"Magnet and Steel" is a hit single written and performed by American musician Walter Egan, released in March 1978. It was the first and biggest hit on Egan's second solo LP, Not Shy. It reached number eight on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and number nine in Canada. It spent 22 weeks on the American charts.
Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham, members of Fleetwood Mac, sang background vocals along with several others; Buckingham was also one of the song's producers, along with Egan and Richard Dashut. Nicks was also Egan's inspiration for the song.
Later uses "Magnet and Steel" was featured in Boogie Nights (1997), Overnight Delivery (1998), and Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo (1999). It was also heard in the Season 2 episode "Ohio" of the HBO series Divorce (2018) and in the film This is 40.
The singer Matthew Sweet recorded a version of the song for the Sabrina the Teenage Witch album with Lindsey Buckingham on guitar and backing vocals.
Egan and Donna Loren recorded a duet of the song in 2011. Loren released it on her YouTube channel 8 April 2025 to coincide with Egan's appearance on her podcast, Love's A Secret Weapon. The song was also featured on Keith Urban's 2026 album, Flow State.
Personnel Walter Egan – lead vocals, guitar Lindsey Buckingham – guitars, background vocals Stevie Nicks – background vocals Annie McLoone – background vocals John Selk – bass guitar, background vocals Tom Moncrieff – guitar, background vocals Stephen Hague – keyboards, vocals Mike Huey – drums, percussion
Chart performance Weekly charts Chart (1978)PeakpositionAustralia (Kent Music Report)32Canada RPM Top Singles9France (IFOP)60New Zealand7U.S. Billboard Hot 1008U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary 18U.S. Cash Box Top 1009
Year-end charts Chart (1978)RankCanada68New Zealand46U.S. Billboard Hot 10040U.S. Cash Box59
See also List of 1970s one-hit wonders in the United States
References
External links "Magnet and Steel" (Audio).