Rumours was the Fleetwood Mac album that won the Grammy for Album of the Year. Released in February 1977, it received the award at the 20th Grammy Awards in 1978, defeating albums including Steely Dan's Aja and the Eagles' Hotel California.
The album was recorded during a turbulent period for the band. Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks were ending their relationship, while Christine and John McVie were divorcing. Those personal tensions shaped songs such as “Dreams,” “Go Your Own Way,” and “Don't Stop,” yet the musicians turned the conflict into tightly arranged pop-rock.
Rumours followed Fleetwood Mac's successful 1975 self-titled album and expanded the group's audience worldwide. Its vocal harmonies, layered production, and mix of emotional songwriting and radio-friendly melodies made it one of the era's defining records.
A common mix-up is choosing Fleetwood Mac (1975), the album that introduced Buckingham and Nicks to the band's classic lineup. That record was hugely successful, but Rumours was the Album of the Year winner.