You know that feeling when you put on a record and the first ten seconds just... settle everything? That’s the opening of "Brass in Pocket." It’s confident. It’s slightly cocky. It’s Chrissie Hynde in a nutshell. When you look at The Pretenders greatest hits album—specifically the 2000 compilation or the 1987 The Singles—you aren't just looking at a list of radio tracks. You’re looking at a survival guide for one of the toughest, most emotionally jagged bands to ever crawl out of the post-punk wreckage.
Honestly, the "greatest hits" tag feels a bit cheap for a band like this. The Pretenders weren't a pop machine. They were a fluke that happened to be brilliant. Led by Hynde, an American expat with a Telecaster and a voice that sounds like velvet dragged over gravel, they managed to bridge the gap between the leather-jacket snarl of 1977 and the big-budget gloss of the 1980s without losing their souls.
The Tracks That Defined an Era
Let’s talk about the 2000 release. It's the one most people find when they’re digging through streaming services or used CD bins. It’s got 20 tracks, and man, it moves. You’ve got "Stop Your Sobbing," which was their first big splash—a Kinks cover produced by Nick Lowe. It’s sweet but has this underlying bite that says, "Don't mess with me."
Then you hit the heavy hitters:
- "Back on the Chain Gang": A song born from absolute tragedy. It was recorded right after the death of guitarist James Honeyman-Scott. You can hear the mourning in the melody, even though it’s essentially a catchy pop-rock tune.
- "Don't Get Me Wrong": The 80s peak. It’s breezy, it’s bouncy, and it features that iconic video tribute to The Avengers.
- "I'll Stand by You": The 1994 power ballad that introduced the band to a whole new generation. Some old-school fans felt it was too "mainstream," but Hynde’s delivery is so raw it’s hard to stay mad at it.
The interesting thing about The Pretenders greatest hits album is how it balances the "original four" lineup with the later, more Hynde-centric iterations. The first two albums—Pretenders and Pretenders II—featured the classic lineup of Hynde, Honeyman-Scott, Pete Farndon, and Martin Chambers. By the time Learning to Crawl hit in 1984, the band had already been decimated by drug-related deaths. The "hits" from that era carry a weight that most 80s pop just doesn't have.
Why "The Singles" Might Actually Be Better
If you're a purist, you might find yourself leaning toward the 1987 compilation, The Singles. It’s a tighter 16-track set. It captures the band when they were still dangerous. It includes "I Got You Babe," that weirdly successful duet with UB40, which—love it or hate it—showed just how versatile Hynde could be.
There’s a rawness to the 1987 tracklist. Songs like "Talk of the Town" and "Message of Love" feel like they’re vibrating with a specific type of London energy. It’s less about being a "hit" and more about being a statement. The 2000 version adds later tracks like "Human" and "Popstar," which are fine, but they lack that initial lightning-in-a-bottle feel of the early days.
The Hynde Factor
You can't talk about these collections without talking about Chrissie. She’s famously dismissive of her own success. Recently, she even mentioned she’s tired of playing the hits. She wants to play the "punk rock" stuff, the deep cuts that actually represent who she is now.
"I never wanted to go there in the first place, but was trying to keep myself alive and pay the bills... those greatest hits / ballads days are now behind me." — Chrissie Hynde, 2022.
That’s the paradox. The songs on The Pretenders greatest hits album are the ones that paid the rent, but for Hynde, they’re almost like old high school photos she’d rather not look at. For us, though? They’re the soundtrack to every rainy drive or late-night kitchen dance.
What Most People Get Wrong
People tend to lump The Pretenders in with the "New Wave" crowd. Sure, the timing fits. But if you listen to the guitar work on "Kid" or the drumming on "Middle of the Road," it’s much more traditional than that. They were a rock and roll band through and through. They just happened to have a frontwoman who knew how to write a hook that would stick in your brain for forty years.
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Another misconception? That they were a "chick-fronted" band. Hynde hated that label. She wasn't a "female rocker"; she was a rocker. Period. She led those guys. She wrote the songs. She steered the ship through multiple lineup changes and enough personal drama to fill three biopics.
How to Actually Listen to the Hits
If you’re new to the band, don’t just hit shuffle. There’s a chronological story being told here.
Start with the debut tracks. Feel the grit. Then move into the mid-80s when the production gets a little cleaner, a little more polished. By the time you get to "Night in My Veins," you’re hearing a band that has survived everything the industry could throw at them.
The 2000 compilation is great for the car. It’s got the variety. But if you can find the Pirate Radio box set from 2006, that’s where the real gold is. It’s got the hits, but it also has the demos and the live versions that show the band's real teeth.
Actionable Listening Guide
If you want to get the most out of The Pretenders greatest hits album, try these steps:
- Compare the versions: Listen to the studio version of "2000 Miles" and then find the Isle of View live version. The live acoustic arrangement is haunting and often considered superior by long-time fans.
- Watch the videos: The Pretenders were huge in the early days of MTV. The "Brass in Pocket" video, with Chrissie as the waitress, is a masterclass in star power.
- Listen for the guitar: James Honeyman-Scott was a genius. Even on the "pop" hits, his parts are intricate and weird. He didn't just play chords; he played textures.
- Check out the covers: Hynde is a fan first. Her versions of Ray Davies ("I Go to Sleep") or even her later Bob Dylan covers show her deep respect for the craft of songwriting.
Ultimately, these collections serve as a reminder that you can be popular without being plastic. The Pretenders proved that you could have a Number 1 single and still be the coolest person in the room. Whether you’re spinning the 1987 vinyl or streaming the 2000 digital version, that swagger is still there, loud and clear. It’s a bit messy, a bit loud, and entirely essential.
Check your local record store for the 2025 vinyl reissue of The Singles if you want the best audio fidelity; otherwise, the 2000 Greatest Hits remains the most accessible entry point for casual listeners.