On February 4th, 1977, Fleetwood Mac released their 11th album and magnum opus “Rumours”. The album perfectly captured both the band’s crazy inner dynamics and the spirit of the ’70s, mixed in with a dangerous amount of cocaine. Here are 9 fun facts about this legendary album:

  1. “Rumours” has sold over 45 million copies by most estimates, making it one of the Top 10 best-selling albums of all-time!
  2. The drama behind the scenes was unbelievable and I’m not even sure I would believe all the break-ups, back-stabbings and hook-ups if it was an episode of “Days of Our Lives”. But just think about this: singer Stevie Nicks had just split with her longtime lover and musical partner, lead guitarist Lindsey Buckingham, while the other female vocalist Christine McVie was in the midst of divorcing her husband, bassist John McVie. Meanwhile, Mick Fleetwood’s marriage was on the rocks, leading to an affair with Nicks before the year was out. Holy moly, the ’70s were crazy!
  3. The album was designed to contain “no filler”, meaning every song could stand on its own as a single. And they did just that, with the album spawning 4 massive hit singles: “Go Your Own Way”, “Dreams”, “Don’t Stop”, and “You Make Loving Fun”.
  4. The album was originally planned to be released in September 1976 and Fleetwood Mac had already sold out the corresponding tour but all that had to be scrapped due to delays caused by almost a years worth of recordings, re-recordings and overdubs.
  5. “Rumours” won a Grammy in 1978 for Album of the Year.
  6. Ever notice the balls proudly hanging between Mick Fleetwood’s legs on the cover of the album? They were toilet chains that were stolen from a club the band played in their early years, and were often seen dangling from Fleetwood during the Mac’s live shows!
  7. More than 1 in every 6 households in the US owns a copy of “Rumours”.
  8. The album was mostly recorded at the Record Plant Studios in Sausalito, California. Other artists who recorded there included The Grateul Dead, Sly Stone, Gregg Allman, Stevie Wonder, Rick James and Prince.
  9. A Deluxe Reissue was released in 2013 and includes a 3 CD set (which includes live versions and demos), plus a DVD of The Rosebud Film and a re-pressing of the album on 180 gram vinyl.

BONUS: Did you know that Cyndi Lauper recorded a cover version of “You Make Loving Fun”?

Filed under: 1977, 40th Anniversary, Fleetwood Mac, Rumours