Pretenders-Pretenders (1980)

The Pretenders were one of the most successful bands of the early 1980s, achieving success by rejecting the punk and synth-pop of the era to focus on a simple yet magnificent rock sound. Led by Chrissie Hynde, the Pretenders originated in London amidst the last vestiges of the first wave of punk that swept through the late 1970s and early 1980s. Hynde, an American, had settled in England in 1973 after completing her Fine Arts degree at the University of Kent. During her early years, she combined her passion for singing and guitar with writing for the magazine New Musical Express. In 1978, after several unsuccessful projects, she formed the Pretenders with bassist Pete Farndon, drummer Martin Chambers, and guitarist James Honeyman-Scott. Their debut album, "Pretenders," arrived two years later—a powerful and straightforward rock album with an intricate, solid, and precise sound brimming with personality. Tight rock songs like "Precious", "Tattooed Love Boys", "The Wait", "Private Life", "Kid", and "Brass in Pocket" showcased the excellence of a band that played magnificent, unadulterated rock and roll. Surprisingly, the album achieved extraordinary sales, far exceeding one million copies and reaching number one on the British charts, and number seven on the American charts.