Rock God Or Mere Mortal?

As Tom Petty prepares to release a career-spanning anthology next week, an attempt to determine where he falls in the music pantheon.

By JOHN JURGENSEN
WSJ

Los Angeles

Tom Petty goes to work in a Van Nuys warehouse next to an auto shop and an upholsterer. His band the Heartbreakers rehearses there, still looking for ways to improve after more than 30 years together. On paper, Mr. Petty rivals other acts who have lasted for decades, such as Bruce Springsteen or Neil Young. He's sold some 60 million albums, is ubiquitous on classic rock stations and has collaborated with music legends from Bob Dylan to George Harrison. Last year, he played the Super Bowl and much of the nation knew every chorus.

But Mr. Petty is keenly aware that for some people, that's just not good enough.

"I don't know that anyone's out there waving the banner for us being the best rock and roll band there is," the singer says. "But we might be."

Where does Tom Petty fit in the rock pantheon? Musicians from Ike Turner to Aerosmith have been the subject of such debate, which rock fans conduct as if they're carving Mount Rushmores, in barroom arguments, Internet flame wars and even a Hall of Fame in Cleveland. But Mr. Petty is especially emblematic of the blurred—and highly subjective—line between skilled entertainer and timeless rock icon.

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