The 10 Best Fleetwood Mac Songs of All Time

Fleetwood Mac is undoubtedly one of the most iconic bands of all time. The band’s catalog of countless hits and more than 120 million album sales proves it. And if that in itself doesn’t make ranking their 10 ‘best’ songs hard enough, their extensive history of about 14 lineup changes surely will. I mean, there is a likelihood that two people love Fleetwood Mac, but are talking about completely different bands. But I gave it a try anyway. For this article, I’ve hand-picked their 10 ‘best’ songs, based on cultural importance, legacy, and personal preference!

10. Sara

I start this list with Stevie Nicks’ self-described ‘secret song’: “Sara”. The song originated from a turbulent period when Nicks secretly started a relationship with drummer Mick Fleetwood, who would eventually leave Nicks for her best friend Sara Recor. But “Sara’s” meaning goes way deeper, something Nicks has always been somewhat opaque about.

Read more: The Story Behind “Sara” by Fleetwood Mac

9. Oh Well

“Oh Well” stems from the time Fleetwood Mac was still considered a successful blues band. The song was written by Fleetwood Mac founder and iconic guitarist Peter Green. The song consists of 2 parts: A fast blues song titled “Oh Well (Pt 1)”, and an instrumental song titled “Oh Well (Pt2)”. Part 1 was initially written by Peter Green as a ‘throwaway riff’, but eventually became one of the most iconic British riffs ever written. But don’t forget to give the beautiful Part 2 a listen too.

8. Everywhere

“Everywhere” was released on Fleetwood Mac’s fourteenth studio album Tango in the Night (1987). The song was written by Christine McVie and was a worldwide hit. The glittering intro of the song was provided by Buckingham, who co-produced the song with producer Richard Dashut.

7. Rhiannon

For number 7, I’ve picked one of the first releases of Fleetwood Mac’s most well-known formation: “Rhiannon”. The song was written by Stevie Nicks, who often introduces the song as “A song about an old Welsh witch”. “Rhiannon” was released on Nicks’ first album with the band titled Fleetwood Mac (1975), and was a top 20 hit in the USA.

6. Albatross

“Albatross” is undoubtedly one of the best instrumental tunes ever recorded. In fact, it’s the best-selling rock instrumental of all time in the UK. The song was written by Peter Green and features his and Danny Kirwan’s guitar playing. The song topped the UK Charts and is the only number 1 hit for the band in the UK. Even The Beatles were impressed, and tried to capture the song’s sound on their song “Sun King”.

5. Songbird

“Songbird” marks the first “Rumours” entry on this list. The album is one of the most controversial ever made, and delves into the tumultuous relationships within Fleetwood Mac. Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham’s relationship was coming to a hectic end, while Christine and John McVie were going through a divorce. Still, the band decided to continue and record a new album. “Songbird” was written by Christine McVie and is arguably the most breathtaking moment of “Rumours”.

4. Landslide

For number 4 I’ve picked “Landslide”. Stevie Nicks wrote the beautiful song before joining Fleetwood Mac, when she still formed a duo with Lindsey Buckingham. She wrote “Landslide” alone in Aspen Colorado, after Buckingham accepted an invitation to tour with The Everly Brothers. The song delves into the trouble-filled lives of Nicks and Buckingham as struggling musicians. 3 months after writing the song the two joined Fleetwood Mac. The rest is history

Read more: The Story Behind “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac

3. Go Your Own Way

“Go Your Own Way” was Lindsey Buckingham’s way of saying goodbye to Stevie Nicks. In the song, Buckingham blames Nicks for the ending relationship, stating he is willing to give her his world, but she refuses to take it from him. “Go Your Own Way” was released as a single at the end of 1976 to create hype for “Rumours”. With success, because the album had around 1 million pre-orders.

Read more: The Story Behind “Go Your Own Way” by Fleetwood Mac

2. Dreams

Stevie Nicks was furious when Buckingham introduced “Go Your Own Way” to the band. Her response? “Dreams”. The songs are often hailed as ‘twin songs’, sharing similar stories from opposite perspectives. Nicks had more success with her ‘twin song’ than Buckingham, as “Dreams” became the first and only Fleetwood Mac song to top the US Charts.

Read more: The Story Behind “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac

1. The Chain

In my opinion, “The Chain” is the ultimate Fleetwood Mac track. Not only does the theme of the song perfectly align with the band’s personal struggles during “Rumours”, but it’s also the only song on the album that credits all 5 band members. The song is a combination of rejected works by Buckingham, Nicks, and McVie. The final section was created by John McVie and Mick Fleetwood and includes McVie’s iconic bass progression.

Besides the contributions of all Fleetwood Mac members, “The Chain” is above all an incredible and timeless song, and ranks number 1 on my list!

So, that concludes my list of the ‘best’ Fleetwood Mac Songs! I surely forgot to mention songs that could’ve easily ranked on this list. I’m thinking about “Black Magic Woman”, “Hypnotized”, “Big Love”, “Little Lies”, “Seven Wonders”, “Silver Springs”, and pretty much any other song on “Rumours”. What are some of your favorites? Let me know in the comments down below!