Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

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.

Have listened to a lot of Tom Petty's hits but never a full album. His hits definitely carry a lot of weight on this album for sure , but there were a few nice surprises. Still think it is a pretty middle of the road American Rock album. American Girl is so dang catchy though it has been a top song for me for a long time

Nothing to complain about here, but it's pretty tame all things considered. You'll have a good time with it, but you could also listen to something else that would be more interesting.

Really like ”Breakdown”, and American Girl is pretty nice. Can live without the rest.

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (1976) – 3.3/5 This debut album from Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers delivers solid, easygoing rock with a laid-back charm. The sound is undeniably smooth, blending rock and roll with a touch of new wave energy. While the album is enjoyable to listen to, none of the songs left a lasting impression on me. It’s good background music—pleasant but not particularly memorable. I can appreciate the craftsmanship, but it’s not an album I see myself returning to often.

This one was good, I guess.

I love Tom Petty. This is not is best work overall, but Breakdown IS one of his best songs...so for that, American Girl, and the fact that he's so dang pretty, I'll still give it a 3.

im not sure why this is here but damn the torpedoes isnt

Fine. Goes down smooth. I find it difficult to listen to the American rock boys who aren’t Springsteen because they just make me want to listen to Springsteen. I thought this was a really nice, good vibes, light rock album, but nothing really blew me away.

This is truly one of the rock and roll records of all time. I don't know what it is about Breakdown. It's a great song, to be sure, but it always makes me think that it wants to be a Pretenders song. And the Killers shamelessly ripped off the intro on American Girl for Last Nite, so there's that.

Solid rock album. Enjoyed nearly all of it 1001 album worthy: Yes - 46/81

Not really interesting, but still ok

Pop rock (derogatory). Yeah, that's an album that... exists. I don't know what I was supposed to get out of this one. The band clearly didn't know either. This might be the most mid piece of media I consumed in the past year. It's far from good, and it's also far from bad. It's extremely hard for me to imagine someone going, "Yeah, this is fire" over this, but also nobody is going to despise it. It's just so painfully... okay.

Oh yeah! Alright!

very solid tracks, sounds fun to drive to and like almost every song could be a hit in clubs and bars back when it came out, as a studio album experience it lacks a little bit of variety and is rather shallow. but then again, it probably wasn't really intended to be listened to front to back multiple times. the writing in this isn't too great either. 6/10

point2.

Very solid blues-y rock debut from a band that I know will go on to write and record many hit songs. "Breakdown" and "American Girl" are classics and one of my other favorite is "Strangered In The Night"

Some mid rock. Tom's got some bangers but they aren't on this album IMO.

Two big hits but the rest is kinda mid. 3.5, rounded down

Couple of slappers

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.

I'm a Tom Petty enjoyed but this very much feels like a debut. When it's good it is very good though. American Girl is undeniable.

3.5/5

Man this list really loves its American blues inspired guitar rock doesn’t it?

cool, aber nichts davon hat mich so abgeholt wie "Runnin, Down a Dream" was bisher der einzige Song war, den ich von Tom Petty kannte.

It was fine. Didn't think it was anything special.

American Girl >>>> Otherwise the rest is ok, not a huge fan of the vocals in some areas.

Respect but not my style

Kinda boring to me

American Girl and Fooled Again favourites! Really cool straight-up American rock music.

There are definitely other TP&tH albums I prefer more.

Not their best, overall

Tom Petty's first album, not as polished as other debut's in terms of songwriting, but you see the potential on legendary tracks "Breakdown" and "American Girl" 3 stars

Out of the gate with some hot rock and roll. song craft, jangle, the boy had a knack and a pleasantly phlegmatic voice or somethign according to big christgau. I new the big ones not the other except the one that was a hit in in england?!?!? odd for such an american ass mother fucker.

"Take it easy baby, make it last all night": melkein noloa, kuinka paljon pidän tästä koukusta. Mystery Man oli jo hyvä kantrirock-pastissi, mutta American Girl sai minut lopulta nauttimaan koko levystä.

Just about fine, some catchy tunes in there but some forgettable ones as well. 5/10

The crowd goes mild.

Meh. The front half feels like the songs are all half baked or ended because a producer said "that's enough," the back half feels like "generic" rock. Sonically I get it, but the lyrically/vocally he just doesn't capture me. Breakdown is the best song on here, and I actually like it less in its album context cause it highlights the fact that its actually a half written song. Actually, the only fully formed song is "American Girl," and good thing they saved it for last. 3/5

3.5/5 stars

I am beginning to hate the fact that every 70s album seems to be connected to love in some why, or rather love disappointments. Talking about breakups and living the life. Then again more breakups and again getting to know yourself. Seems overly played out, but this was one of the pioneers, if you assume that music started in the 50s. Back then the albums had structure, they were not a collection of singles, no coherence whatsoever. I respect that. It feels that, lyrically, you are making circles, not progressing as you go through the album. But if you focus on the background music, every single musical piece has sth to add. At some point they stop pushing for the beautiful narrative and they switch to what I can assume is their version of true love, one that does not care of jewels, of gold and diamonds. I have to say that with this type of start I did not expect the album to continue this way. The melody of Rockin' Around seems like the perfect start of an album that has ups and downs, yet those are not noticeable afterwards. The entire album, though, is different enough that its sound becomes memorable.

didn't fully finish, but would probably enjoy as car ride music or just chillin. probably wouldn't buy a poster, but being lifted one isn't too bad

Damming with faint praise, I know, but it wasn't as bad as I was expecting 🤣. Recognised & liked American Girl (added to playlist for our American road trip).

It was alright. A bit samey after a bit. 3/5

Rimelig ligegyldig men den er også kort nok til, at man ikke føler, at man spilder sin tid. Der skal være plads til den her slags far-rock! American Girl er et klassenummer

Not really exciting. It is listenable, but unless the hits pretty forgettable which doesn't push any boundaries. The known songs are bangers but the remainder of the album is just filler.

Two increíble songs surrounded by drivelled filler. If only they’d spent more time in the studio!

he's scaring me rocking around with you- 5 breakdown- 5 hometown blues- 5 the wild one forever- 5 anything thats rock and roll- 5 strangered in the night- 5 fooled again- 4 mystery man- 5 luna-5 american girl- 5

Nisam ih do sada slušao ali nisu loši.

Pretty good! American girl really is a classic. They are described as heartland rock and I can see that. Overall he is a weak singer and better off solo

I've never heard the link with Bruce Springsteen below but some of this sounds like Springsteen's early albums, some like Petty.

enjoyed it tho it wasnt my fav

Loved the hits.

Good background music for work

de una qsy 7/10

3.5 ⭐

I’ve only listening to Full Moon Fever by Tom Petty before nothing with his group. This is fine but not anything spectacular Light 3/5

Tom Petty is one of those people who's hits I was familiar with but had never listened to an album front to back. This one was pretty good, nothing spectacular. The last track is the standout.

Surprisingly average, coming from Tom Petty no less. The more known songs are absolute rock-classics but the rest of the album is just average filler.

I have such a soft spot for Tom Petty. The peculiar voice, the soft feathery blonde hair, those teeth!! Adorable 😊 I enjoyed this album. I don’t really have anything negative to say about it. It wasn’t spectacular, but it was good, and it kept my interest the whole way through and I just really like his weird voice 😅 I would definitely listen to it again and I can’t usually say that for albums on here

Durchschnittliches Album mit soliden aber unauffälligen Songs. Ein bisschen Rock und ein bisschen Country.

As a huge fan of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, I'm disappointed. I expected much better. It's still a decent album, and starts off with a bang, but tapers down as the album goes on. Favorite Song: "Breakdown"

view of things to come

Ive always been a Tom Petty fan. This was my first time listening to this album start to finish. Overall it was good- reminded me a little of Bob Dylan. He has a good way of telling a story through song. And the hits were definitely hits. Overall- solid rock album with some blues elements. Probably 3.5/5 but not quite a 4

I was familiar with his 90s work and his work with the Traveling Wilburys, so I didn't expect much from this. It didn't blow me away, but it's good enough to stop making fun of people who like Tom Petty. Favorite song: American Girl.

Pretty solid but not Petty’s best work

Most of this record is forgettable landfill '70s-recollection-of-the-'50s nostalgia-rock filler, and Tom Petty sings like he has a cold, but like. "American Girl" is an unimpeachably perfect song on an album whose cover is a leather-clad man with golden hair eye-fucking you, and somehow neither song nor album hit the charts? This is madness

Does anyone else find it odd that the band name uses “and” while the album title opts for “&”? Inconsistencies aside, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers is a significant debut, marking the start of a career that would shape heartland rock and American music for decades. The album lays the groundwork for Petty’s signature blend of jangly guitars, wistful storytelling, and emotional urgency. It opens strong with Rockin’ Around (With You), a punchy introduction full of energy and charm. Breakdown, a sultry, bluesy groove, showcases Petty’s talent for creating atmosphere, while American Girl closes the album with a career-defining anthem of youthful longing and drive. These two tracks, in particular, have become cultural touchstones, cementing their place in movies and TV. While the album captures the raw, unpolished energy of its time, it also has flaws. A few tracks (The Wild One, Forever, Mystery Man) feel underwhelming, and the final stretch drags until American Girl delivers the payoff. Some moments veer into derivative territory, drawing heavily from bands like The Byrds and The Rolling Stones, and the lyrics, while solid, lack the depth of Petty’s later work. Later albums were more polished and commercially successful, but this debut’s rawness and spirited energy make it an endearing release. Despite its missteps, it’s a crucial piece in understanding Tom Petty’s rise to greatness. Did/Do I own this release? No Does this release belong on the list? For its historical importance and the cultural impact of American Girl and Breakdown, maybe. But there are likely better albums to pick from his catalogue. Would this release make my personal list? No Will I be listening to it again? Yes, occasionally.

The first song threw me off. Less Tom Petty rock and roll and more harmony pop. I enjoyed the rest of the album. This is what I think of when I think of straight forward rock. I’ve always liked Breakdown and American Girl just slaps!!

Has the iconic "American Girl", but the rest of the songs were not particularly exciting.

Solid all around musical work.

On first listen Friday, liked this a lot, was leaning to a 4. Listened to it again today and wasn’t as impressed. A decent debut.

Little known fact: “fooled again (I don’t like it)” is about the people who bought this album on the strength of “breakdown” and “American girl” and then learned the rest of the album wasn’t good. Still three stars because it’s pleasant enough. A genre I like, an artist whose hits I enjoy, doesn’t overstay its welcome, this was never going to be below 3. But it’s two great singles and not a lot else. Yes, Bob! Reviewing in Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies (1981), Robert Christgau said, "Addicts of updated nostalgia and rock and roll readymades should find this a sly and authentic commentary on the evolving dilemma of Harold Teen. The songs are cute, the riffs executed with more dynamism than usual, and the singing attractively phlegmy. And like they say at the end of other cartoons, that's all, folks." Correct! He gave it a B+. Arguably, B+ = 4, but I’m sticking with my 3, despite my concurrence.

Fun!

“American Girl” is one of the most staggeringly perfect songs ever written that it makes up for a pretty mid album. (Fine, “Breakdown” is pretty good too)

I like Tom Pertty’s later output far more than this first record. Still some good stuff but a lot of this feels like filler. 3/5

Not bad but also not an album I'd miss I think.

a typical rock album but nothing that stood out to me especially

No me gustó.

It's listenable alright, but give me the ones from the heyday of their/his commercial success - late 80s / early 90s. Standout tracks: Breakdown, Fooled Again (I Don't Like It), Luna.

Pretty good

30/100 but nicer...

I can see why this is on here, but Tom Petty is just not my favorite singer or guitarist and this is also not his best album imo.

Niet hun beste. Het meeste klinkt wat te basic, buiten Breakdown en American Girl natuurlijk. 3.0

meh

One boom BOOM💪

I'm not an American girl so while American girl might have been a bop in high school for me, i'm no longer as into it. And these other tracks are just not hitting either. And also, men and their weird vocals back then, im all set. Giving this a 3 because i could see myself coming back around to it someday

Good, but not their best album

It's a solid debut album. Not the best Tom Petty album tho. I would've put Damn the Torpedoes instead of this.

Average

Κλασσικο ροκ των 70s, 80s Οκ καποια καλα κομματια οχι κατι ακραιο. Rating: C-

Liked how the songs said what they needed to say then moved on, no needless fat on them. Each song had its own vibe too which was nice. Would give 3.5 if I could

Kevyttä ja helppoa rallattelua, ehkä liiankin. Niukasti kolmonen.

I think ive heard these songs too much. Tom Petty seemed like a cool dude tho.

I very much enjoyed most of the songs and how it was played. A good album to have on in the background when guests are over.

uninteressant aber halt nicht schlecht

There's a couple of good tracks, Breakdown and American Girl are classics. Most of the rest didn't do too much for me.

Competent but basic except for American Girl 3.3

Breakdown and American Girl are stone-cold classics. Most of the rest of the songs struggle to distinguish themselves by hewing a little too close to classic rock n' roll forms. The next tier of tracks are definitely better than filler, but they lack the spark of Petty's best work. I argue that you could hear them on a number of other artists' records at the time. Finally, I'd say there are a couple of throwaways but I'll leave that exercise to the listener. This album really is just 3 stars as a whole, reaching for greatness but not there yet.

not bad

Heel leuk, want kende het niet. Toffe sound.

rockin and fun. classic stuff

There are quite a few classics here, American Girl without a doubt the most famous. Late 70s American rock.

I’ve always liked Tom Petty just fine and I agree there probably should be at least an album of his on here. But shouldn’t that album be Wildflowers? (I bet that’s on here too) Listening to this album, I thought to myself. “Are there 1001 albums I’d rather listen to than this?” That hard to actually answer, but this is a three album if I ever heard one.

Solid songwriting and some welcome gems considering that I have only heard the hits in the past. Tighter band than I would have expected.

2.5 stars

Nice riffs, but a really short album. I did not find it bad, it was interesting and very fast paced. Good album. Especially for a debut, he clearly has potential.

Ah, I hate to give a Tom Petty album a "middle of the road" kind of rating, as there's a lot of his stuff that I really like. But this LP is just... kind of forgettable? Forgettable despite how slick the production is, and how well the pop sensibilities mix with the rock 'n' roll flavours that Petty is channelling. If there's anything that sets this album apart from its peers and influences it is just how dynamic the sound is. From the clean and fun vocals (the harmonizing chorus' on some tracks are absolutely astounding), to the music featuring smooth riffs, solid bass lines, and seamless compositions. The only problem is that, while all of these elements are done really well, they've been done before with better material. It's like watching the current day Lakers with LeBron James - sure, they're entertaining to watch and they play relatively clean basketball. But if I have the option to watch the Bulls with Michael Jordan dominating during a more "f*** you" era of NBA defense I'll probably pick that one. Personal highlights: ‘Breakdown’, ‘Strangered In The Night’, ‘Mystery Man’, and ‘American Girl’. It was good, enjoyable 70’s rock with just enough of a peek into what was to come in the 80’s. Fun to listen to as background music - to drive to, even. But as a serious listen it feels like very throwaway material. I’m a Tom Petty fan, but this isn’t the greatest representation of his output; and with the huge discography he has there’s much better LP’s that are, hopefully, on the list. 3/5

Short, but had a few very good moments. 3/5

Classic Petty and an introduction to his brand of straight forward loveable rock.

Tosi hyvää ja rentotuulista rokkia, mutta onhan American Girl ihan omalla tasolla muuhun levyyn nähden. Parhaat: American Girl, Mystery Man, Strangered In the Night

Some banger rock songs and a bunch of alright rock songs.

Un peu déçu, j'espérais que les deep cuts allaient être plus intéressantes que ça. Il reste que les singles de cet album sont bons, mais la balance des chansons ne sonnent pas tellement unique ou originale en comparaison à tout ce qui se fait en terme de heartland rock. 5.5/10

Middle of the road. Classic rock

I’m glad Tom Petty is on this list - I feel that he’s the American answer to Van Morrison - but I am very puzzled by this album’s inclusion. It’s their debut - while it has hints of what might come, it’s definitely inferior to Damn The Torpedoes or Into The Great Wide Open. I think someone at the NME needs their head checked.

6/10. I love 1970's hard rock. However, this one didn't really get to me. It didn't match my vibe very well. :)

Forgettable run of the mill rock n roll songs indeed, generally speaking. Yet four cuts in it can be considered as iconic--and this in such a striking manner that I could almost considered including the album in my own list. Those highlights are the lively "Breakdown", "Strangered in the Night", whose lyrics about a deadly confrontation between a white and a black dude could admittedly raise a few eyebrows (yet Petty was certainly no racist, he made it clear again and again with his collaborators and on a number of takes related to the confederate flag), and also "Luna", a moody, impressionistic nightly and mysterious ballad that sticks out like a sore thumb in the tracklist, but in a good way. And of course, there's the all-time hit "American Girl". First time I heard the song, it was when I watched *The Silence Of The Lambs* as a teen. Its use in the movie told you everything you needed to know about a certain character in five seconds. That's how good and evocative the song is. 3/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums, rounded up to 4 8/10 grade for more general purposes (5 + 3). Number of albums left to review: 33 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 418 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 243 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 310 (including this one -- Let's be honest, I don't have room for it now)

Enjoyable and instantly forgettable

Didn’t hate it, but did immediately forget every song.

American Girl is definitely the best song on this short debut album, but I kind of like Rockin' Around (With You) more. The album is so short, but very listenable. Overall, nothing too inspirational for me, but an enjoyable listen.

I don't have anything against Tom Petty. Nor do I have anything for Tom Petty. I am neutral lol

Just thought it really dull

Just a great classic rock record with a great mix of new and old.

Great album by a great artist. I love the simplicity of Tom Petty. Rock and roll in its purest form.

Ahhh, comfortable rock’n’roll of my youth. This is as stereotypical of the 70s Springsteen/Jackson Browne/Tom Petty trifecta as it gets. “American Girl” is my standout here, and I must admit not much else other than the driving-down-the-highway vibe stays with me after the first listen. But I know how much good stuff is on the way from TP, so I’ll give him a 3 for his out-the-gate effort…

I’d never heard this album in into entirety. I knew the two huge songs but not the other same it’s pretty good. Not my favourite but definitely enjoyed it. Crazy how fully formed Tom was out of the gate. breakdown and American girl are two of his best and for that alone this has to get 3 stars. Breakdown is also the first in a long line of songs where Tom tells us to listen.

Not enough to tank the album but enough to take the score down significantly. I'm really glad Petty and his boys figured out their own thing and got better from here.

I’m not the biggest Petty fan, but there is no doubt that he has a gift for good hooks in his songs. This album seems like he’s not quite fully formed, so some songs seem like throwaways to me, but American Girl is an all timer.

Blegh. Ok album.

Good debut. But not great. Saved by a few top songs. 3.25

Interesting sound very classic American even if British. A few songs were flat due to mumbled lyrics. But the last 3 stood far apart from the rest, almost getting better with each. 3.5/5 Notable song: Luna

It's not bad, I like Tom Petty but I think it's best stuff is not on that album

Good

Better than most Tom Petty, mostly in the first half.

Tom Petty can churn out the hits hit he might not be an album guy.

You know, sometimes it's nice to just get a run-of-the-mill decently successful rock act. As much as I may like some (key word: some) of the weird stuff I get, it can be nice to get something that I know I'll understand. Case in point: Tom Petty! I mean, he's a pretty well known name, right? I think he deserves to have an album here. Not only are Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers a successful group, but their self-titled debut album is pretty good! It's not amazing or anything, but it's nice. It's just a solid rock album. It's not groundbreaking, but it's not bad at all. The singing is nice. The instrumental sound is even better. The writing is solid, but not the most unique or impressive. It's a very short album, but that's not a bad thing. "American Girl" is not only the album's closer, but also it's best song. The album's good, I don't have much else to say. High 3/5.

3.5

Not a bad debut, definitely showcases a band with a lot of potential. Some decent songs, some classics, and some filler.

Predictability detracts from the album. Crooning over a slow blues-y groove provides some redemption, particularly on Luna and Breakdown. The energy of Rockin' Around is fun. The vocals in Anything That's Rock and Roll offer an interesting staccato feel. But overall, aside from the well-loved track American Girl, the album is forgettable. Tom's face, on the other hand, is not. He's a little too handsome for his own good, even (especially?) with that smirk.

What a great start to a great career full of great music.

I didn't hate this album. Breakdown and American Girl were both cool songs. However, I feel like it's very "generic". There are times where I feel like Tom is mumbling his words or trying to do be "too cool"? Kind of like a teenager who can't make it seem like they're trying at anything. It's a 3, but a pretty weak 3

сплошное нытье, но пару треков прикольные. Альбом показался однообразным. Luna поинтересней всех по-моему.

В обчем, мысли такие. Том Петти - это такой типа лжерокер, типа нашего Макара из «Машины времени», пока молодой был еще ничего так бодренько и незатейливо, а на деле самый настоящий попсуль. Ничего в этом альбоме ни революционного, ни там цепляющего я не узрел. Прослушал альбом в хайрезе раза три, ну пара песен норм, которая про то, что Тома обули и он обиделся, даже хорошая. Не знаю, ни одного человека, которому нравится Том Петти. P.S.Читать про Тома Петти было смешно, персонаж он какой-то карткатурный. Всем добра!

3.5

Sept. 13, 2024 This is truly a Friday the 13th album for me because I HATE TOM PETTY (rip) sorry!!!! I just can't deal with his voice it angers me. Aka I'm pre-biased with this album. Okay Rockin' Around was fine. But I hate the weird pseudo-spanish accent in the beginning of Breakdown. Damn it! I don't hate it! AH! But I still hate his stupid face! Okay I do still hate American Girl. 3/5

I enjoyed American Girl, it had a really fun, poppy sound. The rest of the album felt a bit memorable to me, though.

Middle of the road rock and roll. Breakdown is good, Luna is curious, Americal Girl is meh.

It's fine. It all sounds the same and it's lucky that that sound is pretty good. Sounds what I imagine stepdads to sound like Strong 6 to a light 7

Pretty good, only knew breakdown and American girl

I was a bit surprised by this, there was a lot I liked in it. But it wasn't really that good except for American Girl

Some good tunes

Not great. A couple absolute classics but he has MUCH stronger album offerings.

Listenable but not great

Alright. Some good hits

I like breakdown, mystery man, luna and American girl... the rest is pretty good...

Pretty standard rock and roll album. Gets to the point and has some fun songs. 3/5 Might listen again

American Girl is a knockout, the rest of the album seems like a search for a sound. Even Breakdown sounds a bit like Steely Dan.... variety is not a bad thing but the overall blandness is something Petty needed to escape from to become a bigger musicial star.

Good vibes and good music but didn’t leave an impression on me

Claire enjoyed the 2nd and last song and by the 4th song his voice was grating on her, she didn't enjoy the song in between. Albert: it wasn't the album he'd listen to before. This one was ok but he preferred the other one. Ronni: nice guitars, pleasant to listen to. Enjoyed American Girl at the end

I didn't particularly like the album. I thought Breakdown was the best. I couldn't do much with American Girl. I listened to the whole album and the best thing I can say about it is that it didn't bother me. 3/5

I hope there's more Tom Petty on this list besides this one.

Pretty good, some songs a little underwhelming, some surprisingly fun. American Girl definitely the biggest hit, a chill upbeat one.

This is kind of middling for me. It’s easy-listening enough but I’m not excited by it.

It was okay, but the standout is Breakdown, then Mystery man. The rest is ... eh.

Short and sweet

Pleasant and enjoyable. That being said, I probably won't seek it out voluntarily again.

Dad rock

Classic Tom Petty. Little rough around the edges still but good.

jep katsokaas nyt kyllä vituttaa rupes vähä vituttaan tänä aamuna kävi vähä näin sunnuntaiaamuna kävi tälles tälle kahvinkeittimelle tuli tunnit täyteen varmaan kattokaas mitä tälle kävi tolle tälle näin tälle kävi tälläin näin jos se näkyy tähän kameraan kai se nyt näkyy jotenki halkes toi pohja perkele tosta halkes pohja tästä kahvinkeittimestä halkes pohja nyt kyllä vituttaa ku halkes pohja niin vituttaa kyllä meni kahvinkeitin paskaks pohja halkes tästä oikeen halkes joo pohja halkes oikeen kunnolla tosta napsahti vaan ja halkes pohja niin nyt rupes kyllä vituttaan oikeen rankasti että vituttaa hyvä kahvinkeitin meni siinä tommonen kahvinkeitin meni siinä meni siinä sitte nyt sitte rupes vituttaan ai ai löytysköhän roskiksesta uutta tämmöstä pannua vai mistä löytyis noh kyllä se vituttaa mutta onneksi mulla sattu oleen varakahvinkeitin tämmönen varakahvinkeitin ku BRINSEEES oikeen kunnon kahvinkeitin siinä on sitte varakeitin päästään keitteleen tällä sitte ravitsevat kahvit tällä keittimellä tämmösellä keittimellä keitetään sitte kahvit taas tänään sitte ravitsevat kahvit tulee tämmösellä keittimellä sitte onneks oli varalla tämmönen huh huh muuten ku tää hajos niin vituttaa kyllä silti vaikka on varakeitin niin kyllä vituttaa tää oli hyvä keitin tää oli pirun hyvä kahvinkeitin kyllä nyt kyllä vituttaa ankarasti juu-u ei mulla täällä muuta että tälläsiä tunnelmia täältä tänään oikeen vituttaa rankasti vituttaa hajos kahvinkeitin siinä se ny meni rockin' around with you

I don't think I like Tom Petty enough for this dose of him. I do like American Girl enough to be surprised when it was the last track on this otherwise pretty boring album. 3 mostly for American Girl.

american girl is not the only good song on here ok breakdown is also good

Heartland rock is far from my favorite, and there was a little too much honky timbre for my liking. The vocals are uneven and the lyricism (outside of standout Luna) is straightforward and dull. Guitar work is the most engaging element in most tracks. This sounds more negative than I intend it to, it's music that I don't *mind* but wouldn't ever seek out. Well produced. I'm glad this is my first Petty album, really interested to contrast with later career efforts. Listened to: at Target. Favorite tracks: Breakdown, Luna

American girl is a fun song.

Didn't really do much for me, seemed like fun uncomplicated rock though. I enjoyed listening to it on my drive home from work. I only knew one or two songs beforehand and I enjoyed some of their later work more. Mary Jane's last Dance is their best song imo.

At times bluesy, others more hard rocking. It's a concise record: 10 tracks at just over half an hour, but not a great one for me. Luna with its quiet organ playing is the most interesting song. Other highlights: Breakdown, Strangered In The Night.

3.5

2.5 moved up because of the brevity of most songs and American Girl is great.

Not bad but not quite my thing

I liked the vocals a lot, but of those lines haven’t exactly aged well lmao.

The difference between the famous songs and album filler is very stark. The 1st and 3rd tracks are horrible, but sandwich Breakdown, which I could listen to all day.

Middle of the road radio-friendly blues rock though served with charisma and no little skill. Interesting to see how some of the tracks here, including the opener, resemble unfinished jams rather than fully-fledged songs. The moody Breakdown is the most interesting song though American Girl's catchiness is undeniable.

I didn't dislike this and American Girl is a great track, but the best thing about this was it's relatively short length at 30 mins

2.5. Enjoyable background tunes, short songs/album which was pleasant to listen to.

This one was ok for a debut album. A lot of the songs were decent with the better known songs being standouts.

Well, some killers, some fillers. A promise of what's to come, but not more. Like it, but certainly not something needed to hear before death.

Pretty good for a debut. The hits are all time greats with the rest being somewhat filler. The opening track feels anachronistic, sounding like mid 60s British Invasion, but not bad.

Man has this project done Tom Petty dirty. The only album on the list is this one, which is, at best, fine. It's also his/their first album, so it's not surprising that it's not the best. Why the hell did they choose this one? I get that this list may lean more towards "influential" than "great," and if a band has an original sound then you can make the argument that their first album should be the pick...but are mediocre albums all that influential even if they have a newish sound? Aren't the "influential" albums the ones that inspire other bands, meaning that they were *good* albums that those later songwriters would listen to repeatedly? At some point I'll stop complaining about the list because it's an impossible task and everything artistic is subjective, but this album is a terrible representation for an artist/band with decades of music. Obviously, "Wildflowers" is the single greatest album that isn't on the list of 1,001, but even some other Heartbreakers albums would have been better choices. RIP, Tom. You deserve better.

Nice bit of early Tom. I wonder if he’ll have some more on here.

boring rock

2024-07-08...

Solid album

Liked Songs Breakdown American Girl

Albums that absolutely should be on this list: “Damn the Torpedos”; “Full Moon Fever”; “Wildflowers”. Albums that should not be on this list: this one. Not only is this album way worse than most of Tom Petty’s catalog, but the album cover alone should disqualify it. “American Girl” is one of the greatest rock songs of all time and “Breakdown” is a great song as well, but those two songs are all this album has going for it. Tom Petty is such an amazing artist with so many great albums that the decision for this to be his only album included on this list is absurd.

Fine filler for oldies radio stations

Decent

I'm not necessarily impressed nor upset I indulged. The faux bad boy from back home is kinda stupid though, not gonna lie. Tom Petty is a better song writer in his later days when I bent to the folk singer songwriter image. Let it be known though, he was no bob dylan but he produced better sounding songs then. Aside from is mid and late 70's hits the other music on this album seems to not strike me as good. Just average. Anyway, he's acclaimed for his hits which were pretty great. American Girl being one of them from this album.

STANDOUTS: American Girl OVERALL: 2.5/5

paar goeie nummers, paar van dertien-in-een-dozijn... niet slecht maar geen verplichte kost

american girl three stars she is that girl

Pretty decent. Although it probably sounds a little too much like the Beatles/Dylan/Bowie for its own good at various points, and offers few singular qualities that make it worthwhile to revisit.

no hearts were broken in the making of this record 61/100

It’s OK

Pretty good record, but not interesting enough to rate it higher than a three. I don't really have much to say about it, except that I wouldn't mind it playing in the background; it was pleasant enough. Highlight: Breakdown 3.5 stars

Another album I've never listened to. This was sometimes really high energy and fun. However some songs lost the momentum and blended together, lacking something that made them distinct. The more well known songs are definitely the highlights. I'd listen to a few of them again. Highlights: Breakdown Anything That's Rock 'N' Roll American Girl

Only track I know is American Girl and I have never considered that song to be anything special. The rest is even more mediocre than that. So that leaves an album full of music I don't give a crap about.

Solid but not Tom Petty’s best imo.

It's Tom Petty, so it's pretty good. I. kept hoping there might be a sleeper on this album that was earlier than I started listening to him. I found that late in the album on "Luna". That's a song I never knew before and liked here. Starts out slow and clambers into itself, before striking a very deep and strong footing. Not an every day song, but nice to find.

Fully agree with hellyeah - young Tom Petty may not have known quite what kind of music he wanted to make. Blues rock? Americana? Southern rock? Bob Dylan lite? Van Morrison crooner? There’s absolutely signs of talent here. “Breakdown” is simply an amazing song, and “American Girl” is a classic for a reason. But there’s a lot of forgettable imitation here. Petty wouldn’t really find his groove until the Heartbreakers’ second or third album, but then they go on a run of hits like few other rock groups in the late-70s, with lasting impactful success all the way into the 90s. “Damn the Torpedoes,” “Full Moon Fever,” and “Wildflowers” are the albums that actually belong on the list, not this self-titled debut. Those first two, along with his other 80s offerings, gave Petty a string of hits that would carry heartland rock for two decades, and after his first greatest hits album in 1993 he followed it up with the 3x platinum “Wildflowers,” reeling off a string of radio hits just as grunge was taking over rock radio. The kind of lasting power Petty had shouldn’t be understated, but the 1001 manages to try by only including his debut on the list.

TP&TH get their career off to a promising start. They’ve got two hits in Breakdown and American Girl and a collection of other decent songs. As with many debuts, it feels like they are still figuring out their sound. I have to point out that I saw them live in the early 2000s and TP has the best stage presence I’ve ever seen. He was humorous, engaging, and commanded my attention to every detail of what he was doing. He’s one of those performers that I’m glad I saw before they passed away. As an aside, I recently saw girl in red and she is the closest performer to TP that I’ve seen. She is high energy the whole show bouncing all over the stage. She has the most admirable connection with her audience that I’ve ever seen. Her crowd is hard core. At the end of the show, she parted the bodies, entered the middle of the floor, crushed the end of her last song, and crowd surfed back to the stage. It was phenomenal, especially the trust she had in her audience to be so vulnerable amongst them. It was remarkable.

American Girl and Breakdown are two all-time great tracks, but the rest of the album strays too far into bland Billy Joel/Van Morrison territory and I quickly lost interest.

Something about his face on the album cover is unbelievably irritating. He was sat there smirking at me the whole time I was listening, judging me intensely with those beady eyes. It was very distracting. Not cool Tom. As for the music, it was alright

If Tom Petty's name wasn't attached to this, I'd call this a pretty boilerplate rock album with some southern sensibility and a good voice. I'm still going to do that, but this does have "Breakdown" and "American Girl" on it. "Luna" deserves a skip for the voice alone. Favorite tracks: "Breakdown", "American Girl"

Mira, Breakdown es una gran cancion. El resto la acompaña. American Girl es algo que solamente los gringos podrían apreciar.

Would need more listens for a 4 but better than expected and would listen again

Ok buddy

Florida man

What is it about white guys in the 70s overusing the term "rock and roll"

Well, this album came out just as I was starting to take an interest in records. I was aware of Tom Petty, but never really listened to this or any other record by him as we were then in the rise of the UK punk scene and then into post-punk. I guess I'd characterise this as rather old-style rock music. I don't think there's anything outstanding here, but then again, nothing here is particularly annoying. Of all the tracks, I was most familiar with Breakdown, owing to Grace Jones' version, powered by the mighty Sly and Robbie.

Tom Petty is a legendary artist no doubt, and his hits stand the test of time. But I feel like his non-hits don't. Honestly, I think his voice is kind of annoying, but really on the songs that I don't know, which was all of these. The instrumentals were generally good, however.

I only enjoyed one track on this album. I'll let you guess which one. The rest are borderline boring. I do have a urge to wear jeans and a leather jacket now though.

Sometimes you just need some good old back to basics rock n roll. Peggy’s best work was before him, but this is a promising debut.

Straight rock from the 70-ies.

Simple and to the point, not bad from a not big Tom Petty guy. Although my biggest pet peeve is when bands use & one place and then “and” another, it’s aesthetically the same as nails on a chalkboard

En 1976 Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers y los Ramones compartían su querencia por el rock inmaculado de los años 60, pero el resultado musical fue muy diferente aun cuando a los de Tom Petty les reconocieron su actitud punk. Este fue su álbum de debut, un ejemplo meridiano de lo que era el power pop, una mezcla de melodías y rock de garaje. En este sentido me gusta especialmente "Strangered in the Night", así como sus dos éxitos "Breakdown" y "American Girl", este último un tema de inspiración "Byrds" pero impulsado por un sonido más rock & roll. También destacaría el arranque del disco, "Rockin' Around (With You)", y el tercer corte, "Hometown Blues".

This wasn't bad but I didn't find anything special about it.

Favorite Track: American Girl other picks: Luna (has a Pink Floyd feel), Breakdown

Did not really like the first song, rockin around with you. Breakdown is an amazing song though and starts to set the stage for a much better album, however, I'm not sure it delivers on that premise. The next song is not much better than the first. The next songs does deliver what I expect from TP and was a nice return to form (The wild one, forever). Followed by yet another forgettable song, anything that's rock n roll doesn't do anything special. Of course, in the way this album seems to go, I quite like the next song (Strangered in the night), nice melody and chilled out solo. Fooled again is another good one (TWO IN A ROW!) but is followed by mystery men (ok) and luna (meh). American girl rounds it out and its no wonder that american girl and breakdown were the ones that stood the test of time. Good album as a debut, but definitely nothing I would note as an album you must listen to before dying. 3.5/5

3.5 Ideal American rock and the perfect length for an album!

I've enjoyed this album and have grown an appreciation for Petty's Americana power pop and recognizing how tight the Heartbreakers were. I realize, too, this debut is good but just shy of being great. It suffers from being a little awkward.

This album improved as it went on and upon second listen. I really like and appreciate Tom Petty‘s vocal style and voice. That being said still somewhat generic Americana rock ‘n’ roll to me, which is not my favorite genre. However, breakdown is awesome and American girl is iconic probably due to that guitar riff.

Incredible debut album. Perfectly encapsulates the sound the Petty and the Heartbreakers would rock for the next 40 years. Not a fully finished product, obviously, but nonetheless sets a high standard for what to expect from these legends.

Nice although I don’t think it has that lasting impression feature lol