Full Moon Fever

Ten years had passed since Petty's last solid outing (Damn the Torpedoes in 1979), and Full Moon Fever fully resuscitated the artist's career, which - some would say "arguably" - had been losing steam. With the album's four major hits and rave reviews from the critics (these things do not always go hand-in-hand), Petty must have breathed a sigh of relief. He left the Heartbreakers behind, hooked up with musician, writer, and producer Jeff Lynne, and rocked out with Runnin' Down a Dream, got mellow and introspective on Free Fallin' and A Face in the Crowd, and paid tribute (finally) to the Byrds with a cover of Feel a Whole Lot Better. He perfected the sing-along guitar-pop song on Yer So Bad and had a wild time on Zombie Zoo. Pure Petty perfection!