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Walt's Vinyl Albums
Walt's Vinyl Albums is about vinyl albums from the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. I have rebranded and changed the name from Vinyl Bound. In it, I explore the creation of some of the most iconic albums ever created. Just like before, I dive deep into the passion behind the music. Welcome.
Walt's Vinyl Albums
Fleetwood Mac's Rumors: The Album That Almost Never Happened
Some albums transcend mere musical collections to become cultural touchstones that define an era. Fleetwood Mac's "Rumors" stands tall among these rare masterpieces, and today I'm sharing my deeply personal 47-year journey with this revolutionary album that has shaped my life since I was just 14 years old.
The story behind "Rumors" is almost as legendary as the music itself. Born from the romantic chaos swirling through the band—with both Stevie Nicks/Lindsey Buckingham and Christine/John McVie navigating painful breakups—this album almost never happened. As Stevie herself revealed, they strategically managed their relationship dissolution to preserve the band's future, understanding that personal turmoil could either destroy their chances or fuel creative brilliance. Thankfully for music lovers everywhere, they chose the latter path.
What made "Rumors" special went far beyond its tumultuous creation. With unprecedented promotion including Warner Brothers' largest-ever advance order of 800,000 copies, the album would go on to sell over 40 million copies worldwide. Critics have consistently ranked it among the greatest albums ever recorded, appearing in countless "must-hear" collections. Yet beyond statistics and accolades lies the album's true magic: its ability to transform raw emotion into universal art that continues resonating with new generations nearly half a century later. Join me as we explore this masterpiece—and don't forget to comment and like for a chance to win an original 1977 pressing from my personal collection. The drawing will be announced on April 28, 2025!
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Walt's Vinyl Albums podcast is on 14 other podcast stations including, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Deezer, and many more. You can contact us via email at: walter@waltsvinylalbums.com
The definition of rumor is what we all consider to be gossip. If you know anything about Fleetwood Mac and their 1977 Rumors album, you know where I'm going with this. If not, you're about to find out. Welcome to Walt's Vinyl Albums. Today's podcast will be very exciting for me because I bought Fleetwood Mac's album Rumors when I was 14 years old. I have loved this album for 47 years.
Speaker 1:The album was released in February of 1977 and I was 13 then, but as a child I had to save up the money in order to get the album. It wasn't until my birthday in July of 1977 that I was able to run to the record store and get it. Stevie Nicks was the love of my life. Well, for that month anyway hey know, teenagers can be right she should have come to my house, pulled out a brand new rumors album, signed it and given it to me. I mean, that's what I was thinking. I was her biggest fan. 47 years later, I can still tell you the label and number on the spine of the record. It was Warner BSK 3010. I even hid one in the store so they would at least have it for me when I could afford to get it. Yeah, that's how we rolled back in the 70s, living in the big city of West Hollywood.
Speaker 1:Now, before I get to the information regarding Fleetwood Mac's sales of Rumors, I feel compelled to remind you, folks, that you can never compare sales of music today with the way albums were sold in the 60s, 70s and 80s. You just can't. Nobody from the digital age and beyond will ever outsell the music that was pressed onto albums, and that's simply because of the per capita, the per album itself. If you want to prove me wrong, have Taylor Swift, the most grossing artist today, release an album, only Nothing online or digital of any kind. Then the music label has to truck them to brick and mortar stores and see how many sell. Then they have to take demo copies and give it to all of the stations around the country or even the world, and let's see how far she gets. Because if nobody lit up a computer or lit up a telephone, you'd never know what a Taylor Swift was. That's just the way it was back then, just like when we didn't have telephones in our pockets, we had to go home to make a phone call and the only way a radio station can play it is to receive the album by shipment or mail and play it on a turntable each time they play it. So yeah, trying to beat the recording values, the sales values and the pure relationships with producers, radio stations and labels is starkly different than years ago. If you truly want to hear and see the difference in all-around quality, put a 70s album on, sit down, close your eyes and listen.
Speaker 1:In the autumn of 1976, while still recording, fleetwood Mac showcased tracks from Rumors at the Universal Amphitheater in Los Angeles. John McVeigh suggested the album title to the band because he felt members were writing journals and diaries about each other throughout music. Warner Brothers confirmed the release details to the press in December and chose Go your Own Way as a December 1976 promotional single, which once again, they had to deliver to all radio stations. The label's aggressive marketing of 1975's Fleetwood Mac, in which links with dozens of FM and AM radio stations were formed across America, aided the promotion of Rumors At the time. The album's advance order of 800,000 copies was the largest in Warner Brothers history. Did you know that the Rumors album almost never happened? That's right.
Speaker 1:Decades later, stevie Nicks opened up about her tremulous relationship with Fleetwood Mac bandmate Lindsey Buckingham. Speaking to the New Yorker, the Rumors singer explained her and Buckingham's relationship were on the rocks when Fleetwood Mac was formed. But the two knew if they broke up then it would ruin their any chance they had. For the band to have international fame you just have to throw yourself into your song, she said. I mean, I broke up with Lindsay in 1976. We'd only been in Fleetwood Mac for a year and a half and we were breaking up. When we joined Fleetwood Mac she said so we just have to put our relationship kind of back together, because I was smart enough to know that well, if we had broken up in the second month of being in Fleetwood Mac it would have blown the whole damn thing. In 1977, when Fleetwood Mac's iconic album Rumors was released, it was naturally filled with breakup songs as the band's relationships came to an end. Not only were Nicks and Buckingham navigating their breakup, but band members Christine and John McVeigh were also separating, this time for good.
Speaker 1:Rumors is frequently considered one of the greatest albums of all time. In 1998, q placed it at number three behind the Clash's London Calling and Pink Floyd's the Dark Side of the Moon In its list of 50 best albums of the 70s. In 1999, vi featured it as one of 100 essential albums of the 20th century. In 2001, vh1 ranked the record at number 16 during its 100 greatest albums countdown, while Slant included it as one of its 50 Essential Pop Albums. The same year, usa Today placed Rumors at number 23 in its Top 40 Albums list, while Rolling Stone ranked it at number 25 in its special issue of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. In 2003, the highest Fleetwood Mac placement number 26 in a 2012 revised list and number seven in the 2020 and 23 lists. In 2000, it was voted number 31 in Colin Larkin's all-time top 1,000 albums. You go Fleetwood. In 2006, time named it as one of its all-time 100 albums shortlist, while Mojo featured it in its unnumbered list of the 70 from the 1970s Decades greatest albums from the 70s of 1970s. Come on, man, that is awesome. The record is included in both the Guardian's 1,000 albums To Hear Before you Die and the book 1,001 Albums you Must Hear Before you Die. For the 2013 reissue of the album, pitchfork's Jessica Harper gave the album a over 40 million copies worldwide, making it the fifth best-selling album of the 1970s and the ninth best-selling album of all time.
Speaker 1:Often considered Fleetwood Mac's magnum opus, rumors has frequently been called as one of the greatest albums of all time. If you're a true fan of Fleetwood Mac, you can click on the Fleetwood Mac link below and read about all the things happening with them today. Also, I put a Rumors of Fleetwood Mac link down below so you can check out the greatest Fleetwood Mac tribute band in the world. I want to thank you guys for supporting me at Waltz Vinyl Albums. I love the music on albums and I do love telling the stories. A lot of these stories you haven't heard before and it's great to learn new things about great music. I invite you to like, subscribe and share. Those links are also below.
Speaker 1:I have been recording random videos on YouTube for years, and YouTube has been playing ads on my stuff for years, and yet they have never sent me a dime. So don't worry, I'm not doing this for clicks. I really do appreciate you guys. The nice thing is my videos will no longer be random, because I believe Walt's Final Albums is my true passion. Now I do have two Rumors albums, so I will be having a drawing. If you live in the continental United States, comment and like and one lucky viewer will win an original 1977 Rumors album. The drawing will be announced on the April 28, 2025 podcast. All you have to do is comment and like. Sharing is optional. Totally up to you if it's in your heart. I do want to provide enjoyable content, so let me know what I can do to make your experience here better. Thanks for watching and listening to Waltz Vinyl Albums and, as always, god bless, be safe and don't forget to spin those albums loudly and proudly. I will see you again soon.