7Keys

I downloaded a few Petty songs (Running Down a Dream, Mary Jane, Free Fallin') and now I want to get into more of his stuff. Does all of his stuff have the same feel as these songs?

Any Petty albums considered a must have?

GuessWho

Just get this and you're all set. $15 on Amazon. 2 discs, 34 songs.

bigjim25

If you want a great CD buy Full Moon Fever. That has to be his best. Into The Great Wide Open and Wildflowers are good too. But as Guesswho said the one he pictured is an awesome start if you are into Anthologies. If you want a bunch of Tom Petty you could also get Playback.
I also highly reconmend The Traveling Wilburys set if you like Tom Petty, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne (ELO lead singer), Bob Dylan (which I'm not a big fan of but I like him on here), or Roy Orbison (who's just on V1)

Hiro11

If you like what you've heard, dig in. Tom Petty is extremely consistent, IMO. He always delivers at least three or four quality songs on each album, many are great all the way through.

I'd buy Damn the Torpedos first which is a straight up classic, IMO. Every song is great. Then I'd get Hard Promises, then the debut and last Full Moon Fever.

Even then, you're not getting everything. There's some great stuff on Long After Dark ("Straight Into Darkness" is my favorite obscure Petty track), Into The Great Wide Open ("King's Highway" is another unsung classic) and Southern Accents is a really interesting listen. His newest one is a true return to form after a (relatively) weak patch. Even his B-sides are really good.

cungar

Ah yes, a youngster who thinks Petty's career started when Jeff Lynne started softening his sound to increase sales. You came in a little late in the game if you think his Jeff Lynne produced albums are his best.

Damn the Torpedoes is Petty's most essential studio album. An American rock and roll classic in a league with Born to Run and Night Moves.

Heat

He did the entire soundtrack for "She's the One" ('97 or so), I like that album. The old stuff is good too of course.

atlantamoi

I started listening to Petty in the 70's and believe "Full Moon Fever" is right up near the top of his best recordings. The hits on that album aren't even the best ones included.

Having said that, "Damn The Torpedoes" all the way. That 2 disc set looks fantastic as well.

rw2516

I see they put Waiting For Tonight on that Anthology. I bought Playback when it came out just to get that song. Damn The Torpedos, Long After Dark and Full Moon Fever are the best. I've always been mystified that Long After Dark isn't held in higher regard. Practically every song is a rocker and sounds like a hit yet only one song is well known. Even a casual listener should like it beginning to end. My essential list:
Playback-all the big hits and album tracks up to that point on first three discs plus some reaaly good stuff on the other three.
Long After Dark-only a few tracks are on Playback
Wildflowers-All but 2 or 3 are great songs
She's The One- not great but a couple of hits and a song I love called "Grew Up Fast"
Echo- not a great album but good. The last one I bought. Jusy wouldn't grow on me, except a song I really like called "Counting On You"
There is a duo with Stevie Nicks of a Petty song called "I Will Run To You" that's pretty good. It's on a Nicks album but you could probably download it.

Brain Stew

Playback is really all that is needed of his MCA years. I managed to snag it for $25 on eBay a few years back.

NORML54601

Echo and Wildflowers are both great albums, start to finish

Dobby

Wildflowers is my favorite

mikelowry

Into the Great Wide Open is my favorite Tom Petty album. She's The One OST and Wildflowers comes highly recommended.

wendersfan

Damn the Torpedoes, Full Moon Fever, and Wildflowers.

Norm de Plume

I love Petty's music. I guess I'm one of those who prefers his "softer" stuff. Top albums in my view are:

1. Into the Great Wide Open (1991)
2. Echo (1999)
3. Full Moon Fever (1989)
4. Hard Promises (1981)
5. You're Gonna Get It (1978)

Worst:
1. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers (1976)
2. Long After Dark (1982)
3. She's the One (1996)

Top songs:
1. American Girl (Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers)
2. Free Fallin' (Full Moon Fever)
3. Don't Come Around Here No More (Southern Accents)
4. All the Wrong Reasons (Into the Great Wide Open)
5. No More (Echo)
-Even the Losers
-King's Road
-The Dark of the Sun
-Learning to Fly
-Echo
-Room at the Top
-I Won't Back Down
-Here Comes My Girl
-King's Highway
-Runnin' Down a Dream
-Insider
-Into the Great Wide Open
-Runaway Trains
-How Many More Days
-Angel Dream (both versions)
-Southern Accents
-When the Time Comes
-No Second Thoughts
-I Won't Back Down

As you can see, I like to make lists.

bigjim25

Dude I was born in 1973 and from a house who grew up on the rock of the 60s - 80s. I have all Tom Petty's CDs on MCA & WB and I just happen to like those best. As you can see, there's a few more who also listed Full Moon Fever and Into the Great Wide Open . So ... you are Jammin' Me!!!

MetalGator311

TP&TH Greatest Hits & Wildflowers are all I ever listen to, it keeps me happy

reverie

Over-all, that's probably my most favorite album of his. It took me awhile to get into him, because I generally hate radio overkill songs, so I despised Petty for awhile based on those. I missed out on a lot!

"Echo" and "Full Moon Fever" are also wonderful. I never really got into "The Last DJ".. I don't think I finished it yet.

Leather Face

Give his latest release Highway Companion a try.The opening song Saving Grace ,IMO,is one of the best he's done in years.

7Keys

Thanks for the recommendations. I just eBay'd Wildflowers and I'll give that one a listen and go from there if I like it.

He used to annoy me so much in the 80s, when I was a kid. But I heard Running Down a Dream a couple months ago and I can't get that song out of my head.

Rocketdog2000

Hell, I'll still throw my two cents in..

If you wanna go the easy way, just get the Anthology: Through The Years compilation, which will cover the MCA years. However, if you want "albums" then start with Damn The Torpedoes, it's absolutely essential!

After that, for the MCA years, get Hard Promises, Full Moon Fever, and I'll also throw some love to the much underrated Let Me Up (I've Had Enough).

For the Warner Brothers era, I like Wildflowers quite a bit, as well as his last album, Highway Companion - which is his best album in over 10 years.

redcat

I just watched the Runnin' Down a Dream documentary about a month ago, and it was a near religious experience for me. I've been listening to Petty since I was 10 (25 years ago), and I've seen him play three times. The documentary is a must-watch for the hardcore fan or someone just trying to figure out who he is. The doc itself is about 3.5 hours, plus all kinds of extras.

7Keys

I generally try to stay away from Anthologies/Best Of's/Etc. A lot of the artists that I like that have Box Sets still have great songs left out of the set.

7Keys

I finally got around to listening to Wildflowers. Every song is good to great. No filler.

I'm going to be picking up more Petty Cds.

Thanks for the suggestions.

meglet

If you don't mind using the BMG Music Club, they have most if not all of the TPH albums available as enrollment selections.

Between enrollment selections and them not locking down a sale code, I just completed my collection of Tom Petty and REM albums.

Hollowgen

perfect... but you're missing "Hard Promises" as well. that one's a gem.