The “genius” songwriter Tom Petty thought nobody could better: “As good as any music uou could make”
The world of music has a lot to thank America for. The birthplace of rock and roll is the central point of so much of what we consider to be modern music; the country has delivered heavy doses of brilliance on the airwaves. When considering the great all-American artists, Tom Petty is right up there.
Leader of The Heartbreakers, Petty and his band were the defining artists of the rock sound of the 1970s and ‘80s. In the following years, his supergroup, the Traveling Wilburys, saw him join forces with Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne and Roy Orbison as a coming together of the era’s finest musicians.
The group might be the heaviest-hitting supergroup of all time. Few bands can claim to have such a potent arsenal of explosive performers and songwriters. Despite their achievements, though, there is one songwriter not included that Petty called “the greatest”.
Tom Petty’s music sits alongside his peers like Stevie Nicks and Bruce Springsteen as a shining example of radio-ready rock. Americana incarnate, Petty has often delivered the beating heart of the country. Merging classic rock and roll with a slight country flair, Petty wasn’t afraid of mixing genres.
Songs such as ‘American Girl’ and ‘Free Fallin” have become rock standards, making Petty one of the most prominent names of the genre. But it seems that Petty’s own tastes veer more towards pop as he points to Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys as the greatest songwriter of all time.
During an interview for Playboy, Petty talks about the Beach Boys’ iconic 1966 album Pet Sounds, calling it “a brilliant album”. It’s an understatement. The record is not only a genius piece of work when listened to on its own, but it is also dripping with potential influence, having been central to so many musical and lyrical developments.
“Pet Sounds still sounds great to me,” Petty said. Continuing, he added: “Hell, I once heard a radio interview with Paul McCartney in which he said that after hearing Pet Sounds, he had to do something like Sgt. Pepper. He was right. Brian Wilson is the greatest. The root of his personal problem was that he did genius work and never got recognition for it from the man in the street. So he took a real artistic risk.”
To Petty, Brian Wilson stands out as a real shining light in music. As the leader of The Beach Boys, Wilson wrote, composed and even produced for the band. Pet Sounds is widely regarded as their greatest work, seeing Wilson take on an absolute musical feat of experimentation.
For this reason, considering Wilson’s skill, Petty said he would rate him as highly as “any composer.” In fact, he said, “I don’t think you’d be out of line comparing him to Beethoven, to any composer.” It’s an increidbly rich vein of praise. “The word genius is used a lot with Brian,” Petty continues. “I don’t know if he’s a genius or not. But I know his music is probably as good as any music you can make.”
Pet Sounds is recognised for its lush and intricate arrangements, incorporating innovative instrumentation, including harpsichords, accordions, theremins, and even barking dogs. Wilson’s meticulous attention to detail in the studio was groundbreaking at the time and helped redefine what could be achieved in a recording. The album’s impact extends far beyond its time and has influenced generations of musicians with its production techniques and songwriting approaches, earning its place as a timeless classic.
