• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Tom Petty To Receive Billboard's Century Award?!

Tom Petty presented the inaugural Billboard Century Award in 1992 to George Harrison. Now it is Petty's turn to receive the honor.

The Century Award, Billboard's highest honor for creative achievement, will be presented to Petty Dec. 6 during the Billboard Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The awards will be telecast live on Fox.

"Tom Petty is one of the true great singer/songwriters," Billboard co-executive editor Tamara Conniff says. "Petty's songs and lyrics go to the root of the American dream. For over 30 years, Petty has been a rock icon who continues to inspire new generations of artists. We are honored to present him with the 2005 Century Award."

At 54, Petty shows no signs of slowing down. With his longtime band, the Heartbreakers, Petty just completed a North American tour, drawing more than 550,000 fans to the 36 shows reported to Billboard Boxscore.

"This award comes at a particularly nice time as the Heartbreakers and I go into the 30th year of our career," Petty says. "I'm very honored that Billboard has acknowledged me with this award."

Petty is wrapping up his third solo album, "Highway Companion," due in the spring. While sources say he has been in discussions with Sanctuary Records, there is no official word on a new label home. He has previously recorded for Shelter, Backstreet/MCA and Warner Bros.

In the meantime, Petty has four songs in Cameron Crowe's new movie, "Elizabethtown," and on the accompanying soundtrack, which came out Sept. 13 via RCA.

Influenced by '50s rock and the British bands of the '60s, Petty and the Heartbreakers crafted their own brand of rock'n'roll, generating such hits as "American Girl," "Breakdown," "Don't Do Me Like That," "Refugee," "The Waiting," "You Got Lucky" and "Don't Come Around Here No More."

All told, the Heartbreakers' albums have sold more than 50 million copies worldwide, including their top-selling "Greatest Hits," which has been certified by the Recording Industry Association of America for U.S. shipments of more than 10 million units. The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.

Petty, a four-time Grammy Award winner, has interspersed Heartbreakers projects with two well-received solo releases and a pair of albums with supergroup the Traveling Wilburys, which included his musical heroes Harrison, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison and Jeff Lynne.

The Century Award was created by the late Billboard editor in chief Timothy White and former publisher Howard Lander. In addition to Harrison, it has been presented to Buddy Guy, Billy Joel, Joni Mitchell, Carlos Santana, Chet Atkins, James Taylor, Emmylou Harris, Randy Newman, John Mellencamp, Annie Lennox, Sting and Stevie Wonder.
Click to expand...
no love for Petty?
 
Anyone who can write a rock song that uses the sitar deserves something. 😉

Seriously, Full Moon Fever is a great album, and I could listen to their Greatest Hits for hours.
 
Originally posted by: Preyhunter
Link

It's bad enough that he looks 100, but to give him an award for it? That's just wrong.
Click to expand...

I'd say you're outnumbered. Tom Petty = :thumbsup:

Seriously, though, he's been making great music for 30 years. I think he deserves the award.
 
Annie Lennox and John Mellencamp got the Century award as well? 😕

Petty deserves AN award, but this one obviously ain't worthy of him.
 
go tom. 'greatest hits' was the first audio cd i ever purchased. a lot of cd's have come and gone, but i still own that very same cd.
 
Originally posted by: DingDingDao
Originally posted by: Preyhunter
Link

It's bad enough that he looks 100, but to give him an award for it? That's just wrong.
Click to expand...

I'd say you're outnumbered. Tom Petty = :thumbsup:

Seriously, though, he's been making great music for 30 years. I think he deserves the award.
Click to expand...

I posted this thread for two reasons. One being that I knew there were many Petty fans here and figured a good many didn't know about the award. The other being that it was a poor attempt at humor (Tom Petty looking 100 years old, hence the "century" award). I'm not necessarily a fan of his work, but there's something to be said for a band that has done as well as they have for as long as they have.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top