The story of Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham is not just a chapter in music history—it’s an epic.
Their intertwined paths, both romantic and professional, created some of the most iconic music of the 20th century, particularly within Fleetwood Mac, the band that turned their emotional turmoil into gold records and Grammy Awards.
From high school sweethearts to chart-topping rock stars, Nicks and Buckingham’s relationship is a study in contradiction—one of undeniable chemistry and artistic synchronicity marred by heartbreak, tension, and decades-long resentments.
And yet, through it all, they shared a bond that even time, success, and bitter words never fully erased.
A Teenage Meeting Sparks a Lifelong Connection
It all began in the 1960s in Atherton, California. Stevie Nicks met Lindsey Buckingham during their senior year of high school.
Their first interaction wasn’t particularly dramatic or romantic—just a brief musical connection. However, something clicked.
After graduating, both Nicks and Buckingham ended up at San José State University, and not long after, both dropped out to pursue music full-time.
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In 1967, Buckingham joined a psychedelic rock band called Fritz, and soon brought Nicks in as a vocalist. Over the next few years, the band shared stages with legends like Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin—a dream opportunity for any aspiring rock artist.
During this time, Nicks and Buckingham’s friendship turned romantic.
Reflecting on the shift in their relationship, Nicks later said,
“I’m not sure we would have even become a couple if it wasn’t for us leaving that band. It kind of pushed us together.”
A Failed Album, a Second Chance
When Fritz disbanded in 1972, the couple decided to form a duo. In 1973, they released Buckingham Nicks, their debut album under Polydor Records.
Despite its artistic merit and ten-song lineup showcasing their developing style, it flopped commercially. They were dropped from the label, and for a moment, it looked like their dreams might end there.
But fate had other plans.
Fleetwood Mac and the Rise to Superstardom
The song “Frozen Love” from their failed album caught the ear of Mick Fleetwood, drummer for the then-struggling British blues band Fleetwood Mac.
Looking for a new guitarist, Fleetwood offered Buckingham a spot. Buckingham agreed—on one condition: Stevie comes with me.
With that bold move, the course of music history changed. Fleetwood Mac released their self-titled album in 1975, with Nicks singing lead on “Rhiannon” and “Landslide.” The album skyrocketed, launching the band into the mainstream.
But while the music flourished, the romantic relationship between Nicks and Buckingham began to crack under the pressure of fame, constant touring, and the complexity of working together professionally while falling apart personally.
Breakup and Rumours: Turning Heartache into Art
By 1976, their relationship was over. Nicks ended it, telling Buckingham it was time.
“I broke up with Lindsey in 1976,” she recalled. “And he knew it. It was time. And the band was solid by that time, so I could walk away knowing that he was safe. And that the band was safe.”
But walking away emotionally was another matter entirely. Instead of splintering the band, their breakup became the fuel for Fleetwood Mac’s masterpiece, Rumours—a Grammy-winning, 40-million-copies-sold album driven by real heartbreak and raw honesty.
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Buckingham’s scathing “Go Your Own Way” and Nicks’ dreamlike “Dreams” were essentially musical letters to each other—one bitter, one philosophical.
Nicks admitted she resented “Go Your Own Way” and the implication that she was promiscuous after their breakup.
“Every time those words would come out, I wanted to go over and kill him,” she said. “He knew it, so he really pushed my buttons through that.”
Love, Pain, and the Stage: The Performance That Moved the World
Despite the emotional turbulence, the pair continued to perform together. One of their most famous onstage moments came in 1997 during the MTV special “The Dance,” where they performed “Landslide”—a song about aging, change, and personal reflection.
The emotional intensity between them was palpable. They barely took their eyes off each other, their shared history echoing through every line.
This performance went viral long before “going viral” was a thing and served as an inspiration for Taylor Jenkins Reid’s bestselling novel Daisy Jones & The Six, which blurs the lines between reality and performance.
Reid said,
“That moment when Lindsey watched Stevie sing ‘Landslide’—how it looked so much like two people in love—was everything. We’ll never truly know what lived between them. I wanted to write about that, about how singing about old wounds might keep them fresh.”
The Final Split: Buckingham’s Departure from Fleetwood Mac
Over the years, Fleetwood Mac went through numerous reunions and lineup changes, but in 2018, the last straw was pulled.
Lindsey Buckingham was fired from the band—an event that stirred controversy.
Buckingham claimed Stevie was the reason.
“It was all Stevie’s doing,” he said in a 2021 interview.
“She gave the band an ultimatum—either I go, or she goes.”
Nicks, however, told a different story.
“I did not demand he be fired. Frankly, I fired myself,” she said in a statement. “I proactively removed myself from the band and a situation I considered toxic. I was done. If the band went on without me, so be it.”
It was the last time either of them publicly addressed their relationship. After decades of music, passion, and pain, it seemed the bridge between them had finally burned for good.
A Legacy Written in Song
The relationship between Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham is more than a love story—it’s a legend. It’s a reminder that passion can create beauty, even if it can’t last. Through heartbreak, they crafted songs that millions still sing today.
Their music told the story they couldn’t always say out loud—and in doing so, they changed rock history.
Their bond may have been torn, but their legacy remains woven into the fabric of modern music, and the emotional weight of their songs continues to resonate with every generation.
Whether on the stage or on vinyl, Stevie and Lindsey will always be performing a duet—forever locked in harmony, and in history.
