Full Breakdown
Buckingham and Nicks Reconcile Ahead of Fleetwood Mac Documentary
8/9/2026, 11:57:57 AM
Core Event: Public Confirmation of Reconciliation
At Variety’s Power of Young Hollywood event, Lindsey Buckingham told E!
Background & Context
Buckingham and Nicks first met as high-school classmates in the 1960s, began dating in 1972, and broke up in 1976 while recording the 1977 album *Rumours*. Their romantic split seeded a professional rivalry that persisted for decades, resurfacing during the 2018 firing of Buckingham from Fleetwood Mac. After the firing, the pair had virtually no contact, speaking only briefly at keyboardist Christine McVie’s celebration of life in 2022. In 2025 the duo’s 1973 collaborative album *Buckingham Nicks* was remastered and re-released, sparking speculation about a renewed partnership.
Official Statements & Responses
Buckingham framed the reconciliation as essential to the band’s ability to work together on the documentary and any future projects. He described the 2019 period as a low point for the group and said that “all of that has been healed and worked out.”
Nicks, speaking to Rolling Stone in 2024, reiterated that she had given Buckingham “more than 300 million chances,” underscoring the length of their estrangement.
Data & Statistics
- Ages: Buckingham 76; Nicks 78.
- Relationship span: 1972 – 1976 (four years).
- Band tenure: Both joined Fleetwood Mac in 1974; Buckingham was fired in 2018.
- Documentary release: slated for 2027, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of *Rumours* (1977).
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the most recent direct interaction between the two. One account states that the only conversation after 2018 occurred at McVie’s 2022 celebration, lasting “about three minutes.” Another source cites Nicks’ 2024 Rolling Stone interview, in which she implies more recent communication, though she does not specify a date. No source provides a definitive timeline of their interactions between 2022 and 2024.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Stevie and I are talking all the time now,” — Lindsey Buckingham
- “You could not say that I did not give him more than 300 million chances,” — Stevie Nicks
- “Because we had left things in 2019, maybe as far as I was concerned, not in a very good place for all the wrong reasons.” — Lindsey Buckingham
- “All of that has been healed and worked out,” — Lindsey Buckingham
- “Our relationship was up and down and up and down and up and down and difficult, but at the same time, fantastic,” — Stevie Nicks
Why It Matters / Impact
The public reconciliation removes a major interpersonal obstacle that has long haunted Fleetwood Mac’s internal dynamics. With the band’s surviving members now reportedly on speaking terms, the Apple TV documentary—titled *Fleetwood Mac: Rumours and Revelations*—is positioned to offer unprecedented insight into the group’s creative process and personal conflicts. The timing also aligns with the 50th anniversary of *Rumours*, potentially reviving interest in the catalog and prompting new collaborative ventures, though both artists have avoided confirming any specific musical reunion.
What’s Next
- Apple TV’s documentary is scheduled for release in 2027.
- Both Buckingham and Nicks have indicated that future projects are possible, but no concrete plans for a tour or new recordings have been announced.
