New York city boys...

Pet Shop Boys is an English group based on the duo Neil Tennant/Chris Lowe, Neil Tennant providing the vocals and Chris Lowe the synths.

The two friends met for the first time in 1981 in a sound shop and their common passion for the same style of music immediately united them.

Their first compositions were done in a small studio in Camden Town in 1982. They took the name of "West end" at first out of love for this London district, then "Pet Shop boys" as a nod to friends who work in a pet shop in Ealing.

It was in 1983 that things turned upside down when they met producer Bobby Orlando (Bobby ‘O’). They produced 11 models together between 1983 and 1984.

And it was in 1984 that their first Single "West end girls" was released, which hit the headlines immediately in clubs in Los Angeles and San Francisco. But not abroad.

In 1985, the 2 friends separated from Bobby ‘O’ and signed with Parlophone Label.

The Single “Opportunities” with modest success was released in the process. They re-record "West end girls" and resort to it in 1986.

This time, it's a huge planetary success ! 1987 was the year of the real takeoff with the release of the flagship Single “It’s a sin” followed by a few “What have I done to deserve this ?” and "Rent".

The same year, the album "Actually" was released.

But it is the now cult "Always on my mind", taken from an Elvis Presley title and released in late 1987, which enshrines them as one of the flagship groups of the moment and the decade.

In 1988, at the top of their game, they afford the luxury of writing for others.

And this is how the magnificent "I’m not scared" of the Eight Wonder was born !

Released the same year the Single "Heart". Followed by "Domino dancing" which only reached seventh place in the Charts, to the great despair of Neil Tennant who then thought that the Pet Shop Boys were finished !

Also in the same year, the third album "Introspective" was released.

Followed by the flagship Single “Left to my own devices”. "It’s allright", another flagship Single, was released in 1989.

They also collaborated that year with Liza Minnelli, to whom they offered the sublime "Losing my mind" on a set.

In 1990, the Single "So hard" was released, followed shortly by the fourth album "Behavior" which contained the flagship Single "Being boring".

The same year, new collaboration, this time with Dusty Springfield who will give in particular the flagship Single "In Private".

The year 1993 will be the year of the ultimate consecration of this group with the release of the enormous and intercosmic hit "Go West", taken from the Village People, where the group will pay the luxury of having the Hearts of the Red Army !

Still in activity, this hyper-prolific and talented group produced other high-billed Singles in the late 90s and early 2000s.

But we will have the opportunity to talk about it again.

To discover or rediscover...

Discography (among others ...) :

80s Decade :

• West end girls 1985

• Love comes quickly 1986

• Opportunities 1986

• Suburbia 1986

• It’s a sin 1987

• What have I done to deserve this ? 1987

• Rent 1987

• Always on my mind 1987

• Heart 1988

• Domino dancing 1988

• Left to my own devices 1988

• It’s allright 1989

• Losing my mind (Liza Minnelli) 1989

90s Decade :

• So hard 1990

• Being boring 1990

• In Private (Dusty Springfield) 1990

• How can you expect to be taken seriously ? 1991

• Where the streets have no name 1991

• Jealousy 1991

• DJ Culture 1991

• Was it worth it ? 1991

• Can you forgive her 1993

• Go west 1993

• I wouldn’t normally do this kind of thing 1993

• Liberation 1994

• Absolutely fabulous 1994

• Yesterday, when I was mad 1994

• Paninaro 95' 1995

• Before 1996

• Se a vida é (That's the way life is) 1996

• To step aside 1996

• Single-bilingual 1996

• A red letter day 1997

• Somewhere 1997

• I don't know what you want but I can't give it any more 1999

• New York city boy 1999

2000s Decade :

• You only tell me you love me when you're drunk 2000

• Home and dry 2002

• I get along 2002

• London 2003

• Miracles 2003

• Flamboyant 2004

• I'm with stupid 2006

• Minimal 2006

• Numb 2006

• Integral 2007

• Love Etc. 2009

• Did you see me coming ? 2009

• Beautiful people 2009

2010s Decade :

• Together 2010

• Winner 2012

• Leaving 2012

• Memory of the future 2012

• Axis 2013

• Vocal 2013

• Love is a bourgeois construct 2013

• Thursday 2013

• The Pop kids 2016

• Twenty-Something 2016

• Say it to me 2016

• Undertow 2017

• Dreamland 2019

• Burning the heather 2019

2020s Decade :

• Monkey business 2020

• I don't wanna 2020

• Cricket wife 2021

• Purple zone 2022

• The lost room 2023

• Loneliness 2024

• Dancing star 2024

• If Jesus had a sister 2024

• Sense of time 2024

• Bullet for Narcissus 2024

• Feel 2024

• A new bohemia 2024

• All the young dudes 2024

• Beauty has laid siege to the city 2024

• New London boy 2024

Tracks :

1985 ... the 'phenomena' arrive. The first steps of little youngsters who will become one of the major groups of the decade, even of this end of the XXth century. After a first version released a year earlier and which will have gone relatively unnoticed, this version will simply offer them their first planetary mega hit, just that. MAS-TER-FUL !

1986 ... a second title with definite quality and which confirms the group's extraordinary, but super-efficient style. Admittedly, the level of success is lower than its predecessor, but the momentum is well and truly launched. And it will pulsate !

1986 ... a new 're-release' with this title released a year earlier and which, too, had gone under the radar. Which will not be the case with this one !

1986 ... a first BIG year with no less than 3 top planetary hits. And the style becomes incredibly effective. Everything is now there for the great fireworks that will not be long ...

1987 ... a first fireworks display that begins with this title. A new global mega hit that elevates them One Shot to the rank of planetary stars and makes them the 'phenomenon' of the moment

1987 ... the tube machine is now operational ! It is an uninterrupted surge of hits that will follow for 3 decades. Incredible but true !

1987 ... 1986 produced 3 top hits. 1987 will produce 4 including 1 mega. The group literally starts walking on the water ...

1987 ... an incredible year which ends in apotheosis with what will remain as one of their biggest hit. HUGE title which consecrates them as THE flagship group of the moment. MO-NU-MEN-TAL !

1988 ... change of vintage and restart on the wheel caps. New mega hit directly just to announce the color !

1988 ... every title released now turns immediately into gold. The group becomes an absolutely amazing hit machine that few other groups can match !

1988 ... new year with 3 top hits. It is now the minimum union with them now. An inspiration in a boiling almost permanent, staggering !

1989 ... we end the decade as best it can be with a phew title that will remain as one of their best. Incredible thing, they will only release one title this year. But what a title !

1989 ... and in addition, when they do not compose titles of very high level for them, they compose for the others. The proof with this sumptuous gift for Liza. Share the little guys !

1990 ... one would have imagined that the following decade would see them decline as they had given during the preceding decade. What a denial. It will even be the complete opposite. A-MA-ZING !

1990 ... a half mega hit .. Is this happening to them ? And yes, from time to time. But half mega hits like that are top ultra mega hits for 99 % of the rest of the competition ...

1990 ... and here is the sumptuous present for Dusty ! There will be something for everyone, there is no reason. And as for Liza, this title is a real caviar !

1991 ... a constantly renewed inspiration that works wonders year after year, decade after decade. But where are they going to get it all ?!

1991 ... a luxury cover of U2 with this title which spins at 200 km/h. Even in the copy they excel ! Whatever they do, whatever they touch, everything turns to gold !

1991 ... a title very smooth and finesse. From time to time, they sometimes do something other than mega Dance hits. Yes Yes. And it works very well too !

1991 ... definitely, a year of transition with more Intimist titles. Well, the clip is completely wacky, but this is only a detail because with them, everything is wacky. This is what makes their strength !

1991 ... back to pure and hard Dance. It couldn't last, that's for sure ! A title that ends a new year with 4 top planetary hits. A mania with them !

1993 ... as surprising as it may seem, nothing happened in 1992 ... So we find them a year later for a fluorescent orange delirium !

1993 ... then here comes this incredible luxury cover of the title of Village People dating from 1978. A title that allows them to record their biggest hit of the decade. They sign here a new HUGE Dance title which will undoubtedly remain as one of their most beautiful achievements. MO-NU-MEN-TAL !

1993 ... the group clearly evolves. The sound, the look, the clips, it's now Pet Shop Boys Season 2. A necessary adaptation in this mid-1990s where everything is going very fast, too fast ...

1994 ... at the same time, the group becomes more and more assertive and now alternates the songs at the tempo of phew with songs that play much more on the register of emotion. As a need for change ...

1994 ... in Euro Beat version. Why not ? It is in tune with the times but is it really their goodwill ? Not sure, given their level of creativity, they can clearly do better and more original !

1994 ... in the same vein. All carried by a completely wacky clip which sublimates the title and shows once again all the excess of this absolutely unique duo !

1995 ... there are the years with, and the years without. This is more like a year without. Only one title to get your teeth into that year. We feel that the group is looking for a second wind in this mid-decade ...

1996 ... business resumes somewhat with this slightly more inspired title. We can understand that after more than 10 years of getting to know the stars, there is a moment of weariness and questioning necessary ...

1996 ... light, airy, a title that smells of carefree and zest for life. In a very surprising musical style that we are not used to seeing them practice. And why not...

1996 ... a nice title with finesse that fits perfectly with the new musical standards of the moment. Admittedly, it will not even be classified, an extremely rare thing concerning them, but it's still a good job !

1996 ... new BIG year with no less than 4 heavyweight titles. The group changes, tests new things and adapts. Sometimes evolution goes in the right direction, sometimes you wonder where they really want to go...

1997 ... the group finds its fundamentals and its extraordinary inspiration which has always made the difference. Rather auspicious for the continuation of the events and especially the end of the decade ...

1997 ... a limitless inspiration that constantly re-oxygenates. Did we mean them at the end of the day ? No, they always rise from the ashes. Real aliens !

1999 ... the end of the decade still on top. Will they stop there and take a well-deserved retirement ? Never in life, they have so much to show again ...

1999 ... yet another perfectly rhythmic, orchestrated, inspired track. Undoubtedly one of the best of the decade for them. Low hat gentlemen ! Well, there, we may stop there regarding their discography because there is so much left ...

2000...after 2 absolutely exceptional decades for the group, will the 2000s be one of too many and therefore of decline ? The future will tell us...

2002...for the moment it is clear that everything is under control. Admittedly, the level of success has dropped slightly, but in a moderate way, to say the least...

2002...it is clear that the best years are now behind them but what the group continues to offer largely holds up. We will therefore be satisfied with it !

2003 ... some titles will still graze the 'through', something that had almost never happened to them. But at this point nothing to worry about...

2003...business picked up with this title, so there was nothing to worry about. Afterwards, it remains to be seen if they will go the distance and do it over time...

2004...they will have experienced few mono-title years but this year 2004 will be part of them in any case. Afterwards, if the quality prevails over the quantity, there is nothing to complain about...

2006...some titles will do better than others and this one will be one of them. The level of inspiration has weakened for a few years, of course, but when we see what they are still capable of producing, we can only rejoice...

2006...this title on the other hand will be one of the titles that will pass somewhat 'through'. Unfortunately, we have to be prepared for an almost systematic alternation between successful titles and titles with a much more modest destiny...

2006...extremely rare to see them in the Intimist domain and yet here they are venturing into it with a certain mastery. Who would have thought that possible ?

2007...a year 2007 which sees the group somewhat struggling. A single title on the counter and the success of the most modest. Times are getting tougher...

2009...it will take them 2 years to find a level of inspiration worthy of the name but the result is there, it is clear. Here they sign their biggest success of the decade and are ideally positioned for the transition to the next decade...

2009...once again the group makes the yoyo and this title will pass somewhat under the radars. But as I said before, it will take some getting used to...

2009...this one will do even worse. It's time for the decade to end because the group alternates between the best and the all comers...

2010...a new decade that starts much better than the previous decade ended. We were afraid that the group would drop out irretrievably but this will not be the case fortunately...

2012...the group returns to the front of the stage in an impressive way to say the least and proves once again that we will still have to count on them in the years to come. What talent !

2012...a great and big year 2012 for the group which finds a more than obvious level of form. Hope it lasts as they say...

2012...a trio of hits that put the group back in the race. It now remains for them to try to maintain the same level of success as long as possible...

2013...the year 2013 will be a notch below compared to the year 2012 but without relegating the group to the depths of the Charts. So there is still hope, that's for sure...

2013...a plethoric year in terms of titles but with very fluctuating success depending on the titles. The group continues its adventure at all costs and in an eventful way...

2013... after, as long as they enjoy doing what they do, isn't that the main thing ? And they take it at first sight since they continue to believe it again and again !

2013...a year that will not stay as their best vintage, but the whole will have been of quality as always. Nothing extraordinary but good job once again !

2016...and once again they will manage to surprise us and come back to the fore with this new title. Unstoppable little guys !

2016... the rest will prove to be much more complicated to manage than expected. While we thought that they would still be able to maintain their highest level for a few more years, the fall in the Charts will be violent to say the least from this title...

2016...their last big hit. The group is getting closer and closer to the exit door but he is doing everything it can to delay this deadline as much as possible. And us with him !

2017...the beginning of the end, at least on the Charts side. We are not going to hide the face, the group will now do more some figuration than anything else. Hard law of the trade...

2019... what will be surprising to say the least is that the little success he is now having comes mainly from the United States. No one is a prophet in his own country...

2019...a style and a sound that has nothing to do with everything they have offered so far. And why not tell me...

2020...in any case, they continue to believe in it and regardless of the results in the Charts. And my faith, they are far from being ridiculous so why stop in such a good way...

2020...certainly they will never find their exceptional level of inspiration from the 80s and 90s again, but many small groups of the moment would be largely satisfied with an equivalent level of inspiration, that's for sure...