Last updated: October 2026
Quick answer: Fleetwood Mac’s famous Rumours lineup was Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Christine McVie, Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. The band was founded in London in 1967 by guitarist Peter Green, drummer Mick Fleetwood and guitarist Jeremy Spencer, with bassist John McVie joining weeks later. Its final lineup (2018–2022) was Fleetwood, John and Christine McVie, Nicks, Mike Campbell and Neil Finn. The band has been inactive since Christine McVie died in November 2022.
Key takeaways
- The band is named after its rhythm section, drummer Mick Fleetwood and bassist John McVie. Peter Green chose the name to persuade McVie to join.
- Mick Fleetwood is the only member who played in every lineup.
- Rumours (1977) won the Grammy for Album of the Year and is one of the best-selling albums ever; the band has sold more than 120 million records.
- Fleetwood Mac was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.
- Christine McVie died on November 30, 2022, and Stevie Nicks has said the band will not continue without her.
The Rumours lineup: Fleetwood Mac’s famous five
| Member | Role | Songs they’re known for |
|---|---|---|
| Stevie Nicks | Vocals | “Dreams,” “Rhiannon,” “Landslide,” “Gold Dust Woman” |
| Lindsey Buckingham | Guitar, vocals, arranger | “Go Your Own Way,” “Never Going Back Again,” “Tusk” |
| Christine McVie | Keyboards, vocals | “Don’t Stop,” “Songbird,” “You Make Loving Fun,” “Everywhere” |
| John McVie | Bass | The bass line in “The Chain” |
| Mick Fleetwood | Drums | “The Chain,” “Go Your Own Way” |
The five recorded Rumours while John and Christine McVie were divorcing, Buckingham and Nicks were breaking up and Fleetwood’s marriage was ending. Those breakups are written all over songs like “Go Your Own Way” and “Dreams.”
All Fleetwood Mac members, past and present
| Member | Role | Years in band | Born | Age (Oct. 2026) | Birthplace |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mick Fleetwood | Drums | 1967–2022 | June 24, 1947 | 79 | Redruth |
| John McVie | Bass | 1967–2022 | November 26, 1945 | 80 | Ealing |
| Christine McVie | Keyboards, vocals | 1970–1998, 2014–2022 | July 12, 1943 | Died November 30, 2022 (age 79) | Bouth |
| Stevie Nicks | Vocals | 1975–1991, 1997–2022 | May 26, 1948 | 78 | Phoenix |
| Lindsey Buckingham | Guitar, vocals | 1975–1987, 1997–2018 | October 3, 1949 | 77 | Palo Alto |
| Peter Green | Guitar, vocals | 1967–1970 | October 29, 1946 | Died July 25, 2020 (age 73) | Metropolitan Borough of Bethnal Green |
| Jeremy Spencer | Slide guitar, vocals | 1967–1971 | July 4, 1948 | 78 | Hartlepool |
| Danny Kirwan | Guitar, vocals | 1968–1972 | May 13, 1950 | Died June 8, 2018 (age 68) | Westminster |
| Bob Welch | Guitar, vocals | 1971–1974 | August 31, 1945 | Died June 7, 2012 (age 66) | Hollywood |
| Bob Brunning | Bass | 1967 | June 29, 1943 | Died October 18, 2011 (age 68) | Bournemouth |
| Mike Campbell | Lead guitar | 2018–2022 | February 1, 1950 | 76 | Panama City, Florida |
| Neil Finn | Guitar, vocals | 2018–2022 | May 27, 1958 | 68 | Te Awamutu, New Zealand |
Ages are as of October 2026.
Who’s who in Fleetwood Mac
Mick Fleetwood
Mick Fleetwood, born in Redruth, Cornwall, co-founded the band and is the only member who played in every lineup. He had played with Peter Green and John McVie in John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers before the three formed their own group.
John McVie
John McVie, from Ealing in west London, joined a few weeks after the band’s first shows, replacing original bassist Bob Brunning. He was married to Christine McVie from 1968 until their divorce in the mid-1970s.
Christine McVie
Christine McVie (born Christine Perfect) joined in 1970 and wrote many of the band’s warmest hits, including “Don’t Stop,” “Songbird” and “Everywhere.” She left in 1998, returned in 2014 and died on November 30, 2022, at age 79.
Stevie Nicks
Stevie Nicks, born in Phoenix, joined with her then-partner Lindsey Buckingham at the end of 1974. She wrote “Rhiannon,” “Landslide” and “Dreams,” the band’s only U.S. No. 1 single, and built a huge solo career. She is the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, with the band in 1998 and as a solo artist in 2019.
Lindsey Buckingham
Lindsey Buckingham, from Palo Alto, California, shaped the sound of Rumours and Tusk as guitarist, singer and arranger. He left in 1987, returned in 1997 and was fired in 2018 after a dispute over touring plans.
Peter Green
Peter Green founded Fleetwood Mac as a blues band and led it to a UK No. 1 with the instrumental “Albatross” in 1968. He wrote “Black Magic Woman,” later a hit for Santana, plus “Oh Well” and “Man of the World.” He left in 1970 and died on July 25, 2020, at age 73.
Bob Welch
American guitarist Bob Welch bridged the blues years and the Buckingham-Nicks era, writing “Sentimental Lady” for Bare Trees (1972). He later re-recorded it as a solo hit and died in 2012.
Mike Campbell
Mike Campbell, longtime lead guitarist of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, joined in 2018 after Buckingham’s exit and toured with the band in 2018–2019.
Neil Finn
Neil Finn, the Crowded House frontman from Te Awamutu, New Zealand, joined alongside Campbell in 2018 and sang many of Buckingham’s parts on the 2018–2019 tour.
Fleetwood Mac’s eras, from blues band to Rumours
- 1967–1970, the Peter Green blues years: Green, Fleetwood, Spencer and McVie, later joined by Danny Kirwan, score UK hits with “Albatross,” “Oh Well” and “Man of the World.”
- 1970–1974, the transition years: Green, Spencer and Kirwan leave one after another; Christine McVie and Bob Welch join, along with Bob Weston and Dave Walker for short stretches.
- 1975–1987, the classic lineup: Buckingham and Nicks join and the band makes Fleetwood Mac (1975), Rumours (1977), Tusk (1979), Mirage (1982) and Tango in the Night (1987).
- 1987–1995: Buckingham leaves; guitarists Billy Burnette and Rick Vito come in, and later Bekka Bramlett and Dave Mason.
- 1997–2018: The Rumours five reunite for The Dance (1997). Christine McVie leaves in 1998 and returns in 2014.
- 2018–2022, the final lineup: Mike Campbell and Neil Finn replace Buckingham. After Christine McVie’s death in 2022, the band goes quiet.
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Frequently asked questions
Who were the original members of Fleetwood Mac?
Fleetwood Mac was formed in London in 1967 by Peter Green, Mick Fleetwood and Jeremy Spencer, with Bob Brunning on bass for the first few weeks before John McVie joined.
Who were the members of Fleetwood Mac on Rumours?
The Rumours lineup was Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Christine McVie, Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks.
Which Fleetwood Mac members have died?
Christine McVie (2022), Peter Green (2020), Danny Kirwan (2018), Bob Welch (2012) and Bob Brunning (2011) have died. Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham are living.
Why was Lindsey Buckingham fired from Fleetwood Mac?
Buckingham was fired in April 2018 after a disagreement with the band over the timing and plans for its next tour. Mike Campbell and Neil Finn replaced him.
Is Fleetwood Mac still together?
Fleetwood Mac has not toured since 2019 and has been inactive since Christine McVie’s death in 2022. Stevie Nicks has said she has no desire to continue without her.
How did Fleetwood Mac get its name?
Peter Green named the band after drummer Mick Fleetwood and bassist John McVie, hoping McVie would leave John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers to join. He did, a few weeks later.
Sources
- Fleetwood Mac, Wikipedia
- Fleetwood Mac official site
- Fleetwood Mac, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
- Birth and death dates: Wikidata
Image credits
- Fleetwood Mac members. Design by The LA Note using a 1977 Warner Bros. Records publicity photo (public domain) and a photo of Stevie Nicks by Larry Richman (CC BY-SA 2.0).
- Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours-era lineup in 1977, from left: Mick Fleetwood, Christine McVie, John McVie, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham. Photo: Warner Bros. Records, Wikimedia Commons, public domain; name labels added by The LA Note.
- Mick Fleetwood. Photo: Brandt Luke Zorn, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
- John McVie. Photo: Weatherman90 at English Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0.
- Christine McVie. Photo: Raph_PH, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.
- Stevie Nicks. Photo: Larry Richman, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.
- Lindsey Buckingham. Photo: Weatherman90 at English Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0.
- Peter Green. Photo: Tony Hisgett, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.
- Bob Welch. Photo: Arsconcilium, Wikimedia Commons, public domain.
- Mike Campbell. Photo: By musicisentropy, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.
- Neil Finn. Photo: Raph_PH, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.
Vianka Petines is a sharp, versatile writer with a gift for creative flair and the colorful details that make an artist’s story come alive. One of The LA Note’s most prolific contributors, she covers music and entertainment across the board. Away from the keyboard, she’s happiest helping her family and playing with her pets.
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