Executive Overview
In the dynamic landscape of modern rock and roll, strategic collaborations often serve as the catalysts that elevate an already successful project into the realm of the extraordinary. This is precisely the artistic territory currently being navigated by The Pretty Reckless. Fresh off the heels of releasing their critically acclaimed fifth studio album, DEAR GOD, this June, the band has refused to let the momentum of their campaign plateau. Instead, frontwoman Taylor Momsen and her bandmates have injected renewed vitality into the album’s cycle by enlisting two formidable stalwarts of modern rock: Foo Fighters guitarist Chris Shiflett and drummer Josh Freese.
While the track in question originally slipped beneath the radar as a standard album cut rather than a designated promotional single, the inclusion of Shiflett and Freese promises to reintroduce the composition to both rock radio and streaming audiences worldwide. This high-profile union of musical forces underscores a broader narrative of mutual respect and organic camaraderie within the upper echelons of the contemporary rock community.
Simultaneously, The Pretty Reckless are riding a historic wave of chart dominance. Their lead single from DEAR GOD, "When I Wake Up," recently captured the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart. This achievement marked a monumental milestone, cementing the group’s legacy by securing their ninth chart-topping single—the most by any female-led act in the storied history of the chart.
As the ink dries on these recent chart records, the band is wasting no time translating their recorded triumphs into visceral, high-octane live performances. Having just wrapped up a grueling, highly successful North American headlining run, alongside high-profile stadium performances supporting rock legends AC/DC on their Power Up Tour, The Pretty Reckless are setting their sights globally. Next month marks the launch of an extensive European and United Kingdom headlining tour in support of DEAR GOD. With a slate of sold-out or near-capacity dates stretching from Bristol to Glasgow, the autumn and winter months will serve as the crucible in which this newly expanded sonic era is forged live for thousands of devoted fans.
Detailed Chronology of the DEAR GOD Era and Collaboration
The genesis of DEAR GOD dates back to late 2023 and early 2024, a period during which The Pretty Reckless retreated to the studio to deliberate on the follow-up to their commercially and critically lauded 2021 album, Death by Rock and Roll. Spearheaded by a core production team consisting of lead vocalist Taylor Momsen, lead guitarist Ben Phillips, and producer Jonathan Wyman, the creation of DEAR GOD was characterized by a deliberate return to raw, unadulterated rock instrumentation combined with deeply introspective lyricism.
When the album officially dropped in June, it was met with immediate praise from both longtime devotees and mainstream rock critics, who lauded its sonic maturity, aggressive yet melodic guitar work, and Momsen’s commanding vocal delivery. While tracks like the lead single "When I Wake Up" quickly dominated terrestrial and satellite radio waves, the album also featured several deep cuts that fans and band members alike recognized as having untapped potential. Among these was a dynamic, rhythm-driven track that, despite its strong foundational elements, begged for an extra layer of percussive muscle and sonic texture.
Enter the Foo Fighters connection. The intersection of The Pretty Reckless and the Foo Fighters lineage is rooted in mutual admiration, touring circuits, and the tight-knit fraternity of American rock musicians. Recognizing an opportunity to elevate the album track beyond its original studio incarnation, Momsen reached out directly to guitarist Chris Shiflett and powerhouse drummer Josh Freese—who joined the Foo Fighters following the tragic passing of Taylor Hawkins.
Rather than approaching the collaboration as a calculated, corporate-driven crossover attempt, Momsen framed the invitation purely in the spirit of artistic exploration and shared passion. According to insiders close to the production, the sessions came together swiftly. Shiflett’s unmistakable, searing guitar lines and Freese’s driving, precision-engineered drum work were seamlessly integrated into the existing track, transforming a solid album cut into an explosive, stadium-ready anthem. This strategic post-release enhancement illustrates a modern blueprint for album rollouts, wherein physical and digital editions are continuously breathed new life through targeted, high-impact collaborations long after the initial release date.
Supporting Context & Metrics: Breaking Records on the Billboard Charts
To fully contextualize the significance of this creative union, one must examine the unprecedented commercial and chart-topping momentum that The Pretty Reckless have cultivated over the past several years. The crowning achievement of the DEAR GOD campaign thus far has been the meteoric rise of its lead single, "When I Wake Up."
Upon its release, "When I Wake Up" struck an immediate chord with programmers and listeners across the United States, steadily climbing through the ranks of rock radio formats before finally securing the No. 1 position on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart. This accomplishment is far more than a routine metric for a successful rock band; it is a historic watershed moment for women in rock music. With this latest chart-topper, The Pretty Reckless officially secured their ninth No. 1 single on the Mainstream Rock Airplay chart, establishing a new record for the most No. 1 singles by any female-led act in the chart’s history.
This record-breaking feat places Taylor Momsen and her bandmates in an elite echelon of musical history, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with rock royalty while dismantling long-standing gender disparities within a historically male-dominated genre. The success of "When I Wake Up" is mirrored by the broader performance of DEAR GOD, which has demonstrated impressive longevity on both physical sales charts and digital streaming platforms.
Furthermore, the band’s decision to bring in high-caliber musicians like Shiflett and Freese for a non-single album track highlights a meticulous strategy designed to sustain listener engagement. In an era dominated by rapid consumption and single-track streaming playlists, The Pretty Reckless are using cross-pollination with other legendary rock acts to drive recurring interest back to the core album project, maximizing both streaming revenue and cultural relevance.
Official Statements and Insider Perspectives
The collaborative spirit defining this phase of The Pretty Reckless’s career was best captured by frontwoman Taylor Momsen herself when discussing the genesis of the unexpected feature. Eschewing formal, highly sanitized press releases in favor of a candid, musician-to-musician perspective, Momsen shed light on how the partnership with the Foo Fighters rhythm and guitar heavyweights came to fruition.
Reflecting on the phone call that initiated the project, Momsen noted:
"I just called them up and asked them if they’d lend their magic to it."
That simple, unpretentious request opened the floodgates for a collaborative session defined by mutual respect and a shared love for the craft. Expanding on the atmosphere of the recording sessions, Momsen articulated a sentiment that resonates deeply with purists of the genre:
"There’s nothing better than jamming with friends."
This philosophy has consistently underpinned the trajectory of The Pretty Reckless. Since transitioning from her early career in television to establishing herself as one of the most formidable rock vocalists of her generation, Momsen has fiercely guarded the artistic integrity of the band. Alongside co-writer and lead guitarist Ben Phillips, the band has consistently prioritized organic instrumentation, analog recording techniques, and genuine peer collaboration over synthetic trends.
Industry observers have noted that the inclusion of Chris Shiflett—known for his virtuosic yet tasteful guitar work in both the Foo Fighters and his various solo endeavors—and Josh Freese—widely regarded as one of the most versatile and respected session and touring drummers in rock history, having played with everyone from Nine Inch Nails to Devo and Weezer—serves as a supreme validation of The Pretty Reckless’s musical pedigree. When musicians of this caliber willingly step into the studio to lend their talents to a fellow artist’s project, it speaks volumes about the creative respect that Momsen and her band command within the global rock fraternity.
Future Outlook: The Global Live Circuit and European Tour
With the studio work on the expanded DEAR GOD tracks finalized, the immediate future for The Pretty Reckless is decidedly kinetic, centered around an ambitious, high-stakes global touring schedule. The band is fresh off a triumphant run that saw them conquer the North American market on their own headlining tour, while simultaneously holding their own on massive stadium stages alongside rock and roll titans AC/DC during the North American leg of the Power Up Tour. Sharing stages with an act of AC/DC’s magnitude not only tested the band’s endurance and performance capabilities on a nightly basis but also introduced their catalog to hundreds of thousands of multi-generational rock fans.
Building upon this invaluable live momentum, The Pretty Reckless are now turning their gaze toward Europe and the United Kingdom for a comprehensive autumn/winter headlining tour. Set to kick off next month, the itinerary features a series of highly anticipated performances in iconic venues that promise to test the acoustic limits of each room.
The UK leg of the tour kicks off in the historic city of Bristol, where the band will perform at The Prospect Building on 26 November. From there, the caravan moves to the West Midlands for a performance at the Civic Hall in Wolverhampton on 27 November, before heading north to Manchester for a high-energy show at the O2 Victoria Warehouse on 29 November.
The climax of the UK routing brings the band to the capital city, where they are scheduled to headline the legendary O2 Academy Brixton in London on 1 December. This iconic venue, renowned for its electric atmosphere and historic rock pedigree, serves as a fitting backdrop for a band currently operating at the absolute peak of their creative and commercial powers. Finally, the UK trek wraps up north of the border at the historic Barrowland Ballroom in Glasgow on 3 December—a venue universally celebrated by rock musicians and fans alike for its unrivaled intimacy and ferocious energy.
Looking further ahead into the upcoming year, industry insiders anticipate that the ripple effects of the DEAR GOD expansion, coupled with these international live dates, will continue to propel The Pretty Reckless up festival billing lists and radio charts alike. By seamlessly blending historic studio achievements, elite peer collaborations, and an unyielding commitment to the grueling demands of the global road, The Pretty Reckless are not merely maintaining their status as modern rock royalty; they are actively rewriting the rulebook for how a rock band can sustain cultural and commercial relevance in the twenty-first century.
