Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers' new album, "Hypnotic Eye," is the band's first to reach No. 1 one on the Billboard 200.
It may be hard to believe that the bestselling Rock and Roll Hall of Famer has never topped the chart, however
Billboard.com confirmed as much on Wednesday. In the 37 years since the band first landed on the Billboard 200 with its 1977 self-titled debut album, they've reached as high as No. 2, but never No. 1.
"Hypnotic Eye" sold 131,000 copies in the week ending August 3.
Vote Now: Do You Approve Or Disapprove of President Obama's Job Performance?
"It's the best debut sales week for Petty since SoundScan started tracking sales in 1991, and his best sales frame overall (debut or otherwise) since 1994, when his solo album 'Wildflowers' sold 161,000 in the week after Christmas," wrote Billboard.
In a smart business move, Petty and company arranged it so that fans buying a ticket for his concert tour were offered "Hypnotic Eye" as part of the overall purchase, and this clearly helped bump the band into the top slot. The move has become a popular one, with acts like Bon Jovi and Cher doing the same with their newest tours and albums.
Surprisingly, even though Petty waited 37 years to reach No. 1, the band does not hold the record for longest wait. That goes to Tony Bennett, who didn’t make it to the top of the charts until 2011, with his album "Duets II." His first album was released in 1952.
In a recent
interview with NPR, the 63-year-old Petty described the new album as providing some social commentary, without being preachy.
"[W]e're looking at a very different time in America right now," he said. "We've rubbed out the middle class, which was really the whole point of the thing for a long time — meaning America."
Urgent: Discover your risk for heart disease, take the test now!
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.