1976 Classic Rock Anthem Gets Extended Release in Honor of Its 50th Anniversary

An extended release of what some are calling the “best song ever” is headed for airplay after it was dug up in the band’s archives ahead of the 50th anniversary of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers.

The late frontman’s official Instagram account announced the thrilling news, teasing a series of “treasures from the white hot ‘70s era of the band.”

First up is an extended version of “American Girl,” which, despite failing to chart on the Hot 100 during its initial release on the band’s self-titled debut album in 1976, went on to become a modern anthem.

The HiRes/spatial mix, which blends “the original multi-track tapes by long-time engineer Ryan Ulyate, and includes an extended, never-before-heard outro that was recently uncovered in the archives,” is now available to stream on Spotify, Apple Music, and more.

And if that wasn’t enough to get fans raring to go (though it was), there are “more announcements and exclusives” to come.

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Though it was slow to catch on for fans, only breaking the Bubbling Under chart with its 1994 rerelease—hitting No. 9—today many consider it to be “one of the greatest songs ever written ❤️❤️,” with one boldly declaring it the “Best. Song. Ever.”

The news of its extended release riled fans up, with one exclaiming that “TODAY IS AN AMAZING DAY.”

“So exciting!” someone else agreed.

While fans can likely all agree to be “here for anything and everything 💘🎸” that is to come, there’s certainly an air of anticipation about it all.

Petty died in 2017 at the age of 66. He suffered from an overdose relating to a toxic combination of medications he was taking for emphysema, knee problems, and a fractured hip. Though he was rescusitated, he later died of multisystem organ failure.

A bit of mourning broke through the excitement, too, with one fan admitting, “I just consider myself fortunate to have seen him live a few times! Man I miss him 🙏!”

“Where did I leave that box of tissues 😍,” another wondered.

Despite the song’s failure to chart, it enjoyed decades of radio play and has been featured on many an iconic soundtrack, including Fast Times at Ridgemont High and The Silence of the Lambs. This once-flop has since been ranked as Petty’s greatest song ever by Billboard, with the publication calling it “practically part of the American literary canon.”

“…rock music just does not get more rousing,” they added, noting that today, samples “barely even register, because it just feels like borrowing from rock’s own DNA at this point.”

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