The Last DJ

Sound DNA

• Rock
• Rock & Roll

• warm
• cynical
• storytelling

About

Tom Petty turned 50 just before the recording of <i>The Last DJ</i>, and his eleventh studio album deals with an aging man’s fear and nostalgia. It begins with Petty’s attack on the modern music industry. “The Last DJ” is based on legendary Los Angeles DJ Jim Ladd, one of the few jockeys who still insists on a freeform format. “There goes your freedom of choice,” Petty sings in the title song. “There goes the last human voice.” “Money Becomes King” is even more acrimonious, taking aim at the greed and commercialization Petty sees in modern rock music. Petty’s anger culminates in “Joe,” a portrait of a corrupt label CEO who exploits young talent: “Or bring me a girl, they’re always the best / You put ‘em on stage and you have ‘em undress / Some angel whore who can learn a guitar lick / Hey, now that’s what I call music.” <i>The Last DJ</i> also contains some of Petty's most empathetic songs. “When a Kid Goes Bad” and “Lost Children” express his compassion for youth gone astray. The influence of Petty’s beloved Beatles is stronger than ever, especially on “Like a Diamond” and “The Man Who Loves Women.”

via Apple Music

Tracklist

Credits