love to let them rest.
The Release of Fleetwood Mac’s 'Rumours'
Fleetwood MacImage via Media Punch/INSTARimages.com
Rumours is a spectacular example of how a band can pull together to create a cohesive record, yet allow each writer to shine in their songwriting. The album is a wonderfully curated anthology of each member’s greatest strengths. Stevie Nicks lashed out at Lindsey Buckingham in her strangely calm soft rock of “Dreams,” whilst he got his say on the more electric and unrelenting “Go Your Own Way.” As ever, Christine McVie took an optimistic approach in her upbeat, ‘50s-esque “Don’t Stop,” sugared with ‘70s synths and electric guitar solos. Mick Fleetwood and John McVie gave their attention to “The Chain,” along with the other members, to give the iconic song the biggest and most dramatic sound on the track list.
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Posts 4 By Lex Williams Apr 13, 2025Rumours spent a total of 29 weeks in the number one album spot on the Billboard charts, making it the best-performing record of the year by a long way. When Rumours reentered the top spot in July, it stayed comfortably there until Thanksgiving came around on November 24th. The beauty of the record is its ability to resonate all year round, but the melancholy feel of songs like “Songbird” and the grit of “The Chain” have a particular connection with late autumn and early winter.
How 'Rumours' Perfectly Captures Thanksgiving
Rumours is arguably the best Fleetwood Mac album. It’s when the band came across at their most musically confident, embracing pop sensibilities that were, quite frankly, a lot of fun. Unfortunately, it can’t be ignored that while Fleetwood Mac were recording Rumours, their personal lives were genuinely chaotic. Relationships in the band were breaking down left, right, and center, with the McVies divorcing, Nicks and Buckingham in constant battles, and poor Mick having to deal with it all. I don’t know about you, but this feels remarkably similar to the dynamics in families that I know. Not my own, of course... However, it’s exactly this bitterness and these disagreements that fueled such passion for the band to deliver an unstoppable chart-topper. Despite perpetual and intense arguments, Fleetwood Mac came together to work toward their shared trait of musical genius.
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Posts 23 By Lex Williams May 4, 2025It can only be assumed that the recording sessions for Rumours were, at the very least, rather awkward. A bit like trying to talk to a great-aunt at the dinner table you barely remember you had, let alone think of what you have in common with her. Christine McVie told Rolling Stone in 1977 that the Sausalito sessions were “Trau-ma. The sessions were like a cocktail party every night – people everywhere. We ended up staying in these weird hospital rooms . . . and, of course, John and I were not exactly the best of friends. Stevie and I spent a lot of time together.”
Rumours features the only song that all five members wrote together during their time as a band. “The Chain” is a harmonically powerful song with bluesy influences, and the blues-style banjo captures a notion of tradition, resonating with the sense of family and the celebrations we either enjoy or endure together. Despite the changes in loving relationships, Fleetwood Mac still promised to “never break the chain” and to keep their links connected. Their chain was welded together by the love and sheer musical talent they all shared. No matter how many rifts or rumbles a family has, there’s always something to be thankful for. Recently, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham released a remastered version of their 1973 record Buckingham Nicks in September this year. Their amicable reunion, shared via a cryptic Instagram post, shows how even through hard times, the good will always shine through.
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