Nearly half a century after its release, Tom Petty's "American Girl" returns to Billboard's Rock Streaming Songs chart and reaches a new all-time peak position. Tom Petty, portrait, New York, 1977. (Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images)Getty ImagesA number of legendary musical acts return to the Billboard charts this week following the July Fourth holiday in America. A handful of familiar songs – some decades or even half a century old at this point – become streaming sensations all over again after listeners took to platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music to play cuts that have gradually become associated with the country, summer or patriotism.Huge upticks in streams also allow several late superstars and long-defunct groups to reach new peaks on various rankings or make their first appearances on relatively young Billboard tallies. Tom Petty belongs to that group, as “American Girl” becomes a hit again following the nation’s milestone two-hundred-and-fiftieth birthday. The surge in activity connected to the hit – one of his best – helps one of his most successful compilations surge on four albums charts.“American Girl” Reaches a New Streaming Chart Peak“American Girl” returns to the Rock Streaming Songs chart this week, landing at No. 21. As the cut returns, it establishes a new all-time high on the ranking that details the most-streamed rock songs in the U.S. during each tracking frame.Petty’s classic appears on the Rock Streaming Songs roster for only the second time. “American Girl” debuted on the chart last summer, shortly after the Fourth of July holiday. Now, it’s back and bigger than ever. The single may disappear again once the holiday-fueled surge subsides, but it appears to be morphing into an annual favorite, and it could return again in 12 months.MORE FOR YOU“American Girl” Remains Tom Petty’s Lowest-Peaking HitEven as it climbs to a new high, “American Girl” remains Petty’s lowest-peaking release on the Rock Streaming Songs chart. The singer-songwriter – who is sometimes credited alongside his longtime backing band the Heartbreakers – has placed eight tracks on the ranking. Five of those tunes have broken into the top 10. Two others came close to reaching that tier, as “You Don’t Know How It Feels” and “Runnin’ Down a Dream” peaked at Nos. 11 and 12, respectively.Tom Petty Ties His Own Longevity Record“American Girl” may not rank as one of his highest-rising wins on the Rock Streaming Songs tally, but as it returns, the cut does tie as one of Petty’s longest-running hits on the list. The tune matches the total accumulated by “Free Fallin’,” “Mary Jane’s Last Dance” and “I Won’t Back Down” – which have all spent only a pair of turns on the list – while each of his remaining appearances managed for a single frame.Greatest Hits Reaches a New Streaming Chart HighThe success of “American Girl” helps push Petty’s Greatest Hits to a new peak on the Top Streaming Albums chart. The ranking measures the albums and EPs that earn the most consumption through streams in the U.S., and it largely caters to newer acts and current-day stars.The collection rockets from No. 49 — second-to-last place on the 50-position tally — to No. 26. That marks the highest position Greatest Hits has reached during its four weeks on the streaming-focused roster. The compilation is the only Petty title to ever appear on the Top Streaming Albums chart, so its latest surge therefore gives the late rocker and the Heartbreakers a new career-best showing on the relatively new list.Greatest Hits Returns to Two the Top 10 on Two Rock ListsPetty’s compilation also breaks back into the top 10 on both of Billboard’s broad rock albums rankings. Greatest Hits rises from No. 11 to No. 5 on the Top Rock Albums chart and lifts from No. 13 to No. 6 on the Top Rock & Alternative Albums tally. The project has previously ruled both lists.Tom Petty’s Compilation Bolts Back Into the Top 40Tom Petty on the bus during his 1983 summer tour in Florida shot for Rolling Stone Magazine. (Photo by Aaron Rapoport/Corbis via Getty Images)Corbis via Getty ImagesGreatest Hits enjoys a major move on the Billboard 200 as well, the main albums list in the country. The tally combines traditional sales, streaming-equivalent albums and track-equivalent units to rank the most-consumed full-lengths and EPs in the U.S.This time around, Petty’s singles collection bolts from No. 52 to No. 31, returning to the top 40. Greatest Hits originally peaked at No. 2 and has now spent 678 weeks on the Billboard 200 – meaning it has less than six months to go before it reaches the remarkable and rare 700-week milestone.ForbesTom Petty Charts A New Bestselling Album Nearly A Decade After His PassingBy Hugh McIntyre