If you are a fan of Fleetwood Mac and the ’70s era of music, Amazon Prime’s new show “Daisy Jones & the Six” will fulfill your dreams. With eight of the 10 episodes released, the limited series will wrap the final two-episode drop on March 24. Based on the popular book by Taylor Jenkins Reid, the show follows the path of two struggling musicians who join together in a creative and tense relationship to build a 1970s era rock band.

At its best, the show is an entertaining journey through the pop culture, fashion and drug-fueled rock music production of the 1970s. The book caught the eye of Executive Producer Reese Witherspoon and was developed into a miniseries by Scott Neustadter and Michael Weber, who insisted the actors also had to be credible as musicians and singers. Stars Riley Keogh (Daisy Jones) and Sam Claflin (Billy Dunne) deliver the musical chops. During COVID-19 lockdowns, the artists practiced playing instruments and training with vocal coaches, breathing life into their roles. While many viewers have been surprised by how well the music comes together, there might have been some genetic help with Keough, the granddaughter of rock and roll icon Elvis Presley.

Music is the reason to stream the show — it captures the ’70s California pop-rock anthems reminiscent of the top bands of that era like The Eagles, Linda Ronstadt, The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield and Crosby. Distinguished by a driving rhythm section and layered with organs, soaring melodies and crisp harmonies, the show’s songs capture that era’s unique southern California spirit. The soundtrack has already struck a note with modern music lovers, with the show’s companion album “AURORA” reaching number one on Apple Music after its release on March 3.

Popular composer Blake Mills scored the series, with help from hit songwriters Marcus Mumford (Mumford & Sons), Phoebe Bridgers, Jackson Browne and Madison Cunningham.

The tight soundtrack was recorded at the legendary Sound City Studios in Los Angeles, which serves as the fictional backdrop for some of the pivotal scenes in the series. The show also detours into some of the other budding genres of the ’70s, with the character Simone Jackson (Nabiyah Be) branching off to the New York disco scene, and tunes by punk music pioneers Patti Smith and The Jam are woven into the sound. But at the heart of the show is rock and roll.

In comparison to the hit novel, the show honors the book in a lovely way and builds on the characters which adds to the plot. While there are some differences in the plot of the show, the only significant character change was with Teddy Price. The book describes him as a fat and ugly British man in a suit. While in the show, he is played by actor Tom Wright and takes on the role of the father figure producer of the band. Neustadter had told people they drew inspiration from storied producers Quincy Jones and Tom Wilson. 

While there are still two episodes left in the series, there is a lot to love and parts to critique from the series. The show is well produced from the soundtrack, the costumes and the performances by the actors. However, I find a few of the band’s members underdeveloped in the show, such as Eddie, Karen and Warren. Although they are pivotal in producing the music of the show, they do not get much spotlight and lack the creative writing that is put into Billy and Daisy. The compelling essence of the show comes from the loving and fierce relationship between the lead singers that evolves as they gain success.

“Daisy Jones & the Six” might not capture all that went into the era of 1970s music or have the most effective storyline, but it holds much creativity and passion in the making of the artistic elements that reflects the nature of Hollywood’s biggest names. If you are at all interested in music or read the book, I highly suggest you check this show out or stream the album “AURORA” on Spotify or Apple Music.