Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers released their self-titled first album in 1976. Amidst an era of punk and new wave, Petty and company were a rock & roll revival. The record was equal parts garage rock, British Invasion, with Dylan-esque lyrics. The record initially fell flat in the states, but gained notoriety in England. Second album You're Gonna Get It! spawned singles "Listen to her Heart" and "I Need to Know", and was Petty & company's first gold record. After a label dispute, Damn the Torpedoes came out in 1979. Hit single "Refugee" finally catapulted Petty to stardom in the US.
Throughout the 80's and 90's Petty & the Heartbreakers continued to crank out hits like "Don't Come Around Here No More", "Runnin Down a Dream", "Free Fallin", "Learning to Fly", "Mary Jane's Last Dance", and "You Don't Know How It Feels". A workhorse touring schedule and legendary live sets cemented their dedicated fanbase. Petty's latest album, 2002's "The Last DJ", was a scathing look into the darker side of the music industry.
