Before Fleetwood Mac became one of the best-selling bands of all time, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham were a struggling duo trying to figure out whether their music career was worth continuing. It was during this uncertain period, while staying in the mountains near Aspen, Colorado, that Nicks wrote “Landslide,” a song that would go on to become one of the most enduring pieces in the Fleetwood Mac catalog.
Nicks has described the writing process as remarkably quick, coming together in a single sitting as she sat with a guitar and reflected on questions many young musicians face: whether to keep chasing an uncertain dream or step back toward a more stable life. The song’s imagery, built around mountains, seasons changing, and the passage of time, captured a very personal moment of doubt that resonated with listeners far beyond her own circumstances.
When Nicks and Buckingham eventually joined Fleetwood Mac in 1974, “Landslide” made its way onto the band’s self-titled 1975 album, though it wasn’t initially treated as a standout track compared to more radio-friendly songs like “Rhiannon” or “Say You Love Me.” It took years, and countless live performances, for “Landslide” to grow into the fan favorite and eventual radio staple it’s now considered.
The song has taken on new layers of meaning throughout Nicks’ career. She has revisited it during major life transitions, including after Fleetwood Mac’s turbulent internal relationships played out publicly through the band’s music, and again decades later as she reflected on aging and mortality. A cover by the Dixie Chicks in 2002 introduced the song to an entirely new generation and country audience, further cementing its place as one of the most covered songs in Nicks’ catalog.
What has always set “Landslide” apart is its rawness. Unlike some of Fleetwood Mac’s more elaborately produced hits, the song’s arrangement remains sparse — largely just voice and acoustic guitar — allowing Nicks’ lyrics and delivery to carry the emotional weight without distraction. That simplicity is part of why the song has aged so well, translating easily across decades and genres in a way flashier hits sometimes don’t.
Nicks has often noted in interviews over the years that “Landslide” remains one of the songs she connects with most deeply on stage, in part because its themes of change and uncertainty never really stop feeling relevant, no matter how much time passes. For a song written in ten minutes during a period of professional doubt, “Landslide” has proven to be one of the most lasting pieces of songwriting in Fleetwood Mac’s history.