One of the most commercially and critically successful groups to emerge from the effervescent pop music universe of the 1980s, Pet Shop Boys produced a significant number of hits between that decade and the following. His electronic/dance pop music has been acclaimed due to its clever lyrics and sophisticated arrangements.
From the city of London, the band originated in 1981 in the friendship between vocalist Neil Tennant and keyboardist Chris Lowe, two admirers of dance music and synthesizers, who immediately decided to form the group. Released in 1984 by Columbia Records, its first single was "West End Girls", a synthpop song, influenced by hip hop music. This first version of "West End Girls" was produced by American Bobby Orlando and became a hit in some North American clubs.
"West End Girls" was re-recorded and included on the duo's first album, Please, released in 1986, when Pet Shop Boys had already signed to EMI. In 1987, the group released their second album, Actually, which featured the songs "It's a Sin" and "What Have I Done to Deserve This?". That same year, the group released a version of "Always On My Mind ", a song originally recorded by American singer Brenda Lee, but which also became known in the voice of Elvis Presley. "Always On My Mind" was included on the duo's third album, Introspective (1988), which also brought the hits "Domino Dancing" and "Left to My Own Devices".
Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe returned with a new studio album in 1990, when they released Behaviour, a softer electronic pop record. Still during the 1990s, the band released Very (1993), Bilingual (1996) and Nightlife (1999).
In the first decade of the 21st century, the group released three studio albums: Release (2002), Fundamental (2006) and Yes (2009). In 2012, Pet Shop Boys released Elysium, their eleventh album. Electriccame out the following year, followed by Super, released in 2016, and Hotspot, in 2020. In 2024, the duo released Nonetheless, their fifteenth studio album.
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