In many ways, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers were the American equivalent to Dire Straits. Both had distinct lead vocalists, used similar instruments and had a sound influenced by both British and American rock & roll.  While my favorite Tom Petty song might be “Don’t Do Me Like That” from Damn The Torpedoes, their 1979 LP, “Breakdown” from their 1976 self-titled debut is a great piece of music. There’s that slow-burning vamp from Am to G, and that slinking guitar line. Even Petty’s delivery is in top form, arguably influencing Elvis Costello’s brash vocal style that would emerge on My Aim is True a year later. Tom Petty is so capable of crafting classic rock melodies that its almost easy to forget how good he was at it because the thing just sounds so damn easy. Nevertheless, it’s a great song off of a great debut record.

Breakdown- Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers