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.
49 movies · 18 shows
Fame and Fentanyl
2025·0.0
Heartbreakers Beach Party
2024·6.2
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band: The Legendary 1979 No Nukes Concerts
2021·6.7
Tom Petty, Somewhere You Feel Free
2021·6.8
Echo in the Canyon
2019·6.8
Elvis Presley: The Searcher
2018·7.4
Night Flight: Born Again
2016·0.0
$aving Dat Money
2015·0.0
It's Only Rock 'n' Roll: Rock 'n' Roll at the BBC
2015·8.0
Roy Orbison: Mystery Girl - Unraveled
2014·6.5
Sound City
2013·7.4
Mr. Blue Sky: The Story of Jeff Lynne & ELO
2012·7.4
Mike Campbell: The Guitars
2012·0.0
Classic Albums: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Damn the Torpedoes
2010·6.3
The Best Of Sound Stage
2008·0.0
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Live from Gatorville
2008·0.0
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Runnin' Down a Dream
2007·7.6
The True History Of The Traveling Wilburys
2007·7.0
Crystal Visions: The Very Best of Stevie Nicks
2007·0.0
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers: 30th Anniversary Concert
2006·0.0
Live Aid: 20 Years Ago Today
2005·0.0
Tom Petty & Heartbreakers - Free Fallin'
2005·0.0
Live Aid
2004·9.2
Concert for George
2003·8.1
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - Live at the Olympic (The Last DJ)
2003·8.0
Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers: Live in Concert
2003·6.4
America | A Tribute to Heroes
2001·6.5
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - High Grass Dogs - Live from the Fillmore
1999·7.5
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: VH1 Storytellers
1999·0.0
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers: Live at the Docks, Hamburg
1999·7.0
The Postman
1997·6.3
Wired for Sound: A Guitar Odyssey
1997·0.0
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers: Playback
1995·8.0
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: 400 Days
1995·0.0
Brian Wilson: I Just Wasn't Made for These Times
1995·7.0
Tom Petty: Going Home
1994·9.0
Bob Dylan: The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration
1993·7.5
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Take the Highway Live
1992·0.0
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers - A Bunch Of Videos And Some Other Stuff
1989·7.0
Made in Heaven
1987·6.5
Hard to Handle: Bob Dylan in Concert
1986·9.5
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Pack Up the Plantation - Live!
1986·10.0
Bridge School Benefit Concert 1986
1986·0.0
Live Aid
1985·7.9
The Everly Brothers: Songs of Innocence and Experience
1984·6.0
No Nukes
1980·10.0
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers: Rock Goes to College
1980·8.0
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - The Old Grey Whistle Test
1978·0.0
FM
1978·6.8