Hard Promises, Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers

Includes amazing Fold Out Poster. Vinyl looks unplayed. 

Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers – Hard Promises

Artist: Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers

Title: Hard Promises

Album Type: Fourth Studio Album

Original Release Date: May 5, 1981

Label: Backstreet / MCA Records

Genre: Heartland Rock / Rock & Roll / Jangle Pop

ackground & Production Hard Promises followed the massive breakthrough of Damn the Torpedoes and solidified Tom Petty’s status as a rock icon. Produced by Jimmy Iovine and Tom Petty, the album is famously known for Petty’s successful legal battle against MCA Records to prevent "superstar pricing." MCA intended to raise the retail price from $8.98 to $9.98; Petty threatened to withhold the album or name it The $8.98 Album until the label backed down. Recorded at Sound City and Cherokee Studios, the album features a more mature, slightly more acoustic-leaning sound than its predecessor, while maintaining the band's signature punch.

Musical Composition & Style The album showcases the incredible chemistry of the Heartbreakers—particularly the interplay between Petty’s vocals, Mike Campbell’s tasteful guitar layers, and Benmont Tench’s melodic organ work.

• The Standout Single: "The Waiting" became one of Petty's most enduring hits, featuring a classic Rickenbacker jangle that paid homage to The Byrds while establishing a new standard for 80s rock radio.

• Stevie Nicks Collaboration: The track "Insider" was originally written for Stevie Nicks, but Petty liked it so much he kept it for the album, with Nicks providing haunting harmony vocals. This session also famously led to the duet "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around," which appeared on Nicks' Bella Donna.

• Dynamic Range: The album moves seamlessly from the hard-driving rock of "A Woman in Love (It's Not Me)" to the folk-rock introspection of "Something Big" and the Delta-blues influence of "Kings Road."

Legacy & Collector Notes Hard Promises reached #5 on the Billboard 200 and was certified Platinum. It is often cited by critics as the quintessential "Heartbreakers" record because it captures the band's transition from the raw energy of their 70s roots to the more polished, songwriting-focused approach of their 80s peak. For vinyl collectors, original pressings on the Backstreet label are highly regarded for their warm, analog punch, capturing the high-fidelity production that Jimmy Iovine was famous for in the early 80s.

• Keywords: Tom Petty, The Heartbreakers, Hard Promises, The Waiting, Jimmy Iovine, Heartland Rock, 1981 Vinyl, MCA Records, Mike Campbell, Stevie Nicks.

• Collection Ideas: 80s Rock Essentials, Heartland Rock Classics, Best of Tom Petty, Guitar-Driven Rock.

• Related Artists: Bruce Springsteen, The Byrds, Fleetwood Mac, Bob Dylan, Neil Young.

MINT - sealed

NM - likely never played - almost perfect

VG+ - light scuffs, light scratches wont effect play

VG -  signs of wear, light scratches you can feel

GOOD -  surface noise, visible groove wear

POOR / FAIR- some damage, causing issues like skipping & distorted audio

OIS - original inner sleeve