Anthology: Through the Years

This 34-track Anthology from 2000 expands on the precision of 1993’s Greatest Hits, offering fans a more detailed summary of Tom Petty’s career with and without The Heartbreakers. Despite being an album rock artist, Petty has mostly focused on crafting perfect rock ’n’ roll singles. From the Byrds-like “American Girl” to the guitar– and keyboard-pumping “Refugee” and the emotional duet with Stevie Nicks on “Stop Dragging My Heart Around,” Petty’s music has well defined a classic era of rock and pop, ranging from the mid-'70s through to the '90s. In 1989, he and Jeff Lynne assembled the excellent solo album Full Moon Fever, which included fantastic-sounding radio-friendly hits like “Free Fallin’,” “Running Down a Dream,” and “I Won’t Back Down.” The Anthology adds “Love Is a Long Road” and “Yer So Bad” to extend the look, as it does with other fine Petty albums. Greatest Hits plays like an airtight radio playlist. Anthology allows for a bit more experimentation, much as FM once expanded beyond the AM radio dial.