Tom Petty and the HeartbreakersTom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Bright twelve-string jangle over a tight, punchy rhythm section, Petty's nasal Southern drawl riding on top, every song trimmed to its hooks. "Breakdown" rides a slinky minor-key lick and a cool, half-spoken vocal, the slow burn that finally broke them in America. "American Girl" closes it out on chiming Byrds shimmer and a propulsive Bo Diddley pulse. A lean, immediate debut that launched everything. Drop the needle.