There isn’t a bad song on Fleetwood Mac‘s Rumours. The record is a classic for a reason. It’s a masterpiece and is rife with drama, mystique, pain, and heartbreak. Even without digging into all the turmoil behind the making of this record, it’s an infallible, era-defining record.
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That being said, if we had to be tasked with pitting each of the 11 tracks on the record against each other, our ranking follows.
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11. “I Don’t Want to Know”
“I Don’t Want to Know” is a jaunting, easy-to-listen-to cut from Rumours. This Nicks-penned song became the replacement for another one, “Silver Springs,” which the rest of the band felt would not fit on the album. “I Don’t Want to Know” isn’t bad by any means. The harmonies between Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham are a stunning example of juxtaposition between their cooperation on the record and their disintegrated relationship in real life.
If we had to pick between “Silver Springs” and this track, we’d pick the former. All this to say, it seems “I Don’t Want to Know” is a fine replacement, but we can’t argue against the fact that “Silver Springs” might have hit harder.
10. “Oh Daddy”
Christine McVie’s smoky vocals shine on “Oh Daddy.” She hits notes few of her female peers could. A higher harmony line from Nicks adds even more magic to this haunting tune. While the melody and instrumentation give “Oh Daddy” a strong standing on this album, the lyrics are relatively small in scope. It doesn’t deliver revelations like “Songbird” and it isn’t as chantable as “Dreams.” It’s pretty middle-of-the-road in terms of memorability. As such, it has to fall in the back half of this list.
9. “Never Going Back Again”
The intricate guitar line in “Never Going Back Again” is almost hypnotizing. Buckingham proved he was worthy of his guitar master status early on in his career with the band. It’s pretty one-note, but it’s a powerful one at that. It’s not one of the punchier songs on the record, but we wouldn’t call it a filler either. It sits somewhere in between those two goals and is still one of Buckingham’s finest efforts on the album.
8. “Second Hand News”
“Second Hand News” is a fun album opener. Musically, it kicks things off with a bang. Buckingham sets the tone lyrically as well with the song’s opening line: I know there’s nothing to say / Someone has taken my place. With many tracks on this record being about his failed relationship with Nicks, he couldn’t have penned a better introduction to the topics at hand.
7. “You Make Loving Fun”
“You Make Loving Fun” is, well, fun. It’s enough to get anyone on the dance floor. It’s evidence of what made McVie the hitmaker of the group. In the place of rocky, at-times stiff guitar lines are energetic keys and a groovy bass line.
6. “Go Your Own Way”
This might be controversial, but we’re putting “Go Your Own Way” in the middle of this list. It’s one of the band’s signature tunes. While it deserves its dues, other songs on this record shine a little brighter in the context of the album. It does have an energy about it, the next five songs are more deserving of the top spots on this list.
5. “Don’t Stop”
“Don’t Stop” is a shining glimmer of hope in the midst of a largely forlorn album. McVie wrote the song as an act of closure after her separation from John McVie. It’s buoyant and blithe and a good reminder to anyone going through tough times: Open your eyes and look at the day / You’ll see things in a different way.
4. “Dreams”
“Dreams” is one of Nicks’ most famous songs. The song feels like her essence bottled up. It’s witchy and mystical. Nicks manages to make this breakup track sound like a foreboding curse. Listen carefully to the sound of your loneliness / Like a heartbeat drives you mad in the stillness of remembering what you had, she sings.
3. “Gold Dust Woman”
“Gold Dust Woman” is Nicks’ theme song. Though she sings in the second-person, she could easily be looking in the mirror when she says, Rock on, gold dust woman. The loose outro to the song feels perhaps even more spell-like than “Dreams.” It’s a marvel to watch Nicks perform this undisputed standout.
2. “The Chain”
“The Chain” is a rare moment of unity on this album. All of the members seem to be working in tandem with one another after focusing on their own thoughts and feelings across the rest of the tracks. The harmonies are legendary. The guitar solo at the end is similarly era-defining. Countless artists have covered this track, hoping to glean some of the song’s magic for themselves.
1. “Songbird”
McVie’s “Songbird” is beautiful in its simplicity. It’s the least-produced song on the album and yet it is one of the most affecting. McVie’s vocals cut straight to the heart as she sings about offering a sense of peace. It’s even more poignant now after McVie’s death. “Songbird” has to take the No. 1 spot in honor of her musical excellence.
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