Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

Some good songs on this but the others are too bland but not difficult to listen to

It this Tom Petty's best work? No. Is it his best work with the Heartbreakers? No. But its still a solid debut from one of the all time great American bands.

Decent album but feel like American Girl was really the highlight and the other songs all felt a bit flat/underwhelming. They also weren't quite up my street but weren't terrible.

American Girl is a forever bop. The rest is a good start. I'm not a huge Tom Petty guy and this record didn't change that.

N/a

I like Tom Petty a lot and think he's quite underrated. But this album only has two songs I really care to hear more than once. Every once in a while (Back in Black and Appetite for Destruction come to mind), two songs can carry an album, but it's uncommon, and this is not such a case. 3 stars

Better than I expected. Great instrument sound. Good song construction. Voice gets grating after a while.

Decent album, but sometimes he puts on a weird voice.

Debut album. Interesting with some perennial hits. Pitchfork: 7.0 Rolling Stone: n/a Best Songs Rockin' Around (With You) Breakdown American Girl

I simply cannot fathom why this is here. Sure there are some good songs and it's consistent, but it's nothing more than merely fine. It wasn't influential, it wasn't a critical darling, it wasn't a smash hit, it doesn't have much cultural significance. It also sounds out of time from what was going on... no edge like punk, no prog, less power than garage rock, less bombast than Zep. It feels like The Stones, but several years too late. So why is it here?

Overall, pretty average moderate rock. Liked Luna as it felt different to most other tracks which all have a similar tone. American Girl was one of the better songs here. Def not one of their strongest albums.

Good album. Tom was a great artist and we lost him too early.

Big fan but this is an average album with a couple great songs

A short debut album, the self-titled ‘Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ album, is an ok start. (However, it does have the best Tom Petty song in “American Girl). Petty and his brethren deserve more. No ‘Wildflowers’? ‘Full Moon Rising’? ‘Damn the Torpedoes’? Damn this list for only having one, breezy Tom Petty album on here. Top tracks: “American Girl,” “Breakdown,” “Rockin’ Around (With You)”

More like tom petty and the ear-breakers

Didn't listen to all. Seems nice

Not bad for a debut. Overall solid record, but nothing spectacular. American Girl is one of the best TP&TH song, hadn't realized it was the album closer until now.

It wasn’t bad. Good middle of the road Rock And Roll.

I know this may be a bit petty, but this is his 4th or 5th best album. Full Moon Fever, Damn the Torpedos, Wildflowers - all better by quite a bit and not on the list. Lazy job by Dimery.

Like it 3/5

It's okay but not really my kind of music 3

These songs don't really sound dated at all, which I guess speaks to their quality, and to Tom Petty's ability as a songwriter.

Breakdown sounds like a rip-off of Moondance by Van Morrison. Album is solid and polished, but derivative.

Classic heartland sound

i mean it’s fine, nothing bad really but like pretty forgettable

A lot of dross to wade through to get to American Girl

first listen classic vibes but nothing too standout

Definitely a 76 album

Eh it was alright. An enjoyable listen nonetheless

5/10 Vanilla rock. Wholly inoffensive, largely forgettable

The sort of nice-guy rock n roll that reminds me of long drives with my parents in America as a kid. Knew a few tracks from the best of, but don't think there'd be many occasions I'd put this on otherwise- unless I had to drive across Arizona. Like his voice though, and the Hammond organ, and have this idea he's a "nice guy" but this might be because he was also in Travelling Wilburys. And American Girl is a banger Alternative recommendation: Ezra Furman - Day of the Dog.

Really quite pleasantly surprised by this. Never consciously listened to Petty before. It's a really nice textbook rock n roll album. Not sure what it is about it. Just put me in a nice mood. I also like the production. It feels like lively live music. I probably won't go back to this much, but I would be delighted to find some of these songs on a jukebox in a bar and have a bop to them.

Half asleep in the back of the car while we're on our way back from a family day out" vibes, which is chill 🙂‍↕️ Adequate dad-rock. Wouldn't turn it off, but wouldn't be itching to put it on again.

I quite liked this. It was pretty fun. Not the most interesting, a lot of the songs sounded quite samey. I liked the first few tracks but it got a little dull as the album went on.

Not quite for me — I have an inherited allergy to the '70s rock sound unless Alex Chilton is involved — but I'm not wincing through my listen, either. Like many debut albums, there's an air of trying too hard, but when Tom lets loose the expectation reins, he does offer a good bit of earwormage. "Breakdown" is the one here that I wouldn't mind in a playlist of sorts, and, sure, "American Girl" is undeniable.

A little default music, but pretty solid. Nothing stand out for me, but I enjoyed it

Very middle of the road, mediocre, inoffensive rock n roll from a bygone era.

If you looked up the definition of “average” in the dictionary, you would find a picture of The Heartbreakers’ debut album in there. That’s not meant to be disparaging. This is actually a good old all-American 70s rock album, rooted in Blues and Americana, that is quite engaging. There are a couple of standout tracks ('American Girl', 'Breakdown') and a couple of sketchy ones ('Fooled Again (I Don’t Like It)', 'Luna'), but overall, it’s a nice little listen.

70s rock. Debut. Decent but nothing special.

I'll be honest: It's a debut album. It's not a revelatory debut album, but it's a promising one. When it's good, it's great ("Breakdown" will always be one for the ages), but when it's undercooked, it plods along like so many other debut albums before it (if I were in the band writing "Fooled Again," I really would have argued for a chord change literally anywhere). It's probably more of a crucial album for its prescience of greatness than for the acceptable amount of greatness within it.

There's a lot of cool stuff here. The organ sound is great, and the harmonies are so unique and beautiful. However, I find myself wishing some of the songs were tighter or even broken into smaller songs. Of course, that wouldn't be Yes, then, would it? Standout Track(s): Yours is No Disgrace, I've Seen All Good People

Good Rock N Roll album, Production is good, Songs selection is good, some songs sound too similar, songs an be too short. Overall a good album.

Does what he does. Sounds how he sounds.

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

Less groundbreaking than I expected. There's some great hits on here (American girl, breakdown) and a couple surprises (Luna) but overall not too memorable of a record

Great songs incredible singles just wish they were longer

I’m aware of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers and that’s about it, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I hit play on this, although this somehow sounded about how it ought to, and I’ve enjoyed listening. My first listen was broken up a bit but finished strong so I put it on again, after all it was only 31 minutes. Reminded me of the Rolling Stones in places and also one of the tracks sounded very close to Stuck in the Middle With You, vocally. It’s pretty straight up in many ways which makes this easy to listen to and familiar sounding, I feel this is one that is close to 4 stars but might need more convincing before I upgrade.

Nothing outstanding, but good old fashioned Rock n Roll.

At his best he’s charming and personable, at his worst his singing is a little harsh on the ears. Oscillates between the two extremes from song to song. “Breakdown” is a classic and is surprisingly short. Even with the weird accent he’s attempting. “The Wild One, Forever” is a good song through and through. Probably my pick from the album. Emotive and well-performed. Just kinda standard rock 3/5

Came into this expecting to hate it. It surprised me. It comes across a little less over the top than guns n roses or Bon Jovi, which was the sort of uninspired 70s/80s hard rock I thought I was in for. Generally I can't stand this sorta music but this was pretty good. Fav Track: Luna 6.5/10

Enough to like on here but it’s kind of a worse Bowie to me. Love some of his songs but whole album is meh

2.5 stars A solid, inoffensive bit of rock n roll that has 2 stand out tracks and a bunch of others that are not bad. That’s about it.

Lots of classics here.

It's got Breakdown and American Girl, but the rest of the album is really forgettable. Lots of filler, but it's still Petty, so it's not bad. 3/5

Enjoyed it

Ouais c’était pas si mal au final

Stabilt, ingen storfavorit men inget jag stör mig på heller

Liked a few of the songs but not a huge fan of the general sound

Solid album, to me Breakdown, and Fooled again are the standout tracks. Makes me want to mow my lawn with my shirt off drinking a PBR.

I'm a known Tom Petty denier because they overplay him on classic radio stations. However, when the first track started playing I was excited to have my mind changed, it was such an interesting composition compared to other things I heard from him. After that, it devolved into typical pop rock but I enjoyed more than expected

Breakdown will forever be one of my favourite songs. It seems to be pretty unique in a sea of strummy Americana pop. The only Tom Petty album I ever owned was Full Moon Fever and I was totally unaware that he was recording albums in the mid-70s.

I liked this album. I didn’t love it I liked it enough that I’m looking forward to listening to album that came out after this!

Aggressively fine

Nifty album. Very Americana and classic rock. Honestly don't have much more to say about this album. Favorite track was Breakdown.

Pretty good, pretty fun. American girl is classic.

not my cup of tea

It was grand. Prefer the “Best of” which makes me a real lightweight Tom Petty fan I guess

Two things I appreciate about this record is how straightforward it is and that it's only 31 minutes long. There's something almost punk-ish about the fact that it's very much doing what it says on the tin and doesn't try to waste your time, half the songs are almost two minutes long. That being said, half of the songs are honestly great and amazing straightforward rock and roll, and the other half are hokey annoying Rod Stewart sounding shit. So half and half averages out to a 3.

Ihan ok, taas. Tuli kuunneltua toiseen kertaan, mutta tuskin jää kiertoon.

Я вже давно хочу якось уважно послухати дискографію Тома Петті, можливо це буде якраз початок, якраз дебютнік. Мені сподобався звук і деякі пісні (наприклад перша), загалом доволі стандартний РОК вайб (місцями сильно нагадало роллінг стоунз), але слухається приємно.

++: Rockin' Around (With You), Stranger in the Night, Luna, American Girl +: Anything That's Rock 'n' Roll, Fooled Again (I Don't Like It), Mystery Man +-: Breakdown, Hometown Blues, The Wild One, Forever 6,3/10

huzz album

Feels like sitcom music in the best way possible.

Some genuine classics on here, all timers - the rest is as others mention- very debut album filler

2.5/5

Good debut album. Petty only got better over time. R.I.P.

Gotta love a short album.

Not bad but not my fav

6/10 Favorite: Mystery Man

I'm surprised at how average this is... Some hits on there though. Highlights: Breakdown, American Girl

Bof... Je ne vais surement pas réécouté.

Not the best Petty album, but it showed the promise of what was to come. The older I get, the more I appreciate Pettys music - with or without the Heartbreakers

Very early Room Petty. The signs were there...

I didn't get the point of this album. Generic, middle of the road, dad rock. There was nothing particularly good or bad about it.

An okay debut with Breakdown and American Girl being the best of all the okay songs. Tom Petty would go to be the weakest member of the Traveling Wilburys. I would have put Full Moon Fever in this list over this.

Nice classic rock album, nothing really original here. I don’t dance but if I did this would be good. Favorites : - Rockin’ around (with you) - Fooled again (I don’t like it) - American girl

it was pretty good i think, i didnt pay all that much attention to it. it was yet another car listen

Vintage Americana with a couple of incredible hooks and guitars that have jangled on the radio and movies for 50 years. Crispy clean production that just sounds amazing. High highs that are overfamiliar but still rip and then a lot of pretty boilerplate 70s rock. He's definitely a Greatest Hits artist - has a lot of them, but they're spread out over a ton of albums over several decades...

Classic tom petty

Day 25 First listen- So many classic bangers in this album! Found some really good songs to jam to! (3.5/5)

I don't have an opinion on this one...

It was fine. Classic Dad Rock.

Great music, but the voice doesn’t match the genre.

i agree with the spotify minority that on this album, "Breakdown" is the real pearl while "American Girl" just has a catchy name, guhhhh. straightforward, enjoyable and reduce classic rock.

3 1/2 Tom Petty is finding his voice. It’s a good album. It includes Breakdown and American Girl.

it's nice enough but I really don't get how famous his songs are

I never understood the hype about Tom Petty. In the words of his famous song “Breakdown”. “It’s alright…”

pretty good

The standouts are indeed standouts, but the rest of the album fades into the background.

American girl. Classic song.

I don't really get why Tom Petty became a star. To me his stuff seems competent and listenable but straight down the middle, with his odd voice the only distinguishing feature. "American Girl" is a classic, but I don't think he approached it again until "Free Fallin'," many years later.

How do you bury American Girl as the last track. You have to wade through a lot if meh to get to the one standout.

3/5 - I’m pretty sure I didn’t need to hear this album before I die. Breakdown and American Girl are obvious standout hits, and Strangered in the Night is pretty good, but this isn’t an album of hidden gems. I love dozens of Tom Petty songs, but the debut is a bit thin for me.

Decent album. No need to listen again

Easy listening and agreeable, but I didn't get much more from it than that.

Eh it's okay

2,9/5

Yeah

So the 00s “meet me in the toilet” lot were part of the extended Tom Petty cinematic universe this whole time, hey; who knew? (Tom Petty knew, as it goes. He had the grace to take The Stroke’s ‘musical quotation’ in the flattering way it was undoubtedly intended, maybe he knew Julian’s dad.) There’s a fair bit Beatley about the opening track of this record; the buoyancy of “Rockin’ Around (With You)” would slot neatly into the first side of “Help!” (or any record by Vampire Weekend or Razorlight for that matter). It’s a short lived dalliance with the Fab Four though, as from “Breakdown” on this is very much Tom and his Heartbreakers’ show – short sharp shocks of tuneful pop that feel like a great American songbook all of their own. Ever since reading Dan Charnas’ history of sampling-cum-hagiography of Dilla – “Dilla Time” – I’ve enjoyed telling anyone who’ll listen that it was Tom Petty playing on some of the earliest drum samples. Turns out I’d remembered that story only half correctly: the playing of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers is featured on some of the earliest drum machines, but only the sound of their clapping made it into the final sound packs (and, therefore, appears on innumerable records – many of which you’d expect to find here on the 1001 list…). I’m grateful of the reminded; appropriately enough, it’s a warm applause from me.

OK, they are not ALL great songs, but Breakdown and American Girl are worth the listen.

Genre: Heartland Rock This album is almost bite-sized compared to some of the behemoths within, and I appreciate it. This is a color-by-numbers, pop rock album, with a big hit (American Girl), that is inoffensive and very easy to listen to. Some people will herald this as something truly essential. I don’t buy it. But it’s not bad. 3/5

I'm not familiar with Tom Petty outside of the radio hits, but for my life I've found him irritating at best. Tom Petty's debut with the Heartbreakers is, well, a debut. There are, what I would consider, filler songs, that just go absolute nowhere like "Rockin' Around (With You)", "Hometown Blues", "Strangers In The Night", and to some extent "Fooled Again (I Don't Like It)", which lyrically, sounds dumb, but I'd be lying if I said the guitars didn't rule and Tom's energy is admirable. And then, there are flashes of brilliance in songs like "Breakdown", "The Wild One (Forever)" that feel downright poetic and establish exactly why Tom Petty is held in high regard. To his credit, no two songs sound the same. Petty proves his range between screaming on "Fooled Again" and doing a Kermit the frog impression on "Mystery Man", though the latter is still a jam. It's decent. I was so tempted to give this a 4 based on the strength of the songs I did like, but it's impossible to ignore that the rest of the album is C- work at absolute best. 3 "BREAKDOWN!!"'s out of 5. Oh, and "American Girl" rules. Highlights: "Breakdown", "The Wild One, Forever", "American Girl.

Durchschnittsmusik 2,5

This is a pretty low bar album. I feel like Breakdown is verrrry mid-tier at best, even though it's a familiar tune. And then American Girl hits. And it HITS. One of my favorite songs of all time. How that is the last track instead of the first, I'll never know. This lingers in the 2/5 range until track 10, at which point it jumps a full star up to a 3.

Very Rolling Stones sounding ’70s Rock music. Decent.

Jedan od izvođača koji su više utjecajni nego kvalitetni. Album je većinom kratke i bezidejne pjesme, ali ništa ne zvuči toliko loše.

I’ve never listened to a full Tom Petty album and was excited. But this was just… fine. I definitely prefer his hits to full albums

American Girl is the standout, a huge hit, the rest of the album has some good songs and some underwhelming ones, Tom was a great hit writer, this isn't his best album but shows promise of what was to come.

Didn't find a very godson, but Free falling from ,another album remains very good

An amazingly short album, with lots of mediocrity. Perhaps not the punchiest debut; better things were ahead.

Not the best album in his discography, “Breakdown” and “American Girl” were the only noteworthy songs

A good album but at 31 minutes I would have begrudged paying for it

Bonne prod mais album un peu beige all around. Rien de désagréable, rien de fabuleux.

Was ok

A little grittier and more soul than the later commercial stuff. Can tell why American girl got picked as the single, much more poppy than the rest of the album.

The radio-singles were great, but the “deep cuts” didn’t hook me as much as I hoped they would.

His voice can be so annoying

Nice! I can see it inspired so many other rock albums. Particularly not a fan of it, but it's good music.

Das isch spassiger als erwarted gsi. Hed mini füssli fast chli zum tanze bracht und s herz afo breake. Das sind scho fiesl lüüt, professional heartbreakers, tom pitty würd vlt besser passe :/ Aber classy fall vu 3 nussgipfel. Guet gsi aber eich wieder alles vergesse gha und wirds au nümd abcheggn

Classic

Two phenomenal hits on this album, but the rest is kind of feels like filler

Petty is always solid

3.5

Nothing to blow me away but a fun listen. Not sure if I’ll come back to these a ton but I liked hometown blues

Monipuolinen ja helposti kuunneltava rokkikätty!

A good listen. A few songs I hadn't heard beforethat I liked, the second track for example (iirc). Old rock that didn't really stick out except for the few tracks ai mentioned.

certaines chansons sont bien mais d'autres sont oubliables

Pretty solid debut, not as good as later albums like full moon fever, wildflowers, or damn the torpedoes

Fuck I don’t remember anything about this album, I think it was alright

Non-offensive and there are some good tunes but nothing that's too interesting. Couple of stand out tracks. 6/10

A solid album from a music legend. It's not Petty's best work, but it benefits from the presence of two all time Petty tracks, "American Girl" and "Breakdown." The rest of the album is quite forgettable. Petty would go on to better things.

It's giving mid. 3.

This was fine. I understand the appeal. Personal enjoyment: 3/5 Relevance to this list: 4/5

For this god-awful cover, this better be some really good music. I don't know if I expect serious quality from Tom Petty, who I've always sort of thought of as a corny old rocker, but we'll see since I've never properly listened to an album of his before. Rockin' Around (With You): Good. Short. Hated the fade-out. Breakdown: Here's a famous one! I forgot this was by him! I like the gentle, smooth, hushed beginning. It sounds like he's doing some weird Latin accent. He sounds straight up stupid but that's ok. Nothing beats this chorus! It's classic and catchy and just good. Also shorter than I thought it was. Guitar rocks. Hometown Blues: A little country (maybe that's the vibe it's trying to give.) It's fine. I could listen to this at Knott's berry farm but not otherwise. The Wild One, Forever: idc idc idc well it's nice it's cool this is the kind of music i think is appropriate to play after like a breakup scene in a cheesy soap opera or sitcom Anything That's Rock 'N' Roll: It's fun! I actually like this one a lot despite it lowkey sounding like all of the other songs. Strangered In The Night: Idk. It's good it's fine and I like his vocals in this as well as the instrumental but I'm a little confused about if this is lowkey racist or what Fooled Again: Hilarious vocals. He's lowkey the funniest singer ever but I don't think that's his intention. Anyways it's very good. I like this song a lot. I think it's one of the best on the album. Not as catchy as breakdown but good. Mystery Man: It's fine. I don't care much. It's good. It's fine. Luna: Tom Petty sounds frail and decrepit as fuck and this song is not very interesting or good. It's night time music so it succeeds in that but not much else + I hate fade outs. American Girl: Liking the intro... it's good and stuff but there is no reason that this should be their most successful song or whatever. Not as good as Breakdown... It's cool or whatever.. I Like this refrain with breathing. cool It's a fine album but idgaf prolly wouldn't listen again sorta like the Bruce Springsteen I just don't think it's that good

Loved a couple of songs but wow, R&R used to be pretty shall we say naive. Forgot that about it. Loved it then. Not so much now.

They picked the most interesting songs for radio singles. The rest of the album wasn’t bad… it was just forgettable.

2.5

I have no idea why they chose this Tom Petty record over Damn the Torpedoes. American Girl and Breakdown are gems, but everything else is too boring.

This album is ok but the hits oh they are off the chart good. Breakdown and American Girl are just great.

Clearly looking for their sound, but this album packs two huge hits and some decent songs I've never heard.

Curiously downbeat for a debut rocker

Laaaast nite she's said... Eh this album is middle of the road. American Girl is the best song by a mile. 3/5

Pleasant heartland rock, but I think I'll dig later Petty more.

It brings me no joy to draw the comparison, but this reminded me of Elvis Costello. Is the voice? I’m not sure, exactly. (And this is unfair, but coming back and seeing that smug face on the album cover, I think I like it less.) Still, I didn’t have the same immediate annoyed reaction that I did with Costello, and some songs are pretty decent, so maybe I’m being too harsh. I’ve never liked “American Girl,” though. Breakdown 3

Was expecting to dislike this album more, but hey, it's pretty catchy. Very approachable, but nothing I'd like to return to regularly.

Love and bought Tom Petty’s biggest album Into The Great Wide Open but never delved into any of his other albums. So looked forward to listening to this. Unfortunately nothing I heard compared to what is on ITGWO. Inoffensive but not groundbreaking. 3/5 24/6/25

Не могу сказать, что все песни с этого альбома мне понравились, но две композиции уж точно.

A couple of standout tracks - Breakdown and Mystery Man, but then some that were like nails on the chalkboard

The group’s future potential can definitely be seen in this album. Still a bit raw but a fun listen.

I like Tom Petty, but prefer him with his later stuff.

He's got a wild voice, I might have to skip American girl for my sanity. Otherwise it's not horrible

I’ve always found Tom Petty a bit boring. Enjoyable but unremarkable. (Exception being American Girl which is a bop).

Pretty decent, but not the most interesting just kinda felt the same throughout.

I'm not the biggest Tom Petty fan and Breakdown is one of my least favorite songs. This is folksy in the not good way. This is all building to something, it's not terrible but it's hard to believe this album was their big break. Strangered in the Night is one of the songs that you can hear the Southern Rock label being earned. I like artists that don't have great voices but there is something specific about Tom Petty's voice that grates on the ear. Mystery Man is another song clearly influenced by the Allmans and Skynyrd. And this is what the wait was for....American Girl to close the album. Great song.

It was alright, you know? I'll never be a fan boy, but I enjoyed it. Heeeaps better than Morrissey, but that's not really saying much. Solid Three stars.

Some classic songs on this one. Half the album is pretty catchy, the other half is pretty forgettable. Track listing flow is pretty all over the place.

The most classic of classic rock albums.

I'd heard of Tom Petty and the heartbreakers, and I'd probably listen to a few songs, but I'd never heard an album in full. That was pretty cool.

Solid rock album with pop sensibilities and a punk edge. A couple classic tracks as well

Mix mellan Elvis Costello och Bruce Springsteen. Stark 3:a

Vraiment cool. Mais pas incr

whatever

You could see what was to come. But not really there yet.

7/10 Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers have the potential to great amazing songs, however the songs on here are solid, but not amazing. I keep comparing every song to Mary Jane’s Last Dance, and none are on that level. Favorite Tracks: American Girl, The Wild One Forever

норм.

Good easy fun rock. Pretty same-y though.

A collection of attempts at charting singles. Two succeeded, and they're just ok. Still decent.

Instrumentals are fine, vocals are okay to listen to. Doesn't stand out to me, but it doesn't grate my ears like some older albums. 2.7

Had never heard this album straight through before. Though it has a couple of great songs ("Breakdown," "American Girl") some of it is forgettable. I think the list should have included "Damn the Torpedoes" or "Full Moon Fever" or even "Wildflowers" instead. Still, a really solid debut album from these guys.

Small tiny album with some great rock tunes. An album before the great success.

Liked this album more than I thought I would. Fairly solid, especially for a group so young. You can see how from tracks like "breakdown", "anything that's rock and roll", and "American girl" that they were destined for stardom. 3.5🌟

STRONG 3

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ debut album shows flashes of what would make them iconic, but it doesn’t quite hit its stride across the board. “Breakdown” and “American Girl” are easily the standouts; two tracks that not only carry the album, but have earned their place in rock history. The rest of the album isn’t bad by any means, but it’s largely forgettable. It feels more like a preview of what’s to come rather than a fully realized statement. A solid start, but far from their most essential work.

Strangered in the Night is pretty good and Fooled Again, I've head the popular tracks of course, but I've never been a Petty fan. I do remember some of the MTV videos he did in the 1980s but I'm going to go with a 3 I think.

As a white person, I believe I am obligated to like the music of Mr. Petty. This album has a little bit of everything. Would go well with a white person backyard barbecue and some Newcastle Brown Ale. Probably wouldn’t revisit, so it’s like a 2.5, but also could see myself throwing it on if they ever bring Newcastle back.

It was okay. Not much else to say really - it was on, I was trying to pay attention to it, but it wasn't able to keep my interest much. I wouldn't switch away, but it's instantly forgettable for me.

Never my favorite but I appreciate him and it’s a classic.

снова попробую запомнить что Петти не Уэйтс. Петти просто из 70х с местами Спрингстин/битлз вайбами

A decent album, but hardly memorable.

Kind of bland compared to what came next for Petty. Really liked Mystery Man and the other big hits. 3/5.

GOOD SIMPLE SWAMP ROCK GUITAR SOUNDS AMERICAN GIRL IS SO OUT OF PLACE DOESN'T FOLLOW TRADITIONAL ALBUM STRUCTURE (NO INDIVIDUAL THEME)

I love Tom Petty's hits. But as a debut, it was a little lackluster. Love Breakdown and American Girl, but the rest was a little boring. I was gonna see Tom Petty in high school. Girl I was dating bought great tickets. Then we got in a fight and she gave me my money back. She ended up taking the other girl I was dating instead. What an American Girl.

American Girl is one of my favorite Petty songs. Solid album. Anything That’s Rock and Roll stands out too.

Interesting to hear some earlier stuff by him. Sort of like an American Elvis Costello but not quite as biting

Really liked the opener but the rest didn't do too much for me. If anything I slightly prefer his stuff from the late 80s album that I remember having a modicum of UK Hit Parade success.

Started out fine and had my attention, but I’d become bored by the end. Ok songs, but just not my thing.

Good album. About three to four songs I dig, and others that were not bad.

I liked this album. Decent first effort with some instant classics. The rest of them that haven't been played a million times are much more forgettable. Some nice Bowie-esque moments at points, but overall a good old fashioned dirtbag rock album. 3.0

Some good songs but I don’t think I’d listen again.

As Americana as it gets. Can't say I've listened to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers much outside of the songs that are played in public places, since they have so many hits. This was a really enjoyable record. Very easy on the ears and Tom's voice is nice to follow along with.

I liked this more than I expected. It’s definitely a great roadtrip album

not my vibe

Seems like we get a lot of debut albums on this list, and I can honestly say I have never heard Tom Petty's first album. Obviously Breakdown and American Girl are the best songs on the album, where there are no other real standouts for me on the rest of the album. Still a good album overall with a bit of variety, and a taste of the signature Petty sound to come in subsequent albums.

Eh. Outside of American Girl and Breakdown I didn’t find this to be anything to write home about

“American Girl” is a 5/5, the rest didn’t live up unfortunately

Those early tunes are sooo underdeveloped both lyrically and musically they make you want to leave the album. As if there was no one to tell them, "Hey run with that idea a bit." Petty's voice carries most of it. A couple moments of "Hey". In fact, American Girl is such a brilliant song it carries the whole album. Which was a 2 until it snuck in and dragged the weaklings on its back uphill over the finish line. Should have been 4 but ....

Other than the hits, I'm not familiar with Petty's music, but I suspect this isn't the best album to include on here. Damn the Torpedoes, maybe? Anyway, this was all right. It's swampy and grindy. I don't love his singing, though he would improve. Overall, I liked this well enough. Not sure I'd reach for it again, but it's a solid debut.

Easy to digest, enjoyable and quick rock album. Not many standout tracks but I enjoyed the general feel for most of the album, decent backing music and guitar. Vocals a bit hit and miss but in general good. Did think a few of the later songs in the album went off the boil a bit, trying to be slower and ‘deeper’. Stick to what you are good at. Feel like they are capable of better given the quality it shows in bursts.

Timeless rock 'n roll, and a symbol of a great career to come for Tom Petty. That said, yet again I'm not sure it's a life-changing listen. Maybe my expectations for this exercise stand too tall for the reality of critiquing purportedly-great albums. I'm still waiting to be blown away by something on this list. Show me a self-contained album that tells a story start-to-finish, that has cohesion, innovation, intrigue; I'll show you a five-star rating. 7/10 -> 3/5. not mind-blowing but definitely interesting from a rock-history angle.

It was aight, nothing too special imo. Almost every song had a noticeable fadeout.

Some fun stuff, but not mind-blowing. FS: Anything That’s Rock’n’Roll

Meh - surprisingly forgettable. This was good background music for my drive to work but I couldn't recall a single tune the next morning. Bonus point for American Girl which is a classic.

not his best but tom petty does indeed rock

It was okay.

Ikke noget som man slår sig på, men kort nok til at jeg ikke når at keder mig.

I don’t really know what to think of this record. It’s not bad but it has its tracks that are not strong at all. I like Tom Petty but this is not his best work.

Favorite- American Girl Least Favorite- The Wild One, Forever

#579. There's two great hits here, but the rest of the album is kinda weak. 3/5: acceptable

Fun rock. I enjoy the sound. First time listening to a complete album of this group (but I already knew and loved American girl). Don't think songs has a typical song structure with choruses and repetition. A lot of songs felt pure story driven. However, I found myself wishing songs were longer, that it wasn't quite over as quick as it was. American girl is a good feeling and vibe to go out on though

Timeless American vibes and a healthy dose of rock 'n' roll and the whole thing felt like a sun-kissed road trip down route 66

Okayish 3/5

Not my favorite album or songs by this bad but its not bad by any means. Really good sounding older rock and Tom Petty with a great voice.

Not my first listen to Tom Petty, still not that familiar. Sounds pretty typical for the decade, I do like that he wrote most if not all the songs, his best works are definitely not here but anyone can tell it has great potential, would like to listen to other albums and works in the near future. Standouts: Breakdown, American Girl, Rockin’ Around (With You). Honorable Mention: Anything That’s Rock ‘N’ Roll. Overall rating: 6.5/10, good album I enjoyed it, mostly but I wouldn’t choose to put it on.

This is rough, because I like Tom Petty a lot. There are a few songs on here that I really like, but a bunch that I don't care for much.

eh

Better than all the other 3 star albums but just fell short of expectations. Consider it a 3.5

cover is pissing me off dont look at me like that Borring ass album

Im gonna review Johney Cash’s American 7 instead. Great alblum, 10/10

One of the rock and roll albums of all time

Honestly the most famous song on this album is the most famous song because it far and away is more amiable than everything else.

I listened to this record on the way to work this morning. It finishes so well with American Girl, what a banger! It was a nice steady pace, I didn’t feel inclined to skip any songs. I zoned off a few times but when I came back to it I liked what I was hearing. I would listen to more of his stuff if you have recommendations 😊. I’m going to guess Dad likes this album and Kieran you will be indifferent about it 😊.

Very “classic” classic rock sound. I could see how this would have been popular. It is not bad, but I wouldn’t see myself reaching for this. But “American Girl” is definitely a classic.

It's not often that I'm stingy with the stars for a rock album, but this one doesn't do much for me. So I'm only giving it three.

Plain. One known title.

I think this band has better music out there and cant beleive this is their best album. I didnt know any of the songs apart from the american women one which is the best on the album as far as I can tell from my limited experiance with this album. Just dont think the other songs majorly resonnated with me. Fairly middle of the road stuff apart from 1 or 2 songs max.

Some good, if formulaic, old school rock and roll. 'Breakdown' had me nodding my head at the start of the album and fooled again was another good one towards the end. I've never listened to this album before but it feels like I have. Whether that's because of it's influence or because it's derivative is difficult for me to tell.

love when a record has the big track at the end of a record, something that is lost to time. im sure there will be hundred more records throughout this project that will be the same and im looking forward to it. i understand why people love tom petty now

Woah. Don’t know what I was expecting but that wasn’t really it. Started to sound like Tom Petty about four songs in. Very Lite 100.5 at points, but rocked a lot harder than I’d anticipated. One thing I didn’t like was the fade-out of some of the songs. Some Bowie and Stones vibes, too. Fave parts were probably the drums in the first two songs and the guitar in Strangered In The Night. I also really liked the huskiness of Mystery Man and the emotionally-charged strain Petty puts in his voice in Luna. Those two songs reminded me of something that I can’t quite place. And American Girl is FANTASTIC!!!!!!!! “She couldn’t help thinking that there was a little more to life somewhere else; after all, it was a great big world with lots of places to run to.” The album finished on such a high note it’s made me blind to anything I disliked earlier on in that initial listen.

I liked the melodic rock soundscapes. They are exhilarating and one of the reasons why it’s 3 stars. The singer does not necessarily convince with his voice but with his energy and enthusiasm. I appreciate this. And look at his grin on the cover - heart-melting!

Ist ok, typische 70er Rock-Musik. Beim Durchhören habe ich keine Highlights für mich entdeckt. 3/5

It’s fine. Classic, bland 70s rock n’ roll rock. Petty’s voice is almost unbearable at times. Plenty of albums that should be included instead of this one.

Nice rockin album with some classic hits. I was listening at work, then all of a sudden it was done and playing the auto play afterward. Good, but not great. 3

Another case of good band, but the vocals on this album were kinda meh for me. Not the worst by any means. I liked Rockin Around with You. I do wonder if another Petty album made the list.

Better than I thought. I like Hometown Blues. Again if had half stars would be 3.5

Was stoked to see this pop up….but underwhelmed after I listened. Couple good/well known songs, but the rest were kinda bland mid tempo rockers. Oh well….can’t love em all

I like the hits

This is nice. But if I'm honest, to me it's fairly forgettable 70s rock. There is a lot of talent here and some nice tunes (Breakdown and American Girl stand out). If I wanted to listen to music like this I don't think I would choose to listen to this album. Springsteen has more heart. Fleetwood Mac have better songs. The Eagles have more power. CCR have deeper grooves. Neil Young is more emotive. So this will be assigned an eternity of 3 star purgatory.

A fine rock album, with not too much noteworthy.

Definitely still finding their sound. The best songs here are the hits. The rest either sound like other bands, Van Morrison and Bruce Springsteen come to mind or sound like demos. They are just missing that one extra thing that American Girl and Breakdown have.

Tom petty is cool, didn't quite get this album

Tom Petty is the best thing to come out of the state of Florida. This album has a couple of classic Petty songs that would become his signature sound. This album just isn't fully realized. Other songs sound like Springsteen or Jackson Browne, et al. I was unfamiliar with Luna. I liked it. This is an album you "must listen to" if you want to see how far TP&TH came. Interesting, but I probably won't revisit anytime soon.

Bro isn't breaking any hearts with this kind of music. 6/10 American girl is both awesome and an awesome relief from mediocrity

3/5

I like it! It sounds different than his later stuff... he almost sounds like Springsteen in some of these.

achei meio meh, mas ate que vai... é quase uma trilha de filme kkk

6/10 Favorite Songs: Rockin' Around (With You); Breakdown

I’ve listened to albums that are given the name “dad rock” by a lot of people here and that I don’t really see it. This however feels like the closest one I’ve gotten so far. It’s very listenable and the songs aren’t bad, but nothing stands out. I can really imagine 40-50 year old guys rocking out to this thing.

Liked this more than I thought I would. Once again, haven’t listened to a whole Tom Petty album so this was a great chance.

Solid. 3.5 stars

Nice sounding album, probably not really my taste to listen to more than once. But good to listen to something old

Loving a lot of these songs. Some are passing me by a bit but mostly a sunny good time. Tbh an early springsteen came on shuffle straight after this and I was like 'ah now this one sounds interesting' then realised what had happened so like. I appreciate it but ultimately too heterosexual #teambruce Remember the first couple of days of this project when I was talking about basslines and influences and shit Left the song radio on afterwards and I'm gonna say I prefer his later work when it comes up probably

it alright Not my type of music

Not my kind of rock music, but still enjoyable. The hits on this are hits for a reason, but there's a lot of songs on there that didn't particularly stand out. The musicianship and overall sound was great. I appreciated the length of the songs, they were to the point and not unnecessarily drawn out, which I feel is rather rare in this genre. All in all an unexpectedly pleasant listen, nothing that got me too excited but still decent. The singles were definitely the highlights.

Pretty good. I couldn’t understand a thing he said, but overall enjoyed it.

Aaaaah, der hat "American Girl" gemacht. Guter Song, aber der Rest des Albums fand ich nicht so geil :/ Schwanke zwischen 2 und 3 Sternen.

Album so medium, aber dann kam American Girl. So ein Banger! Der Song kommt auf die Playlist. Trotzdem kommt es nur auf 3 Sterne

singles "Breakdown" and "American Girl" still hold up, but the rest is pretty unremarkable. I don't understand how 1001 Albums keeps getting it wrong whenever they choose to only include one album from certain artists. why this, a scant 30-minute LP with tremendous growing pains, over later works like Damn the Torpedoes or Full Moon Fever or Wildflowers? the Heartbreakers are a skilled unit that play very well together, but it's clear that Petty had a lot of evolution still left to undergo as a writer and a frontman. I've never been the biggest fan of his singing, but I have to admit it got much better over the years. the aforementioned singles prove that he had a lot of great things in his future. I just wish this book showcased his abilities a little better! strong 5/10.

Not bad. Not special

Unsure why this album is on here instead of Full Moon Fever. "Breakdown" is a classic, and "American Girl" is good enough, but the rest is mostly forgettable. Petty establishes his sound, but thankfully evolved over time from here so I'm not sure this is the best representation of his music. Not that it's bad, especially if you're a fan, but it's nothing I'd call essential or need to revisit.

A great first album, requires a deeper listen.

Stripped down, back to basics classic rock. I love the pop sensibility with the rock and roll attitude. Deep cuts and big hits all rock on this 30 minute quickie.

American Girl and some other tunes.

2.5

Mid

Ok rock album, 3/5, not that interesting.

I heard several different bands on this album, and one of them won the contest to become Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

A rare first album that really feels incomplete or in progress with the exception of the two breakout singles; Breakdown and American Girl. Both are great songs, but American Girl closes out the album with a strong indication that there is more to come from this band. If I were hearing this at the time, I think this would be enough to make me want to hear more... although, I don't think he really comes into his own until the 90s.

A few classic tracks wedged between a bunch of average ones.

In the words of Tom Petty himself, "It's alright." At least it's short.

Finally puts a voice behind the name

3.1 A bit cringe, but it's actually ok. Not 100% sure why it's on this list but I guess I'll find out in the comments.

Not what I expected. This has two incredible songs and a whole lot of nothing else. The only perk is that the songs and the album are short. Breakdown and American Girl saved this album from a much lower rating.

I am a huge Tom Petty fan and this is by far neither his best nor his most influential work. Full Moon Fever should have been the album on this list. If you arent a Petty fan, stop listening to this debut Heartbreakers album and go listen to Full Moon Fever. I find the front half of this Heartbreakers album to be quite boring compared to other Petty stuff. This album also doesn't make the good use of Petty's unique voice. I saw another reviewer say this was his "Springsteen-influenced" era, I agree. Petty sounds best when he's doing Petty. I also think it's wild that this album is categorized as psychedelic rock, I don't hear that at all. It's pretty classic, meat and potatoes hint-of-blues rock to me.

I lived with a guy who loved Tom Petty for 2/3 of my middle school years, and relentlessly teased him for it. When Petty died however, I have a vivid memory of him sitting at our kitchen table listening to free-falling with a beer, staring off into nothing. To this day the song makes me cry at the thought of the look of devastation on his face. That being said, this album is alright. You can hear the potential though! American girl is a classic.

pretty average stuff here. favorite track: hometown blues. Overall score: 5.5/10

Very, very steady rock, but enjoyable for what it is.

3.5/5

A few good songs here, but his vocals on the middle tracks are…not great. 3.5

I'm not a big Tom Petty fan, but he always put out some really solid albums.

Couple of good singles, but overall a typical average first effort. They were capable of, and achieved, better.

Felt like it blasted by - good stuff overall! Not 100% for me, but still cool

two great songs, lots of mediocre....

Not as good as his solo stuff imo but still enjoyable. 3.5 stars

Hmm, het begint best wel lekker met Breakdown en Hometown Blues. Ik begon zelfs naar 4 sterren te neigen! Maar de 2e helft van het album vind ik dan weer echt matig en ondermaats. Ook het populairste nummer van het album, American Girl, vind ik dus echt helemaal niets aan. Jammer Tommerd, maar het begin van het album met iets meer bluesy nummers pakte me wel echt, hou je er toch 3 sterren aan over, ook omdat het album lekker kort is en ik weer over kan tot de orde van de dag. FAVO: Breakdown, Hometown Blues, Anything that's rock 'n roll,

This album has Breakdown and American Girl which are two of Tom Petty's best songs. The rest of the album I would say is good but not great. I would listen again, but I would pick some other Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers albums before this one.

Excellent album, not familiar with Tom Petty and perhaps I should give it more time

It's ok

It’s okay I guess, just a bunch of catchy, non-offensive tracks.

The singles are cool, like "American Girl" has that timeless introduction that just builds and builds, and "Breakdown" is a cool jam, the rest is just kinda there.

Quintessential classic rock. American Girl = banger. Wasn't super excited about much else.