Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers - hailing from Gainesville, FL before officially forming in Los Angeles, CA - kicked the musical doldrums of the mid-70's in the teeth with their 1976 self-titled debut album. It featured a stripped-down-but-accomplished brand of rock that blended jumpy rhythm & blues with ringing guitars and keyboards, over which frontman Tom Petty offered up disarmingly blunt lyrics and an extremely direct and distinct vocal style. Still, it took America a full year to catch up to the album. "Breakdown" was re-released to radio and became a Top 40 hit in 1977 after word filtered back that the band was creating a firestorm over in England. By the end of their pivotal UK trek, the band was headlining the very same venues they played as an opening act weeks earlier. Also includes the timeless rock staple "American Girl."