Chrissie Hynde’s New Album Shines with Star Collaborations and Emotional Depth

Rock icon Chrissie Hynde will release Duets Special on October 17. The new record pairs her with 13 musicians, from Brandon Flowers to Debbie Harry and the late Mark Lanegan. Hynde is the founder and sole member of the Pretenders.

Rufus Wainwright joins her on the first track, "Always On My Mind," which hit streaming services on August 13. Music lovers can pick up the new record through Rhino Records in vinyl, CD, or digital formats.

"I never thought about doing a duets album before," Hynde said, per Stereogum. "I think the idea came about in 2023. I was talking to Jörn, Rufus Wainwright's husband, on the phone. I think we were recommending novels to each other, and for some reason, I said, 'Hey, maybe Rufus and I should do something.'"

The tracks stripped down well-known songs to their core. Mark Lanegan took on "Can't Help Falling In Love." The Killers lead singer, Brandon Flowers, tackled "I'm Not In Love," and a special moment came when Julian Lennon joined them for The Beatles' "It's Only Love." Depeche Mode's Dave Gahan added his touch to "Dolphins" as well. More star power shone through as Cat Power sang "First of the Gang to Die." 

This marks the fourth time Hynde has stepped away from the Pretenders to work solo. She last paid tribute to Bob Dylan in 2021 with "Standing In The Doorway." Her band, the Pretenders, dropped "Relentless" in 2023 before joining Foo Fighters and Guns N' Roses on a world tour.

The band's final show took place at São Paulo's C6 Festival on May 24. They stopped touring because of hot weather at outdoor shows. Parlophone Records will put out Duets Special, and fans can preorder their copy now through online stores.