The Pretenders

NASHVILLE, TN - 1980:  The British rock band The Pretenders pose in front of their tour bus during their first American 1980 concert tour stop in Nashville, Tennessee. By '83, Farndon and Honeyman-Scott were dead of drug overdoses. (Photo by George Rose/G

George Rose/Getty Images North America

Over the years, the Pretenders became a vehicle for guitarist/vocalist Chrissie Hynde's songwriting, yet it was a full-fledged band when it was formed in the late '70s. With their initial records, the group crossed the bridge between punk/new wave and Top 40 pop more than any other band, recording a series of hard, spiky singles that were also melodic and immediately accessible. {$H... Read More