Rumours is the thirteenth album by rock band Fleetwood Mac, released in 1977. It was the second album recorded with this line-up, following the successful self-titled Fleetwood Mac album in 1975. In December 1976, prior to the release of the album, Reprise released the single "Go Your Own Way". In 1978, Rumours won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. As of 2007 the album has sold more than 30 million copies, and is on the list of best-selling albums of all time. In addition, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked Rumours at #25 on its list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. According to Carol Ann Harris author of "Storms - My Life With Lindsey Buckingham And Fleetwood Mac" the album has sold over one million copies in the Los Angeles area alone. This rare feat puts it next to other major releases such as "Thriller" by Michael Jackson.

History

In the two years since the previous album, things had become rather difficult within the group. Mick Fleetwood separated from his wife Jenny. Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks, who were in a relationship when they joined the group, were separated, and John McVie and Christine McVie also separated, although all five remained in the band. This meant that, as Stevie Nicks later pointed out, long hours were spent and some very awkward times were had between people who would otherwise not be in each others' lives. Christine McVie later remarked that they were all writing about each other, hence the title of the album. They didn't realize this immediately, but finally realizing that they had created such a good album together lifted them out of their misery. "Go Your Own Way" was believed by Nicks to be a gloomy reference to the break-up of their relationship, and she and Buckingham argued about it. "Dreams" was her attempt to be more optimistic. The song was the only U.S. number one hit for the group, and remains one of their best-known songs. "You Make Loving Fun" referred to an affair between Christine McVie and the group's lighting director. "Gold Dust Woman" was a reference to Stevie Nicks's own struggle with drugs. "Don't Stop" was written by Christine McVie after her divorce with John McVie, and it provided an optimistic outlook on their newly-separated lives.

"Oh Daddy" was almost certainly a reference to Mick Fleetwood, the spiritual father of the group who largely held it together, and the only member who was a parent at the time fact: date=September 2008. Christine McVie described "Songbird" as "a little anthem" and said it was for "all of us". It took a long time to record because it had to be one continuous take. Fact: date=May 2008 The final section of "The Chain" was written first, but at that point there wasn't a song for it to be the end of. Stevie Nicks had written that separately and, as she put it, "gave it to them". Lindsey Buckingham then had an idea about how it should begin and the first section was re-recorded.