The Singles (Pretenders album)

The Singles is the Pretenders' 1987 compilation album and features all the band's UK single hits to that date, as well as including "I Got You Babe", which Chrissie Hynde had performed with UB40 in 1985. The album reached No. 69 in the US album chart and No. 6 in the UK.[7]

The Singles
The album name in black and white
Compilation album by
Released26 October 1987 (1987-10-26)[1]
Recorded1979–1986
GenreRock
Length57:18
LabelWEA
Sire
Producer
The Pretenders chronology
Get Close
(1986)
The Singles
(1987)
Packed!
(1990)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Chicago Tribune[3]
Robert ChristgauA[4]
New Musical Express9/10[5]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[6]

Track listing

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All tracks are written by Chrissie Hynde, except where noted

No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
1."Stop Your Sobbing"Ray DaviesPretenders (1980)2:37
2."Kid" Pretenders3:05
3."Brass in Pocket"Pretenders3:04
4."Talk of the Town" (single version) Extended Play and Pretenders II (1981)3:12
5."I Go to Sleep"DaviesPretenders II2:55
6."Day After Day" (single version)
  • Hynde
  • Honeyman-Scott
Pretenders II4:01
7."Message of Love" Extended Play and Pretenders II3:24
8."Back on the Chain Gang" Learning to Crawl (1984)3:50
9."Middle of the Road" Learning to Crawl4:12
10."2000 Miles" Learning to Crawl3:38
11."Show Me" Learning to Crawl4:07
12."Thin Line Between Love and Hate"
  • Jackie Members
  • Richard Poindexter
  • Robert Poindexter
Learning to Crawl3:39
13."Don't Get Me Wrong" Get Close (1986)3:48
14."Hymn to Her" (single edit)Meg KeeneGet Close4:28
15."My Baby" Get Close4:07
16."I Got You Babe" (UB40 featuring Chrissie Hynde)Sonny BonoBaggariddim (1985)3:11

Charts

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Chart (1987/88) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[8] 19
US Billboard Album Chart 69[citation needed]
UK Album Chart 6[citation needed]

Certifications and sales

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
France (SNEP)[9] Gold 100,000*
New Zealand (RMNZ)[10] Platinum 15,000^
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[11] Platinum 100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[12] 3× Platinum 900,000^
United States (RIAA)[13] Gold 500,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ "BPI".
  2. ^ AllMusic review
  3. ^ Chicago Tribune review
  4. ^ Robert Christgau Consumer Guide
  5. ^ Gray, Louise (31 October 1987). "The Pretenders: The Singles". New Musical Express. p. 30.
  6. ^ Brackett, Nathan; Christian Hoard (2004). The Rolling Stone Album Guide. New York City, New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 653. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8. rolling stone the pretenders album guide.
  7. ^ "BPI Certifications". BPI. Retrieved 24 June 2008.
  8. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 238. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  9. ^ "French album certifications – The Pretenders – The Singles" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
  10. ^ "New Zealand album certifications – The Pretenders – The Singles". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  11. ^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. p. 952. ISBN 8480486392.
  12. ^ "British album certifications – The Pretenders – The Singles". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  13. ^ "American album certifications – The Pretenders – The Singles". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 12 December 2018.