The Dance (1997) is a live performance album by Fleetwood Mac.
Classic lineup reunite for MTV Special
The Dance reunited the quintessential 1975 Fleetwood Mac lineup of Lindsey Buckingham, Mick Fleetwood, Christine McVie, John McVie, and Stevie Nicks. Recorded over three nights in May 1997 (22-24) on a soundstage in Burbank, California, The Dance commemorated the 20th anniversary of the release of Fleetwood Mac’s 11th studio album Rumours, with new performances of tracks from the landmark album. The vast majority of the recorded footage is from the Friday, May 23, 1997 performance (Buckingham, Nicks, 1997).
The band performed 22 songs in total, including the new “Bleed to Love Her,” “Sweet Girl,” and “Temporary One.” (Fleetwood Mac later recorded “Bleed to Love Her” for its 17th studio album Say You Will in 2003.)
On August 12, 1997, MTV premiered Fleetwood Mac The Dance, a broadcast of the Burbank soundstage performances, with subsequent airings on August 16 and 17.
Release
On August 19, 1997, Reprise Records released The Dance on CD and cassette, including 17 of the 22 performances. (The omitted songs appeared on the various single releases.) With the help of the MTV broadcast and promotional singles (“The Chain,” “Landslide,” and “Silver Springs“), the album reached No. 1 on Billboard Top 200 Albums. Released as a single for the first time, “Landslide” peaked at No. 51 on Billboard Hot 100 Singles, 22 years after it was recorded.
In the fall of 1997, Warner Bros. released the VHS, DVD, and laserdisc of The Dance, which featured all 22 songs.
Fleetwood Mac supported The Dance with a successful North American arena tour, performing 45 shows in the U.S. and Canada.
Legacy
In January 1998, The Dance received three Grammy nominations: Best Pop Album, Best Rock Performance by a Group or Duo with Vocal for “The Chain,” and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for “Silver Springs.”
The Dance reunion led to Fleetwood Mac’s induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, along with their contemporaries The Eagles. On January 13, 1998, Fleetwood Mac performed “Landslide,” “Big Love,” and “Say You Love” at the induction ceremony. All five members of the “classic lineup,” along with founding member Peter Green, were present to receive the special honor.
In March 2000, RIAA certified The Dance 5X platinum for the shipment of five million units to retailers.
On October 10, 2018, Reprise reissued The Dance on two vinyl records for the first time.
Songs
- The Chain
- Dreams
- Everywhere
- Gold Dust Woman
- I’m So Afraid
- Temporary One*
- Bleed to Love Her*
- Gypsy
- Big Love
- Go Insane
- Landslide
- Say You Love Me
- You Make Loving Fun
- My Little Demon
- Silver Springs
- Over My Head
- Rhiannon
- Sweet Girl*
- Go Your Own Way
- Tusk
- Don’t Stop
- Songbird
*new song
The Dance Timeline
| Date | Event |
| May 22-24, 1997 (three performances) | Fleetwood Mac recorded The Dance in Burbank, CA. |
| July 18, 1997 | “Landslide” debuted on Billboard Hot 100. |
| August 8, 1998 | “Landslide” peaked at No. 51 on Billboard Hot 100. |
| August 12, 1997 | The Dance premiered on MTV. |
| August 16-17, 1997 | The Dance rebroadcast on MTV. |
| August 19, 1997 | The Dance was released on CD and cassette. |
| August 26, 1997 | The Dance was released on home video (VHS). |
| September 6, 1997 | The Dance reached No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums. |
| September 17, 1997 | Fleetwood Mac launched The Dance Tour in Hartford, CT. |
| September 23, 1997 | The Dance was released on DVD and laserdisc. |
| November 30, 1997 | Fleetwood Mac ended The Dance Tour in Landover, MD. |
| January 6, 1998 | Fleetwood Mac received 3 Grammy nominations for The Dance. |
| March 2000 | RIAA certified The Dance 5X Platinum. |
| October 18, 2018 | Rhino reissued The Dance on vinyl. |
References
Buckingham, L. & Nicks, S. (1997, August 15). Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks on the Mark & Brian show [Radio broadcast]. Boston, MA 100.7 FM.
