Into the Great Wide Open was warmly received by critics. Dave DiMartino, reviewing the album for Entertainment Weekly, said that the album was the closest "classic" album Petty and the band had made in 15 years, saying that the album was a return to their first two albums. He feels that this is due largely to Jeff Lynne and that the songs are better than the ones on Full Moon Fever. Rolling Stone critic Parke Puterbaugh called the album a cross between Full Moon Fever and Damn the Torpedoes, said that it features Petty's best lyrics and that it is much better than Let Me Up . Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic was less impressed, saying that Into the Great Wide Open sounds too much like Full Moon Fever. He said that the album was "pleasant" but was not his best. In his Consumer Guide, Robert Christgau gave the album a one-star honorable mention, indicating "a worthy effort consumers attuned to its overriding aesthetic or individual vision may well like".
"Attention, Cassette listeners ..."
At the end of the cassette format of Side One, there is a brief spoken interlude by Tom Petty. It is a tongue-in-cheek reference to the "Hello CD Listeners" interlude from Full Moon Fever, this time instructing cassette listeners on how to properly flip over their tape and prepare it for side 2.
Singles
The first single "Learning to Fly" was released prior to the album in June 1991, and was a big hit for Tom Petty. The second single, the title track, was released shortly after the album's release and is also one of the band's biggest hits. They were both top 10 singles on various charts. The third single "Out in the Cold" was a minor hit, although it did not achieve the commercial success of the first two. Throughout 1992, four other singles were released; "Makin' Some Noise", "All Or Nothin'" "Too Good To Be True" and "King's Highway".
Track listing
All tracks written by Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne, except where noted. Side one
"Learning to Fly" – 4:02
"Kings Highway" – 3:08
"Into the Great Wide Open" – 3:43
"Two Gunslingers" – 3:09
"The Dark of the Sun" – 3:23
"All or Nothin'" – 4:07
Side two
"All the Wrong Reasons" – 3:46
"Too Good to Be True" – 3:59
"Out in the Cold" – 3:40
"You and I Will Meet Again" – 3:42
"Makin' Some Noise" – 3:27
"Built to Last" – 4:00
Personnel
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Tom Petty – lead vocals, guitars, keyboards, percussion
Mike Campbell – guitars, keyboards, backing vocals on "Learning to Fly"
Benmont Tench – acoustic and electric pianos, accordion
