Led by one of the great guitarists, Peter Green (1946-2020), Fleetwood Mac (initially Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac) formed in 1967 after Green left John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers. He recruited fellow guitarist Jeremy Spencer from the Levi Set, plus Mick Fleetwood and John McVie (who he had played alongside in Mayall’s outfit), naming the new group after them because he anticipated his own departure at some point and wanted them to have a lasting identity beyond his involvement.

Comprised of blues standards alongside originals by Green and Spencer, their debut album, produced by Mike Vernon and issued on his Blue Horizon label in early 1968, is at once an undisputed highlight of the British blues boom and a seminal document in the development of ’60s rock. It deservedly brought them overnight success, remaining on the UK chart for almost a year, selling a million and, while the driving, upbeat rhythm is deeply rooted in a Chicago-style delivery, undeniably still sounds fresh today.

Representing the first steps of one of the most popular and storied rock groups of all time, it remains commonly acknowledged as one of their very best