Buckingham Nicks is an engaging listen and served as a proving ground for both artists’ songwriting chops. —AllMusic
In September 1973, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham released their only album together, Buckingham Nicks, which was produced by late producer Keith Olsen on the Polyor Records label. The album featured 10 tracks, including five written by Nicks: “Crying in the Night,” “Races Are Run,” “Long Distance Winner,” “Crystal,” and the anthem “Frozen Love,” co-written with Buckingham. Fleetwood Mac later re-recorded “Crystal” for their self-titled 1975 album, also produced by Olsen.
Polydor, however, was not impressed with the album. According to Olsen, the label felt the album “lacked imagination” and reluctantly released it, along with two singles: “Crying in the Night (remix)” and “Don’t Let Me Down Again.” The singles failed to get significant radio play, and album sales were low. Polydor subsequently dropped the duo from the label, even after the duo had toured nationally to promote the album.
While visiting Olsen at the legendary Sound City Studios, where Buckingham Nicks was recorded, Mick Fleetwood heard the track “Frozen Love.” Impressed by Buckingham’s guitar skills, Mick Fleetwood asked him if he would join Fleetwood Mac. Buckingham agreed on one condition: his musical and romantic partner, Stevie Nicks, had to join with him. The band agreed to meet the duo at the El Carmen restaurant in Los Angeles, and everyone hit it off immediately. Buckingham and Nicks officially joined Fleetwood Mac on December 31, 1974.
Originally holding the rights to their album, Buckingham and Nicks chose not to re-release it on CD until 2025. Now partnered with Rhino Records, the duo is reissuing the original recording on vinyl, digital formats, and for the first time, on CD. The album is set to be re-released on September 19, 2025.
Before the album’s upcoming reissue, the only song from it to be digitally remastered and commercially released on CD was “Long Distance Winner.” That track was featured on Stevie Nicks’s 1998 retrospective, Enchanted: The Works of Stevie Nicks. Other songs, like “Crying in the Night,” “Stephanie,” and “Frozen Love,” have only appeared on promotional CDs intended for radio play.
Track List
- Crying in the Night (Nicks)
- Stephanie (Buckingham)
- Without a Leg to Stand On (Buckingham)
- Crystal (Nicks)
- Long Distance Winner (Nicks)
- Don’t Let Me Down Again (Buckingham)
- Django (John Lewis)
- Races Are Run (Nicks)
- Lola (My Love) (Buckingham)
- Frozen Love (Nicks, Buckingham)
2025 Reissue Timeline
July 16, 2025: Mick Fleetwood posts a clip of him listening to Buckingham Nicks’ “Frozen Love” from his Maui home, describing the song as “magic then, magic now.”
July 17, 2025: Stevie Nicks shares the handwritten lyric “And if you go forward…” from the Buckingham Nicks track “Frozen Love” on her social media pages. A short time later, Lindsey Buckingham completes the lyrics with his own handwritten “I’ll met you there.”
July 21, 2025: Fans spot a new billboard promoting the September 19 release date of Buckingham Nicks on Sunset Blvd. in Los Angeles.
July 23, 2025: Rhino Records sends their subscribers “First To Know: New From Rhino High Fidelity – Buckingham Nicks” email.
July 23, 2025: Rhino Records shares the official remastered audio for “Crying in the Night” on YouTube.
August 13, 2025: Rhino Records shares the remastered official audio for “Don’t Let Me Down Again” on YouTube.
September 19, 2025: Rhino Records releases Buckingham Nicks on vinyl, CD, and digital streaming formats.
