Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, for decades, epitomised what was best about American rock n’ roll. Fueled by roots music and by a desire to never compromise with the business sharks around, Petty and the band created innumerable classics. They are one of the greatest rock bands in history.

Today I am narrowing things down and focusing on the 10 best songs written by Tom Petty and performed solo or with the Heartbreakers. It is, I warn you, quite a list.

The 10 Greatest Songs by Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers

10. “Refugee”

Tom Petty had to fight long and hard to be heard. It’d all started as an adventure. He and the rest of his band, Mudcrutch, packed it all up and moved to the big city. One breakup, two albums and a few run-ins with the dark side of show biz, Tom Petty was a man fighting tooth and nail for his career.

“Refugee” opens the brilliant third album “Damn the Torpedoes.” It captures The Heartbreakers’ potent mix of The Byrds and The Rolling Stones. And, if you listen closely, you still hear the voice of a singer who will refuse to step aside.

9. “Runnin’ Down a Dream”

Petty was always chasing a dream. That dream nearly escaped him a few times. Here, he provides justification for searching for that little bit of magic on the open road and through the sound of a six-string. The outro is a real highlight, bringing the Heartbreaks, not nominally on the track, to the forefront.

8. “Into the Great Wide Open”

In some ways, Tom Petty’s continued success within the medium of music videos was a surprise. In other ways, it made perfect sense. Petty was always a character. And his songs told great stories.

One of the best stories is “Into the Great Wide Open,” a simple tale about rock n’ roll dreams gone wrong. It’s one of the smoothest recordings Petty ever got, courtesy of producer Jeff Lynne. The music video featuring Johnny Depp and Faye Dunaway is one of the best musical films made in the 90s.

7. “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” (with Stevie Nicks)

Tom Petty had to work on his songwriting. But by the time he had hit top gear, there was just no stopping him. “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” is a tune Petty gifted to Stevie Nicks, herself looking to move away from the weighty shadow of Fleetwood Mac.

The song ended as a duet. It worked so well and was so successful that Nicks, for a while, considered joining The Heartbreakers outright.

6. “You Got Lucky”

There was great depth to Petty’s songwriting. Part of this was due to his willingness to learn. But, it was partly down to the troubles and struggles he’d faced throughout his life.

“You Got Lucky” features some of Petty’s meanest lyrics and fiercest singing. It also transformed The Heartbreakers into MTV stars, with their Mad Max-styled video becoming a hit.

5. “You Don’t Know How It Feels”

Petty, technically, went solo for “Wildflowers,” delivering some of his prettiest and most earnest compositions. “You Don’t Know How It Feels” is laid back and bittersweet. It’s an anthem for everyone just doing the best that they can and facing a changing tide.

It’s the excellent vocals doubled with the harmonica playing that sell the tune. But it was the controversial use of the line “let’s roll another joint” that got many people bothered and looking to drown out the controversial word.

4. “American Girl”

“American Girl” was the song that told the people who bought The Heartbreakers’ first album that they’d be hearing a lot more of them in the future. It’s one of those perfect rock radio songs. The lyrics tell a short, great story. The singing is hooky. And the groove is so good that The Strokes stole it for “Last Nite.” What a classic!

3. “Learning to Fly”

At his very best, Tom Petty’s songs could melt the heart off of a snowman in Antarctica. There’s a beautiful sense of bittersweetness and nostalgia captured on “Learning to Fly.”

It’s a song about starting out with nothing and finding yourself far away but stuck. It’s a wonderful composition, but most impressively, it almost sounds like Petty isn’t really trying too hard at all.

2. “I Won’t Back Down”

Petty wrote a few anthemic rock songs. None is more direct or speaks more of Petty’s internal strength than “I Won’t Back Down.”

Here’s a man who had faced up to an abusive father, terrible record bosses, and even his bandmates and had won. You can trust Tom Petty when he tells you that he won’t back down. And you can find strength in knowing that he expects you to do the same. I do!

1. “Mary Jane’s Last Dance”

The greatest Tom Petty song could’ve just been a throwaway. You get the sense that “Mary Jane’s Last Dance” had existed somewhere on the tips of Petty’s fingers or in the recesses of his brain for a long time.

The result is an effortless boogie-rock groove complete with an entire tale of love won and loss. However, it may just be, as many believe, an excellent song about pot.

It’s such a good song that the Red Hot Chili Peppers didn’t even know when they took it. It’s the best song of a genuinely marvellous musical career.