Fleetwood Mac has released two self-titled albums. Let’s talk about the second.
In the summer of 1975 – July in the U.S. and August in the U.K. – Fleetwood Mac released their first album with new members Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. The first U.S. single, “Over My Head,” was a top 20 hit on the Hot 100. The first U.K. single, “Warm Ways,” did not chart in either country. However, the reason we’re talking about the album in the context of 1976 is because of the last two singles, “Rhiannon” and “Say You Love Me.” Both songs peaked at #11 on the Hot 100, but they were still such big hits that they helped get the album to #1 on the Billboard 200 over a year after its release.
And then there’s “Landslide,” arguably the most famous song on the album.
It was not a single.
No, really. I’m sure it was an instant fan favorite, and there were covers of it that became big hits, but the original studio recording was not put on a 7-inch. I’m as shocked as you are, especially since it came from an album that’s certified nine times Platinum.
You read that right. Nine times Platinum. It was the second-biggest selling album of 1976 and the tenth-biggest of 1977. That’s how big the album was.
And I don’t think you need me to confirm that the album’s quality matched its commercial success. Not that the album is perfect, controversially. The outro of “Crystal” is a little too long, the lyrics in the verses of “Say You Love Me” could have been punched up a bit, and Lindsey’s vocals on the album closer “I’m So Afraid” could have been mixed better. But those don’t make the songs bad. They’re ultimately just minor quibbles regarding an otherwise brilliantly produced record. If you only know the singles, please give the 1975 self-titled album a listen.
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