"It's the life of the artist. You never retire. You become relentless": The Pretenders albums you should listen to... and one to avoid

Pretenders (Real, 1980)

Conflating punk, new wave and terse rock‘n’roll into a unifying whole, the band’s debut drips with attitude and audacity, from the racing opening chords of Precious to enigmatic closer Mystery Achievement.

Prior singles Kid and Stop Your Sobbing (a Kinks song produced by Nick Lowe, although Chris Thomas took over for production for the album) had hinted at The Pretenders’ potential, but few were prepared for the strutting brilliance of tracks like Tattooed Love Boys or Brass In Pocket, the latter a mega-hit that made them international stars. Grace Jones quickly covered Private Life, which Hynde said was “one of the high points of my career”

Learning To Crawl (Sire, 1984)

The tragic deaths of guitarist James Honeyman-Scott and bassist Pete Farndon had threatened to overwhelm The Pretenders completely, but Hynde eventually formed a new line-up for their third album, which largely deals with themes of loss, impermanence and regeneration.

Robbie McIntosh and Malcolm Foster proved to be worthy replacements, particularly on the coruscating Middle Of The Road and Hynde’s gentler, Byrdslike 2,000 Miles, a requiem for Honeyman-Scott. The latter became a Christmas chart hit, while Back On The Chain Gang brought the band their biggest Stateside success.

Pretenders II (Sire, 1981)

Having released a stopgap EP earlier in 1981, the band made good on their full-length debut with a follow-up that mostly lived up to expectations.

Two killer tunes from Extended Play - Talk Of The Town and Message Of Love, the latter a mighty showcase for guitarist James Honeyman-Scott and drummer Martin Chambers – were revived for Pretenders II, taking their place alongside fresh gems like Pack It Up and feverish rebel anthem Bad Boys Get Spanked. Another highlight was the tender I Go To Sleep, written in 1965 by The Kinks’ Ray Davies, with whom Hynde was then romantically involved.

Get Close (Real, 1986)

The reconstituted 80s line-up didn’t last long. Hynde sacked drummer Martin Chambers, still suffering trauma from the deaths of his old bandmates, during early sessions for Get Close, prompting bassist Martin Foster to quit in support. The rest of the album was put together by Hynde and guitarist Robbie McIntosh with hired help.

Given the input of several players steeped in funk and soul, the result was a more spacious, groove-centric sound, from the Stax-y Chill Factor to the motoring R&B of Don’t Get Me Wrong. The latter and Meg Keene’s Hymn To Her were both substantial hit singles

Last Of The Independents (Sire, 1994)

By the advent of Britpop, The Pretenders were a fluid entity, essentially down to Hynde and assorted session players. Former Katydids guitarist Adam Seymour was her main foil on this vivacious follow-up to 1990’s uneven Packed!, drummer Martin Chambers returned after an eight-year absence, and ex-Smiths man Andy Rourke shared bass duties.

Songs like Night In My Veins and the affecting Every Mother’s Son display Hynde’s innate gift for melody, while the clear standout is the emotive I’ll Stand By You, which remains The Pretenders’ last major hit.

Relentless (Parlophone, 2023)

Hynde’s second songwriting collaboration with ace guitarist James Walbourne, following on from 2020’s Hate For Sale, saw the pair truly hit their stride.

Heading up “the Pretenders Collective” - also including Kris Sonne (drums), Chris Hill (double bass), Dave Page (bass) and Carwyn Ellis (keyboards/ guitars) – she and Walbourne snap into sharp-fanged rockers while finding room for more measured, expansive balladry, allowing Hynde’s beautifully aged voice to carry a full weight of emotion. Mellotron, organ, upright bass and a dash of spacey ambience are folded into the mix too.

¡Viva El Amor! (Warner Bros., 1999)

The Pretenders’ seventh album benefits from being a more concerted band effort than their more recent releases. Hynde and fellow guitarist Adam Seymour add muscle to judicious and telling effect, with bassist Andy Hobson and the evergreen Martin Chambers combining as a nimble rhythm section.

Not everything hits the mark, although Hynde is at her scabrous best on Popstar (featuring backing vocals and ad-libs by the New York Dolls’ David Johansen) and the gnarly Baby’s Breath: ‘Why do you send me roses? Save them for someone’s death.’ And having Jeff Beck on board for rock‘n’roll banger Legalise Me can be no bad thing

Alone (BMG, 2016)

A solo album in all but name – Hynde is the only band member actually present – the aptly titled Alone was produced by The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach at his Nashville studio, where various session players (among them guitarist Kenny Vaughan and Johnny Cash’s former bassist Dave Roe) summon rootsy R&B and soul vibes with a live-in-theroom feel.

Hynde excels on delicate folk ballad Blue Eyed Sky and the languorous Let’s Get Lost, while the title track, co-written with Auerbach and Richard Swift, is powered by a great riff and rollicking piano. Special guest guitarist Duane Eddy brings some old-school shivers to Never Be Together.

Hate For Sale (BMG, 2020)

Hynde’s decision to revive the early Pretenders sound for the band’s eleventh studio album was a bold move. But while comparisons to those turn-of-the-80s treasures sometimes pale, she and co-writer/guitarist James Walbourne deliver enough shining moments to make it all worthwhile.

Inspired by The Damned, the hard-driving title track, a droll takedown of conceited male privilege, is fabulous: ‘Money in the bank and coke in his pocket/Porn all day, he wanks like a rocket.’ Stephen Street, returning as producer, keeps the pace flowing, Hynde and co. rip into Turf Accountant Daddy and the Bo Diddley-ish Didn’t Want To Be This Lonely.

Loose Screw (Artemis, 2002)

There’s no such thing as an out-and-out dud in the Pretenders’ recorded canon, but some albums are decidedly less memorable than others. 1990’s Packed! and 2008’s Break Up The Concrete are both hit and miss, and Loose Screw doesn’t really convince either, despite the fact that it’s essentially from the same line-up that recorded Last Of The Independents and ¡Viva El Amor!.

And while the constituent parts of the band’s sound are still in place – tough rockers, bittersweet ballads, a prevailing sense of rumination and mutinous disregard – nothing leaps out from this album in a way that truly grabs you by the collar.