The War on Drugs
If you could distill the feeling of a long highway drive into a sound, it would be The War on Drugs. Frontman Adam Granduciel builds expansive, atmospheric rock that feels deeply indebted to the Petty-Dylan school of songwriting. While their sound is layered
with synthesizers and hazy textures, the core is pure heartland rock. Tracks like 'Red Eyes' and 'Holding On' feature driving rhythms and searching, nasal vocals that evoke Petty's spirit, even as they push it into new, psychedelic territory. The band has even covered Petty's 'You Wreck Me,' solidifying a connection that fans have long recognized.
Jason Isbell
A master storyteller with a sharp eye for the struggles and small victories of American life, Jason Isbell is perhaps the most direct heir to Petty's lyrical crown. Formerly of the Drive-By Truckers, Isbell's solo work with the 400 Unit is rich with character-driven narratives that are both personal and universal, a hallmark of Petty's best writing. Songs like 'Running With Our Eyes Closed' carry a distinct Heartbreakers vibe in their guitar riffs and forward momentum. Isbell frequently pays tribute to Petty in live shows, acknowledging an influence that runs deep in his own brand of country-inflected rock.
Kurt Vile
Kurt Vile shares Tom Petty's knack for being effortlessly cool. His laid-back, almost conversational vocal delivery and rambling, fingerpicked guitar melodies feel like a lo-fi cousin to Petty's more polished rock. There's a shared sense of wry melancholy and a celebration of the ordinary. Vile’s music, particularly on tracks like 'Bassackwards,' wanders in a way that feels both lazy and intricate, capturing a certain sun-drenched, Southern California wistfulness present in Petty’s work. His heartfelt cover of 'Learning to Fly' made the connection undeniable, stripping the song down to its beautifully simple core.
Sam Fender
Across the Atlantic, the spirit of American heartland rock is alive and well in the UK's Sam Fender. His anthemic songs about working-class life, aspiration, and disillusionment carry the same powerful, earnest energy that defined artists like Petty and Springsteen. Fender himself has cited Petty as a key influence, and his music often pairs sharp, socially-aware lyrics with stadium-sized rock hooks. His cover of 'Love Is A Long Road' was a nod to a master, but his original work, with its soaring saxophones and passionate delivery, proves the influence is more than just skin deep.
Sharon Van Etten
While she began in a more folk-oriented space, Sharon Van Etten has evolved into an indie rock powerhouse whose work often contains the emotional weight and cathartic release found in Petty's catalog. Her music explores love, loss, and resilience with a raw, unflinching honesty. While her sonic palette is often darker and more atmospheric, songs like 'Seventeen' capture the same rebellious nostalgia and yearning for escape that made 'American Girl' an anthem. She brings a different, but no less potent, energy to the tradition of turning personal pain into powerful rock and roll.
Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real
As the frontman for Neil Young's backing band and the son of a country icon, Lukas Nelson is steeped in American musical history. Yet his own work often channels the straightforward, no-frills rock and roll of Tom Petty. Nelson and his band perform with a loose, joyful energy that feels very connected to the Heartbreakers' live chemistry. His voice has a similar tone and his frequent, fiery covers of Petty classics like 'American Girl' and 'Breakdown' aren't just tributes; they feel like a natural extension of his own musical identity.
Strand of Oaks
Timothy Showalter, the driving force behind Strand of Oaks, creates music that is deeply personal, often grappling with darkness and searching for transcendence. It's a brand of cathartic, synth-laden rock that shares a spiritual kinship with Petty's more introspective moments. Like Petty, Showalter writes with a disarming honesty, making his struggles feel universal. His live shows are known for their raw, emotional power, and his appreciation for Petty is clear. He has not only written about Petty's impact but has also covered his songs, finding common ground in the way they both use rock music as a tool for healing and connection.
