The Last DJ cover art

  Studio Album · No. 12

The Last DJ Songwriting Credits by Tom Petty

2002 Warner Bros. Records 12 tracks 48 min

Produced by Tom Petty, Mike Campbell, George Drakoulias  ·  Engineered by Richard Dodd, Jim Scott, Ryan Hewitt

Warner Bros. Records Heartland RockRock
100%
Authorship
Complete Artist

Holds writing credit on 12 of 12 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 12 / 12 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 12 tracks with documented writers, by whether Tom Petty carries a lyricist or composer credit.

100%
12 trackswritten by Tom Petty 0 tracksoutside writers
Tom Petty's roles on this album

Share of the 12 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist100%
Composer100%
Producer100%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

12
Tracks
2
Lyricists
3
Producers
353,000
US Copies Sold
2002
Released
Data Insight

The Last DJ is a concept album in which Tom Petty wrote a pointed critique of corporate greed in the music and radio industries, with songs like the title track, 'Money Becomes King,' 'Joe,' and 'Can't Stop the Sun' carrying the theme. Petty wrote the majority of the material alone and co-wrote two tracks with longtime collaborator Mike Campbell. He produced the record with Campbell and George Drakoulias. The album's industry critique was direct enough that some radio stations boycotted its songs.

A concept album critiquing the commercialization of the music industry and corporate radio. Produced by Petty and George Drakoulias.

Track Listing & Credits 12 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
The Last DJ
Tom Petty Thomas Earl Petty Tom PettyMike CampbellGeorge Drakoulias Tom Petty (Lead Vocals)
2
Money Becomes King
Tom Petty Thomas Earl Petty Tom PettyMike CampbellGeorge Drakoulias Tom Petty (Lead Vocals)
3
Dreamville
Tom Petty Thomas Earl Petty Tom PettyMike CampbellGeorge Drakoulias Tom Petty (Lead Vocals)
4
Joe
Tom Petty Thomas Earl Petty Tom PettyMike CampbellGeorge Drakoulias Tom Petty (Lead Vocals)
5
When a Kid Goes Bad
Tom Petty Thomas Earl Petty Tom PettyMike CampbellGeorge Drakoulias Tom Petty (Lead Vocals)
6
Like a Diamond
Tom Petty Thomas Earl Petty Tom PettyMike CampbellGeorge Drakoulias Tom Petty (Lead Vocals)
7
Lost Children
Tom Petty Thomas Earl Petty Tom PettyMike CampbellGeorge Drakoulias Tom Petty (Lead Vocals)
8
Blue Sunday
Tom PettyMike Campbell Thomas Earl PettyMichael Wayne Campbell Tom PettyMike CampbellGeorge Drakoulias Tom Petty (Lead Vocals)
9
You and Me
Tom Petty Thomas Earl Petty Tom PettyMike CampbellGeorge Drakoulias Tom Petty (Lead Vocals)
10
The Man Who Loves Women
Tom Petty Thomas Earl Petty Tom PettyMike CampbellGeorge Drakoulias Lindsey Buckingham
11
Have Love Will Travel
Tom Petty Thomas Earl Petty Tom PettyMike CampbellGeorge Drakoulias Tom Petty (Lead Vocals)
12
Can't Stop the Sun
Tom PettyMike Campbell Thomas Earl PettyMichael Wayne Campbell Tom PettyMike CampbellGeorge Drakoulias Tom Petty (Lead Vocals)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 6 contributors

More from Tom Petty

Frequently Asked Questions The Last DJ

Is The Last DJ a concept album?
Yes. The Last DJ is a concept album by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers that critiques greed and commercialism in the music and radio industries. Songs including the title track, 'Money Becomes King,' 'Joe,' and 'Can't Stop the Sun' carry that theme across the record.
Who wrote the songs on The Last DJ?
Tom Petty wrote all of the songs on The Last DJ except two, which he co-wrote with Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell. Petty was the album's primary lyricist and the driving force behind its concept.
What is the song The Last DJ about?
'The Last DJ' is about a radio disc jockey who refuses to follow commercial dictates and plays the music he believes in. The song frames him as a holdout against an industry Petty saw as increasingly driven by money rather than art. It peaked at number 22 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
Why did some radio stations boycott The Last DJ?
Some radio stations objected to the album's harsh portrayal of the music and broadcasting business and responded by declining to play its songs. The album's critique of corporate radio made it a target of the very industry it described.
Who produced The Last DJ?
The Last DJ was produced by Tom Petty, Mike Campbell, and George Drakoulias. It was recorded in 2001 and 2002 at Cello Studios in Hollywood, California.
Did The Last DJ chart well?
The Last DJ reached number 9 on the Billboard 200 in 2002. As of 2010 it had sold about 353,000 copies in the United States according to Nielsen SoundScan.
What does Money Becomes King address?
'Money Becomes King' is one of the songs on The Last DJ that directly addresses the album's theme of commercialism overtaking the music industry. Tom Petty uses it to lament how financial interests have come to dominate the business.

Sources