Wednesday, 06 January 2010

• Enter the Petty Zone

   

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  I rang in the New Year with a few friends, more than a few cans of Tecate, and the Foo Fighters greatest hits blazing in the background.

  Now, you may remember the Foo Fighters from such hits as, "Everlong", "My Hero", and "Learning to Fly".  Over the course of their career they have won six grammy awards, released a countless number of singles, and almost single-handedly kept the "grunge" movement alive on mainstream rock radio.

  On November 3rd, 2009 the Foo Fighters released a greatest hits album, a collection of the greatest songs from their decade and a half long career. 

  They have officially entered "The Petty Zone"

   

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  This is Tom Petty, an American recording artist and maybe the ugliest man on the entire fucking planet.

  Tom Petty is a pillar of the rock and roll community here in America. He has at least a dozen songs that are played on FM radio stations constantly. To name a few, "Runnin' Down A Dream'", "American Girl", "Breakdown", and of course "Free Fallin".

  Think of all those hit Tom Petty songs. Now try and name one classic Tom Petty album. I'd wager most of you can't do it. I'd wager one of you, is sitting in front of the screen shouting "Damn the Torpedoes!", "Damn the Torpedoes!"

  Nope. Not cutting it. "Damn the Torpedoes" was Petty's third album, released in 1979 and was by far his best selling and most important record. How many singles charted? Three. None of which ended up cracking the Billboard top ten. While that's no means bad, it hardly qualifies it as amazingly successful.

  The point is, Petty has put together an impressive career slowly. At the time of this post, Tom Petty both with the Heartbreakers and solo, has 13 studio albums. Most of which are filled with songs that are for the most part, forgettable. But, for 11 songs that miss, Petty nails one classic.

  I'm calling it the Tom Petty Zone, bands without a defining album that will have, or in Petty's case already have, a killer greatest hits collection.

  With the release of their greatest hits album, the Foo Fighters have entered the Petty Zone. 

  Here are a few other bands and recording artists who I think are worth of a Petty Zone nomination:

  Weezer: I think the Blue Album was incredible, so maybe that disqualifies them, but the post Blue Album stuff has had just enough hits to keep them interesting while most everything else sucks. Hash Pipe, anyone?

  Ludacris: I don't want to only focus on suburban white boy rock. Everytime I hear a Ludacris song on the radio, or at a party it's good stuff. He's for sure a hit maker.

  The Who: My Dad might kill me for saying this, but I really don't think any album by The Who is particularly fantastic. But add up the best parts of their catalog, and boy, you've got a winner.  I'm sure they'll show you what I mean at halftime of the Super Bowl.

  Beyonce Knowles:  Dear Lord.  This woman is a fucking hit machine.  Between Destiny's Child and her solo career, you have enough material for a Greatest Hits box set.  But still, I don't think Beyonce has ever nailed a classic album.  I might be wrong though, I don't really own any Beyonce albums.

  Last but not least, I really want to put down The Red Hot Chili Peppers, but I think they probably don't qualify. The Peppers are just in a league of their own, seeing as how both "Blood Sugar Sex Magic" and "Californication" were huge, yet their Greatest Hits album will be even huger. I mean they've had like 600 singles over the years and they all kick ass.
  
  Let's hear it, who else is headed to the Petty Zone?
  

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