The Pretenders Delay Album Release Date, Drop New Song

Like many artists, the Pretenders have decided to push back the release date of their upcoming album in light of the coronavirus pandemic and retail restrictions related to the spread of COVID-19. Their 11th studio album, Hate for Sale, will now be out July 17th.

The band did share a new teaser from the LP on Tuesday, unveiling its title track “Hate for Sale.” Lead singer Chrissie Hynde said of the track, “We all love punk, so I think it would be fair to say that ‘Hate for Sale’ is our tribute to the punk band I considered the most musical of the genre — the Damned.”

Last week, the Pretenders shared the album’s lead single “The Buzz,” about how love affairs take on the characteristics of drug addiction.

Hate for Sale is the first Pretenders album to be written collaboratively between Hynde and guitarist James Walbourne. Hynde said of writing with Walbourne for the first time: “I wanted to write with him since day one. James is especially sought after and has recorded with Jerry Lee Lewis, Dave Gahan and the Rails, to name but a few. We always planned on writing while on the road, but as anyone in a band will tell you, being on tour is a procrastinator’s dream come true.”

The band still plans on kicking off their tour in support of the album on May 15th at the Sunlight Supply Amphitheater in Washington.