With a career stretching across five decades, the Pretenders are icons of punk and New Wave known for their legendary frontwoman, Chrissie Hynde. ∙ An Akron, Ohio, native, Hynde moved to London in 1973, where she bounced between short-lived punk outfits and played with future members of The Clash, The Damned, and The Psychedelic Furs. ∙ In 1978, she formed the Pretenders, and the band broke through the following year with their first hit singles: a cover of The Kinks’ “Stop Your Sobbing” and Hynde’s song “Kid.” ∙ Their self-titled 1980 LP—featuring the group’s first worldwide smash, “Brass in Pocket”—is ranked among Rolling Stone’s 100 Best Debut Albums of All Time. ∙ The group landed their biggest US hit with 1982’s “Back On the Chain Gang,” which reached No. 5 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart and appeared on their 1984 album, Learning To Crawl. ∙ A Top 20 hit in 10 countries, including the US, their 1994 ballad “I’ll Stand By You” has inspired cover versions by Shakira, Carrie Underwood, and Girls Aloud. ∙ The Pretenders were inducted into The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2005.