The Pretenders singer Chrissie Hynde has announced a new album. Duets Special, her fourth solo album, will be released via Parlophone on October 17, and features duets with k.d. lang, Mark Lanegan, Lucinda Williams, Dave Gahan, Cat Power, Rufus Wainwright, Carleen Anderson, Brandon Flowers, Julian Lennon, Debbie Harry, Alan Sparhawk, Shirley Manson and Dan Auerbach.
The first single from the album, a cover of Always On My Mind, the ballad originally made famous by Elvis Presley, is out now and features Hynde and Rufus Wainwright.
"I never thought about doing a Duets album before," says Hynde. "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, and quickly scribbled out 10 songs off the top of my head. So Jörn asked Rufus, who was up for it, and that’s how it started. A spontaneous and what I thought would be a fun thing."
As Hynde formulated the idea for the album in 2023, it is unclear whether the duet with the late Mark Lanegan was recorded before then – the former Screaming Trees man passed away in early 2022 – or whether she added her part to an already existing recording. Hynde was one of the performers at the Mark Lanegan 60th birthday show that took place at London's Roundhouse in December 2024.
Duets Special by Chrissie Hynde & Pals is available to pre-order now. Full tracklist below.
Chrissie Hynde: Duets Special tracklist
Me & Mrs Jones (feat. k.d. lang)
Can’t Help Falling In Love (feat. Mark Lanegan)
Sway (feat. Lucinda Williams)
Dolphins (feat. Dave Gahan)
First of the Gang to Die (feat. Cat Power)
Always on My Mind (feat. Rufus Wainwright)
Every Little Bit Hurts (feat. Carleen Anderson)
I’m Not in Love (feat. Brandon Flowers)
It’s Only Love (feat. Julian Lennon)
Try to Sleep (feat. Debbie Harry)
County Line (feat. Alan Sparhawk)
Love Letters (feat. Shirley Manson)
(You’re My) Soul and Inspiration (feat. Dan Auerbach)
