Stevie Nicks is a pop-rock artist from Phoenix who provided much of the vocal work for the classic rock band Fleetwood Mac. She also pursued a solo career that was commercially successful throughout the ‘80s. Nicks’ strong voice, meaningful lyrics and songwriting ability make her a standout artist in both the pop and rock worlds, with an incredibly loyal fan base. Nicks’ music is great to listen to if you want to chill, or if you’re in the mood for some solid ‘80s music.
When Nicks first joined Fleetwood Mac, they released a self-titled album in 1975. Her voice wasn’t heard as much, as Lindsey Buckingham provided much of the vocals. The two songs she sang were easily the most successful. “Landslide” and “Rhiannon” were both smash hits for Fleetwood Mac, and made the world take notice of Nicks’ vocal talent. This led the band to formulate more songs on its next album around her voice, which ended up being a very good choice.
Fleetwood Mac’s next album was released in 1977. Entitled “Rumours,” this album cemented the band among the best rock bands of all time. Of course, it is my favorite album from Fleetwood Mac, as every song is excellent. Songs from the album that were written and co-written by Nicks include “Dreams,” “The Chain,” “Gold Dust Woman” and “I Don’t Want to Know.” The lyrics from
“Gold Dust Woman” were especially deep, as they discussed Nicks’ struggle with cocaine addiction.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pp-dO8fN4_k
Nicks also pursued a very successful solo career. She has released eight studio albums as a solo artist. Since she was no longer in a rock band, the style of her music was more of a mix between pop and rock, often leaning more towards the pop side, especially in her later albums. There isn’t one particular album that has a huge number of hits, but each of her albums produced a few hits that combined to make a long list of hits. Two of my favorite solo albums from her include “Bella Donna” (1981) and “Rock A Little” (1985).
“Bella Donna” definitely had more of a rock influence than her later albums. “Stop Dragging My Heart Around” and “Edge of Seventeen” were two hits from the album that were more upbeat.
Another hit from the album was “Leather and Lace,” which had a slower feel to it. Overall, this album is one of her best.
My other favorite album of hers, called “Rock A Little,” is probably my favorite solo Nicks album. It surely had more of a pop influence. The first track, “Stand Back,” is one of my favorites. It has a really great upbeat feel to it. “Talk To Me,” my all-time favorite Stevie Nicks song, is also on this album. The lyrics, which are about a couple trying to communicate, are great, and the melody is catchy. This is an album where there aren’t any weak songs, and it’s just good throughout.
Something I think is great about Stevie Nicks is that people who generally don’t favor rock, like me, can listen to her music. Fleetwood Mac is probably the one rock band I can consistently listen to without becoming stale. I even went to see Fleetwood Mac perform a few years ago when they came to Ohio. On top of having a great voice and excellent songwriting skill, Stevie Nicks is a great performer as well.
To get a great playlist of all the Nicks’ solo hits, listen to “Timespace – The Best of Stevie Nicks.” It’s just an endless list of excellent pop-rock.
