Honestly, if you ask the average person to name a few tracks for a Fleetwood Mac songs list, they’ll probably rattle off "Dreams," "The Chain," and maybe "Go Your Own Way." They aren't wrong. Those are masterpieces. But there is a massive, weird, and frankly legendary history to this band that most people completely ignore.
They weren't always a California soft-rock juggernaut.
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Before the mid-70s glitz, they were a gritty British blues outfit. Then they were a psychedelic folk group. Then they almost disappeared entirely. If you only know the Rumours era, you're missing about two-thirds of the story.
The Blues Beginnings You Probably Skipped
Back in 1967, Peter Green started this band. He was a guitar god in London, replacing Eric Clapton in John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers. The early Fleetwood Mac songs list is heavy, raw, and dark.
Take "Black Magic Woman." Most people think that’s a Santana song. Nope. Peter Green wrote it in 1968. It’s got this haunting, sparse vibe that Carlos Santana later turned into a Latin rock anthem, but the original is pure British blues.
Then you’ve got "Albatross." It’s a sleepy, beautiful instrumental that actually hit Number 1 in the UK. It’s the kind of song you put on when you want to feel like you’re floating on a pier in 1969.
- Black Magic Woman (1968) - The original blues-rock template.
- Albatross (1968) - A peaceful instrumental that sounds nothing like the "Chain" bassline.
- Man of the World (1969) - A deeply sad, introspective track that hinted at Green's struggling mental health.
- Oh Well (1969) - A two-part epic. Part 1 is a frantic rock riff; Part 2 is a somber, classical guitar piece.
Why "Landslide" Is Suddenly Everywhere (Again)
It’s 2026, and "Landslide" just hit the Billboard Top 100 for the first time. Seriously. It came out in 1975 on the white Fleetwood Mac album, but it never actually charted as a single back then.
Thanks to a massive series finale on Netflix’s Stranger Things earlier this month, a whole new generation is obsessed. It’s wild to see a 50-year-old song beating out modern pop stars.
Stevie Nicks wrote it in Aspen when she was thinking about quitting music. Imagine that. She almost gave up right before becoming the most famous woman in rock. The song is basically about the fear of growing older and the "snow-covered hills" of her life changing. It’s timeless because everyone, whether they're 15 or 65, feels that transition eventually.
The "Big Mac" Era: Hits and Heartbreak
When Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks joined in late 1974, the Fleetwood Mac songs list shifted from blues to high-gloss pop-rock. This is the era that defines them for most fans.
Rumours (1977) is the peak. It’s basically a soap opera set to music. You had the McVies divorcing, Buckingham and Nicks breaking up, and Mick Fleetwood’s marriage falling apart. They were all in the same studio, screaming at each other, then recording harmonies.
The Heavy Hitters
"Dreams" is their only Number 1 hit in the US. It’s famously built on just two chords ($F$ and $G$). Stevie Nicks wrote it in about 10 minutes sitting on a bed in a room that belonged to Sly Stone. Christine McVie thought it was boring at first. Talk about being wrong.
"The Chain" is the only song where all five members get a writing credit. It wasn’t even a "song" to begin with. It was a Frankenstein’s monster of different snippets. The iconic bass solo at the end was actually a piece of an old Christine McVie song called "Keep Me There."
"Go Your Own Way" was Lindsey’s "angry letter" to Stevie. She hated the line about "shacking up," but he refused to change it. That tension is exactly why the song feels like it’s vibrating with caffeine and rage.
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Deep Cuts for the Real Fans
If you want to sound like an expert, stop talking about "Everywhere" for a second. Let's look at the stuff that gets buried.
"Hypnotized" (1973)
Before Lindsey and Stevie, there was Bob Welch. This song is incredible. It’s got this jazzy, shuffle beat and lyrics about UFOs and mystical stuff in Mexico. It’s the coolest the band ever sounded in the early 70s.
"I'm So Afraid" (1975)
This is the final track on the 1975 self-titled album. On the record, it’s a dark, moody piece. But live? Lindsey Buckingham turns it into a ten-minute guitar assault. If you haven't seen a live version from 1982 or 1997, you haven't heard the "real" song.
"Silver Springs" (1977/1997)
This was famously kicked off the Rumours album because it was too long. Stevie was devastated. It lived as a B-side for years until the 1997 The Dance reunion. The live version from that concert is legendary because Stevie stares daggers at Lindsey while singing "You'll never get away from the sound of the woman that loves you." It’s pure theater.
The Weirdness of "Tusk"
After the massive success of Rumours, the label wanted Rumours 2. Instead, Lindsey Buckingham went mad scientist. He recorded vocals in his bathroom. He used a marching band. He spent over a million dollars—a record at the time.
The title track "Tusk" is a fever dream. It’s got 300 members of the USC Trojan Marching Band on it. It’s weird, tribal, and arguably the most punk-rock thing a mainstream band did in 1979.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans
If you're building your own Fleetwood Mac songs list, don't just stick to the Greatest Hits. To truly understand why they matter in 2026, you need to listen to them in a specific way:
- Listen to the "Transition" Trio: Play "Hypnotized" (Welch era), "Sentimental Lady" (Welch era), and "Station Man" (Kirwan era). You'll hear the band slowly becoming the pop giants they eventually were.
- Watch "The Dance" (1997): If you want to see the interpersonal drama in real-time, this concert film is the gold standard. The performances of "Silver Springs" and "Big Love" are better than the studio versions.
- Check out "All the Songs": Grab the book by Olivier Roubin and Romuald Ollivier (released April 2025). It breaks down the recording of every single track, including the gear they used and the fights they had.
- Explore the 1969-1974 Box Set: Most of the pre-Buckingham/Nicks stuff isn't on the radio. This collection is the easiest way to hear how good they were when they were "just" a blues band.
The most important thing to remember about any Fleetwood Mac songs list is that it’s never finished. With "Landslide" back on the charts this week, it's clear this music just doesn't age. It just waits for the next generation to find it.