Fleetwood Mac

Fleetwood Mac emerged from the British blues scene in 1967, founded by drummer Mick Fleetwood and bassist John McVie, initially serving as a vehicle for guitarist Peter Green's incandescent talent. The band's trajectory shifted dramatically when Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks joined in 1975, transforming them from blues purists into architects of California soft rock. Their 1977 album Rumours became one of history's best-selling records, moving over 40 million copies worldwide while documenting the band's internal romantic implosions with unsettling candour.

The group's genius lay in weaponising dysfunction. Rumours captured two couples disintegrating in real time, their heartbreak polished into radio-ready harmonies and Buckingham's meticulous production. Songs like "Go Your Own Way" and "Dreams" balanced raw emotional confession with immaculate sonic craftsmanship, establishing a template for turning personal catastrophe into universal pop currency.

Fleetwood Mac's cultural imprint extends beyond sales figures. They legitimised emotional vulnerability in mainstream rock whilst maintaining commercial dominance, proving that mass appeal needn't preclude genuine artistic expression. The band's multigenerational resurgence confirms their strange alchemy: chaos as content, heartbreak as craft.