Rumours

As a child born in 1975, this is the record I learned to put a needle on, and is easily a top five favorite album for me still. Lindsey Buckingham worshipped The Beach Boys (Brian Wilson in particular), and his writing style drips of it. His addition transformed them from a Chicago style jazz fusion band into a powerhouse. Every voice here is incredible, every note perfectly timed, every change in time signature a masterwork. Sure, I'm biased, but there's no way I'd ever give this less than a 25/5, and placing it the day after Led Zeppelin IV has transported me back to my childhood in the best possible way.

It's like a greatest hits album of songs that made me change the radio station as a kid

Much has been written about the chaos and sexual tension/broken relationships as this album is made. I’m amazed at the cohesion. This is a tight working band. The McVie/Fleetwood rhythm section remains among the best, and both Buckingham and Christine McVie are solid musicians. It’s the vocals and harmonies that carry this as much as the band. Their harmonies are as important as the Beatles or Beach Boys. When they sing solo, each singer brings personality and spirit to their songs. “Don’t Stop” epitomizes the harmonies, with Buckingham’s vocals as integral to the song as the songwriter/singer McVie. Strong songwriting as well. As a teenager, the relationship issues behind the songs were beyond my understanding, but whether “Go Your Own Way” or “Dreams” or “You Make Lovin’ Fun” these songs clicked in my head, even as I was first shifting to punk. “The Chain” is on another level, musically, musicianship, lyrically, vocally, spiritually. The building tension. Hearing the way Lindsey and Stevie’s voices call and respond. Then McVie’s bass line coming in followed by Fleetwood and Byckingham respectively. A guitar solo that truly captures the essence of the song. One of my all time favorite songs.

So the day after getting the (as of this review) the fifth highest rated album (Led Zeppelin’s IV) on this project we get the number one rated album. I get that people love this album. Its good, but I’m still slightly surprised this edges out all the albums the handful of albums I expected to be on top. My most tangible association with this album is Bill Clinton using “Don’t Stop” as his ‘92 campaign song. I wasn’t even a teenager yet, and had never heard. To me it was old politician uses 70s rock song so I would not have clocked which band it was at all. I only made the connection later in life. “Rumors” is an album that seems to get recommended by its origin story. The band was a mess of romantic on/off again dynamics. It’s got as much mythology in n rock history as IV. And despite all of that they made a damn great record. My favorite tracks are “Dreams,” “Don’t Stop,” and “The Chain.” Those are my standouts and the rest of the album is fine, but not my preferred speed. It just doesn’t reach that top 5-star level for me. 4/5.

(5/5) I don't believe this should, necessarily, be considered the *greatest* album on the list despite its place (as of late '26) as #1. It's great. It deserves a 5. No hesitation from me. It's such smooth, silky soft rock/pop and it is SO dense with hits. I guess of the subset of people doing this project more were aligned that this deserves a 5 (or a high score) vs. a few of the others just behind it? What does that say about the quality of this album against the others so close to the top? Or did that subset refuse to score it lower? 🤔 I won't waste time explaining WHY I love it. I'll waste time on this meta commentary. I'm gonna go my own way.

I honestly hate this record. It’s up there with anything by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Eagles and Steely Dan. Yes, there are good songs on the record. It was and continues to be overplayed. Are all the songs good? No. The songs you recognize because they are overplayed are the ones that soft rock radio wanted you to hear. This was the mid 70s. You had hippies still wanting this folk rock shit. This was safe. Sure the scandals within the band were compelling as was the chronic drug excesses of the members. This album along is amongst the records that spawned punk rock as a violent counter movement to this shit. It is the vileness of this record that is responsible for punk rock. Go Your Own Way was a clarion call to people who understood that the only way to fight being forever drowned in shit like this, Steeley Dan, disco, Prog rock and the excess of bands like Fleetwood Mac was rebellion. Sure your grandpa and grandma now in their mid 70s will romanticize this record and tell you it’s still great as does every critic who is of a certain age. But with the clarity of both hindsight and foresight, this is not a top 1001 record of all time. Not by a fucking long shot. Go ahead. Start your list. When was the last time Fleetwood Mac crossed your lips as the best band ever. It doesn’t. And if you said it has then you are either fucking delusional or a liar and quite possibly both. There are 11 songs on this record and 2 are actually good - The Chain which was not released as a single, and the aforementioned Go Your Own Way. That’s it. The rest are cliches and pretty much unlistenable. Silver Springs has a good lyric, but the vocal performance is terrible. Oh, and it was a b-side and not on the album. So 2/11 for good songs equates to 1 out of every 5. With credit for creating it in that fucked up band environment - 2/5

What to say about probably the most iconic album of all time that hasn't been said yet? To me, this is the ultimate road trip album, an album that bridged the gap between the tastes of my mom's softer side (The Byrds, Bruce Springsteen) and my dad's rockier side (The Kinks, R.E.M., Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd). While I do think it is slightly overrated compared to the rest of the band's discography, overshadowed by this masterpiece, it's still a no-brainer, perfect album. 10/10 [KEEP]

The way people go on about it you’d think it was anything other than a small collection of catchy soft rock tunes.

Rumours was a really good album. This album is tied with Abbey Road for being the highest rated album on this whole site and i can absolutely see why. I mainly knew this album for The Chain, Go Your Own Way and Dreams which in my opinion are the highlights of the album as they are songs that are incredibly melodic while still being quite catchy and enjoyable. Even the other tracks on the album, while not as memorable as the singles, are still good in their own right and do quite a fair bit to differentiate themselves from the other tracks too. It isn't quite on my top albums when it comes to me but i think it is a worthy album to be at the top regardless. Best Song: The Chain Worst Song: Oh Daddy

Klassikko, josta on helppo pitää. Tuotanto on kristallinkirkasta ja kestänyt hyvin aikaa. Tästä Fleetwood Macin kokoonpanosta teki ainutlaatuisen sen kolme persoonallista laulajaa, joiden äänet toimivat myös hienosti yhdessä.

A true classic. No notes.

I guess

Fleetwood Mac were always a byword for boring. Even the Reynolds Girls mocked them, and they were hardly cool themselves. All the same, no-one ever seemed to dispute that Rumours is an excellent album It may be the softest five stars I give. There is nothing that excites me about this album but I enjoy it and I admire it. Plus, my sister gave me a copy all those years ago and it was one piece of music we could agree on

Not much to say outside what is already mentioned in other reviews. There are so many amazing tracks here, pretty awesome they all came to head on the same album. To my untrained mind there were a few weird inclusions with a different feel/flavor, but they didn’t detract very much. Overall 4.5/5 very solid and not surprising it’s at the top of the project’s chart

Majority bangers, a few of them weren't my style, such as Songbird, although no wonder why they are a house hold name with an almighty classic like The Chain

Second hand news perf. Dreams- players only love you when they’re playing (ain’t that the truth) You make loving fun- this song is so perfect. Oh daddy- i didn’t know this one but i really enjoyed it. maybe my fav find so far YAY

its cool but i lost a bilion dollars in a poker game while listening to it;(( top3; dreams, gold dust woman, go your own way

favourite- the chain knew it already, very good album

It’s a classic isn’t it, didn’t know oh daddy and I really liked that one so added it, the chain will always be a banger, like gold dust woman too

Best - The Chain Favourite - You Make Loving Fun Never been a massive Fleetwood Mac fan. And I’m still not

A tough one x

It’s impossible to be objective about this album, or say anything that hasn’t already been said about it. So I won’t do either. Do I give this a 5 for how it’s so accessible and succinct that it’s generated a legacy of adoration by pretty much anyone? Do I give it a 4 because it’s a little too soft and barren for my liking? I won’t get too hung up on my nitpicks, I’ll go 5/5. It’s not my perfect 5/5, but to deny the musicality and widespread affection this record facilitates is to deny myself of something as simple as laughing at a good joke or making myself some comfort food. “Gold Dust Woman” is a great way to end this record, it’s like “The Chain” in that it’s got some actual teeth to it. My favorite part of this record is something tertiary; a reminder about how they did the live version of “Don’t Stop” with the marching band style section. Such a good melody to translate to horns like that

There's a reason why this album is timeless. Lindsay Buckingham is one of the best guitarist on the planet. The writing and production is fantastic and Song Bird, GTFOH. So good.

So many classic Fleetwood Mac hits. You can definitely hear the emotional tension in the songwriting and vocals. Great guitar riffs and licks throughout, though not what I'd call a guitar lead album. Amazing vocal harmonies too.

No, it’s all true

A near perfect melodious soft rock album. Favorite track: Don't Stop

some of my favorites are here

hermoso todo hermoso

🥞

Favorite Song: Go Your Own Way Least Favorite: Never Going Back Again

A great album, but would've also earned it's 5 just for "You Make Loving Fun" being one of my personal favorite love songs. Kind of ironic given this band's personal conflicts during recording.

Uffa, que rolotas. Un álbum de las meras rolas

Soft rock bangers

Rewelacja, wciagajaca i odprezajac. Folk i rock.

Masterpiece

I'm kind of fascinated that this is the highest rated album in here. Sure it's pretty great, it doesn't always do a *ton* for me, but it definitely is great on some level. But I guess I just don't see what puts this head and shoulders above other great albums. I can kind of just hear this as a really solid '70s rock album. Admittedly, The Chain is one of the best songs ever, but a perfect album that does not make. I'm kind of impressed, but a little lost. I'll just call it a 4 for now and move on.

A classic of all classics

For being such a classic album the only good songs were on the radio.

You Make Loving Fun Dreams Go Your own Way Songbird I Dont Want to Know Second Hand News The Chain Oh Daddy Don't Stop Never Going Back Again Gold Dust Woman

9.3/10

Class. Personal preference is what keeps me from giving it a higher rating. 9.2/10

Now THAT’S a universally agreeable album and a very easy 5. I, as many others have basically grown up with this album and it’s never waned, its romantically spicy development only made it better. Standouts (most of which are near and dear to my heart) are Dreams, Don’t Stop, Go Your Own Way, Songbird (RIP Christine Perfect), The Chain (my GF’s all-time favourite song and up there for me. Should’ve also been the SBR outro!), You Make Loving Fun, Oh Daddy (insanely underrated), Gold Dust Woman (also underrated) and Silver Springs (yes im counting it, its great, it was meant to be on it originally. need to mention that beautiful live version too.) I really hate how Oh Daddy gets looked down on because the word ‘Daddy’ has been dragged through the mud since its release, its a gorgeous song.

OK it boasts a very well-polished production with some lovely details that successfully elevate individual sections, but that exact gloss causes the music to lose its patina. By smoothing over the rough edges, the pristine execution ultimately takes the grit and edge out of the songs. Stripped of those clever production details, several tracks feel super dull, while others that initially capture you with a strong hook soon fall back into a general theme of mundane. While there are a few song exceptions that break the mold, looking at the album as a whole, it lands as a very nice album.

This is another album where my review will contribute nothing to what is obviously considered one of the best albums of all time. However, I tried mindfully put aside my natural scepticism to things that are universally loved and give it a objective listen. Its a good album, probably a great album. It's full of hits, some of which I really like ("Never Going Back Again", "The Chain") and some of which I'm not keen on ("Dreams", "Songbird"). Generally I seem to prefer the more country/rock tracks than the poppier ballads. My issue with it is that the album sounds like it was made to be ultra palatable. It showcases musical excellence but, perhaps, with too much attention given to mainstream appeal. They have managed to create a perfect formula for a "great album" that pleases the crowds but still gives critics something to get their teeth into. Because of this, it just seems a bit too polished and considered for it to be one of my favourites. A classic album but not a favourite album.

Muy piola, muy buenos temas y muy buen flow. The chain, buenisimo. Me gustaron las vibes. 8/10

Gem

Not sure that I'm a fan of Fleetwood Mac, but there are good songs on this album. I'm glad that I listened to it once, but it probably won't work into my mix.

Already listened, First listen: 9/10, ⭐️: Dreams Current: 9.5/10, ⭐️: Go Your Own Way

One of the best albums ever made in my opinion

I saw recently that this is the highest rated album in 1001 albums, so I was excited to get it! It is definitely a good album, but I suspect the high rating is because it’s a universally appealing album - there’s not much controversial here. For me, though, it’s really about Dreams and The Chain: they are masterful songs. Don’t Stop and Go Your Own Way are for me overplayed to the point of being annoying. The other stuff is great too, but for me this a 3.5 rounded down.

Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumours”is the album to broadcast to space 24/7. Extraterrestrials, God or whatever you choose to believe is out there will hear this album and come help us go back to a time when perfection was achievable.

236. TITLE - ARTIST (YEAR) 10.16.26 Variety: 4 Adequacy: 5 Listenability: 5 Uniqueness: 4 Emotionality: 5 = 4.6 rounded up to a 5 "Been down one time/ Been down two times/ Mmm, I'm never going back again" While it's not to be completely unexpected on a list like this, of some of the supposedly best albums ever, it's interesting that we get another of the best selling albums EVER two days in a row, having just had Led Zeppelin IV as yesterday's pick. Fleetwood Mac is another one of those bands I've heard on the radio all my life and which I seem to have developed a sort of psychological armor against becoming susceptible to, perhaps out of that familiarity through repetition. They were also VERY uncool growing up in the grunge era and seeing them co-opted for the Bill Clinton campaign ( I still might have some trouble with "Don't Stop - we'll see). Bit then something weird happened. As I got older and less snotty about my music choices I began to remember how much I just really loved all that super melodic softer stuff from my youth. I reclaimed Hall and Oates, America, and a host of other bands I had more or less written off, and Fleetwood Mac was one of them. Especially so after I realized there were several songs I liked that I hadn't realized were them ( "Everywhere" for example is GREAT). I distinctly remember in the late 90s housesitting for my aunt and listening to their greatest hits and being pretty damned impresses, and this album along with Tusk, and the self-titled just previous were among some of the first albums I picked up when I started collecting vinyl records full force. So while I've heard this one a whole bunch, and mostly love it, it does still have a bit of that same Led Zeppelin IV vibe where I don't mind skipping them when they pop up on the radio cause I know I'll hear them again, and frequently, so why not give someone else a chance. This makes diving into their HUGE discography ( even the original Nick and blues-rock incarnation It's been a while actually since full re-listen, and I will admit that I no longer own any of their stuff in physical format. Though I am tempted to snag this every time I see it at a yard sale or flea market for a few bucks. THE TRACKS Side one "Second Hand News" - Not one I ever heard on the radio, bit one that became a fast favorite after I listened to the album. We get an awesomely nimble, rubber bandy bassline from John McVie that the rest of song builds on and around, some nice harmonies, and just an all around bouncy number and sort of a pre-breakup song I guess, where Buckingham's narrator knows he's on the chopping block but is maybe being kept around as a backup? It's light and fun, even with the relationship drama, and sets us up for some darker stuff down the road. "Dreams" - The first all time classic and the one I think I remember hearing most on the radio as a kid. The cool and whispy atmosphere and the guitar effects add up to something slightly spooky and it still gives me chills when I hear those warbly, birdlike noises. McVie's doing more thankless work here of providing the driving heartbeat along with Mick Fleetwood's ever capable drumming. Those cymbal splashes though.... damn. Nicks has such a distinctive voice and it's not for everyone, but I think she's great. She's not my favorite vocalist in the group, but she is maybe the most radio friendly and mainstream of them, and has the most character. Though it's not my favorite, I think it's objectively the best song on the album, but has some very tight competition. It's most definitely the best showcase for Nicks though. "Never Going Back Again" - As much as I've heard all the radio staples off this umpteen millions of times on the radio, this one might just have the record for most listens for me off this album ("Everywhere" off Tango In the Night easily beats it though and for similar reasons). When I was up late watching the 2016 election results and mentally spiraling, I decided to look for something to chill me out and happened across a Youtube channel where a dude played singe tracks directly off his turntable, and this was the first one I listened to. It was a track I never recall hearing on the radio, but it did the trick and was immediately played four or five more times and added to my music playlist. "Everywhere" off their Tango In the Night album came soon after and that along with and handful of others ( "Everyday" by Weyes Blood, "Hello Cruel World" by Dent May, as well as a ton of stuff by Ginger Root, and Courtney Barnett...) became regular relaxation revisits that would come to dominate my late night insomniac habits. And I still listen to all that stuff pretty regularly. This song in particular is so damn punchy and perfect and is just one giant melodic hook. Buckingham has always been an underrated guitar player, and even more so for his acoustic picking style which IS this track. It has become of my favorite songs of all time, and I'm pretty sure I've listened to it at LEAST once a month at the very least since that night. "Don't Stop" - This is the song I have the most trouble liking. And it's 100% because of its association with the Clinton campaign. I think the band even reunited to perform it at Bill's inauguration. I think at the time it was just so super positive and forward looking and I was just getting into the beginnings of teenage angst and grunge and all of the attitude that came with it and probably at my most anti-Fleetwood Mac. Looking back, it's all those things I said and more, but I'm WAY older and willing to let the groove settle over and bathe me it its optimism. It's catchy and pleasant and all that, but it still might be my least favorite on the album. "Go Your Own Way" - This one I think is maybe the second most popular song on the album if I'm going y how much I remember hearing it on the radio. It's full of bitterness and an kind of pissy attitude that I think must have been pretty representative of the goings on behind the scenes of the band and seems like the centerpiece of what has been said to be the greatest breakup album of all time. It rocks a bit harder than most everything else we've heard so far, and feels a tad more serious as well. "Songbird" - Christine McVie died in 2022 and I recall seeing this song pop up a lot around then, with a lot of tributes and cover versions. She's always been my favorite vocalist in the band and I think it's because there's an emotional rawness in her delivery that feels so much more authentic than either Buckingham or Nicks, and this is the prime example of that. McVie's reminds me a lot of Linda Thompson, and has a similar kind of throaty, and deeply emotionally bare delivery. It's a very pretty song, made sadder than it already is by her death, and full of a gentle and reassuring feeling. Excuse me while I reach for the Kleenex *SNIFF*. Another candidate for either the funeral OR wedding playlist. There are also many very good covers of this. Cover by Willie Nelson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oyRV_eE3Qw Wildwoods cover: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1-IxiCjKV4&list=RDS1-IxiCjKV4&start_radio=1 Side two "The Chain" - Likely my 2nd favorite on the album if I was forced to rank them, and one that's gotten an enormous bump in plays due to it's inclusion in one of the Guardians of the Galaxy movies. I think this is the best example of everyone in the band all working together as the tight unit they are, and hits every single great thing about them - killer melodies, amazing harmonies, emotional and affecting atmosphere, all done with some of the best playing you'll hear on any album that would be considered pop music. The hooks in this thing are god-level. The instrumental bridge with the slowly building martial drumming that starts around 3:00 with the "buuuum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum" bassline and the panicked and desperate sounding guitar that gets layered in and joined by the vocals in the outro is for my money the best moment on the whole album, and is up there with some of the best moments in rock history from all your favorite songs. "You Make Loving Fun" - With it's funky Stevie Wonderesque organ this is maybe the most dated sounding of all the songs on the album, but it's also maybe the most optimistic ( more so than "Don't Stop" in my opinion which still looks backwards at a bad relationship), despite the serious sounding verses and instrumental bridge. The chorus is the key here with it's bright and sunny feeling accented by chimes and Christine McVie's full and emotionally believable delivery. "I Don't Want to Know" - Light and breezy and at first glance sounds very happy as well, but it's got a very confused and apprehensive vibe for a love song. But it's catchy as all get out and has hand claps! Never heard this on the radio growing up either and it's a shame as it's got a very friendly feel to it, and just a hint of country rock that I imagine would have went over well at the time when the Eagles ruled the airwaves. If there aren't several dozen covers of this by a bunch of young indie bands on Youtube I'll eat my hat. "Oh Daddy" - The worst song on the album in my opinion, though I still like it slightly more than "Don't Stop". First of all, just eeewwwww. C'mon, why Christine! Awful pet names aside, it's also lacking in the high level melodies that abound elsewhere. That said, McVie's performance is still pretty danged good, and saves the song from the dumpster. The bulk of the negative stars on the final score will be from this track. "Gold Dust Woman" - We end on a very strong note with another very atmospheric antry and another great Nicks performance. I know Bob Seeger's "Turn the Page" came first but I have to wonder if this was influenced by it and in turn did it indluence Bon Jobi's "Wanted dead or Alive" with their equally atmospheric, desert outlaw vibes. You can almost smell the ...dust of the road in the guitar and vibe this thing gives off. HIGHLIGHTS - "Second Hand News" - "Dreams" - "Never Going Back Again" - "Go Your Own Way" - "Songbird" - "The Chain" - "Gold Dust Woman" MIDLIGHTS - "Don't Stop" LOWLIGHTS - "Oh Daddy" FINAL THOUGHTS Rumours holds up SO incredibly well that it's no surprise that it is still incredibly popular. It's got such a great mix of pop, folk, and rock elements, is filled with so many memorable melodies, and retains so little of the late 70s stereotypical cliches that I can imagine someone who was unfamiliar with this being confused when they hear what year it actually was released. It doesn't push any big artistic boundaries to the point of breaking, it might not have been specifically influential like the Sex Pistols, and it's not very deep at all. What it does very well though is provide something that feels great without feeling like much effort went into it. It's so easily digestible and replayable and every time you listen to it, it seems to almost conjure itself from the ether and exist fully in the here and now without making you think of any of the music around it. Even though it has stuff in common with, say, Red Octopus by Jefferson Starship, that other band feels ANCIENT and SO of the era that it's just hard to imagine it having the same sort of resurgence. I can easily see someone hating it for those reasons too though. For how accessible and unconcerned with coolness or authenticity it is. It should be Boomer music, made by and for an early 70's-something crowd of sensibly dressed professional retirees, but it has managed to strike a chord with young people nonetheless, and I think that's quite a feat. You might find it boring, or too white bread, or lacking an edge, but you can't deny the emotional truth that almost every song is absolutely dripping with, and I think this also plays a large role in how popular it still is. There's raw nerves underneath almost all of these songs, and I think that tension would be palpable even without ever knowing the behind the scenes craziness, which I actually find to be the boring part of this, as it's been overtold and annoyingly mythologized, at the expense of the actual songs. It's got a couple of very minor issues, which I'll knock it for, but it's makes the grade in the end, even if I'm rounding up. Possible turn-Offs might include: - super polished presentation - music that is most definitely on the softer side - songs that you've heard a zillion times You Might enjoy this if you: - are an aunt of a certain age who wants to relive their youth while enjoying a nice bottle of white wine and maybe half a doobie. You still have to get up early tomorrow, Sheila. - love that smooth 70s soft rock sound, but wish it rocked a bit more - adore great melodies and super professional playing - appreciate high end studio production - want to hear something from the era that ( mostly) holds up very well and is still influencing young bands today PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS - Nah FURTHER LISTENING Precursors: - Déjà Vu by Crosby Stills and Nash - Heroes Are Hard to Find by Fleetwoood Mac - Buckingham and Nicks by Buckingham and Nicks - One of These Nights by Eagles - Abandoned Luncheonette by Hall & Oates - Blue by Joni Mitchell - Sweet Baby James by James Taylor - Harvest by Neil Young Contemporaries: - Shoot out the Lights by Richard and Linda Thompson - Red Octopus by Jefferson Starship - Little Queen by Heart - Aja by Steely Dan - Breakfast in America by Supertramp Descendants: - Christopher Cross by Christopher Cross - Middle Man by Boz Scaggs - Toto IV by Toto - Celebrity Skin by Hole - Scarlet's Walk by Tori Amos - The Trials of Van Occupanther by Midlake - Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes - Titanic Rising by Weyes Blood - Across the Multiverse by Dent May - Days Are Gone by HAIM - Stranger in the Alps by Phoebe Bridgers - Midnights by Taylor Swift

Started on 10/15, finished on 10/16 A fantastic album with constant classic songs. A couple of songs that I struggled through brings it down to a 4.

Like it or hate it. It's a classic album.

Hard to give this album anything other than 5 when it contains literally every Fleetwood Mac song i know (and love).

go your own way, the chain ! oh daddy, gold dust woman 3.5

Their classic album. They were at their best when they had a lot of drama.

Proper good music and some great singing Loved some of those 4 stars

Nothing I can say about this album that hasn't been said a million times. Any time I hear a Fleetwood Mac song with my Mum, she'll always bring up the in-band drama and how it's represented in each of the songs. Fave track: The Chain

Here it is - the number 1 highest-rated album in the 1001 Album project. It's not something I necessarily expected, but at the same time, it does make sense for the most part (might pick up on why I feel this way in my review though). I realise I haven't spent a great deal of time listening to Fleetwood Mac - in fact, it wasn't that long ago that I even listened to Rumours in its entirety for the first time. The simple and short of it all is this - Rumours is a brilliant album. The track list is stacked, the stories around the creation of the album are legendary, and by all accounts, it's pretty handily the band's best body of work. But for Fleetwood Mac to hold that number 1 spot - it is something I find a little strange. When you look at the rest of the list of top-rated albums, it's hard not to start comparing the bands they share the space with. So that's my main gripe if any - I really don't think Fleetwood Mac have had the same level of impact of some of the other artists that occupy that upper echelon. This album gets a 5, there's no way I'd be dumb enough to dispute that. But to hold top brass - it is a little odd. The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Radiohead - they each have 3+ albums that I'd take over Rumours. This review ended up being about something other than the album I'm supposed to be talking about. But I don't think I've listened to enough Fleetwood Mac, or this album, to discuss anything else at length. Would like to return here once that has changed. 4.5/5

Yes, I’ve listen to this 1 million times. Yes, I’ll play it again.

I remember this album being better than it is to be honest. There are still amazing songs on this album, never going back again, oh daddy and gold dust woman will always be stand outs and there are classic fleetwood mac tracks on this album, but as an “album” it doesn’t work for me as much as it used to. This is not to say that it isn’t an absolute work of art, and probably much better than 75% of the albums on this list.

JL : 2, Don't Stop

Ball swinging, stone cold classic. I may have listened to it a little too much over the years.

Late year was "No Fleetwood Mac Rumours 2025" - it's 2026. Awesome songs, playing, arrangements. However, because, all rough edges removed for the masses, -1 star.

this is by far one of the best albums of all time and is one of the first albums that made a huge impact on my want to explore music, and my music taste. WOW WOW WOW music lore! just. phenomenal.

Strong front half but album falls off after Chain. It’s just alright for me, not much of a Fleetwood Mac fan. Stevie Nicks is always good though

5 Stars, how could it not? More music from my childhood, thanks to my hippy mom. Yet the album is still relevant today, and receives regular airplay. Deserved. It’s a Beast! One of the best soft rock albums of the 70’s!

Not my favorit Fleetwood Mac album

Fantastic album

No me llamaba para nada la atención pero me sorprendió bastante, igual si suena como me imaginaba (it's giving the beatles, ritmos en su mayoría alegres). Letras sencillas pero lindas, añadí 4 temas de los cuales ya conocía 1!!

Pop Rock/Soft Rock Favorite Songs: *All of them* Least Favorite Songs: *None of them* Oh hey, another album that I already owned. So, admittedly, this one ended up becoming a very slow burner for me. This one was first requested by my own boyfriend after giving him an iPod last Christmas. (There were also four other albums, but they’re not important.) Now part of why this album was a slow burner for me was because I wasn’t hugely a fan of it sonically at first, another part of it was due to how some of the songs were overplayed on the radio. But as more plays that I ended up listening to, the more that it slowly grew onto me. Was probably gonna take my time relistening to this album as the years go by, but as luck would have it, this album was randomly selected. And uuuuh…I think the score can tell for itself. I ended up loving this album. Tons of great songs on the album with loads of variety. 10/10 (And very glad that this album has its overall flowers with the score on this site.)

Where do you start? One of the finest collection of songs ever recorded...and example of an album that totally deserves every inch of acclaim and commercial success. I deliberatly listened to the reissue so it would include Silver Springs which is one of my favourite songs (although the version on The Dance is better). I haven't done this with any previous album i've rated but i ve ranked the songs by personal preference (there will be some controversial choices) 12. Never Going Back. The closest Rumours has to filler. Still great though. As is.. 11. I don't wanna know. Those are the only 2 songs i think the album could do without. 10. You make loving fun. I prefer Stevie's vocals to Chris's. This is a perfectly pleasant pop song but a little too jaunty for my tastes and very overplayed. As is.... 9. Don't Stop. I know this is sacrilidge but again, i can live without it. 8. Oh Daddy. 9/10 7. Second Hand News. 9/10 6. Dreams. Another slightly overplayed song but Stevie's voice is so good!! 9/10 5. Songbird. Beautiful track. 10/10 4. Go Your Own Way. Stunning. 10/10 3. Gold Dust Woman. One of the most undervalued songs of all time. 10/10 2. Silver Springs. Love it!! 15/10 1. The Chain. One of the greatest musical moments ever..by anyone! Pretty much perfect 20/10.

Boomer schlock

one good song, but other than that - not really my taste

3.91 out of 5 stars for Rumours, but I'm bumping it up to 5 stars because the album itself is essential listening to anyone doing this list. It absolutely belongs and for many reasons. It's amazing that 5 people who absolutely couldn't stand each other could put out such a masterpiece. The album ends with one of the all-time great closing songs on an album, Gold Rush Woman, which is my favorite song on this one. Maybe we should have a list of best closing songs on an album? This one and Rocket Queen by Guns N' Roses would be my contributions. Anyways, this is a no brainer. 5 stars.

Actually do quite like it. Bleeding a bit and stuff Obviously the superior Fleetwood Mac album. Just full of absolute classics.

Wow wow wow I didn’t know all of these bangers were on the same album

Another beautiful classic album. Can't go wrong with this as it is the definitive Fleetwood Mac album. Imagine how good it would have been if PEter Green was still a part of it? I love this album... (5/5)

This is everyone's favourite album? This jingly-jangly shit? What the hell! I thought I'd love it but I don't AT ALL!

this is amazing

Maybe 2 not buns but not like

good

De populära låtarna känner man igen och är väldigt bra, förutom låtarna nämnda nedan är det ett ganska segt album imo. Instrumentalt helt okej men vet inte, känns som något fattas. Höjdpunkter: - Dreams (klassiker) - Go your own way - The chain

Makes a persuasive argument for cocaine as a performance enhancing drug.

goeie

I know everyone loves this but it's just ok to me. Heard the singles to death on radio when I was a kid.

Sorry but a couple of bangers cant carry a full album of generic rock

A classic not a bad track and some outstanding - not a band I really spent much time listening to until relatively recently - should have started sooner

I honestly tried listening to this again. At the risk of extreme blasphemy, it just doesn’t do anything for me. Sounds dated in the worst ways. And that cover sucks.

Lindsey Buckingham's lyrics are often lame (at best) and/or problematic, but this is a damn good album despite that. A classic, I dare say!

Given the amount of time I spent listening to this before having to turn it off, I should probably give this a 2. But, I also recognize that it's an excellent album full of songs that even I, in some moments, really enjoy. You know what I don't enjoy? Fucking Stevie Nicks's lyrical choices. What's this shit about thunder only happening when it rains? Sure, I get it, it's a metaphor for wanting to punch Lindsey Buckingham in the face. I mean, we've all been there, but the meteorological wrongness makes me mad. Also, I didn't know until, literally, just now, that John McVie was in The Bluesbreakers. So, I should also probably be mad about that, because, fuck, man, the Bluesbreakers suck. But, I'm not here to write about what makes me mad; I'm here to explain why this album deserves a 3. In short, it's a classic with some very catchy songs that boomers like Bill Clinton fucking love...aw shit, I'm mad again. Okay, the guitar picking at the beginning of Never Going Back Again, which is also my favorite song on this album, is excellent. There you have it. A 3!

Second Hand News, Dreams, and Never Going Back Again are one hell of an opening. Even if President Saxophone ruined Don't Stop, there's plenty left to enjoy. I urge you not to sleep on Silver Springs.

I'm only moderately a FM fan, but this is not a hard call. Second Hand News and I Don't Want to Know are my favorites, but really I think they batted like .983 on this one.

5/5 - I have nothing to add to the discourse on Rumours. I loved it the first time I heard it decades ago, and that has never changed for a minute in between. Even if it just had Dreams and The Chain, it would be a 5. Three distinct songwriters and vocalists rarely mix this well.

amazing, looooove silver srpings

5/5 peak fleetwood mac

Even though it has a lot of great memorable songs on it, a good few sound like filler

it was quite good just a collection of quite good songs

Awesome record liked it better than I thought