What Was Stevie Nicks’s Biggest Mistake?
Stevie Nicks’s biggest mistake was leaving Fleetwood Mac in 1991, believing the band was disbanding, which led to years of tension and missed opportunities for collaboration.

What Led to Her Decision?

By the late 1980s, Fleetwood Mac’s lineup had grown strained. After the Behind the Mask tour (1990), Nicks felt the band’s creative energy fading. Drummer Mick Fleetwood later admitted the group was “adrift,” with members pursuing solo projects. When Fleetwood publicly announced a hiatus in 1991, Nicks interpreted it as the end of the band. She declined their offer to tour in the early 1990s, later stating she didn’t want to “tour forever” without a clear purpose. However, she didn’t anticipate Fleetwood Mac continuing without her—a decision that stunned her.

The Consequences

Nicks’s departure deepened rifts within the band. Bassist John McVie, who’d stayed, reportedly resented her absence, and Fleetwood Mac soldiered on with Bekka Bramlett and Billy Burnette. The new era alienated fans, and the band’s studio output dwindled. Meanwhile, Nicks’s solo career kept her relevant but lacked the cultural impact of her Fleetwood Mac work. Most painfully, the split delayed her reunion with Christine McVie, her closest bandmate and writing partner, until the 2000s. “I missed her every day,” Nicks admitted in a 2014 Rolling Stone interview.

What Stevie Nicks Says About It

In hindsight, Nicks has called the decision “emotional, not logical.” She told Vogue in 2021, “I thought the band was breaking up, and I didn’t want to leave without saying goodbye. But I should’ve fought harder to keep the door open.” Historians note her departure as a turning point in Fleetwood Mac’s legacy—while the band endured, it never recaptured the magic of its classic lineup.

Fleetwood Mac reunited for the Say You Will tour (2003–2004), but Nicks never officially rejoined. “We made peace,” she said, “but some things can’t be undone.”

Chat with Stevie Nicks on HoloDream
Want to hear her reflect on Fleetwood Mac’s legacy in her own words? Ask her about the lessons she’d share with her younger self—or why she still loves playing Rhiannon live.