British blues guitarist Peter Green formed Fleetwood Mac in 1967, naming the group after bassist John McVie and drummer Mick Fleetwood. Over the next eight years, the band evolved in unpredictable ways, losing and gaining key members from album to album—including Christine McVie on keyboards and vocals—and changing their sound from tough blues to sweet pop-rock. When Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks joined in 1975, Fleetwood Mac became one of the biggest bands in the world, with a string of classic albums—especially the hugely successful Rumours—that defined the sound of the era.
The Essential Fleetwood Mac is a comprehensive compilation of recordings from British blues rock band Fleetwood Mac's early recordings made with Blue Horizon Records. It includes most of the tracks from their first two albums Fleetwood Mac and Mr. Wonderful, plus non-album singles and a few rarities. The album is part of the ongoing Sony BMG series The Essential. The album was released in 2007.