Additional Coverage:
- 2002 No. 1 Hit, Named Billboard’s ‘Best Fleetwood Mac Cover of All Time,’ Became a Cross-Generational Favorite (parade.com)
Fleetwood Mac stands as one of the most frequently covered bands in music history, with their songs reinterpreted across a vast array of genres. From Elton John’s rendition of “Don’t Stop” to Hole’s take on “Gold Dust Woman,” their work continues to resonate with artists worldwide. Notably, one country-inspired cover of their classic “Landslide” even surpassed the original in commercial success.
Originally featured on Fleetwood Mac’s 1975 self-titled album, “Landslide” was not released as a single until 1998. That year, a live version from their reunion album, The Dance, climbed to number 51 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and reached number 10 on the Adult Contemporary chart. Despite its modest chart performance at the time, the song’s emotional themes of love, loss, and aging made it a longtime fan favorite.
Stevie Nicks, the song’s writer, reflected on its origins in a 2014 interview: “I wrote ‘Landslide’ in 1973, when I was 27, and I did already feel old in a lot of ways. I’d been working as a waitress and a cleaning lady for years. I was tired.”
Years later, when Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks-now known simply as the Chicks-was about the same age as Nicks was when she composed “Landslide,” their country cover brought the song widespread acclaim. Released as the second single from their 2002 album Home, the Chicks’ version reached number 10 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs charts.
It also topped the Adult Contemporary chart, where it remained at number one for seven weeks in 2003. Nearly two decades later, in 2022, Billboard named their rendition the best Fleetwood Mac cover.
That same year, Nicks performed “Landslide” alongside the Chicks at VH1 Divas Las Vegas. She remarked on the song’s enduring appeal: “I can remember [writing] it and seeing it through my eyes when I was, gosh, in my early 20s and then through my eyes all the way up until now-and through you guys’ eyes. It’s really quite an amazing metamorphosis for this song from generation to generation to generation, and I’m so proud to be a part of it.”
In a 2008 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Nicks praised Natalie Maines, calling her “my favorite person to sing with, ever,” and expressed admiration for the Chicks’ rock sensibilities despite their country label.
However, Lindsey Buckingham, Fleetwood Mac’s guitarist and vocalist, expressed reservations about the band being associated with country music. In a 2003 interview with Guitar World, he said, “‘Landslide’ is a great song, but I don’t want anyone to get the funny idea about Fleetwood Mac and country.
Somebody at our label was talking about how we should broaden our audience, and they started talking about putting us on Country Music Television. I had to say, ‘Whoa!
Stop right there.’ There’s a certain kind of profile you want to put out there.
And that isn’t it.”
This enduring dialogue around “Landslide” highlights the song’s remarkable journey through different musical landscapes while remaining a deeply personal and cherished piece of Fleetwood Mac’s legacy.