Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

Random thoughts: * I've never listened to any of the older Petty albums. I'm pretty solidly in the Greatest Hits and Wildflowers camp. * I was surprised a bit to hear the punk influence on the first track however I shouldn't have been surprised due to this coming out in 1976. * But very quickly you could hear Tom Petty has range as the songs have way more depth to them than punk songs/records do. * I was only familiar with Breakdown and American Girl before going into this one. * This is an enjoyable listen and I get that maybe putting Tom Petty's debut on this list is an acceptable choice. I think if you're only going to put a single Petty album you gotta go with Wildflowers. * This also highlights the difficulty of picking a single album from an all-time great artist like Tom Petty. I felt the same about Willie Nelson.

I feel like there wasn’t much for me to latch onto on this album, except for American Girl, which is a classic. It’s a pretty straightforward album.

rock, chill, herbie a toda marcha vibes

I'd forgotten how great an influence the Stones had on Tom Petty. On some tracks, his singing style is practically a full-blown Mick impression. As a result, certain tunes ("Fooled Again", "Strangered in the Night", "Mystery Man") seem dated ... it's your Dad's rock from the 70s. But there are hints that Petty understood how to write solid pop songs, a talent clearly on display in "American Girl".

Je connaissais pas, chouette mais pas inoubliable

It's ok.

Radiorock, spannender, als radiomusik

Bro i want to give it 2.5 But GODDAMNNNN THIS SHIT SUCKSSSSS

Last nite she said...

i love tom petty and i wanted to be able to rate this higher but overall i thought it was aight. 3.5ish

Nice rock album with some all time classics sprinkled in. A bit of filler otherwise. 7/10

Interesting but a bit bland. Nothing really stood out for me. American Girl quite bouncy but the rest lacklustre. Surprisingly unambitious.

Vamos hoy jueves con el debut de esta banda. Si tuviese que ponerle palabras, diría que es una banda que escuché hace tiempo y no me voló la cabeza pero me pareció simpática. El disco es agradable, apto para una juntada como de fondo o para trabajar. Suena como música de radio ochentosa, noventosa. Muchas gracias y hasta mañana.

Somewhere in the middle. Not my jam, but I get why it is here.

foot tapping after the first few notes, automatic +1 star. not as good as I was hoping it would be, american girl is the clear stand out. 3 stars.

Haha they left the best song as the last song of the album...talk about sequencing.

Tom Petty is an artist that, on paper, I should love. And I do almost always like his stuff, I just never feel any desire to go back. This album is no exception. I liked all the songs, but nothing really stood out that made me want to listen again. The one exception is American Girl; that is an absolute classic with one of the best opening lines of all time.

Favorite tracks: Breakdown, American Girl

As much as I love Tom Petty and may he rest in piece, I always looked at him as sort of the greatest hits artist. Even though this has couple of solid hits, couple of other tracks I've enjoyed as well, but doesn't seem super strong as an album, so I can't decide between 3 and 4 here, but just because I gave 4 to Superuknown by SG yesterday, then this feels more like 3. Probably 3.5 on RYM so either way here.

Went into this fully expecting to find it boring - another American guitar record - but was highly pleasantly surprised. Feels like a bit of a US counterpoint to My Aim Is True (though I think this came first). Not quite as direct as that one, but definitely intriguing. Not blown away, but will definitely come back to this one.

Oh wow I don't think I've ever sat down to listen to a Tom Petty album. It's like the classic rock stations greatest hits right here. It gets the highlights, fulfills the vibe for sure. I don't think I'd listen to more than his greatest hits if I'm being honest. He's good, but I think those older than me will have this in rotation, where I'm fine with just the hits.

This was fine but surely this isnt the representative one you need to hear?

Few good songs but otherwise probably won’t revisit it.

one of my least favourite tom petty albums. not that it’s bad or anything, it’s actually still really good. for me though it just doesn’t reach the heights of a lot of his other music.

Checke das

Not Petty's best. Some decent songs.

It feels like every day this week I'm getting a very okay/average album. This is one of them.

The beginning! Some decent songs, some filler. Flashes of what was to come, 'The Wild One, Forever' is an underrated cut

Hat mich echt positiv überrascht. Name sage mir gar nix. Bandname und Album Cover aus der Hölle aber Musik überraschend gut. Gerade das Intro und der zweite Track haben mich gut abgeholt

rock music

Love me some later day Tom Petty, but never really explored this before. It’s….decent. Pretty fully formed for a debut, but also a bit lacking somehow. 2.5

Solid album all together.

Доволі таки не погано

Damn the torpedoes and full moon fever album selection on this list

Its not horrible its just kinda generic. Dont really have much to say abt this album its just kinda filling space in a void yk. 5.8/10

Enjoyable little romp! I'm a little stoned but I felt transported back to another time. Not my usual vibe but I understand why it's so beloved to people. TWANGY/CLASSIC/GOOD TIME/JUKEBOX/BYGONE ERAS

Pretty stock standard, mundane stuff. As someone very familiar with Petty's stuff, his voice is not particularly strong here, "American Girl" aside.

Some nice classic rock ‘n’ roll. I wouldn’t say it’s mind blowing though.

The debut from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers is solid, straightforward rock — nothing particularly flashy, but competently done. The band leans heavily on jangly guitars and tight, classic songwriting, capturing that late-70s blend of rock, power pop, and a touch of new wave energy. There are a few memorable moments that hint at the band’s future strengths, but overall the album feels more like a promising starting point than a fully realized statement.

no la escuché bien pero guardé unas.

Forgettable unfortunately

If I were driving through backwater USA this would be my first pick. It was less good for my London parkrun.

I’m going to generously give this a three, because for the most part this isn’t for me.

Nice album I liked it and have really nothing else to say

q capa é essa jesus FAVS (top 3): breakdown; the wild one, forever; fooled again (i dont like it) mençoes honrosas: rockin around (with you), anything thats rock n roll, american girl ah, legalzinho nota final: 3/5

Primer álbum de Tom Petty. Me gustó. Rock made in USA total. Buen álbum. 6/10

woah the parks and rec song is here

Pretty basic rock 'n' roll, not life-changing but short and sweet, a good listen. Saved a couple for future.

not too bad, but goodn't listen more than one time.

Pretty inoffensive "rock and roll revival", then American Girl at the end is a standout

Easy listening, but not anything out of the ordinary

This album lingers around the listless 70's waiting room capably created by Breakdown for way too long, chugging along without ambition until finishing unexpectedly strongly with the classic American Girl.

Better than I thought. Really expected this to just be dad rock. and it was, but it was also good. Best tracks for me: Luna, Fooled Again, Strangered in the Night.

I just about didn't listen to this cause I thought there was no way I would enjoy it but I was pleasantly surprised! A good chunk of this is just like inoffensive and forgettable but there are definitely some songs that had me listening closer and enjoying myself. Pretty strong B side Fav tracks: Luna, Strangered in the Night, Fooled Again (I Don't Like It)

Ok

Massive male manipulator lyrics... and I can't tell if it's supposed to be or not.

sure? best leuk maar dat ene nummer waarin hij lalt... HATED that

Good album, not sure if I’d say it was his best. Enjoyable, tom petty is great but I’d pick a few other albums over this. He’s also more of a greatest hits type. 3 stars

Strong blues rock album, I honestly haven't really listened to any of their music, but I've heard of the band. Kinda like 3 dog or steeley dan. Fine for a certain generation, but overally samey and a little short. Decent for what it is, but not beyond that.

Pretty good, just not outstanding in any way. With the exception of the final track, the album is pretty forgettable but amusing to listen to. 3/5

I thought I was going to know every song on this album like it would be all hits but that was not the case.

Nice songs, but nothing more. Tom Petty's masterpieces were yet to come.

There were a few tracks I didn’t know was them

It's fine. Not interesting in 2026

Couple of bop bangers

The best of this sounds better on Pack Up The Plantation: the studio dates some great songs here.

It's got a couple great songs and the guys sound good but they're not there yet. Get me to Damn the Torpedoes.

7/10

oh the scrubs song

Fairly standard but inoffensive

Very normal radio music. Something dad would listen to

Alright, not toi remarkable

leuker dan het vorige, maar nog steeds niet dat

It felt like every song was a very cool but incomplete thought.

Petty had a ton of great singles but spread out through an entire career. American Girl is the only truly standout song here IMHO, it’s a 3.5 but I don’t think it is really a 4.

Kind of boring except for American Girl (a song which I mostly like because Betty once danced to it in an episode of Ugly Betty).

3/5 Roque fácil de ouvir.

It's okay. Some bangers. Thank god it's only 30 minutes, because it was getting pretty boring towards the end.

3.5/5

3⭐️/5 02.16.2026 [02.17.2026]

Pure rock n roll. Tom Petty is a cool, solid vibe. It’s not too deep and that’s just fine. Not much more to say than that.

Honestly better than I expected. It was decent. Stand-outs - Breakdown - Fooled Again (I Don’t Like It)

I recognized two songs off this album: Breakdown and American Girl. Pretty solid classic rock album.

Good stuff. This was a good deal prior to my jumping onboard with these cats & back then I did not go thru the back catalog as a matter of course. Apart from the hits I had not heard much of this, but I liked a bit of it even more than said hits. Likely some hit-fatigue involved tho. I'm going with 3 point 3 repeating.

It's solid, but nothing special. Has a bit of an identity crisis in that it can't decide whether it wants to be more country or more rock, but for Tom petty's first album it's decent. Enjoyable, but ultimately forgettable

One of the most badass albums ever

A surprisingly middling debut from the rock legend himself. There are some all timers on here, but also some pretty forgettable tracks.

Curto, inofensivo e divertido

I was expecting to enjoy this more. Glancing over the track list, I knew Breakdown and American Girl, which are both good songs. But after listening, I really didn't think any of the other songs were that great.

Much more singer/songwriter than I remembered. Quite good.

I like Tom Petty but wish they would have included Wildflowers or Full Moon Fever or Into the Great Wide Open instead of this album

Always loved the singles and an enjoyable listen

🤔

Sumthin sumthin Last Nite by the Strokes

The album is good. Solid for the radio; don't think I would buy it. Three stars

Wish I liked this a little more

yeah! i mean! yes... i mean ... ok, sure

This was actually pretty good. Solid tunes, American girl is a classic

I can see why he’s considered one of he staple classic rock figures Not every song caught my ear but it’s a solid project

Yes yes, very nice jangly competence… can we get to the banger now?

2.5

I mean this is just good straightforward rock to me. Like would I return to listen to it? Maybe. Either way I enjoyed it and American girl is a classic song to finish off the album.

Every time I put on a Tom Petty album, I'm reminded just how much I enjoy listening to him. This isn't my favorite of his, but still a wonderful listen.

Album

Not my favorite Tom Petty album. Sure do miss him though. His songs were timeless. American Girl will always remind me of SOTL. I do like Breakdown, probably the only good one off of here.

Buen disco también

Mid! But crucial to the Silence of the Lambs

tom pretty okay

it was alright. not more, not less. good background noise but never anything more than that.

Good album. His country influence is on display in some of these songs.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers? I hardly know her!

i had a fun time... not really much for me to say about this one, unfortunately. it was okay!

A short, sweet 30 minutes of an album. As far as I know, Tom Petty has a legacy as being a decent fellow and a fine complement to the rest of the Wilburys. He's also probably a favorite on this list, along with Elvis Costello, as sounding like singing is strenuous. Pleasant production and songwriting.

Temp

Petty is amazing. His catalog is unbelievably deep. Try "Echo", an unheralded album that just kills. His first album has American Girl, Breakdown and solid album cuts. That being said Damn the Torpedoes blows this record away. Full Moon Fever, Wallflowers, Long After Dark, Hard Promises are all better. Right artist, wrong album

didn't listen to all of it, but two songs or so were nice

Ehh? I love Tom Petty, but I don't think this is one of his better albums. It has the iconic "American Girl", and I guess that's why the album is here. I'm just hoping we get Southern Accents or Wildflowers somewhere down the road (maybe both??) Not terrible, but not much I would come back to besides the hits.

I've never been a Tom Petty fan, largely because there's something about his nasally/whiny voice that really grates on me, but this seems like a good early album of his to include in the collection, and "Breakdown" and "American girl" *still* hold up well after all these decades. The rest of the album is new to me, and neither memorable nor surprising, but also about what I expected (I was also struck by how a few of the tracks, especially "The wild one, forever", sound like something Bruce Springsteen and company would have produced). I always conflate Tom Petty, Ted Nugent and Rod Stewart into a collective 70s/80s shades-of-rock lead man, but it feels like that's perhaps not fair to Tom Petty, especially given how he and the band ran the circuit for four decades (and probably not fair to compare *anyone* to nutjob Nugent).

Easy going, chilli millo

What an album cover! Some recognizable songs, but not something I'd reach out for.

this was just ok

It's Tom Petty, which means it's going to be quality rock above a blues band level. All songs in this album sound way too similar to Bruce Springsteen, aside from the two hits. I see it's his debut album. We all know he gets much better, but still a pleasant listen.

American girl is a bop but I wasn’t stirred by the rest of the songs and I don’t love his voice. Too American for me perhaps??

Another album where the music itself is fine, but I just don't care for the vocals. I did really like "Fooled Again" at least! 6/10

It was okay. More of a summer driving album. 2.5

I did not like this as much as I expected. There's maybe 3 all-time classics on here, but the rest is kinda meh. And I can't decide it Petty's vocals are engaging and rockin' and it just sounds like he's doing weird things with his mouth because he can't sing.

Didn't in itself persuade me of what some respected peers assert: that Petty's songwriting powers are self-evident in both his A- and B-catalogue. This feels like mostly B's with the obvious exception of American Girl. I will come back for a close reading of his discography, but I don't know if I need to return to this one.

nicht schlecht aber langweilig

es fängt langsam an, sich alles gleich anzuhören, ich muss tbh auch mehr zuhören, ka, ob das jz eine faire bewertung ist

ik apprecieerde het wel dat de liedjes niet zo lang waren da maakte het leuker lowk

Tof

3.7

Built to a great final track but the rest of the album wasn't strong for me 2-3

Tom Petty was deemed an alternative, fresh sound in the mid 70s. These things are all relative

Strong début album and a sign of things to come.

Everytime I hear American Girl I think I've missed something with Tom Petty. Everytime I listen to other tracks I realise I probably haven't. 3*

Buen album, la verdad se disfruto todo el album, pero no hubo ningun tema que destacara. que me haga decir FUA QUE TEMON!! Luna creo que es de lo mas me gusto.

Making Rock "and" Roll, cool again.

A pretty good debut, even if it isn't one of his better albums. Still enjoyable, and the hits are great. Highlights: "Breakdown" and "American Girl"

Fun and although some of the music follows a classic structure, it's a bit more elevated. American girl the clear stand out (although not sure on the fade out ending).

As an album, lacks the punch of his best singles. 3/5

Promising debut with much better to come

My favourite moments are where Tom Petty feels barely able to keep a lid on things, like he has pent up energy that’s going to burst out in some unintended way. American Girl comes in like a punch in the face at the end of the album and it was much appreciated by me. I needed a solid gold anthemic single with plenty of cheer. I could have probably done with a little more of this in the last third of the tracklist which is a more patient affair.

What a great final track, if there were a couple more of those it’d be a 4 but overall it’s a solid 3 for me

Not bad but not outstanding either. I quite like some of Tom Petty’s hits but there weren’t any for me on this album

American Girl really saving this album with at least one great song. I can hear the classic Tom Petty sound here, but I guess the Tom Petty songs I listen to are on different albums.

Well I would have always said Mr Petty was AOR, and I think this was. His voice here, is very Elvis Costello to me. The difference being this was at a consistent level of ok. Where as Mr C varies from great to awful. On the whole though, this must be worth an average 3.

I expected more - nothing to get excited about here.

Why does he sing like that?

I've heard a lot of Tom Petty, but somehow hadn't heard this whole album front to back. Before I had only heard the hits from it, Breakdown and American Girl. The rest of the tracks are good, but not as good.

3.4

American girl was the best track by far. Some gems for sure, but far better was yet to come from Tom Petty.

Perfectly pleasant but not standout.

Enjoyable but unremarkable. Try harder Tom Petty

Hmm. Some okay songs, and one amazing song. Ideally I could give this a 3.5. I would listen to this album if it came on, but wouldn't make an effort to look for it.

6.0/10 Some classic hits but the rest of the album sounds pretty average. I like a few other of his albums a lot more.

Give me a better album. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers made a lot of good music and this wasn't it.

I wasn't the most impressed. Tom Petty is a huge name in music, so I expected something better. He just kind of mumbles his way through this with some solid instrumentals behind him. It did end on 2 really good tracks though. I am surprised none of their other albums made the cut for this list, but I would give them a listen. This album at least showed me that Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers can make good music. Sure, they didn't do that the whole time on this album, but it showed glimpse of what the band could be.

I dont know, i got kinda bored Some songs were nice tho

A bunch of really great songs, but not quite a really great album. They’re doing a lot of great things, but I just wanted a little more from this. Hard to find a single person who dislikes Tom Petty. American Girl is an all timer. Favorite songs were Rockin’ Around, Breakdown, Fooled Again, and American Girl.

There were some famous songs in there I didn’t know where from them, I didn’t hate listening to it it was fine Just wtf is this cover?!

7.5 / 10

quality southern rock. "American girl" is probably the only song I would listen to again.

For me personally a little slow and boring. Nothing really got me hooked. However none of the songs were bad just not my style and a little blah. I wouldn't necessarily listen to the album again

it was pretty good, some of the songs i added to my playlist too!

Sound is a little dated to my zoomer ears but nothing stuck out as bad. Enjoyed Breakdown and American Girl, but he has an interesting voice that carried what would otherwise be pretty forgettable 'classic rock'

The cover is incredible, haha. The album itself was fine. It felt like inoffensive rock music, something that you could throw on and most people wouldn't mind listening to. I won't revisit this album, but it was a fine listen.

Breakdown, Go Ahead And Give It To Me 1001 Albums Generator 203 (1/12/2025) They're calling it the most 3/5 album ever. Nah I'm joking, this album is honestly not bad at all, but it's kind of crazy how the songs that aren't Breakdown or American Girl are just so much less interesting. Tom Petty's style of straightforward rock/n/roll is just not super engaging to me for the most part, but there are these moments of genius that pop through. With that said, the fun from Anything That's Rock'N'Roll to Mystery Man is really boring honestly. I don't know. Tom Petty has always been a song artist to me more than an album artist, and I think that is still the case. 3/5. Favs: Rockin' Around (With You) Breakdown American Girl Least Fav: Hometown Blues

Look at the album cover. Does Tom Petty have natural charisma required to wear a leather jacket? Absolutely not. 100% the kinda guy that you’d call Tim just to piss Jim off because you know he won’t actually fight you about it. He wants to be a bad boy, but I bet he met a lot of girls’ parents. Looking at the album cover tells you exactly the kind of edgy-if-you’re-boring rock & roll you’ll get inside. I don’t buy enough light beer to entertain anyone who thinks this album is more than just fine, so they’re not invited to my birthday party this year. However, I’ll give this an extra 1/2 star because I can’t separate “American Girl” from its scene in Silence Of The Lambs. That connection might be the coolest thing about Tom Petty. 3.5 (rounded back down)

A bit average

Good vibes

Grows on me with every listen

This is a good album. It plays it straight down the middle and delivers a solid, consistently listenable experience. Petty has a distinctive voice and wrote some good songs, and while I don't think this is his best album, it has a couple classic tracks tucked away amongst the more standard album cuts. There's nothing groundbreaking here for the mid 1970's, but it's something you can safely put on for almost anyone without fear of offense, and get a taste of wholesome Americana rock. Probably best listened to while driving, smoking a Marlboro or two, and having a Bud. 3-3.5 for me.

I am a big Tom Petty fan, and own five of his albums, all of which are vastly superior to this one. Reading other reviews, it seems that this is the only Petty album on the list, which is puzzling, given all of the crap that I have been subjected to this far. Anyway, as much as I like Tom Petty, I thought this was a very average effort. And his voice sounds as if he is trying too hard to sound like a rock singer, slurring his words on most of the tracks. The best I can give this album is three stars.

Going into this, I only knew the hits, Breakdown and American Girl. Both songs I like a lot. After 2 listens, "Fooled Again (I Don't Like It)" and "The Wild One, Forever" stick out to me as songs I'll revisit. The rest of the album is so forgettable and the songs are so short. This sits right in the middle for me. American Girl really stands above the rest of the album by a lot, it almost sounds like a different band in the context of the rest of the album.

Decent album!! Sorry and sweet, has my 2 favorite hits on it, American Girl, and Breakdown. Solid 3 ⭐ for me. Not gonna rush out and buy it but decent record.

Was never a big fan of Tom Petty's music. This signature album is not that long, clocking at under 31 minutes. It has two big hit songs that make this one up. While it sounds fine, I don't see how its that great or special.

pretty solid

Has way better records across his discography than this one. "Breakdown" is so smooth, and "American Girl" is an iconic 70s track (makes me think of Silence of the Lambs every time I hear it) but the rest of the record is pretty generic and even somewhat bad- "Strangered in the Night" for instance is a sloppy Eagles castoff. And why did "Luna" sound like Bob Dylan singing a Christmas song?

There is absolutely nothing wrong with this album. That being said, it’s another one that I’m struggling to understand what it makes it special enough to be on this list. Of course the singles are great, and I really liked “Luna” as well. But the rest of the tracks are just kind of lacking in my opinion. There’s one where he does his best Springsteen impression, and some where it’s very basic sounding old school 1-4-5 blues rock… which is fine. It just didn’t blow me away. Still good though. Like I said, absolutely nothing wrong with this… but he has better stuff.

it was good, some songs not my style but majority of it was good!

Never heard anything about this artist or album. Seems to be a classical rock album as it was known in the 70s. I enjoy listening to it but not in a cheering way like I would listen to other songs I like. This older type of albums are better when listened from start to end. To me personally no song really sticks out to be special or unique. Its more the ambient that this music offers. And that would be enough for me to buy it in physical form. I also like the fact that its only 30 Minutes, I see that length in other 70s works too. Why not listen to it again? If I don't forget to and the time is right im in! I'll give this a 7/10!

good old-fashioned rock n roll. tom petty has always written pretty straight forward songs, but i’ll be damned if i don’t get them stuck in my head once i hear them. the album sags a bit in the middle, but each song is pretty solid, albeit a little generic, save for breakdown and american girl. a solid first record from petty and co., but it doesn’t quite capture the brilliance of their later records.

Decent rock. 3 stars

Soooooooo tom petty… not my fav

I really didn't pick up on this band until "Damn the Torpedos". This was of course their introductory album, and has one great cut. I'd never listened to this album, but it's Tom Petty so you know it wasn't going to be a "bad" listen.

It’s really solid dad rock, I just have my limits. This is the shortest project I’ve listened to so far and somehow kept my attention the least.

Nice rock & roll

That was ok.

Something different but seemed similar to something I’ve heard before

wasn't bad. wouldn't listen again.

Listened to it a ton and there’s no skips but also no songs I would listen to if I had the option to put on whatever. Gives dad rock. Not my fav.

Honestly, Tom Petty has kinda wained on me over the years. American Girl and Breakdown are the only songs I care for here.

Enjoyed this a lot more than I expected, having had a resistance to "dad-rock" my whole life. I think because it holds it's influences on it's sleeve? "This one sounds like the Beatles, this one sounds like the Stones, this is definitely Who-inspired". Either way, not a bad listen, would probably listen again.

Rätt trevligt!

Stabilt+.

Strong debut

Rockin Around- eh nothing impressive or bad Breakdown - Elements of blues which make me enjoy this but still gives the sense of rock Anything That's Rock 'N' Roll - Sounds quite generic Luna - what is this Favorite Track: Breakdown | Overall: 3.2

Pleasant but pedestrian - decent tunes, good vibes, things would get better before too long!

Pretty good, lots of good stuff on here.

It was good. Can see why they were so popular back in the 80s and 90s.

I would be among the first to say that Tom Petty's brand of rock has never particularly resonated with me . He always seemed to rely on bravado and 'rock 'n roll' attitude which has not translated well into 2026 musically wise. However, there's enough energy and excitement in most of the tracks to forgive its flaws, in particular American Girl, which is probably his best song period, gving him a genuine sense of longing and wistfullness, coupled with his best melody, that I'm not sure we see in much of his other work.

Pretty solid American Rock album. RIP Tom Petty. 6/10

Not too bad. Breakdown is...almost good, but it never quite gets there. American Girl is pretty good. 👍American Girl

average, sorry

Quite fond of some of Tom Petty's hits, first time listening to this album, it was good.

The first album by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers sounds like a lot of things. Some of it just fits nicely in the 'new wave' sound that was emerging. A lot of it derives from the Stones, but there are flashes of the Byrds, even Status Quo, and openly imitates Van Morrison in 'Mystery Man'. 'Luna' is more interesting, slow and brooding and harder to pin down. But there's no flashy excess, it's all kept quiet tight and brief. And of course the closing 'American Girl' is the live favourite that anybody with even a passing acquaintance with TP should know. Great song. This band hits their stride 2-3 albums in, not to mention the multi-plarinum 1989 solo comeback but there's enough to recommend in this solid debut.

I've never been a fan of Tom Petty. I know I'm likely in the minority here. I play guitar with a group at my partner's family reunion every October, and I remember the look of absolute shock and horror on her cousin's face, when I dropped the bombshell that I didn't know how to play any Tom Petty because I wasn't a fan. He couldn't compute it - "But you play guitar, how do you not like Tom Petty?" To be clear, it's not that I don't like his music, although I'm definitely not a fan of Free Fallin' or Learning to Fly (don't @ me!), but to me, his music is just very middle of the road. And that goes for everything I heard on this album too. "Rockin' Around (With You)" is the song that I liked the most, and the rest of the album was enjoyable too. But, to answer my partner's cousin, it's not that I don't like Tom Petty, it's all fine - it's just nothing particularly special to me.

Solid, competently done rock and roll. Nothing that stands out as amazing, but not really any low points either. I assume this is here because of being at the front of the creation of Southern rock

Slightly tedious!

A little rock, pop, blues and country but nothing amazing. The last song American Girl is the best on the album by a wide margin.

65/100

Classic Tom.

Interesting blend of genres. Rockabilly sometimes, country other times. Tom Petty had a unique way of singing, that I think is kind of dialed back for his hits. Only a couple standouts, american girl being the obvious one, but I also really enjoyed the wild one forever. American girl has to be one of the most interesting pop songs from this era. Not often do you get something this catchy, with such and interesting vocal style.

“American Girl,” type shit.

It’s Tom petty

It was fun.

Chill rock, un po' generico Canzone prefe dell' album breakdown

Tom Petty has always been one of those guys I've thought are excellent at writing singles. Just based on singles, he's among the rock greats. But he's not so competent at stringing a great album together. I'm sure there are some exceptions to this, but I feel like this album isn't it. Basically you've got the excellent Breakdown, and the pretty good American Girl, and then maybe Fooled Again, which is a pretty good track I'd not heard before. Other than that, a lot of filler here--I wouldn't listen to the album again. Maybe just throw Fooled Again onto a play list. If the singles weren't so go, this would probably be a 2/5 honestly. But I'll settle for 3. It's a pitty, as I really do like Tom Petty.

Not amazing, not terrible. I had listened to this on my own a few months ago and had thr dame opinion.

This feels like an album comprised entirely of b-sides. Tom Petty fans, I'm sure you have something to grab onto here but so much of this just sounds the same, and unfortunately makes for a bit of a boring listen.

Surely Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers have better albums than this? Or are they in the same category as Aerosmith and Snoop Dogg… a fantastic Greatest Hits album but that’s it.

Short and sweet pop rock album that is generally fine and inoffensive. Didn't Love everything but nothing was unlistenable and there are a few fun tracks worth listening to. The definition of decent. Top tracks: Breakdown, Fooled Again (I Don't Like It), American Girl

Straight ahead rock n roll from the early 70's

Fine. Not for me. Some fun tracks. But it’s whatever. 6.5

de esos discos que funcionaría mejor como disco doble, y no es como que les faltara material: el primer disco así como está y el segundo american girl diez veces seguidas, qué más quieres

Ok this was better than I expected

Kinda mid for me, but I like Tom Petty and quite enjoyed this

Tom is good we lile Tom

If someone's dad threw this on I'd be like "yeah I'm okay with this" 2.5/5

not bad

A pretty inoffensive listen, a couple recognizable hits, nothing groundbreaking. A lil' heartland rock to start the day.

For some reason I always thought Tom Petty was a country singer and never listened before. That said... it was ok.

There's not a great deal wrong with this - it's a reasonable listen, and comes in it a decent half hour in length, but equally there's little that has me hankering for a return. It's perhaps a bit too rudimentary in its rock and roll stylings to leave me with much to chew onto, and doesn't give off the feel of an essential listen.

Like this one more than I thought. Pretty solid. 3 stars.

I wanted to give this a higher rating because American Girl is awesome, but I didn't like the rest of the album much.

It was a nice album. I would say Tom Petty is the stereotypical 80s rock group(?) in a good way. I will give it a listen here and then there in the future. 3.3./5

I expected to like this one more than I did. American Girl stands as one of the best songs I've ever seen live. The rest of the album has a nice variety of songs, but nothing that really stood out to me as something I'd been missing out on.

Carino ma nulla di più

I was looking forward to this as I own a Tom Petty Greatest Hits that I enjoyed but had not ever delved deeper into an album. Was unfortunately a little disappointed. "American Girl" is a classic and stands head& shoulders above the rest of the album - which is a little bit vanilla by comparison with no real stand out tracks after 4 listens. A solid 3.5.

Liked breakdown and American Girl, some of it a bit average

A classic rock station plays quietly in the background at work. You're not paying much attention, you have things to do. After your second cup of coffee you realize...are you listening to another Tom Petty song? You can't clearly remember. There's no way you could have been listening to the same artist--maybe even the same songs--for the last four hours, right? Then again, you can't distinctly remember any of what you've heard. You try to pay attention to the current track but lose focus within the minute. You put the question aside, irritated at the distraction, and get back to work. Hours pass. The coffee wears off. You're sure the songs are repeating but still can't pin them down exactly. The music has gone on so long you can't grasp it anymore. The parts that make it have melded into the fabric of your existence at your desk, impossible to pick out. The sounds are nameless, formless, shapeless. Or perhaps you are becoming so. Maybe you are now one with the classic rock. Maybe, you are becoming Tom Petty? Maybe, his voice is the only thing standing between you and the ceaseless ringing of tinnitus. Every now and then American Girl plays, shaking you out of your classic rock fugue state just long enough to remind you that you are in fact alive, and aren't Tom Petty, and you will maybe hear something new someday.

Bright, cheerful, very tight instrumentation that brings out a different more pop friendly and early side of southern rock. Short and cute with little licks spicing it up. Sometimes annoying

Surprisingly liked it!

Really enjoyable record, classic rock with a hint of soul that I really liked. Breakdown, what a great track! Not a 4, though

More a proof of concept for future Petty than something essential.

This is OK, but we ONCE AGAIN have a questionable selection from an artist with a ridiculously large library of better options. There are a number of must hear albums by Tom Petty, this just isn't one of them.

American Girl always reminds me of the scene from Scrubs where Sarah Chalke’s character destroys her bedroom and tears the kitten poster off the wall in a fit of rage, only to hang the kitten poster back up when her better senses come back to her. The rest of this album is only ok compared to what Tom Petty releases later. Giving it a bonus point for the nostalgia, and Sarah Chalke.

Yeah this was alright. Some good tracks. Respect the 30 minute run time Songs added to playlist: - Breakdown - American Girl

Never heard of this artist or album before, and I'm not entirely sure what to expect from the cover. It's either pop rock or hard rock - I'm edging towards pop rock. The more artsy rock albums don't tend to have band members on the cover. Rock-and-roll. I'll count this as a win - it's very poppy. This is pretty good. While I was busy bitching and moaning about the sheer number of 60s pop rock albums on this list, 70s pop rock was where it was at the whole time. There isn't anything mindblowing or groundbreaking about this music, but what it really succeeds at is being pleasing. There aren't any bad songs on here, and the vocals/instrumentals succeed at being engaging throughout. Not a bad record overall. "Rockin' Around" is a pretty good opener. I like the jittery guitar and the vocal performance is pretty good. "Hometown Blues" is another good cut. Quite a nice melody on the vocals, and it's carried very well by the punchy instrumental. "American Girl" is vaguely familiar. It's pretty good. I like the guitars and the vocals are, again, pretty effective. Book time. Initially found success outside of their home country. That's about it. Wikipedia says that this album has a respectable critical reception, though that's also just about it. I can stick my neck out for this one - it was pretty alright. I cosign this inclusion.

(3.5) idk what this reminds me of but it’s kind of like a david bowie more than a feeling bruce springsteen something else mash up

Didn't know what to expect with this, as I'm really not familiar with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. I was pleasantly surprised with this album. It's definitely a classic rock and roll album, I mean, American Girl?! But there's hints of prog rock, blues and more.

I could hear you he's of Television, a few duff tracks, but overall pretty good. Unexpectedly!

Pas mauvais du tout. Du rock ’n roll classique de la fin des années 70 (loin, donc, du style sixties, du psychédélique, du prog, du glam, etc.). Très entraînant, dynamique, bien ficelé. Juste, pas pour moi.

its fine, 3

I was looking forward to it but it fell flat

Includes Breakdown and American Girl. Good album, sounds like a guy trying lots of different styles to find his own sound. The Wild One to me has a Bruce Springsteen influence.

Tompa gör ju absolut inget nytt, det är lantisrock a'la Creedence i grunden med ett par nypor The Byrds som garnering. Men han kommer in med en tajt skinnjacka, ett replokalssound och en ny respektlös energi. Lite som The Strokes gjorde när dom dök upp vid millenieskiftet fast med andra referenser. Det är lite ojämnt, men också väldans bra när det väl är bra. Mittenpartitrippeln *Anything that's Rock 'N' Roll", "Strangered in the night" och "Fooled again" får mig att jubla. Ibland drar han ner intesiteten till någon närmast jazzrockig blues. "Mystery man" hade vi kunnat vara utan, det blir väl mycket standardformat. Men "Breakdown" är å andra sidan fullständigt brilljant och "Luna" funkar också på nåt märkligt sätt, i det segmentet. Stabila tre till Tom

Låter ibland som Elvis Costello (Breakdown) ibland som Springsteen (Hometown blues). Slyngelcharmigt, som det sneda leendet på omslaget

the last quarter has some good stuff, but the album as a whole is kinda whacky

I didn't realize the songs I knew were by Tom Petty

Mostly dull standard 70s rock. American Girl is a great track though. At least the tracks are short! 2.5 rounded up Heard before? A couple Owned: No: 29/109 (26%) Will I get? No

Solid debut album. I like Tom Petty in general. Pretty standard rock. Favorite Songs: Breakdown and American Girl

Rockin' Around (With You) - 3/5 Breakdown - 4/5 Hometown Blues - 3/5 The Wild One, Forever - 4/5 Anything That's Rock 'n' Roll - 4/5 Strangered in the Night - 3/5 Fooled Again (I Don't Like It) - 3/5 Mystery Man - 3/5 Luna - 3/5 American Girl - 5/5 Average score: 3.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ eh, this was so-so. Petty's a pretty obnoxiously bad vocalist at some points. i didn't come away from this album hating it tho

I feel like expected more from this. As a rock and roll album it felt a bit tame. Like it was ok, but it wasn't exciting. American girl stepped it up a bit, you could hear some of the swagger of Bowie in there a bit, but it felt a bit too little too late. It was fine.

I'm adding a star because mad respect but this album is annoying as hell

not bad solid 3.5/5 like american girl duh

Mystery Man was the highlight, I get sick of his voice. My dad loved Rom Petty:( 3/5

Feels like a debut. Lots of energy, songs are decent, production could be better. Breakdown and American Girl. Pretty good!

Anything thats rock and roll and american girl are good. The other songs sort of blend together. Its an okay album.

Not the Tom Petty album I would have picked for this list, and definitely unremarkable compared to his later work. I toyed with four stars, but a relisten led me to believe that this is only worthy of three stars, partly because it's just so short; there's no meat to get stuck into, as it ends just as it starts to get going.

Nothing revolutionary, but a solid collection of decent rock songs.

The sound of great band finding their way early on in their career. As a historical document it's really cool. Favorite track: American Girl

Fine pop-rock songs, didn't grasp my attention tho.

Solid rock album with some songs that I hadn't heard before. Overall, I enjoyed it.

Good album that should be on the list, but not the greatest thing Petty would ever touch. Breakdown and American Girl are clear standouts

No. 322/1001 Rockin' Around 3/5 Breakdown 4/5 Hometown Blues 3/5 The Wild One, Forever 3/5 Anything That's Rock 'N' Roll 3/5 Strengeres in the Night 3/5 Fooled Again 3/5 Mystery Man 3/5 Luna 3/5 American Girl 4/5 Average: 3,2 This was alright, nothing special though.

This debut album is the unpolished blueprint for all great American rock. It skips the excess of the '70s for pure, Byrds-inspired jangle and grit. With "American Girl," they dropped an immediate, perfect modern rock classic. Petty's voice is the authentic sound of the heartland—no filler, all killer.

Album has some fun parts, but overall it's quite mediocre

Ok album

american girl!!! what a great way to end an album.

This early Petty shows shades of what would come but is a mixed bag overall. Breakdown (especially) and American Girl show flashes of higher level songwriting but the rest of the album is more middle of the road "Rock and Roll" without as much to say or deviation from the formula. The performances are consistently great as they would be for many years after.

Just an all time classic

This is a debut album, and it sounds like a debut. It’s decent, and there are some flashes of really good. It’s jingly jangly, The Byrds in leather jackets and motorcycle boots, and nicely paced. Tom Petty can do much better, though. It’s a shame because I do think Tom Petty deserves to be in the book, I just don’t think this effort is essential listening.

Another "stick to the greatest hits" artist.

A solid listen but mostly forgettable. To be fair it was in in the background while I worked and not much pulled me I except American Girl.

A couple good songs but I expected more from Tom.

1/2

There was not much special here and it wasn’t too exiting, but it was pretty fun to listen to. It’s between 3 and 3,5 stars for me. Might return to it again sometime.

Last song was pretty good Will I listen to again: 18%

Fine not awful. Probably wouldn't skip if it came on but wouldn't listen to again

I enjoyed it, nothing too memorable though? 3.3

Could listen to this on a roadtrip through Route 66, it has that kind of vibe. Neutral.

A very unsurprising album – it sounds exactly like its (terrible) cover art : a bit kitschy, a bit dated, and quite tame despite its attempts at projecting a bad boy image. It was probably ahead of its time, already feeling like proto-MTV music in 1976. It clearly shares common DNA with mainstream rockers like Bruce Springsteen or Bon Jovi, who even has a similar heart logo (one that seems specifically designed to boost the income of second-rate tattoo parlors). It’s clearly built around a few hits and tailored for mainstream radio stations, and there is little innovation or risk-taking – it’s purely feel-good, unpretentious music. It hasn’t aged very well, but I kind of enjoyed it on a nostalgic level. Maybe I was in the right mood, but it was not an unpleasant experience. It’s easy-listening enough, and it’s a short and straightforward album that does exactly what you’d expect from it, without overstaying its welcome. 5/10

I was not « heartbreaked » by them but it’s quite ok

Solid classic rock. Some familiar, a lot new to me.

Takie sobie / 5. Nie przeszkadzało mi, ale w żaden sposób nie zapadło w pamięć, a słuchałem tego kilka razy w różnych dniach. Plus ta okładka to jest największy cringe w historii okładek.

Dobry zwiastun lepszych rzeczy, które wyda Tom Petty & Łamacze Serc. 3

Not bad. Tom Petty was always one of those artists I didn't mind having on in the background, and his music reminds me of my time in northern Florida. Probably won't go out of my way to listen to this again, though.

Listens: 3 Standout Tracks: Breakdown, Luna, American Girl I've heard of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers before, though I've never gone out of my way to listen to them. So, with the exception of Breakdown and American Girl, which have thoroughly permeated American classic rock radio stations since their release, I had not heard any of the other songs on this album. What I heard was not bad, but its just not for me. At this point, there is just so much other stuff in the 1970s that I much prefer, like Neil Young, Yes, Black Sabbath, (to name a few). Compared to those mentioned bands, this just feels quite... bland? boring Americana? Heart: Not broken.