What is the best album by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers?

Their catalog moves from scrappy heartland rock to polished country-tinged pop, with timeless hooks at every turn — the kind of albums that make long drives feel cinematic. Which one hits hardest?

1

Damn the Torpedoes

Tom Petty's 1979 masterpiece, a fierce and melodic rock album considered one of the genre's most perfectly crafted records.

2

Full Moon Fever

Tom Petty's 1989 solo debut featuring the Heartbreakers, packed with radio-friendly rock classics including 'Free Fallin'' and 'I Won't Back Down'.

3

Hard Promises

A 1981 follow-up matching the sharp songwriting of Damn the Torpedoes with a raw, energetic sound and the hit 'The Waiting'.

4

Into the Great Wide Open

A 1991 concept album following a young rocker's rise, blending pop-rock storytelling with warm, rootsy production.

5

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Their 1976 self-titled debut, a scrappy and timeless introduction to their brand of driving rock featuring 'Breakdown'.

6

Southern Accents

A 1985 ambitious concept album blending Southern rock with pop and orchestral elements, featuring the defiant 'Don't Come Around Here No More'.

7

Wildflowers

Tom Petty's intimate 1994 solo album widely regarded as his most personal and emotionally resonant work, produced by Rick Rubin.

8

Echo

A 1999 album reflecting heartbreak and creative turbulence, darker and more introspective than any prior Heartbreakers record.

9

Mojo

A 2010 blues-inflected album showcasing the band's rootsy credentials with extended jamming, their first number-one album in 20 years.

10

Hypnotic Eye

Tom Petty's final 2014 studio album, a hard-rocking return to a rawer sound that topped the charts on its release week.

11

Long After Dark

A 1982 album delivering concise, hook-filled rock with the band firing on all cylinders, including the hit 'You Got Lucky'.