Both tracks have been remixed from the original multi-track tapes in Hi-Res and Dolby Atmos, offering fans a new way to experience two songs that have defined the band for fifty years. The songs were recorded in 1976 at Shelter Brown Room Studio - "American Girl" on July 4th, a fitting origin for a song that has since become a cornerstone of the American rock canon.
"American Girl" returns to the top of streaming charts every Fourth of July, a testament to how deeply it has embedded itself in American culture.
Fans are also treated to an extended version of "Breakdown," the band's first-ever Top 40 hit and debut single. A deceptively understated rock anthem, the track from the band's early days has grown to become one of their most recognizable songs, known for showcasing guitarist Mike Campbell's signature riffs.
The story of "Breakdown's" creation is legendary: Petty wrote the track during a late-night session, calling the Heartbreakers back to the studio in the early morning to record the song. It was later edited from more than seven minutes to become the band's first single.
"American Girl" and "Breakdown" appear on Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers' self-titled debut album, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Five decades after its release, the record stands as one of the most impressive debut albums in rock history-the sound of a band that arrived fully formed. As critic David Fricke shares, it "still sounds fresh and assured, a luminous classicism written for the moment."
Over his 40-year career, Tom Petty became a beloved American rock & roll icon, world renowned for his songwriting and his incredible band the Heartbreakers. In addition to the 13 studio albums he made with the Heartbreakers, Petty recorded three solo albums, including the acclaimed Full Moon Fever, Wildflowers and Highway Companion. Petty was also a member of the supergroup Traveling Wilburys and in the pre-Heartbreakers band Mudcrutch.
Petty passed away in 2017 shortly after completing his 40th anniversary tour, leaving behind a massive archive of unreleased material.