Rumours was far from folk-rock band Fleetwood Mac’s first album. It was their eleventh studio release back in 1977, and it was no easy task to complete. The band worked around the clock, sometimes even up to 14 hours a day, over the course of a year to create one of the most beloved albums of all time. Of course, it’s worth noting that they dropped about $1 million in costs related to production and even more money on drugs, but that’s beside the point.
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It’s still an incredible album with amazing listening power today, even to a new generation of listeners. And bringing it to life was probably a little traumatic for the band.
The Origins of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Rumours’
Originally, Rumours was supposed to be a pop album produced with the intention of giving Fleetwood Mac a commercial boost following their 1975 self-titled album. While one can’t deny that it leans towards pop rock, Rumours ended up being completely different from what anyone was expecting.
The emotional turmoil of Fleetwood Mac was palpable during recording sessions. Christine McVie and John McVie went through a divorce, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham had a tumultuous on-and-off affair, and Mick Fleetwood found out his wife was cheating on him… with his best friend. Imagine having all of these people in a recording studio (or seven recording studios, technically) while enduring all of these hardships at once.
Realistically, the collective trauma of the band’s members likely contributed to the album’s success. Rumours absolutely drips with emotion. And the difficult times endured by the band were what likely turned it from just another pop album into one of the greatest albums of all time.
‘Rumours’ Was Different From Anything Else of Its Time
Rumours is absolutely bursting at the seams with emotional energy, perfect vocal harmonies, and the right mix of acoustic and electric instrumentation. No one had made an album quite like it before.
And it had mainstream appeal, too. All of the album’s singles made the Top 10 upon the album’s release, and “Dreams” became a no. 1 hit. It’s still dearly loved today, too.
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So what really made Rumours as powerful as it is today? It’s clear that the breakups that the band’s members went through, coupled with significant drug use and the right amount of talent in terms of songwriting, and excellent instrumentation and recording choices shaped the direction the album took. It wasn’t pleasant, but sometimes, having a really bad time can result in an incredible piece of music.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives
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