# In 1991, Tom Petty released a song he never liked. Radio stations couldn’t stop playing it

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/in-1991-tom-petty-released-a-song-he-never-liked-radio-stations-couldnt-stop-playing-it/
- Published: 2026-10-25T17:15:29+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-25T22:38:35+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/1991-tom-petty-released-a-song-he-never-liked/
- Topics: Entertainment, Music

## Key points

- Petty disliked “Out in the Cold” as a single.
- Radio stations in Los Angeles played it often.
- The track has more than 2.5 million Spotify streams.

## Summary

Tom Petty was unhappy when “Out in the Cold” was chosen as a single from the Heartbreakers’ 1991 album *Into the Great Wide Open*. The label favoured its driving groove and faster pace, but Petty felt other songs on the record better represented his work.

The article says the song, alongside “Making Some Noise”, received frequent radio play in Los Angeles, despite Petty regarding both as lesser tracks. “Out in the Cold” has since passed 2.5 million Spotify streams; its insistent riff and punk-influenced energy helped it find an audience beyond its original radio run.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.