When the Pretenders erupted on the scene, there was nothing quite like them. It was an American-British band - guitarist James Honeyman-Scott and bassist Pete Farndon were Brits while drummer Martin Chambers and Chrissie Hynde were the Americans. The sound was like nothing else. Their eponymously named debut Album is widely considered to be one of the finest debut albums ever and one of the finest albums ever made, period.
Much of that was due to the brilliance of Hynde. There had never been anyone quite like her and really still hasn’t been. Her combination of toughness, vulnerability, musical brilliance and a superb voice made the Pretenders instantly iconic.