“Rumours” (Fleetwood Mac) – Songs Ranked

Easily one of my favourite albums ever, it was only a matter of time before I attempted to rank the songs on “Rumours”. Widely considered to be Fleetwood Mac’s crowning achievement, and one of the best selling albums of all time, there’s no doubt that this record has gone down as one of the greats.

The thing I admire most about this album is the consistency – every song on here is at least good, and some of them are absolutely bloody outstanding. How would I rank these exceptional songs?

You can check out some of my other related lists below:

Good

11 – I Don’t Want to Know

Something had to come last, but even then “I Don’t Want to Know” is a perfectly serviceable track. On any other album it would be a stand-out, but here it just pads the runtime.

10 – Second Hand News

A very solid album opener, but surprisingly tame compared to the others. This was the biggest shock to me when compiling this list – it just goes to show the quality we’re dealing with here.

9 – Oh Daddy

I really like the vocal performance from Stevie Nicks, and the mellow vibe provides a nice breather. I have to be harsh in this ranking if I’m going to get anywhere, and I would probably say this isn’t a memorable as the others.

8 – Never Going Back Again

This is definitely going to be a hot take – seeing how this has over 100 million Spotify plays – but this track is kinda overrated.

I think it appeared on “Glee”, and that’s why this track if so popular. To me, this is quite a filler song, and it definitely pales in comparison to the majority of the other tracks.

Great

7 – Songbird

A beautifully melancholic track, and the vocal performance from Nicks takes it to the next level.

This is a good time to mention – Nicks and Buckingham were going through a messy break-up while recording “Rumours”, and their fractured relationship crept its way into many of the songs’ lyrics. For most bands this would be fatal, but it tinges “Rumours” with a peculiar sadness and makes it a unique listen throughout.

6 – You Make Loving Fun

Quite a bit more groovy than any of the others, and perhaps that’s why it stands out so much to me. I could see most people ranking this lower, but it has a certain appeal that keeps me coming back.

5 – Don’t Stop

This is a hugely popular song within the Fleetwood Mac discography, and whilst I really like it I can’t say I adore it.

The premise and melody is simple and catchy, but it gets too repetitive after a while for my tastes. Still, a great track.

Amazing

4 – Gold Dust Woman

It took many a listen for me to appreciate the closing track, but when I finally did – oh boy, what a song this is.

It chugs along a bit like “The Chain”, and the vocal harmonies between Buckingham and Nicks are outstanding. It rounds off the whole album nicely, and bookends it on a completely mesmerising and satisfying note.

3 – The Chain

I think most people would agree that the top 3 tracks on “Rumours” are the stand-outs, and the song taking the bronze medal on my list is the unshakably suave “The Chain”.

Buckingham gives a powerhouse vocal performance for the first half, but it’s the last half that will go down in music history – John McVie lays down one of the most iconic bass parts of all time, and every instrument crescendos until the show-stopping climax.

All-Time Great

2 – Go Your Own Way

It was unbelievably hard to separate the top two tracks – both of them have proved themselves as some of the greatest songs ever made, and the fact that Fleetwood Mac managed to include both of these gems on one album will ensure “Rumours” has a permanent place among my favourite records of all time.

If you’re looking for a rockin’ track to jam out to, then “Go Your Own Way” would be the clear winner. The chorus is probably the best on the whole album, and every musician gives a career-defining performance, resulting in a sensational hit song.

1 – Dreams

“Dreams” comes early on in the album, just after the opening track actually, so it’s one of the first tracks you’ll listen to – and it made me hooked to “Rumours” straight away.

This is Fleetwood Mac’s best song, with their best lyrics, best performances, and the overall chill vibe is the best it’s ever been – just ask the Cranberry Juice guy who vibed to this and broke the internet in 2020.

If “Go Your Own Way” was Buckingham’s farewell to his relationship with Nicks, then “Rumours” was Nicks’ response – an emotional track, full of hope, regret, and dreams of a better future. Easily of of my favourite songs of all time – no question.

Aaaaaaand that’s my list. You can check out some of my other blog posts below: