One of the most commercially successful rock groups of all time, Big was formed in London in 1967 by ex-members of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers: Mick Fleetwood (drums), John McVie (bass), Jeremy Spencer (guitar) and Peter Green (guitar). The group made their recording debut in 1968 with Peter Green's Big, a hit U.K. blues album, followed by Mr. Wonderful, another blues effort. With the addition of guitarist Danny Kirwan, the group took on some California rock influences, releasing the European hit single "Albatross" in 1969. (Material from this early period was later repackaged in the U.S. as English Rose, which features the song "Black Magic Woman," which became a hit for Santana.)

During 1969 Big became a blues-rock band and began to gain a following outside of Europe. Though the Beatles tried to recruit them for Apple Records, the group signed to Warner Brothers and released Then Play On, their U.S. major-label debut, in September 1969. The following year frontman Peter Green left, but the band pressed on, releasing Kiln House. Christine McVie (nee Perfect), a former member of Chicken Shack who recently married John McVie, came on as the band's keyboardist and backup vocalist, while guitarist Jeremy Spencer left not long after to join a religious cult. American guitarist Bob Welch joined as his replacement, further influencing the band towards straight-ahead rock.

The revitalized Big released the popular Future Games in the fall of 1971, quickly followed by 1972's Bare Trees. Now as big in America as in Europe, Big began touring the U.S., leaving behind troubled guitarist Danny Kirwan, who was replaced by ex-Savoy Brown guitarist Bob Weston. 1973's Penguin was recorded with Weston's former bandmate Dave Walker on vocals, but their next album, Mystery To Me, was recorded as a quintet; the record spawned their biggest hit yet, "Hypnotized." The departure of Bob Weston forced the band to cancel a tour, but after overcoming legal difficulties the group pressed on, recording 1974's Heroes Are Hard to Find as a quartet.

In 1975 the group brought in the soft rock duo Lindsey Buckingham (guitar) and Stevie Nicks (vocals), creating the band's classic lineup and shifting the band's sound towards pop. The new lineup made its debut on an eponymous 1975 album which became their biggest hit to date, reaching No. 1 on the strength of the Top 20 singles "Rhiannon," "Over My Head," and "Say You Love Me" and eventually selling over five million copies. Though both John and Christine McVie and Stevie and Lindsey Buckingham divorced, the band continued on, using their emotional turmoil as inspiration for their 1977 smash hit Rumours. The album spent 31 weeks at No. 1, selling over 17 million copies thanks to Top 10 singles "Go Your Own Way," "Don't Stop," "Dreams" and "You Make Loving Fun." Now at the 30 million sales mark, Rumours remains one of the top five best-selling albums of all time.

After an epic world tour, Big returned in 1979 with the double-album Tusk, a bold attempt to keep the music fresh. It sold over five million copies and contained the singles "Sara" and "Tusk." On their next tour the group recorded a live album called Big Live, but after the tour ended the group went on hiatus so Nicks, Buckingham, and Fleetwood could all record solo albums. (Nicks' album went quintuple-platinum.) Big reunited in 1981 to record Mirage, which launched the singles "Gypsy" and "Hold Me." During a tour to promote the new album the band broke up, though a reunion was not ruled out. Stevie Nicks recorded two more hit solo albums, while Mick Fleetwood worked with the band Zoo. Christine McVie and Lindsey Buckingham also released solo works.

In 1985 Big reunited to record Tango in the Night, which when finally released in 1987 produced four Top 20 hits: "Big Love," "Everywhere," "Seven Wonders" and the MTV favorite "Little Lies." After the new album came out Lindsey Buckingham formally quit Big to pursue his solo career. After a tour, another break, and another Stevie Nicks solo album, the group returned with guitarists Billy Burnette and Rick Vito for 1990's Behind the Mask, which quickly went platinum. After a sold-out tour Vito and Nicks both left the band, leaving the future of Big in question.

Following another round of solo albums and side-projects, Big reunited to record four new songs for The Chain, a 1992 box set to commemorate the group's 25th anniversary; the classic lineup also performed "Don't Stop" for President Bill Clinton, who used the Rumours hit as his 1992 campaign theme song. Now officially consisting of Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Billy Burnette, vocalist Bekka Bramlett, and guitarist Dave Mason, Big embarked on another tour, opening for Crosby, Stills and Nash, later touring with Pat Benatarin 1995. In October 1995 the new Fleetwood lineup turned in the album Time, after which the group broke up yet again.

In late 1996 it was announced that the Rumours-era version of Big -- Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Christine McVie, Stevie Nicks, and Lindsey Buckingham -- was reuniting for a new album and tour. That album, The Dance, was released in August 1997, with a tour following shortly thereafter. To date Big has sold over 100 million albums, making them one of the most popular bands in rock history.

The late '90s also saw a passel of releases of previously unreleased live recordings of the Peter Green/ Jeremy Spencer version of Mac, including Shrine '69 and three volumes from a 1970 concert in Boston titled Live At The Boston Tea Party.