Tusk  by Fleetwood Mac

The 1979 Tusk by Fleetwood Mac is one of the most ambitious, experimental, and expensive albums in rock history. It was the band's bold response to the massive commercial success of its predecessor, Rumours. It was the twelfth studio album by the band.

The recording of Tusk lasted 13 months (1978-1979) at The Village Recorder in Los Angeles, in a studio specifically decorated with eccentric objects (such as tusks and velvet cushions). It was the most expensive album of its time, with production costs exceeding 1 million dollars (!). The production was signed by Richard Dashut, Ken Caillat, and the band itself, with Lindsey Buckingham having the dominant artistic control. The album is a double album and includes twenty tracks, written by the band's three main songwriters: Lindsey Buckingham wrote nine songs and led the sound into more 'raw' and lo-fi paths (e.g. The Ledge, Tusk), Christine McVie was behind six songs with which she maintained melodic pop structures (e.g. Think About Me, Over & Over), and Stevie Nicks contributed five songs and contributed with atmospheric ballads (e.g. Sara, Storms). The musical style of the album was an eclectic mix of experimental rock, new wave, and post-punk influences, which contrasted with the smooth soft-rock of Rumours.

The most important singles were the titular Tusk and Sara, which became Top-10 hits. The album sold approximately 4,000,000 copies worldwide. Although it was considered a "commercial failure" compared to the 20+ million of Rumours, it reached No.1 in the United Kingdom and No.4 in the U.S.A.