Complete List Of The Pretenders Songs From A to Z

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The Pretenders come fully alive on the streets of Hereford, England in 1978 when Chrissie Hynde stepped in from her early punk associations with the Sex Pistols and The Clash to assemble something of her own. She pulled together guitarist James Honeyman‑Scott, bassist Pete Farndon and drummer Martin Chambers, a lineup that gelled immediately through songwriting, personality and attitude. That original quartet laid the foundation with smart, sharp records and stage presence unafraid to mix punk rawness, rock melody and Hynde’s singular voice.

They debuted with the genius of Pretenders, released January 1980. Produced by Chris Thomas, it carried singles like “Stop Your Sobbing,” “Kid,” and the breakout “Brass in Pocket,” which hit number one in the UK and crossed over internationally. The album shot into charts and critical esteem alike, landing in Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums list and earning a Grammy Hall of Fame induction. Pretenders II followed in 1981, hitting Top Ten in the US and UK and going gold, with the moody “Talk of the Town” anchoring radio and offering darker lyrical turns that deepened the band’s emerging persona.

Tragedy struck in rapid succession when Pete Farndon was fired in mid 1982 over drug issues and James Honeyman‑Scott died two days later. Chrissie and Martin pressed on, recording “Back on the Chain Gang” with Billy Bremner, Tony Butler and Robbie McIntosh. The single soared to number five in the US and set the stage for Learning to Crawl in 1984, an album that marked rebirth and resilience. It climbed to number five on the Billboard 200 and spawned heart‑heavy hits like “Middle of the Road,” “2000 Miles,” and “I Go to Sleep,” all underscored by Hynde’s songwriting honesty and vocal care.

By 1986’s Get Close Hynde was firmly at the wheel with McIntosh, T. M. Stevens and Blair Cunningham rounding out the new Pretenders. The album landed two number‑one Mainstream Rock tracks in “Don’t Get Me Wrong” and “My Baby,” showcasing a smoother, soulful evolution in their sound. Subsequent studio albums such as Packed! in 1990, Last of the Independents in 1994 with the enduring ballad “I’ll Stand by You,” and Loose Screw in 2002 confirmed Hynde’s continued drive. The band released Hate for Sale in 2020 and Relentless in 2023, pushing the Pretenders’ legacy across 12 studio albums and eighties of singles, showing longevity rooted in creative reinvention.

Awards and formal accolades came with their 2005 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, where Hynde famously acknowledged every era and member of the band, calling out the contributions of Honeyman‑Scott and Farndon. Their sales, decades of touring and a catalog that continues to resonate across generations reveal why the industry and audiences love them. Chrissie Hynde’s work beyond music—her activism, her memoir, her collaborations with giants like UB40, Tom Jones and Frank Sinatra—reinforce that her life and art extend well past the band’s name. The Pretenders remain beloved because they married raw streetwise edge with craft, resilience, intelligence and empathy in a way that feels authentic and timeless.

Complete List Of The Pretenders Songs From A to Z

1. 2000 Miles – Learning to Crawl – 1984
2. 2000 Miles – The Isle of View – 1995
3. 977 – Last of the Independents – 1994
4. The Adulteress – Pretenders II – 1981
5. All My Dreams – Last of the Independents – 1994
6. Almost Perfect – Break Up the Concrete – 2008
7. Alone – Alone – 2016
8. A Love – Relentless – 2023
9. Baby’s Breath – ¡Viva El Amor! – 1999
10. Back on the Chain Gang – Learning to Crawl – 1984
11. Back on the Chain Gang – The Isle of View – 1995
12. Bad Boys Get Spanked – Pretenders II – 1981
13. Biker – ¡Viva El Amor! – 1999
14. Birds of Paradise – Pretenders II – 1981
15. Blue Eyed Sky – Alone – 2016
16. Boots of Chinese Plastic – Break Up the Concrete – 2008
17. Brass in Pocket – Pretenders – 1980
18. Brass in Pocket – The Isle of View – 1995
19. Break Up the Concrete – Break Up the Concrete – 2008
20. The Buzz – Hate for Sale – 2020
21. Chill Factor – Get Close – 1986
22. Chill Factor – The Isle of View – 1995
23. Chord Lord – Alone – 2016
24. Clean Up Woman – Loose Screw – 2002
25. Complex Person – Loose Screw – 2002
26. The Copa – Relentless – 2023
27. Criminal – Packed! – 1990
28. Criminal – The Isle of View – 1995
29. Crying in Public – Hate for Sale – 2020
30. Cuban Slide – Extended Play – 1981
31. Dance! – Get Close – 1986
32. Day After Day – Pretenders II – 1981
33. Death Is Not Enough – Alone – 2016
34. Didn’t Know When to Stop – Hate for Sale – 2020
35. Didn’t Want to Be This Lonely – Hate for Sale – 2020
36. Domestic Silence – Relentless – 2023
37. Don’t Cut Your Hair – Break Up the Concrete – 2008
38. Don’t Get Me Wrong – Get Close – 1986
39. Don’t Lose Faith in Me – Break Up the Concrete – 2008
40. Downtown (Akron) – Packed! – 1990
41. Dragway 42 – ¡Viva El Amor! – 1999
42. The English Roses – Pretenders II – 1981
43. Every Mother’s Son – Last of the Independents – 1994
44. Fools Must Die – Loose Screw – 2002
45. Forever Young – Last of the Independents – 1994
46. From the Heart Down – ¡Viva El Amor! – 1999
47. Gotta Wait – Alone – 2016
48. Hate for Sale – Hate for Sale – 2020
49. Hold a Candle to This – Packed! – 1990
50. Hollywood Perfume – Last of the Independents – 1994
51. Holy Commotion – Alone – 2016
52. How Do I Miss You – Packed! – 1990
53. How Much Did You Get for Your Soul? – Get Close – 1986
54. Human – ¡Viva El Amor! – 1999
55. Hymn to Her – Get Close – 1986
56. Hymn to Her – The Isle of View – 1995
57. I Go to Sleep – Pretenders II – 1981
58. I Go to Sleep – The Isle of View – 1995
59. I Hate Myself – Alone – 2016
60. I Hurt You – Learning to Crawl – 1984
61. I Hurt You – The Isle of View – 1995
62. I Should Of – Loose Screw – 2002
63. I Think About You Daily – Relentless – 2023
64. I’ll Stand By You – Last of the Independents – 1994
65. I’m a Mother – Last of the Independents – 1994
66. I Remember You – Get Close – 1986
67. Jealous Dogs – Pretenders II – 1981
68. Junkie Walk – Hate for Sale – 2020
69. Just Let It Go – Relentless – 2023
70. Kid – Pretenders – 1980
71. Kid – The Isle of View – 1995
72. Kinda Nice, I Like It – Loose Screw – 2002
73. The Last Ride – Break Up the Concrete – 2008
74. Legalise Me – ¡Viva El Amor! – 1999
75. Let the Sun Come In – Relentless – 2023
76. Let’s Get Lost – Alone – 2016
77. Let’s Make a Pact – Packed! – 1990
78. Lie to Me – Loose Screw – 2002
79. Light of the Moon – Get Close – 1986
80. Lightning Man – Hate for Sale – 2020
81. Look Away – Relentless – 2023
82. The Losing – Loose Screw – 2002
83. Losing My Sense of Taste – Relentless – 2023
84. Louie Louie – Pretenders II – 1981
85. Love a Mystery – Break Up the Concrete – 2008
86. Love Colours – Last of the Independents – 1994
87. Lovers of Today – Pretenders – 1980
88. Lovers of Today – The Isle of View – 1995
89. The Man You Are – Alone – 2016
90. May This Be Love – Packed! – 1990
91. Maybe Love Is in N.Y.C. – Hate for Sale – 2020
92. Merry Widow – Relentless – 2023
93. Message of Love – Extended Play – 1981
94. Message of Love – Pretenders II – 1981
95. Middle of the Road – Learning to Crawl – 1984
96. Millionaires – Packed! – 1990
97. Money Talk – Last of the Independents – 1994
98. My Baby – Get Close – 1986
99. My City Was Gone – Learning to Crawl – 1984
100. Mystery Achievement – Pretenders – 1980
101. Nails in the Road – ¡Viva El Amor! – 1999
102. Never Be Together – Alone – 2016
103. Never Do That – Packed! – 1990
104. Night in My Veins – Last of the Independents – 1994
105. No Guarantee – Packed! – 1990
106. The Nothing Maker – Break Up the Concrete – 2008
107. Nothing Breaks Like a Heart – Loose Screw – 2002
108. One More Day – Alone – 2016
109. One More Time – ¡Viva El Amor! – 1999
110. One Thing Never Changed – Break Up the Concrete – 2008
111. Pack It Up – Pretenders II – 1981
112. Phone Call – The Isle of View – 1995
113. The Phone Call – Pretenders – 1980
114. Popstar – ¡Viva El Amor! – 1999
115. Porcelain – Extended Play – 1981
116. Precious – Extended Play – 1981
117. Precious – Pretenders – 1980
118. Private Life – Pretenders – 1980
119. Private Life – The Isle of View – 1995
120. The Promise of Love – Relentless – 2023
121. Rabo Du Nube – ¡Viva El Amor! – 1999
122. Rebel Rock Me – Last of the Independents – 1994
123. Revolution – Last of the Independents – 1994
124. Revolution – The Isle of View – 1995
125. Roadie Man – Alone – 2016
126. Room Full of Mirrors – Get Close – 1986
127. Rosalee – Break Up the Concrete – 2008
128. Samurai – ¡Viva El Amor! – 1999
129. Saving Grace – Loose Screw – 2002
130. Sense of Purpose – Packed! – 1990
131. Sense of Purpose – The Isle of View – 1995
132. Show Me – Learning to Crawl – 1984
133. Space Invader – Pretenders – 1980
134. Stop Your Sobbing – Pretenders – 1980
135. Talk of the Town – Extended Play – 1981
136. Talk of the Town – Pretenders II – 1981
137. Tattooed Love Boys – Pretenders – 1980
138. Tequila – Last of the Independents – 1994
139. Thin Line Between Love and Hate – Learning to Crawl – 1984
140. Thumbelina – Learning to Crawl – 1984
141. Time – Loose Screw – 2002
142. Time the Avenger – Learning to Crawl – 1984
143. Tradition of Love – Get Close – 1986
144. Turf Accountant Daddy – Hate for Sale – 2020
145. Up the Neck – Pretenders – 1980
146. Vainglorious – Relentless – 2023
147. The Wait – Pretenders – 1980
148. Walk Like a Panther – Loose Screw – 2002
149. Waste Not Want Not – Pretenders II – 1981
150. Watching the Clothes – Learning to Crawl – 1984
151. When I Change My Life – Get Close – 1986
152. When Will I See You – Packed! – 1990
153. Who’s Who – ¡Viva El Amor! – 1999
154. You Can’t Hurt a Fool – Hate for Sale – 2020
155. You Didn’t Have To – Break Up the Concrete – 2008
156. You Know Who Your Friends Are – Loose Screw – 2002
157. Your House Is on Fire – Relentless – 2023

Albums

Pretenders (1980): 12 songs

Pretenders II (1981): 12 songs

Extended Play (1981): 5 songs

Learning to Crawl (1984): 10 songs

Get Close (1986): 11 songs

Packed! (1990): 11 songs

Last of the Independents (1994): 13 songs

The Isle of View (1995): 14 songs

¡Viva El Amor! (1999): 12 songs

Loose Screw (2002): 12 songs

Break Up the Concrete (2008): 11 songs

Alone (2016): 12 songs

Hate for Sale (2020): 10 songs

Relentless (2023): 12 songs

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