Echo (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers album) explained

Echo
Type:	studio
Artist:	Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Cover:	Tom Petty Echo.jpg
Border:	yes
Released:	April 13, 1999
Genre:	Heartland rock
Length:	62:06
Label:	Warner Bros.
Prev Title:	Songs and Music from "She's the One"
Prev Year:	1996
Next Year:	2000

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 Billboards Mainstream Rock Tracks in 1999. The album was the band's last collaboration with producer Rick Rubin, and was also the last to feature contributions from longtime bassist/vocalist Howie Epstein, who died of a heroin overdose 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.^[1] It also marks the first to feature longtime touring member Scott Thurston. 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, namely 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.^[2]

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, the latter having been circulated as a bootleg since at least 2008.

Personnel

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers

• Tom Petty – rhythm guitars, harmonica, lead and backing vocals
• Mike Campbell – guitars (lead, bass), lead vocals on "I Don't Wanna Fight"
• Benmont Tench – pianos, organ, chamberlin, clavinet
• Howie Epstein – bass guitar, backing vocals

Additional musicians

• Scott Thurston – 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 – mastering
• Tom Petty – producer
• Rick Rubin – producer
• Dave Schiffman – engineer
• Christine Sirois – engineer

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1999)! scope="col"

Peak position
UK Albums (OCC)^[3]	43
US Billboard 200^[4]	10

Year-end charts

Chart (1999)! scope="col"

Position
US Billboard 200^[5]	180

Singles

Year!scope="col"

Single	Chart	Position
1999	"Free Girl Now"	US Mainstream Rock	5

Notes and References

1. Web site: Heart Breaker. Matthews. Tom. Milwaukee Magazine. March 16, 2011. November 6, 2017.
2. Web site: Nelson. Chris. Best of '99: Downloadable Tom Petty Single Pulled from 'MP3.com' Site. https://web.archive.org/web/20170728134807/http://www.mtv.com/news/512759/best-of-99-downloadable-tom-petty-single-pulled-from-mp3com-site/. dead. July 28, 2017. MTV.com. MTV. July 28, 2017. March 11, 1999.
3. Web site: Tom Petty full Official Chart History. Official Charts Company. April 4, 2019.
4. Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers Chart History. Billboard. April 2, 2019.
5. Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1999. Billboard. June 26, 2021. January 24, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150124045933/https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1999/the-billboard-200. live.