"Always the Pretenders" is a 2006 single released by the Swedish heavy metal band Europe. It is the first single from Europes album Secret Society, and was released on October 11, 2006. The single peaked at number 2 on the Swedish singles chart. The song is co-written by vocalist Joey Tempest and bassist John Levén, and was inspired by a phonecall Tempest received on September 11, 2001.