10 Classic Rock Bands That Got Better After Selling Out
7. Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac's music is some of the most timeless folk rock ever conceived. With every passing hit, the songwriting minds of Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, and Christine McVie produced concentrated perfection in musical form. Their sound has become so identifiable with the band that many don't even realize the first incarnation of the band had none of these creative minds.
Forming initially in the 1960s as part of the British Blues Boom, Fleetwood Mac was originally a much harder rock outfit fronted by Peter Green. Though the band did have some modest success in their early days with songs like "Oh Well" and "Albatross," they were far from capturing audiences like fellow peers Led Zeppelin or Cream. After Green departed, the band tried to desperately to find their new voice by adding different members to their ranks. Once another prospective guitarist abruptly quit before recording, the band found Buckingham and Nicks in the neighboring studio and asked if they would be interested in joining.
From then on, the band's sound had fully metamorphosed into something that was much more subdued but absolutely dripping with emotion. This change in direction may have been a far stretch from the blues, but the songs could touch your heart in a way nothing else could.