Album of the Day

When the Pretenders arrived in America at the tail end of the British punk explosion, they weren't really punk and weren't entirely British; frontwoman Chrissie Hynde hailed from Akron, Ohio. While the band had the confident air of musical insurrectionists, the quartet's music hewed closely to classic rock traditions, a fact that THE SINGLES makes quite clear. From favorites like “Kid” and “Brass in Pocket” to Top Ten hits “Back On The Chain Gang” and “Don't Get Me Wrong,” this 16-track collection of A- and B-sides from the band's '80s heyday puts the focus on melody, song structure and impassioned vocal and instrumental performances. Certified triple-Platinum in the U.K. and Gold in the U.S., THE SINGLES is an ideal introduction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers.