Fleetwood Mac wasn’t a band; it was a soap opera with incredible music. Started out as a brilliant blues vehicle for guitar Peter Green’s playing and carried on with some success as a sophisticated rock outfit after his departure; it was, however, the band’s late 70s line-up that gave the Mac global stardom. Some might call that particular version one of the greatest groups of all time.

For this article, I am focusing on the more famous Stevie Nicks/Lindsey Buckingham line-up. The Peter Green iteration deserves not only colossal respect but a list of its own.

Here are the 10 best songs from Fleetwood Mac, a band who, in Mick Fleetwood’s own words, had nothing ordinary ever happen to it.

Greatest 11 Songs by Fleetwood Mac

“Silver Springs”

Fleetwood Mac called their album “Rumours” because this is everything that the music press wanted to discuss when it came to the group. By 1977, and with only one album in with a revamped musical line-up, Fleetwood Mac was a sensation.

The songs on “Rumours,” however, didn’t just point fun at the myth behind the band. “Silver Springs” is a Stevie Nicks love letter to band member and former lover Lindsey Buckingham.

It’s a heartbreaking song that promises the former partner that “You’ll never get away from the sound of the woman that loves you.” It’s the blessing and curse of the Fleetwood Mac members. It’s one of my favourites.

“Never Going Back Again”

Many of the songs found on “Rumours” are bombastic in their approach. Some of them are joyful, others sad. But “Never Going Back Again” is downright haunting.

With a minimalist acoustic-guitar arrangement by Buckingham, who also sings the tune “Never Going Back Again”, politely explains how far love can make one fall. The only escape, as the song concludes, is to make a run for it.

“Don’t Stop”

“Don’t Stop” was the great pop-rock hit of the band’s famous “Rumours” album. And for a while it gave the group a band name, as crowd pleasers. Time has been kind both to the band and the song. Fleetwood Mac played it at the inauguration of Bill Clinton.

It was made in an era of nihilistic punk-rock. But “Don’t Stop” remains one of the larger-than-life positive-message songs of the 1970s.

“Landslide”

The songwriting stood at the heart of the success of the 1970s version of Fleetwood Mac. Sure, the production value of the records was superb. Yes, there was drama, a good live sound and a nice image.

Still, Stevie Nicks’ confession about getting older and losing touch with childhood innocence has struck a chord ever since its release. It’s a song that means a lot to many people, and I am not surprised.

“Little Lies”

Many top producers emerged during the 1980s, spurred by the evolution of technology. None knew better what to do with Fleetwood Mac’s sound than Lindsey Buckingham.

The pop-rock of “Little Lies,” written by Christine McVie, is a perfect gem. The way that McVie, Nicks and Buckingham trade vocals in the song’s hook is sublime.

“Go Your Own Way”

There was plenty of love between the members of Fleetwood Mac throughout its existence. After all, the 1970s version of the band included two married couples. But there was plenty of hate as well.

“Go Your Own Way” is an emotional, supercharged rant from Buckingham to Nicks. It flows seamlessly and contains some of the singer/guitarist’s most emotional vocals and solos.

“Rhiannon”

Stevie Nicks was always fascinated with mystery and spirituality. Perhaps this is what drew her to rock n’ roll in the first place. “Rhiannon” is her attempt to compare the female rock singer to a witch possessing the power to hypnotize and control.

What really sells this extraordinary song is the band’s ability to fade into a whisper and then open up a storm. I particularly admire the live versions of the song.

“Everywhere”

Fleetwood Mac didn’t just have one singer or one songwriter. They had three. Each wrote hits. Each sang on them.

Christine McVie’s love songs may have contained, perhaps, the band’s greatest pop sensitivity. “Everywhere” is one of the outstanding songs of the 1980s. It helped turn “Tango in the Night” into one of the most colossal comebacks of all time.

“Big Love”

Buckingham possesses a particular guitar style. It’s based on a fingerstyle technique that, studied in its minutia, is revealed to be wholly his own. Buckingham’s style of singing and producing is also wholly different to anyone else.

“Big Love” was another great hit from the 1980s band. It’s the perfect Southern Gothic romance. But it’s also a studio experiment from Buckingham that worked much better than anyone could have imagined.

“Dreams”

It’s a testament to Nicks’s ability to conjure magic out of thin air that “Dreams” is built on a simple, familiar chord pattern or that the production for this one is sparse.

The melodies and, especially, the singing are enough to steal your heart away, just as Nicks promises you the musicians playing it always intended. “Dreams” is a song about the very allure of rock music – part reality, part illusion.

“The Chain”

Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham harmonized on the ultimate song of uncontrolled love, lust and loss. And they did it so marvellously well that they would need to sing it together for the most part of their collective careers.

“The Chain” is not just the song at the heart of the material found on “Rumours.” “The Chain” is also one of the most inspired pieces of rock ever captured, a mystical examination of the fires of love.