Fleetwood Mac’s 1975 ballad “Landslide” has entered the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time, five decades after its release, following its placement in the Dec. 31 series finale of Netflix’s Stranger Things.
At a Glance
- The original recording debuts at No. 41 on the chart dated Jan. 17, 2026
- It earned 7 million streams, 888,000 radio impressions, and 1,000 downloads in one week
- RIAA has already certified the track 2× platinum for over 2 million units sold
- Why it matters: A single sync placement can resurrect catalog songs, proving streaming-era longevity for legacy acts
The milestone arrives without the band ever having promoted the studio version as a commercial single. According to data firm Luminate, cited by Billboard, the spike was driven almost entirely by the Stranger Things appearance. The supernatural drama used the track during its emotional finale, prompting viewers to seek out the original master.
Written by Stevie Nicks and produced by Keith Olsen, “Landslide” first appeared on Fleetwood Mac’s self-titled 1975 album. Nicks supplied vocals and lyrics, while guitarist Lindsey Buckingham handled acoustic guitar duties. Despite becoming a fan favorite, the song never received an official single release at the time and consequently never charted on the Hot 100 in its original form.
A live rendition cut during the band’s 1997 reunion tour was eventually issued as a single and peaked at No. 51. The only previous version to crack the top 10 came from country trio The Chicks, whose 2002 cover climbed to No. 7 in 2003 after heavy radio play. Since then, Natalie Maines and Nicks have shared the stage multiple times, most recently on tour stops where they performed the song together.
Reflecting on the lyrics in a 2014 New York Times interview, Nicks recalled writing “Landslide” at age 27 while working odd jobs. “I did already feel old in a lot of ways. I’d been working as a waitress and a cleaning lady for years. I was tired,” she said. The sentiment resonated with audiences then and continues to do so now, as proven by the track’s enduring digital sales and streams.
The Netflix boost mirrors the 2022 resurgence of Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill,” which leapt to No. 3 after Stranger Things featured it in season four. Industry observers note the show’s curated soundtrack choices consistently drive measurable chart movement for legacy titles. News Of Losangeles‘s report highlights that “Landslide” now joins a small club of pre-1980 tracks that have debuted on the Hot 100 decades after release thanks to media syncs.
Chart metrics for the week ending Jan. 9 show the song’s weekly U.S. on-demand streams rose 1,260%, while digital download sales surged 3,400%, according to Luminate. Radio programmers also added the track in light of social-media buzz, pushing audience impressions up 720% week-over-week.
Fleetwood Mac has yet to announce any formal promotion around the renewed interest. Nicks, however, continues to feature “Landslide” in her solo concerts, most recently performing it on Dec. 10 at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida. Fans attending future dates can expect the song to remain a centerpiece of her set.
Key Takeaways
- Sync placements on high-profile series can vault decades-old recordings onto modern charts
- Catalog tracks with strong emotional resonance outperform newer releases in streaming velocity spikes
- No new master or remix was required; the original 1975 recording achieved the debut
- The feat underscores the enduring commercial appeal of Fleetwood Mac’s songwriting catalog
With the Billboard tracking window closing Jan. 9, the song’s position could climb higher next week if momentum holds. For now, “Landslide” stands as proof that timeless songwriting, paired with strategic screen time, can rewrite chart history nearly fifty years after the fact.
