''Echo'' is the tenth studio album by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Released in April 1999, the album reached number 10 on the ''Billboard'' 200 aided by singles "Free Girl Now", "Swingin'" and "Room at the Top", which hit numbers 5, 17 and 19 respectively on '' Billboard''s Mainstream Rock Tracks in 1999. The album was the band's last collaboration with producer

Rick Rubin Frederick Jay Rubin (; born March 10, 1963) is an American record producer. He is the co-founder (alongside Russell Simmons) of Def Jam Recordings, founder of American Recordings, and former co-president of Columbia Records. Rubin helped popula ...

, and was also the last to feature contributions from longtime bassist/vocalist

Howie Epstein Howard Norman Epstein (July 21, 1955 – February 23, 2003) was an American musician best known as a bassist with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Early life Epstein was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and grew up in a musical household. His ...

, who died of a heroin

overdose A drug overdose (overdose or OD) is the ingestion or application of a drug or other substance in quantities much greater than are recommended.

in 2003. Despite still being a member of the band, Epstein is missing from the album's cover photo because he failed to show up for the photo shoot, and Petty ordered it to commence without him. It also marks the first to feature longtime touring member

Scott Thurston Scott Troy Thurston (born January 10, 1952) is an American guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter, and session musician. He was a member of the Stooges, and of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, in which he sang harmony vocals and played guitar, bass, ...

. ''Echo'' was certified Gold (500,000 copies sold) by the RIAA in July 1999, only three months after it was released. ''Echo'' is the only Heartbreakers' album to feature a lead vocal from another member of the band: lead guitarist Mike Campbell on "I Don't Wanna Fight". "Free Girl Now" is also notable for being the second single by a major artist to be made available for free internet download in MP3 format by the artist. Petty's marketing decision caused concern at Warner Bros., and the download was pulled after two days, but propagated thanks to services like Napster.

Track listing

Outtakes

*"Sweet William" appeared as the B-side on the "Room at the Top" CD single. *"Gainesville" and "I Don't Belong" were released posthumously as a part of the ''An American Treasure'' compilation in 2018.

Personnel

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers *

Tom Petty Thomas Earl Petty (October 20, 1950October 2, 2017) was an American musician who was the lead vocalist and guitarist of the rock band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, formed in 1976. He previously led the band Mudcrutch, was a member of the la ...

– rhythm guitars, harmonica, lead and backing vocals * Mike Campbell – guitars (lead, bass), lead vocals on "I Don't Wanna Fight" *

Benmont Tench Benjamin Montmorency "Benmont" Tench III (born September 7, 1953) is an American musician and singer, and a founding member of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Early years Tench was born in Gainesville, Florida, the second child of Benjamin ...

– pianos, organ,

chamberlin The Chamberlin is an electro-mechanical keyboard instrument that was a precursor to the Mellotron. It was developed and patented by the American inventor Harry Chamberlin from 1949 to 1956, when the first model was introduced. There are several ...

, clavinet *

– bass guitar, backing vocals Additional musicians *

– guitars (acoustic, electric), backing vocals * Steve Ferrone – drums * Lenny Castro – percussion Production * Martyn Atkins – art direction and photography * Rob Brill – engineer * Mike Campbell – producer * Christine Cano – art direction and design * Richard Dodd – engineer, mixer * Ok Hee Kim – engineer * Aaron Lepley – engineer *

Stephen Marcussen Stephen Marcussen is the founder and chief mastering engineer at Marcussen Mastering in Hollywood, California, United States. He has been mastering music since 1979. Biography Marcussen's introduction to music recording happened in 1976 when, at ...

– mastering * Tom Petty – producer *

– producer * Dave Schiffman – engineer * Christine Sirois – engineer

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Singles

Certifications

References

{{Authority control Tom Petty albums 1999 albums Albums produced by Rick Rubin Albums produced by Tom Petty Warner Records albums