Pretenders (1980)—the self-titled debut.
This album introduced Chrissie Hynde to the world. If Debbie Harry was Betty—the blonde you could imagine dating, charming, and accessible—then Chrissie was Veronica. Dark-haired, commanding, and always a step ahead. She wasn’t here to please. She was here to conquer, and she did it with style.
The standout track is “Brass in Pocket,” but really, every song brims with energy. It’s punk, but not in the cartoon way. No shouting to prove a point. No racing just to be fast. Instead, songs gallop with a steady intensity, and then slip into moments of sly subtlety. That understatement is what makes it feel more punk than half the hardcore bands screaming down the block.
Of course, the shadow lingers: two of the faces on this cover would die of overdoses within a few years. But what an album they left behind. Many still argue this was the first great record of the 1980s. Hard to disagree.
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