Tom Petty
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Tom Petty

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Biography

Thomas Earl Petty (October 20, 1950 – October 2, 2017) was an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He was the leader and frontman of the rock bands Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Mudcrutch and a member of the late 1980s supergroup the Traveling Wilburys. He was also a successful solo artist.

Over the course of his career, Petty sold more than 80 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling artists of all time. His hit singles with the Heartbreakers include "American Girl" (1976), "Don't Do Me Like That" (1979), "Refugee" (1980), "The Waiting" (1981), "Don't Come Around Here No More" (1985) and "Learning to Fly" (1991). Petty's solo hits include "I Won't Back Down" (1989), "Free Fallin'" (1989), and "You Don't Know How It Feels" (1994).

Petty and the Heartbreakers were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002. Petty was honored as MusiCares Person of the Year in February 2017 for his contributions to music and for his philanthropy. He also acted; he had a recurring role as the voice of Lucky Kleinschmidt in the animated comedy series King of the Hill from 2004 to the show's conclusion in 2009. Petty died of an accidental drug overdose in 2017 at the age of 66, one week after the end of the Heartbreakers' 40th Anniversary Tour.

On December 4, 2023, Petty's song "Love Is a Long Road" was used in the first trailer for Grand Theft Auto VI, which is considered one of the most anticipated video games ever made. This trailer gained over 90 million YouTube views within the first 24 hours. Because of this immense bump in popularity, the song itself gained nearly 1 million YouTube views in the same time span, gained a 36,979% increase on Spotify, had almost 250,000 searches on Shazam, and ranked second on the worldwide iTunes chart.

Films Featuring Tom Petty

No Nukes

198010.0

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band: The Legendary 1979 No Nukes Concerts

20216.7

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Runnin' Down a Dream

20077.7

The Postman

19976.3

Concert for George

20038.1

America | A Tribute to Heroes

20016.5

Made in Heaven

19876.5

The True History Of The Traveling Wilburys

20077.0

Crystal Visions: The Very Best of Stevie Nicks

2007

Mr. Blue Sky: The Story of Jeff Lynne & ELO

20127.4

Sound City

20137.4

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - High Grass Dogs - Live from the Fillmore

19997.5

Bob Dylan: The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration

19937.5

Night Flight: Born Again

2016

Roy Orbison: Mystery Girl - Unraveled

20146.5

Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers: Playback

19958.0

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: 400 Days

1995

Hard to Handle: Bob Dylan in Concert

19869.5

Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers: Live in Concert

20036.7

The Everly Brothers: Songs of Innocence and Experience

19846.0

Wired for Sound: A Guitar Odyssey

1997

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Pack Up the Plantation - Live!

198610.0

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers: Rock Goes to College

19808.0

Mike Campbell: The Guitars

Mike Campbell: The Guitars

2012

Live Aid

19857.9

Echo in the Canyon

20196.8

Tom Petty: Going Home

Tom Petty: Going Home

19949.0

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Take the Highway Live

1992

Live Aid: 20 Years Ago Today

2005

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Live from Gatorville

2008

Classic Albums: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Damn the Torpedoes

20106.3

Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers - A Bunch Of Videos And Some Other Stuff

19897.0

Live Aid

20049.2

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers: Live at the Docks, Hamburg

19997.0

Tom Petty - Mojo Tour 2010

Tom Petty, Somewhere You Feel Free

20216.8

Tom Petty & Heartbreakers - Free Fallin'

Tom Petty & Heartbreakers - Free Fallin'

2005

$aving Dat Money

2015

FM

19786.8

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - Live at the Olympic (The Last DJ)

20038.0

Bridge School Benefit Concert 1986

1986

Heartbreakers Beach Party

20246.2

Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers: 30th Anniversary Concert

2006

It's Only Rock 'n' Roll: Rock 'n' Roll at the BBC

20158.0

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: VH1 Storytellers

1999

Brian Wilson: I Just Wasn't Made for These Times

19957.0

Fame and Fentanyl

Fame and Fentanyl

2025

The Best Of Sound Stage

2008

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - The Old Grey Whistle Test

1978