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Past PSB Survey Results - 2019 Surveys

This page presents the results of surveys I've conducted in the year 2019. The results of surveys conducted in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 , 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2020 appear on separate pages.

The response in each survey that received the most votes is highlighted in bold red. I usually list the responses in descending order according to the number of votes, but in a few cases I've decided that the results may be clearer or more meaningful if I list them in some other order. Incidentally, I do vote in my own surveys—and, yes, I vote only once. More often than not, what I vote for doesn't come in first place. In the results below, the symbol ¤ appears after the item(s) that I voted for in each survey.

Survey 902 - Weeks of December 29, 2019 and January 5, 2020
The "PSB highlight" of 2019 (459 voters)

What, in your opinion, as been the single greatest "Pet Shop Boys highlight" of 2019?

21.1% - The "Burning the Heather" single with the bonus track "Decide"
20.7% - The Agenda EP ¤
20.3% - The Inner Sactum DVD/Blu-ray
13.7% - The "Dreamland" single with bonus tracks "An Open Mind" and "No Boundaries"
13.5% - Their BBC Radio 2 Hyde Park concert
05.2% - Their Musik collaboration with Jonathan Harvey and Frances Barber
02.2% - Something else not listed here*
02.0% - The London rivival of Closer to Heaven
01.1% - The East Asia concluding "mini-leg" of their Super Tour
00.2% - Their "incidental music" for the My Beautiful Laundrette stage show
00.0% - Annually 2019

*The other highlights cited by voters include:

The Hyde Park "warmup" concert

The two-hour BBC "Parlophone years" interview (cited by two voters)

"The fact that we got an album's worth of new PSB tracks to savor this year"

Their live show in Osaka (a "subcategory" of the East Asia Super Tour "mini-leg")

The "tea towel" given to Neil by a fan, which featured "his face" and which Neil photographed and posted on their official website

Survey 901 - Weeks of December 15 and 22, 2019*
Opinions of the song "Decide" (422 voters)

Which of the following statements comes closest to describing your general early impression of the new PSB song "Decide" (the "b-side" of their latest single "Burning the Heather")?

*For personal reasons (a major household move), I took a hiatus from conducting surveys for 2½ months, thereby accounting for the long break between Surveys 900 and 901.

42.4% - "It's a good song, but I wouldn't describe it as one of the best of the decade."
29.6% - "It may not be their best song of the decade, but it's surely one of the half-dozen best." ¤
10.2% - "It's so-so – not bad, but not great, either."
09.2% - "I think it may be the best PSB song of the 2000-teens!"
04.3% - "I can't say because I haven't heard it yet (or enough of it to form an opinion.)"
02.1% - "It's a below-average PSB song."
01.2% - "I think it's one of their weakest songs of the decade!"
00.9% - "I have a very different opinion of its quality from any of those described above."

*Among the different opinions shared by voters:

A couple of the voters said that they regard "Decide" as the best or at least one of the best single b-sides of the decade, but not one of the best PSB songs overall of that period.

"Perhaps if Chris's voice wasn't so distorted, I might like it more."

"I'm possibly loving it more because of the stark contrast with 'Burning the Heather,' which is among the worst PSB singles (and there haven't been many bad ones)."

"'Decide' is overrated. It's not bad but far from the quality of the super b sides."

Survey 900 - Weeks of September 22 and 29, 2019
The Rating Project: The songs of Musik plus "Dreamland" (327 voters)

Please rate each of the songs from the Pet Shop Boys' collaboration with Jonathan Harvey and Frances Barber, Musik, as well as their new single "Dreamland" (in collaboration with Years & Years) on a scale of 0 to 10 as they compare with other PSB songs (0 = "one of the worst PSB songs ever"; 5 = "an average PSB song"; 10 = "one of the very best PSB songs ever").

Track (Listed from Highest Average Rating to Lowest)	Average Rating	% of voters rating 10	% of voters rating 0	Most frequent rating	Wayne's Rating ¤
Dreamland	6.369	5.9%	1.7%	7	6
For Every Moment	5.916	6.1%	3.7%	5	7
Ich bin Musik	5.658	2.7%	2.7%	5	4
Mongrel	4.873	1.9%	3.3%	5	1
Soup	4.668	2.8%	3.7%	5	3

To see where these tracks fall in relation to other songs in the PSB catalog, please visit my overall "Rating Project" page.

Survey 899 - Weeks of September 8 and 15, 2019
Tennant-Lowe songs preferred by other artists (369 voters)

The following songs were "given" by the Pet Shop Boys to another artist to record (in some but not all cases, also produced by Neil and Chris), but were also subsequently officially released in versions by the Boys themselves. For which of the following songs do you personally prefer the version by the other artist to the PSB version? In other words, you don't like the PSB version as much as you like the other artist's version. (Please select all that apply.)

Note: Because voters could vote for more than one song, the percentages total to considerably more than 100%.

50.4% - Nothing Has Been Proved (by Dusty Springfield)
45.3% - In Private (by Dusty Springfield) ¤
37.7% - So Sorry, I Said (by Liza Minnelli) ¤
31.2% - The Loving Kind (by Girls Aloud)
24.4% - The Performance of My Life (by Shirley Bassey) ¤
23.6% - I'm Not Scared (by Eighth Wonder)
15.7% - Listening (by Morten Harket)
14.6% - Confidential (by Tina Turner)
14.6% - Jack and Jill Party (by Pete Burns) ¤
12.7% - Run, Girl, Run (by Frances Barber) ¤
10.0% - Falling (by Kylie Minogue)
08.9% - Positive Role Model (by Paul Keating)
08.7% - "I don't prefer the other artist's version of any of these songs!"
08.4% - Love Life (by Alcazar) ¤
06.5% - Baby (by Alcazar)
05.4% - For All of Us (by Paul Keating)

Survey 898 - Weeks of August 26 and September 1, 2019
Early overall impression of the songs from Musik (306 voters)

What is your early general impression of the songs—especially the four new songs—from the Pet Shop Boys' new collaboration with Frances Barber and Jonathan Harvey, Musik?

25.5% - They're OK, not bad, but certainly not top-notch for PSB.
22.9% - I can't say because I haven't yet heard them.
20.6% - I wouldn't call them "brilliant," but they're very good, and I'm generally quite pleased with them. ¤
11.8% - I think they're brilliant!
06.9% - They're a mixed bag. Some of the songs are great, but others aren't very good.
05.6% - In general, I'm not very fond of them.
03.9% - I don't like them at all, and I find the whole thing extremely disappointing.
01.6% - I think they're lyrically good, but musically weak.
01.0% - I have a very different opinion from any of those described here.*
00.3% - I think they're musically good, but lyrically weak.

*Among the other opinions shared by voters:

"They are decent songs, both lyrically and musically, but I don't care for Frances Barber. I would like to hear Neil's vocal demos."

"Considering what PSB are able to deliver in terms of overall musical quality, the new songs are rather disappointing. Within the context of the genre, though, I do not find them particularly weak.

"I find that PSB working with an overtly transphobic woman extremely disappointing. I'd expect better from them."

Survey 897 - Weeks of August 11 and 18, 2019
Three favorite songs of the "Actually era" (495 voters)

What are your three favorite Pet Shop Boys songs of the "Actually era"?

Please note that, because voters could choose up to three songs, the percentages total to considerably more than 100% – actually, closer to 300% (but not quite since some voters placed fewer than three votes).

43.2% - It's a Sin ¤
40.2% - King's Cross
31.1% - Always on My Mind
29.9% - What Have I Done to Deserve This? ¤
26.9% - Rent ¤
23.8% - It Couldn't Happen Here
20.6% - Heart
15.4% - One More Chance
14.9% - I Want to Wake Up
11.9% - Do I Have To?
11.7% - I Get Excited (You Get Excited Too)
08.7% - A New Life
06.5% - I Want a Dog
04.2% - Shopping
04.0% - You Know Where You Went Wrong
01.6% - Hit Music

Survey 896 - Weeks of July 28 and August 4, 2019
Three PSB singles for a pre-2000 dance set (420 voters)

One of my site visitors is putting together a live DJ dance-set of music from the 1970s, '80s, and '90s. He wants to include in his set three Pet Shop Boys singles from this period (pre-2000). What three Pet Shop Boys songs would you suggest that he include?

36.4% - Always on My Mind
25.0% - Domino Dancing
23.6% - New York City Boy ¤
20.2% - It's a Sin
20.2% - Go West
19.0% - West End Girls ¤
13.8% - Left to My Own Devices
13.6% - Heart ¤
13.3% - Paninaro '95
11.9% - I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing
11.2% - Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes Off You)
09.5% - Was It Worth It?
08.6% - It's Alright
08.6% - So Hard
06.0% - Absolutely Fabulous
05.5% - Yesterday, When I Was Mad
05.2% - Suburbia
05.2% - Can You Forgive Her?
04.8% - Before
04.8% - Se A Vida É (That's the Way Life Is)
04.5% - I Don't Know What You Want But I Can't Give It Any More
03.1% - What Have I Done to Deserver This?
02.9% - Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money)
02.9% - DJ Culture
02.6% - A Red Letter Day
02.4% - How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?
02.1% - Single-Bilingual
01.9% - Love Comes Quickly
01.7% - Being Boring
01.2% - Rent
01.2% - Somewhere
01.0% - Jealousy
01.0% - Liberation
01.0% - To Step Aside

Survey 895 - Weeks of July 14 and July 21, 2019
Three favorite songs of the "Bilingual era" (679 voters)

What are your three favorite Pet Shop Boys songs of the "Bilingual era"?

25.5% - A Red Letter Day
21.4% - It Always Comes as a Surprise ¤
20.8% - Discoteca ¤
19.1% - Delusions of Grandeur
19.1% - Hallo Spaceboy (with David Bowie)
18.0% - To Step Aside ¤
16.1% - Before
15.6% - It Doesn't Often Snow at Christmas
14.7% - Se A Vida É (That's the Way Life Is)
13.1% - Up Against It
12.7% - Hit and Miss
12.4% - Single (Single-Bilingual)
11.8% - The Surviors
11.5% - How I Learned to Hate Rock 'n' Roll
10.2% - The Truck-Driver and His Mate
07.2% - Somewhere
06.3% - The Boy Who Couldn't Keep His Clothes On
05.7% - Paninaro '95
05.7% - Metamorphosis
05.7% - Betrayed
05.7% - The View from Your Balcony
04.0% - Electricity
03.2% - Disco Potential
02.4% - Saturday Night Forever
02.2% - The Calm Before the Storm
02.2% - Confidential

Survey 894 - Weeks of June 31 and July 7, 2019
Three favorite songs of the "Behaviour era" (519 voters)

What are your three favorite Pet Shop Boys songs of the "Behaviour era"?

63.6% - Being Boring ¤
31.2% - This Must Be the Place I Waited Years to Leave
31.0% - So Hard
19.3% - My October Symphony
17.7% - Jealousy
14.5% - Miserablism
14.1% - Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes Off You)
12.9% - The End of the World
11.9% - DJ Culture
10.8% - Bet She's Not Your Girlfriend ¤
10.4% - Only the Wind
09.6% - We All Feel Better in the Dark
09.6% - Was It Worth It?
08.1% - Nervously
07.7% - How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously? ¤*
06.6% - It Must Be Obvious
06.4% - To Face the Truth
04.4% - Losing My Mind
03.3% - Music for Boys
01.0% - Overture to Performance
00.2% - Generic Jingle

*Regarding my own vote for "How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously?" – It's the single/video (mixed by Brothers in Rhythm) and live Performance rendition of this song that account for my special fondness for this song more so than the Behaviour album version.

Survey 893 - Weeks of June 16 and 23, 2019
Three favorite songs of the "Very era" (469 voters)

What are your three favorite Pet Shop Boys songs of the "Very era"?

40.7% - Can You Forgive Her?
22.4% - Dreaming of the Queen
18.8% - I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing ¤
18.6% - Go West
17.1% - Young Offender
17.1% - Shameless
16.2% - The Theatre
15.1% - Liberation ¤
15.1% - Yesterday, When I Was Mad
13.9% - Forever in Love
12.4% - Too Many People
10.9% - One Thing Leads to Another
10.2% - Some Speculation
09.4% - A Different Point of View
09.4% - Hey, Headmaster
08.1% - To Speak Is a Sin
07.0% - One in a Million ¤
06.2% - Decadence
03.8% - The Man Who Has Everything
03.6% - Euroboy
03.2% - Absolutely Fabulous
02.8% - One and One Make Five
02.3% - KDX 125
02.3% - We Came from Outer Space
01.9% - Girls & Boys
01.7% - My Head Is Spinning
01.1% - Postscript
01.1% - If Love Were All
01.1% - Falling
00.4% - What Keeps Mankind Alive?

Survey 892 - Weeks of June 2 and 9, 2019
Most recent unexpected hearing of PSB music (311 voters)

To the best of your recollection, when was the last time that you heard music by the Pet Shop Boys when you weren't expecting to hear their music?

36.3% - More than a month ago, but less than a year ago
20.6% - More than a week ago, but less than a month ago ¤
19.0% - More than a year ago
13.2% - Within the past week
04.8% - Yesterday
03.2% - Earlier today, in fact
02.9% - To be honest, I've never heard PSB music when I wasn't expecting to hear it

Survey 891 - Weeks of May 19 and 26, 2019
Favorite PSB song with "night" in its title (446 voters)

What is your favorite Pet Shop Boys/Tennant-Lowe song with "night" in its title?

37.4% - In the Night
26.7% - Tonight Is Forever ¤
11.0% - Later Tonight
08.7% - One Night
03.6% - Nightlife
02.9% - My Night
02.5% - Saturday Night Forever
02.5% - The Night I Fell in Love
02.2% - I Can't Say Goodnight
01.1% - Night Song
01.1% - The Night Is a Time to Explore Who You Are
00.2% - Night Falls

Survey 890 - Weeks of May 5 and 12, 2019
Opinions on news of Musik (387 voters)

Of the following possible opinions regarding the recent announcement about Musik, the Pet Shop Boys' upcoming new "cabaret show" collaboration with Jonathan Harvey and Frances Barber, with which ones do you personally agree? (Please select all that apply.)

Because voters could make more than one choice in response to this question, the percentages total to more than 100%

36.7% - "While I have no strong feelings about this particular endeavor, I'm in favor of anything that means new Tennant-Lowe music." ¤
23.3% - "It's a good thing if they release the new songs to the general public in some way (either PSB demos or recording of the show itself), but otherwise it doesn't much matter to me." ¤
22.0% - "If it's something that helps give Chris and Neil more fulfillment as artists, then our opinions really shouldn't matter very much." ¤
18.9% - "I think it sounds marvelous in every way, and I'm excited about it!"
11.6% - "I have no strong feelings about it one way or the other."
11.4% - "I'm unable or unwilling to travel long distances to see such shows, and if the past is any indication, it's not likely that this will be filmed for release to the public worldwide. This always makes me feel 'left out,' so I'm not at all enthusiastic about it."
07.8% - "It sounds a little too 'campy' for my tastes."
07.5% - "I wish Neil and Chris would stop doing these 'theatrical' things and just focus on new pop music."
03.4% - "I'm not opposed to Chris and Neil engaging in 'outside' endeavors, but this strikes me as a particularly ill-advised one. I think it's a bad idea."
01.0% - "I have a very different opinion from (or in addition to) any of those listed above."*

*Although several voters made this selection, I was unable to discern any significantly different viewpoints from those listed above in the "Comments" section. They all seemed simply to be slight variations on those or completely different subjects altogether.

Survey 889 - Weeks of April 21 and 28, 2019
Recent single b-sides preferred to the a-side (437 voters)

Which of the following post-May 2005* Pet Shop Boys single "b-sides" do you prefer to its "a-side"?

*I asked this question about the singles after May 2005 because at that time I asked the same question about all of the PSB singles up to that point. In the responses below, the a-side single is listed in brackets following the name of the corresponding b-side. Please note that, because voters could make multiple selections in this poll, the response percentages add up to considerably more than 100%.

53.5% - A Certain Je Ne Sais Quoi [Winner] ¤
46.5% - Fugitive (7" mix) [Beautiful People]
38.0% - The Resurrectionist [I'm with Stupid] ¤
36.8% - Bright Young Things [Numb] ¤
33.6% - After the Event [Did You See Me Coming?]
32.0% - I Started a Joke [Winner]
24.3% - The Way Through the Woods [Winner]
20.4% - In His Imagination [Leaving]
14.2% - One Night [Memory of the Future]
14.0% - Wiedersehen [Twenty-something]
13.3% - A Cloud in a Box [Say It to Me]
13.0% - Listening [Memory of the Future]
11.7% - I Cried for Us [Together]
11.4% - Hell [Leaving]
10.8% - Party Song [Numb]
10.1% - In Bits [The Pop Kids]
09.6% - Up and Down [Did You See Me Coming?]
09.2% - Girls Don't Cry [I'm with Stupid]
08.2% - Glad All Over [Together]
08.2% - The Dead Can Dance [Say It to Me]
07.8% - In Private (with Elton John) [Minimal]
07.8% - The White Dress [Twenty-Something]
07.3% - One Hit Wonder [The Pop Kids]
06.9% - We're All Criminals Now [Love etc.]
06.6% - No Time for Tears (7" mix) [Minimal]
06.6% - Blue on Blue [Minimal]
06.6% - Odd Man Out [Thursday] ¤
05.7% - No More Ballads [Thursday]
05.0% - Gin and Jag [Love etc.]
05.0% - Entschuldigung! [Love Is a Bourgeois Construct]
04.8% - Baby [Leaving]
04.6% - Get It Online [Love Is a Bourgeois Construct]
04.1% - The Former Enfant Terrible [Did You See Me Coming?]
03.0% - Inside [Memory of the Future]

Survey 888 - Weeks of April 7 and 14, 2019
View on a PSB "retirement tour" (395 voters)

In an interview last year, Rod Stewart said that Elton John's current farewell tour "stinks of selling tickets" and that "retirement tours" in general were "dishonest." He further said that when he retires, "I won't make an announcement. I'll just fade away." So when the time comes, what would you prefer the Pet Shop Boys to do: announce a "retirement tour," or just "fade away" as Stewart has suggested? Which of the following three statements comes closest to expressing your view on this subject?

48.4% - "No, I don't want them to announce in advance whether any given tour is their 'final' or 'retirement tour.' I agree it would be best for them just to 'fade away' from touring without any advance announcement." ¤

30.9% - "Yes, when the time comes, I want them to announce a 'retirement tour'—as long as they stick to it and it really does prove to be their final tour."

20.8% - "I don't mind if they announce a 'retirement tour,' even if they don't stick to it and tour again after that."

Survey 887 - Weeks of March 24 and 31, 2019
Your three favorite "non-studio" PSB albums (483 voters)

Of the Pet Shop Boys' official "non-studio" albums, which three are your personal favorites?

Note that these percentages total to considerably more than 100% because voters could make up to three choices.

65.2% - Alternative ¤
40.0% - Relentless ¤
30.0% - Disco
26.9% - Format ¤*
24.6% - PopArt
18.8% - Discography
17.6% - Disco 3
13.9% - Battleship Potemkin
13.7% - Pandemonium
12.8% - Concrete
09.3% - Closer to Heaven
05.4% - The Most Incredible Thing
04.3% - Disco 4
03.1% - Disco 2
01.9% - Ultimate

*Regarding my own three choices – This proved a very difficult decision for me. Discography is a sentimental favorite because it was the first PSB album I ever owned. And PopArt is the PSB album I would choose to keep if I had to give up every single other album and never again listen to PSB music in any other way. But I love the two b-sides collections, Alternative and Format, so much that I simply couldn't leave them out. And Relentless stands out as a totally unique "PSB experience," unlike anything else they've done (and having become a genuine rarity to boot), while its close association with my absolute favorite PSB album, Very, further enhances its status for me. So, finally, those are the three I went with.

Survey 886 - Weeks of March 10 and 17, 2019
The Rating Project: The songs of Agenda (425 voters)

Please rate each of the songs on the Pet Shop Boys' EP Agenda on a scale of 0 to 10 as they compare with other PSB songs (0 = "one of the worst PSB songs ever"; 5 = "an average PSB song"; 10 = "one of the very best PSB songs ever").

Track (Listed from Highest Average Rating to Lowest)	Average Rating	% of voters rating 10	% of voters rating 0	Most frequent rating	Wayne's Rating ¤
The Forgotten Child	6.354	5.7%	1.2%	7	3
On Social Media	6.036	6.3%	2.2%	6	5
What Are We Going to Do About the Rich?	5.051	2.2%	4.4%	5	4
Give Stupidity a Chance	4.983	2.7%	5.3%	5	2

To see where these tracks fall in relation to other songs in the PSB catalog, please visit my overall "Rating Project" page.

Survey 885 - Weeks of February 24 and March 3, 2019
The most underrated and overrated PSB studio albums (497 voters)

What, in your opinion, is the Pet Shop Boys' most underrated studio album? And which one do you consider to be their most overrated?

Their most underrated album	Their most overrated album
17.5% - Elysium 16.9% - Release ¤ 16.7% - Bilingual 11.5% - Nightlife 11.5% - Fundamental 07.6% - Yes 04.0% - Super 03.0% - Please 03.0% - Behaviour 02.4% - Introspective 01.8% - Actually 01.8% - Electric 01.2% - Very	19.1% - Very 10.5% - Electric ¤ 10.3% - Introspective 09.3% - Behaviour 07.6% - Fundamental 07.6% - Super 06.6% - Yes 05.6% - Actually 04.0% - Please 04.0% - Elysium 03.6% - Bilingual 02.8% - Nightlife 02.4% - Release

Please note that the percentages in each column don't total to 100% because some voters made a choice in only one group.

Survey 884 - Weeks of February 10 and 17, 2019
Early overall impression of Agenda (629 voters)

What is your early general impression of the Pet Shop Boys' new EP, Agenda?

34.5% - "I wouldn't call it 'brilliant,' but it's good, and I'm quite pleased with it." ¤
21.8% - "It's OK, not bad, but certainly not top-notch PSB."
19.7% - "I think it's brilliant!"
05.7% - "In general, I'm not very fond of it."
05.6% - "It's a real mixed bad. Some of the songs are great, but others aren't very good."
04.3% - "I don't like it at all, and I find it extremely disappointing."
02.5% - "I think it's lyrically good, but musically weak."
02.4% - "I think it's musicaly good, but lyrically weak."
02.4% - "I can't say because I haven't heard it yet."
01.1% - "I have a very different opinion from any of those described above."*

To sum up, a little over half of the voters have positive opinions about Agenda, about a third have "middling" or mixed opinions, and 10% have negative opinions.

*Among the "very different opinions" that a few of the voters shared with me:

"I really enjoyed the surprise! I don’t think we have four classic songs here but they have nailed the subjects they are writing about. Also very happy with the melodies. It feels like they’ve gone in for the kill with the hooks!"

"I have just chosen 'I have a very different opinion from any of those described above' because 'The Resurrectionist' is better both musically and lyrically. :-)"

"It's ok, but the EP format isn't my cup of tea, it just leaves you wanting more."

Survey 883 - Weeks of January 27 and February 3, 2019
Best and worst PSB "non-studio-album" years (215 voters)

Beginning after their first album, Please, what has been, in your opinion, the best and worst "Pet Shop Boys years" that did NOT see the release of any of what are generally acknowledged to be their 13 "studio albums"?

The BEST non-studio-album year	The WORST non-studio-album year
20.9% - 1991 ¤* 18.6% - 1989 09.3% - 2003 07.4% - 1994 05.6% - 1995 05.6% - 2014 05.1% - 2001 04.2% - 2010 04.2% - 2017 03.3% - 2004 02.3% - 1992 02.3% - 1997 01.9% - 2000 01.9% - 2005 01.9% - 2011 01.9% - 2018 01.4% - 2008 00.9% - 1998 00.5% - 2015 00.0% - 2007	21.9% - 2018 09.8% - 1992 08.4% - 2000 06.0% - 1998 05.6% - 2015 ¤* 05.1% - 2004 03.7% - 2001 03.7% - 2003 03.7% - 2005 03.3% - 1994 03.3% - 2011 03.3% - 2017 02.8% - 2007 02.8% - 2014 01.9% - 1995 01.9% - 1997 01.9% - 2008 01.9% - 2010 01.4% - 1989 00.9% - 1991

*Regarding my own votes – I consider 1991 the best non-studio-album year not only because of the Performance Tour but also because of the release of Discography and Videography, all which played huge roles in my becoming a fan (though not because I saw the Performance Tour live—I didn't—but because I bought the Performance VHS tape shortly after Discography and Videography). And I chose 2015 as the worst because that was one of the very rare calendar years that saw the release of no new PSB music whatsoever and because it saw the end of their Literally fan-club magazine (although that latter occurrence has now been largely mitigated by their Annually publications).

Survey 882 - Week of January 20, 2019
How many times have you seen PSB perform "live"? (416 voters)

How many times have you seen the Pet Shop Boys perform "live," in-person?

15.4% - 1 (once)
13.5% - 0 (never)
10.1% - 2 (twice)
10.1% - 4 times
08.4% - 5 times ¤
07.0% - 6 times
06.5% - 3 times
06.0% - 13-20 times
05.8% - More than 20 times
05.5% - 8 times
04.6% - 10 times
02.9% - 7 times
01.9% - 9 times
01.4% - 11 times
01.0% - 12 times

For the record, this survey indicates that roughly 36% of the voters have seen the Boys perform live more often than I have, while roughly 56% have seen them perform live less often than I have, with the remainder (of course) seeing them live the same number of times I have.

Survey 881 - Week of January 13, 2019
Favorite PSB b-sides "in common" (382 voters)

The following songs are my own personal ten favorite Pet Shop Boys' single b-sides. I'm wondering which ones you consider to be among your own personal favorites. Please select all that apply.

Because of the very nature of this particular poll, I didn't vote in it; hence, no ¤ symbol appears among the choices below. Since voters could make more than one selection, the percentages total to considerably more than 100%.

49.5% - Shameless
45.0% - Your Funny Uncle
37.2% - Delusions of Grandeur
36.4% - The Resurrectionist
36.1% - We All Feel Better in the Dark
34.6% - Hit and Miss
33.2% - Bet She's Not Your Girlfriend
32.2% - A Certain Je Ne Sais Quoi
26.7% - The Truck-Driver and His Mate
25.7% - I Didn't Get Where I Am Today

Incidentally, the voters collectively had, on the average, 3.57 songs—roughly a third—in common with me as favorite PSB b-sides.

Survey 880 - Week of January 6, 2019
The most "Erasuresque" PSB single (308 voters)

The Pet Shop Boys have often been compared, rightly or wrongly, with Erasure. Which PSB single is, in your opinion, the most "Erasuresque" (however you define it)—that is, the most like Erasure?

12.0% - Was It Worth It?
07.1% - I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing
05.5% - Heart ¤
05.2% - Somewhere
04.9% - New York City Boy
04.2% - Absolutely Fabulous
03.9% - Love Comes Quickly
03.9% - Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes Off You)
03.9% - Flamboyant
03.2% - Go West
03.2% - Yesterday, When I Was Mad
02.9% - Miracles
02.9% - Together
02.9% - Did You See Me Coming?
02.6% - Liberation
02.3% - Memory of the Future
01.9% - So Hard
01.9% - Se A Vida E (That's the Way Life Is)
01.9% - A Red Letter Day
01.9% - Undertow
01.6% - It's a Sin
01.3% - Always on My Mind
01.3% - Break 4 Love
01.3% - Love Is a Bourgeois Construct
01.3% - Twenty-something
01.0% - Suburbia
01.0% - Domino Dancing
01.0% - Left to My Own Devices
01.0% - To Step Aside
01.0% - Home and Dry
01.0% - I'm with Stupid
01.0% - Love etc.
01.0% - Winner
00.6% - West End Girls
0.06% - What Have I Done to Deserve This?
00.6% - Rent
00.6% - Minimal
00.6% - She's Madonna
00.6% - All Over the World
00.3% - Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money)
00.3% - Being Boring
00.3% - Jealousy
00.3% - DJ Culture
00.3% - Can You Forgive Her?
00.3% - I Don't Know What You Want But I Can't Give It Any More
00.3% - You Only Tell Me You Love Me When You'reDrunk
00.3% - Beautiful People
00.3% - Say It to Me

None of the other singles received any votes. Several potential voters noted that they were unable to place a vote in this poll because they're either not sufficiently familiar with Erasure or simply couldn't perceive any similarity at all between any PSB song and Erasure. My own choice of "Heart" was based on lyrical content rather than musical; that is, I feel that "Heart" has more like a typical "Erasure lyric" than the music of any PSB single is like typical "Erasure music."

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