Twenty-eight Billboard Top-10 singles, induction in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and a string of best-selling studio albums…nearly a decade after his passing, Tom Petty remains one of rock’s most beloved figures. In Tom Petty: The Life & Music, coming out via Motorbooks, on November 4, 2025, veteran rock journalist Gillian G. Gaar reveals this rock icon through his life and career, concert performances, recordings, accolades and more.
Through the decades, Gaar covers it all:
o Petty’s childhood in Florida and early band, Mudcrutch
o All 13 studio albums, including those with The Heartbreakers and as a solo artist such as the breakouts Damn the Torpedoes and Wildflowers
o A selection of his greatest singles, like the rock standards “Don’t Do Me Like That” and “Free Fallin’”
o Relationships with notable rock figures such as Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Johnny Cash, and Stevie Nicks
o Legendary gigs, from his first SNL appearance to his 2004 performance with Prince and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and his Super Bowl halftime performance and much more.

This hardcover and luxuriously produced edition is ensconced inside a high-quality slipcase, and features stunning concert and candid offstage photography, images of rare gig posters, period advertising and much more.
Beginning with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ 1976 self-titled debut LP and continuing right through the band’s final release, Hypnotic Eye in 2014, Tom Petty is one of the most beloved performers and musicians in rock ’n’ roll history. This book is your unprecedented retrospective of Petty’s life and art, from teenage Florida rock ’n’ roll enthusiast to international and influential rock star. It’s a must-have biography for Tom Petty fans.

About the Author Gillian G. Gaar has written for numerous publications, including Mojo, Rolling Stone, and Goldmine. Previous books include She’s a Rebel: The History of Women in Rock & Roll; Entertain Us: The Rise of Nirvana; Return of the King: Elvis Presley’s Great Comeback; Elton John at 75; and Bruce Springsteen at 75. She lives in Seattle.

Tom Petty: The Life & Music is available November 4 at bookstores and online – more info here.

Want to win a copy, courtesy of The Quarto Group? Enter below. One winner will be randoly chosen from all online entries on Friday, November 14 at noon. Good luck!