The Ultimate Stevie Nicks Playlist To Prove She Is Indeed “The Reigning Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll”

October 31, 2024 7:52 am

Stevie Nicks is a legend of witchy, ethereal proportions, and one may even say a national treasure. Known to many as the “Reigning Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” she’s had a storied career with Fleetwood Mac and a wildly successful solo career, and she’s not stopping now. Nicks recently released a new single, “The Lighthouse,” as a powerful response to abortion bans and the overturn of Roe v. Wade. She’s never shied away from speaking her truth, so here is our ultimate Stevie Nicks playlist to celebrate her strength, attitude, and unbeatable sense of style.

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First up is Nicks’ solo debut, Bella Donna from 1981. “Edge of Seventeen” hits first, of course; it’s an iconic song with an instantly recognizable intro. Destiny’s Child even sampled it for the song “Bootylicious.” This is a song that’s been performed in countless karaoke bars and living room concerts. It perfectly brings out the theatrics, making you want to emulate Nicks as you sing along.

“After the Glitter Fades” represents a longing for love after all the glitz and glamor of famous life disappears. We all chase something and maybe this is a dream / The timeless face of a rock and roll woman as her heart breaks / Oh, the dream keeps coming even when you forget to feel, she sings. The lyrics are tinged with something a little autobiographical.

“How Still My Love,” “Leather and Lace” with Don Henley, “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” with Tom Petty, the narrative “The Highwayman,” and “Bella Donna” round out the choices from the debut.

Stevie Nicks Found Incredible Success as a Solo Artist, Releasing 8 Studio Albums

The Wild Heart released in 1983 and continued Stevie Nicks’ style from Bella Donna. It was ethereal, groovy, and soft, but also implemented a bit more synth than her previous work. This is evident on tracks like “Stand Back.”

She also worked with Tom Petty again on the track “I Will Run to You.” It featured Petty’s recognizable guitar and vocals, which blend well with Nicks’, as well as the experimental synth as mentioned on “Stand Back.”

“Beauty and the Beast” is an interesting track, but one that deserves a place on the ultimate playlist. It’s reminiscent of “The Highwayman” as there’s some character development. Not as clearly as in “The Highwayman,” but there’s a sense that there are vague shapes of characters nonetheless.

Stevie Nicks’ 1986 album Rock a Little took a turn from Bella Donna and The Wild Heart, as did The Other Side of the Mirror from 1989. Nicks is a bit of a chameleon while also remaining steadfast—she is unique in that aspect. Even when she’s experimenting with sound and composition, she stays recognizable and relatable. It’s in her signature vocals, but also in her writing. Additionally, there’s always a little something in her sound that is singularly Stevie.

Check out the rest of the playlist below. Did we include all your favorite songs? There’s no doubt we missed some; essentially, an ultimate playlist would just be her entire discography, but we had to pare it down. If I had my way, it would just be “Silver Springs” for 10 hours.