Top Ten Albums – Week of February 28, 1976

A Snapshot in Time

On February 28, 1976, the United States was preparing for its Bicentennial celebrations.

The Concorde had just started supersonic commercial flights, and Jimmy Carter was beginning to rise in the Democratic primaries. 

While America looked forward to a milestone year, these were the albums spinning in living rooms, dorms, and record stores across the country.

This Week’s Top Ten Albums in America

Desire – Bob Dylan

Still Crazy After All These Years – Paul Simon

Station to Station – David Bowie

Frampton Comes Alive! – Peter Frampton

Gratitude – Earth, Wind & Fire

Fleetwood Mac – Fleetwood Mac

Chicago IX: Chicago’s Greatest Hits – Chicago

Rufus Featuring Chaka Khan – Rufus Featuring Chaka Khan

Wake Up Everybody – Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes

Thoroughbred – Carole King

Album of the Week Spotlight

Fleetwood Mac – Fleetwood Mac

Why I Picked It: This was the beginning of Fleetwood Mac’s transformation into a worldwide phenomenon. 

Although the band had existed since 1968 and released several albums, the arrival of Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham in 1975 reshaped their sound.

The self-titled Fleetwood Mac introduced classics like “Rhiannon” and “Landslide,” both of which became defining songs of the 1970s.

The record climbed steadily, eventually reaching No. 1 on the Billboard chart a year after its release—proof of its staying power.

Critics praised the mix of blues roots with polished California rock harmonies.

More importantly, this album set the stage for Rumours, which would dominate the charts and become one of the best-selling albums of all time. 

My Connection

By the late ’70s, I was managing my first Camelot Music store in the Franklin Mall in Washington, Pa.

The year was 1977 , I was learning about Music Retail sales.

The Rumours album became a fixture on our shelves, and I sold copies in both vinyl and 8-track week after week for more than a year.

While my store leaned heavily into hard rock, Fleetwood Mac’s albums crossed genres and drew in every kind of music fan.

I can still remember unpacking boxes filled with Rumours albums and 8-track tapes—and watching them sell out almost as quickly as we stocked them.

Trivia Corner

Fun Fact 1: Fleetwood Mac’s Fleetwood Mac album is often nicknamed “The White Album” because of its minimalist cover art, though of course The Beatles’ 1968 record made that title famous first.

Fun Fact 2: Peter Frampton’s Frampton Comes Alive!—also on this week’s chart—would go on to become the best-selling live album of all time at the time of its release.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Why was Fleetwood Mac’s 1975 album so important?
A: It marked the debut of Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham, reshaping the band’s sound and setting up the massive success of Rumours.

Q: Which track from the album became the most iconic?
A: “Rhiannon” and “Landslide” are the two most enduring songs, both still staples in Fleetwood Mac’s live shows.

Q: How long did this album stay on the charts?
A: Fleetwood Mac spent more than a year climbing the charts, eventually reaching No. 1 in September 1976.

Q: Was Fleetwood Mac already famous before this album?
A: They had a loyal following in the UK blues-rock scene, but the 1975 album was their true breakthrough in the U.S. mainstream.