5 Best Songs For Open Mic Nights

Tom Petty's late period may not have yielded as many hit singles, but the album cuts proved that a songwriting genius was still walking the land. On Petty's 1994 masterpiece Wildflowers, his tunes had a more organic sound and a heartfelt attention to songcrafting.

Towards the middle of the record comes the song "To Find a Friend," which may be one of the most open songs Petty has ever written. By staying open, Petty fills in enough features to not be abstract while not sprinkling in too many details to muddle the story. The song's tale of a couple separating and leading unsatisfying lives is already a bit depressive, but the chorus recounting the passing of time gives the tune its power. It's as if you're watching this sad event play out as you see these people grow more heartbroken every day they are apart.

The song is able to carry all this emotional heft while sounding like an effortless production, which makes it a must for an open mic night. There's no additional studio bells and whistles to get in the way of the song. The power is in the story and melody, which makes this song truly bulletproof.