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From the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

1976

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

Album Summary

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers is the debut album by the band of the same name, released on November 9, 1976, by Shelter Records. The album was recorded and mixed at the Shelter Studio in Hollywood, California.

Wikipedia

Rating

3.37

Votes

6452

Genres

  • Rock
  • Psychedelic Rock
Reviews
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Thu Jan 14 2021
3

Not particularly exciting. Definitely listenable, but pretty forgettable rock that doesn't feel like it pushes the boundaries of what I'm now used to.

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Thu Sep 23 2021
2

I once met Tom Petty (without The Heartbreakers) in a greasey spoon just off Camden highstreet. He was tucking into a full English and unbeknown to him got a bit of egg was stuck on his face for about 35 mins. I smugly waited until I had finished my mug of coffee, stood up and announced to everyone in earshot that Tom Petty was an egg-faced sausage-lover and ran out. I watched from the window as he wiped the egg from his embarrassed red face and as he did I banged on the window and let out a fart so thunderous that the single glazed window shuddered. He looked on in horror. What a fuckin' loser Tom Petty was that day.

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Thu Jul 15 2021
3

For a debut, it's not bad but there sure is a whole lot of Springsteen-esque garbage in here. Not enough to tank the album but enough to take the score down significantly. I'm really glad Petty and his boys figured out their own thing and got better from here. "Breakdown" and "American Girl" are both great tracks, though.

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Thu Feb 11 2021
3

Pretty good, little blah through the middle. Like Breakdown.

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Tue Nov 02 2021
4

Sometimes a debut sounds like a debut. Full of promise with flashes of genius. Whilst there are quite a few tracks on here that are forgettable run of the mill rock n roll songs, the great tracks (Breakdown, Strangered in the Night, and American girl elevate this to well above average album. 4/5

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Tue Aug 17 2021
3

Cet album V pour Vendetta ne m'a fait ni chaud ni froid. Je trouve neammoins très sympa l'annonce d'une nouvelle saison de la Ferme Célébrité en fin d'album.

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Tue Aug 17 2021
3

Qui aurait cru que Mickaël Vendetta avait sorti des albums de rock avec les Heartbreakers ? Certainement pas moi. Et pourtant j'ai beaucoup apprécié, tout au long de l'album, les nombreux moments où David Charvet lui demande d'arrêter de l'importuner ainsi que ceux au cours desquels Francky Vincent tente de le canaliser sous l'œil attentif de Greg le Millionnaire.

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Tue Nov 16 2021
3

Surprisingly average. The known songs are absolute classics but the remainder of the album is just filler. Would never put on to listen to full album. 3/5

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Sun Feb 21 2021
5

One of the most unhateable figures of classic rock and I love him. The only good thing to come out of Gainesville FL

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Thu Jan 14 2021
4

Steady from beginning to end, definitely loved the back half of the album with Mystery man and Luna being favorites.

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Wed Jun 30 2021
4

Nearly perfect, and breakdown and American girl are huge. American girl is one of the best songs of all time. But the rest of the album hasn’t lasted in perpetuity in the same way.

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Sun Jul 25 2021
4

Tom finding his own voice. Great heartland album, closer to Springsteen than what Tom was to later become. Great rock album.

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Thu Aug 26 2021
4

It’s one of those LPs that just seems pure and uncomplicated. Really loved this record. (8/10) Favourite Tracks: Breakdown, Hometown Blues, American Girl

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Wed Sep 29 2021
4

Saw the Heartbreakers at Leeds University - touring this album. Fan ever since.

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Mon Oct 11 2021
4

OK so under no pretences, this is a very straightforward rock and roll album. Petty and his band aren't aiming to re-invent the wheel here, but try and escape the positive energy, the enjoyment and enthusiasm that seems to spill over from these songs. One of the records greatest strengths is its pacing- none of it outstays its welcome. The songs are incredibly lean, straight to the point and the whole thing is over in 30 minutes. Finishing with "American Girl" is a masterstroke, because it immediately redeems the record's most forgettable tracks ("Mystery Man", "Luna") which come directly before it. It meant that when the album ended, all it left in its wake was me still tapping along, humming that irresistible refrain, salivating over playing it again. Of course that's the highlight, but I also found a lot to love in the forward propulsion of "Rockin' Around (With You)", those harmonies in "Hometown Blues", and the chugging guitars and chorus melody in "Anything That's Rock n Roll." An immensely enjoyable, tight album.

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Thu Sep 23 2021
3

Hahaha he looks like such a dickhead. If it was a snooker player, it'd be Paul Hunter (RIP).

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Wed Dec 01 2021
3

I'm a fan of Tom Petty's brand of no-frills heartland rockers, but there aren't too many bangers on here, except for the grand daddy of all Petty bangers at the end. And maybe Breakdown.

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Fri Feb 18 2022
3

It's fine, but it's not Damn the Torpedoes.

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Fri Jan 15 2021
2

Not really my cup of tea

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Sun May 09 2021
2

Not terrible, I just don’t think I’m ever gonna be a Tom Petty fan. 4/10

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Tue Dec 21 2021
2

On 'Fooled Again', Petty sounds like he's doing an impression of Keith Richards doing an impression of Mick Jagger. The rest of the album is similarly ersatz, or nostalgic, depending on how amenable you are to watered down r'n'r.

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Tue Jul 20 2021
5

I ruddy love Tom Petty, he's wonderful. This is a fantastic album with some of his best.

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Sat Jun 05 2021
5

Perfect in its simplicity

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Fri May 21 2021
5

R.I.P. Great album

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Tue Jan 26 2021
5

I'm now listening to the debut album of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers from the year 1976. All I can think is how much I miss Tom Petty and everything about him. I'm not sure I can ever get tired of listening to Tom Petty. The songs sound fresh and it's a joy to hear these legendary hit songs within the context of the album as a whole. Listening to his voice, it's unique and I'm wondering how in the world it should work. I don't know what I'm trying to say. Sometimes you can look at something on paper and wonder how it could possibly work in real life. If I was building a rock star out of clay, I feel like I would end up with something very far away from Tom Petty. It doesn't make any sense the more I think about it. But it's all here to start in the first album. I'm enjoying this immensely. As we all know Tom became a legend, and one of the greatest rock musicians ever, he looms large even though he has passed. It's very simple and awesome. I'm very fucking excited to hear American Girl in it's original context at the end of the album.

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Thu Jan 14 2021
5

Feel good tunes!!!

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Tue Mar 02 2021
5

LOVE THIS ALBUM!! And the reminder to listen to more tom petty :-)

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Thu Jul 01 2021
5

I. Love. Tom. Petty.

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Tue Apr 06 2021
5

TP and the Hb will never not be great.

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Thu May 20 2021
5

Amazing album

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Tue Jul 20 2021
5

A fantastic album can’t believe I’ve never heard it before.

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Mon Mar 22 2021
5

Love Tom petty and the heartbreakers! love american girl! and breakdown!

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Mon Feb 15 2021
5

I was surprised by how much I liked this. Only knew a few of his songs before but I keep replaying this album.

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Fri Jun 25 2021
5

what an album, a stone cold classic

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Thu May 20 2021
5

FIVE

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Thu Jul 08 2021
5

Easy

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Thu Jun 10 2021
5

I've got plenty of Tom Patty's songs in a playllist, but ive never ever listen to whole album

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Tue Nov 16 2021
5

Ah. A classic. And I know it's basic to say American Girl is my favorite track, but it is. My only gripe is that the album is so short. Easily could have listened to Tom Petty for another half hour.

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Tue Nov 30 2021
5

Duh.

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Fri Dec 10 2021
5

I enjoyed every single song on the album, but none of them are giving me strong emotions just yet. I don't think this will ever reach 5 territory, but it is so solid I can't give it anything below a 4.

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Thu Dec 16 2021
5

Outstanding first album!

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Fri Jan 14 2022
5

Sensational 70’s guitar rock. 5 stars

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Thu Feb 17 2022
5

this is SO GOOD...please break my heart tom petty

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Tue Mar 15 2022
5

The frickin' best

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Thu Mar 31 2022
5

good solid album, history to the ears

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Sat Apr 02 2022
5

This is an American classic from a man who is an American classic. What a debut album for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers… What can I say. This is one of the great rock records of the 70s. Fantastic!

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Sat Apr 02 2022
5

I never think of Tom Petty. I don't dislike him but I never feel the need to listen to a whole album. Seems I've been depriving myself. I knew the singles Breakdown and American Girl (the latter of which I love...except when I'm driving alone at night and it comes on the radio and I start to sing along and then I realize I've seen someone sing along to this song driving alone at night and I don't want to put the lotion in the basket and so I turn it off real quick) but I didn't know any of the others. From the first drum beat, I loved this great mix of songs. And at a scant 30 minutes, this album goes down super easy and is never boring.

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Sat Apr 02 2022
5

I generally like Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, but I didn’t know that I would love this album. So good, track after track!!

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Wed Apr 27 2022
5

When I was growing up I thought of Tom Petty as an old guy that got played on the classic rock stations with sleepy tunes like "Free Fallin" and "Mary Jane's Last Dance." But I'll be damned if these aren't bangers. My mind has been slowly changing about him over the years, and this album solidifies my fandom - I feel like I finally "get it." My favorite is probably "American Girl," that song is addicting.

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Fri Apr 29 2022
5

a really great album. it has what a call a southern USA rock sound

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Thu May 19 2022
5

I already know 5 and it's a damn shame this is his only entry on this list

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Wed Jul 13 2022
5

Always love Tom! This is perhaps one of his best albums!

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Thu Jul 21 2022
5

Good stuff. Petty is a legend.

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Thu Jul 28 2022
5

awesome

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Sun Aug 28 2022
5

Very good classic rock

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Fri Sep 02 2022
5

Love love love it. All I need to say.

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Fri Sep 16 2022
5

Massa massa

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Thu Oct 06 2022
5

Brilliant, hard to believe it was their first album - it sounds so focused and complete. Breakdown and American Girl are stand outs, but it is all great!

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Thu Oct 13 2022
5

It does not get much better than this! A 5 star album any day of the week. I saw Tom and the Heartbreakers supporting Nils Lofgren when this album came out. Nils was great, but impossible to follow Tom!

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Sat Dec 03 2022
5

One of the all time great albums

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Fri Dec 16 2022
5

Classic Tom - could not love more. He ranks in my top 10 (maybe 5) live performances.

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Fri Dec 16 2022
5

LOVE Tom Petty! I could listen to him all day

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Tue Dec 27 2022
5

Who puts the best track last on the album?

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Mon Jan 23 2023
5

Tom Petty is so good!

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Fri Feb 10 2023
5

Great album. TP’s deep cuts are better than his hits. 5/5

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Mon Feb 27 2023
5

If the only two songs of worth were American Girl and Breakdown, the debut from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers would have been a classic. There is, however, so much more here. At the time this was released, Petty's brand of roots-oriented rock didn't really fit with most AOR or even Southern Rock stations. At least in the Metro NYC area, his music was heard on the emerging New Wave stations such as WNEW. As southern fried as he was, he appealed more to the punks and new wave crowd for his fresh sound.

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Tue Mar 14 2023
5

Thoroughly enjoyed.

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Tue Mar 21 2023
5

I can easily see how Petty’s voice isn’t for everyone, but I personally love his simple, catchy music paired with his difficulty with pronouncing words

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Tue Jun 22 2021
4

Got better toward the end. This is a very raw Tom petty. I liked it.

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Wed Jun 30 2021
4

RIP to legend. Songwriting doesn’t get much better than this

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Mon Jan 18 2021
4

Tom Petty’s debut album! It’s a little all over the place, some songs aren’t my favorite, but some songs just hit me like a ton of bricks. I fuckin’ miss you Tom. Super short, never overstays its welcome.

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Thu Mar 11 2021
4

I won’t back dow!

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Tue Feb 16 2021
4

Really enjoyed this.

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Tue Jun 15 2021
4

Great album

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Thu Mar 18 2021
4

Fun stuff

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Thu Jul 01 2021
4

I’m out of town and didn’t have a chance to listen to this, but am just going to assume it’s at least 4 stars because of the Silence of the Lambs connection.

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Thu Feb 18 2021
4

solid record

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Mon Apr 12 2021
4

false

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Fri Feb 05 2021
4

G

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Fri Jun 11 2021
4

Nett

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Wed Feb 10 2021
4

i mean its TP, what's not to like. some filler in an already short album though

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Tue Jan 26 2021
4

I'm too used to American Girl being the start of an album that it feels really weird to have it be the end of the this album.

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Wed Jul 21 2021
4

Leuk rock 'n roll-album, af en toe wat te traag naar mijn smaak

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Tue May 04 2021
4

Great Album....brings back memories of high school days

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Sat Feb 27 2021
4

Guitar.

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Sun Feb 28 2021
4

8 out of 10 very chill would listen again minus 2 points cuz hes white

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Sun Mar 14 2021
4

A great collection of tight pop rock.

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Thu Jul 22 2021
4

Had only casually listened to Petty before...whatever was top 40 playlist stuff. Really liked the Wildflowers album that came up... Will listen again

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Tue Jun 29 2021
4

This is a pretty great listen with a lot of variety for the genre. There’s some great songs on here and while I don’t love all of them this is still a great album!

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Thu May 06 2021
4

The songs that are quicker in beat are killer. Some of the slower songs just sound like a whiny skinny white guy.

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Sun May 30 2021
4

Good pop rock.

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Wed May 26 2021
4

Pretty enjoyable album, fun tunes even though it probably won't change my life

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Tue Jun 29 2021
4

I liked this album . I already have four or five Tom Petty albums but never heard his first until today. 4 🌟

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Tue Jul 06 2021
4

I miss Tom Petty !

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Sun Jun 20 2021
4

Classic. American Girl.

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Sun Jul 25 2021
4

Great runtime, easy listening, just good basic rock and

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Fri Jul 30 2021
4

Really enjoyable album

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Tue Sep 21 2021
4

Not sure I ever listened to this cover to cover with decent headphones. Obviously, a lot of great material here but I'm loving the sounds and production too.

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Wed Sep 29 2021
4

Grunnurinn að amerísku rokki. Skemmtilegt stöff!

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Fri Oct 01 2021
4

Went down a Tom Petty rabbit hole with this one.

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