Did FM really outsell The Beatles and The Stones?

[Villavic]

Originally Posted by FuzzyPlum

I know it’s something Mick says (and I’m sure he mentioned it in his first book). Is this notion purely based on Mick Fleetwood’s assertion?

Beatles is mentioned several times in the first episodes, about how they (and the Stones) were changing everything in UK, but mostly because of Patti, Jenny’s sister.

Our next single, Peter Green's "Man of the World," was recorded while we were in New York and was released in England in April 1969. Like "Albatross" it had little to do with the blues, owing more to the music the Beatles and Stones were doing at the time, opening acoustically and then turning to a harder rock feel. Most of all, "Man of the World" was sad, even abject. In retrospect, we should have seen it as a warning of what was to come.
….
Clifford broke off negotiations with Immediate and told Melody Maker: "The Beatles have heard our new album and have become very friendly with us lately. We may sign with Apple if we can get a reasonable deal, but we are an independent team we write and produce and record so we may conceivably form our own label. " (The Beatles loved "Albatross" and recorded "Here Comes the Sun King" as a tribute to Pete.)

Not exactly the sales numbers but related to charts circa 1969:

Melody Maker named us #1 Progressive Group for 1969 (the Beatles were #1 Pop Group, an important difference in those times), while Pete was voted #3 composer, behind Lennon-McCartney and Jagger-Richards. But success was bittersweet. Although Fleetwood Mac entered 1970 as one of the biggest groups in the world, outselling both the Beatles and the Stones in Europe the year before, we were forced to confront Peter Green's disaffection and increasing disgust with the world.