What's New? – Recent Updates & Additions

November 8, 2026

PSB Songs Performed by Other Artists

Thanks to Eddie Xavier for telling me about the new remake of "West End Girls" by the talented California family band Raized Wrong, who specialize in 1980s covers, often expertly mimicking their instrumental sound. So far only brief excerpts have surfaced online, although they've been performing it live for several weeks now. I've noted this remake on my page devoted to Pet Shop Boys songs performed by other artists.

November 5, 2026

Wayne's "PSB Dreams"

I had another one of my occasional dreams about the Pet Shop Boys last night, this time involving David Bowie as well. If such figments of my subconscious imagination interest you, I invite you to read about it.

Personal Observations

Thanks to Jason Matthews for telling me about a new track that has turned up on YouTube titled "Say It Cool: A Tribute to The Pet Shop Boys." And it's precisely precisely as the title suggests. Although it doesn't use the words "Pet Shop Boys" or the names Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, it clearly refers to how they met in 1981 in an electronics shop and proceeds to mention a number of their song titles, including "It's a Sin," "Always on My Mind," "Opportunities," "Suburbia," "West End Girls," "Being Boring," and "Go West." It's an extremely attractive track rendered somewhat in a light, breezy synthwave style. The creator goes by the moniker Evolutio01. But I would be remiss not to point out that it appears—and I'll state upfront that this is my opinion and I could be mistaken—to have been created with Suno, an online artificial intelligence music creation tool. But, however it was created, I personally find it fascinating and enjoyable to listen to, and I greatly appreciate the thought and spirit behind it.

November 3, 2026

Personal Observations

Regular site visitor Luis Ramirez has long conducted and has now completed his subreddit project of a "Daily Song Discussion" about the Pet Shop Boys. He has just posted the fascinating results of polling his subreddit participants in rating PSB songs. I invite you to check out those results here (but be sure to click the "Read more" link in order to actually see them). Thanks, Luis!

November 2, 2026

Updates/Corrections

My houseguests have now departed, thereby freeing me to devote more time once again to this website. I've had to put off some of the more time-consuming updates that several site visitors have contacting me about over the past week, so now I have some catching up to do. Here are the changes I've made this morning:

Thanks to Jordi Vendrell (whose name I've just added to my Thank You page) for telling me about an apparent additional remix ("Soft-apella") of "Dreamland" by the duo Full Intention, which I've added to my list of "Official but unreleased" mixes of that song. But neither of us are so far 100% sure of its authenticity—that is, whether it really is a Full Intention remix or just a fan creation false attributed to them. But for the time being I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt. If I do later learn that it's a fake, I'll remove it.

Thanks to Nigel Brand for pointing out some new information about the lyrical inspiration of "New York City Boy," which Neil recently revealed in the pages of Attitude magazine. I've added a new annotation on this topic. Nigel also provided some clarifying details about the slang term "The bomb!" as it's used in that song, which has inspired me to modify my annotation on that subject as well.

Thanks to Steve N. for suggesting that the recurring line "What boys and girls are made of" in "Natural Wonders Every Child Should Know" may be inspired by a classic English nursery rhyme. Although, without confirmation from the PSB camp, this suggestion is of a purely speculative nature, I think it's intriguing enough to merit a new annotation about it.

Thanks to Luis Ramirez (see the November 3 entry above) for reminding me that I soon ought to be running a new "Rating Project" survey on the most recently released Pet Shop Boys tracks, including "Hymn (In Memoriam Alexei Navalny)," "A Top Secret Washing Machine," and all the tracks from A Man from the Future. I want, however, to allow a little more time for everyone to hear and fully "digest" the latter. Besides, I'm up for jury duty soon, which (if I'm selected to serve) will greatly cut into my potential time for website work. So I'm probably going to wait until late November or even early December (again depending on jury duty) before running this new poll. In the meantime, you may wish to be thinking about your potential ratings for these songs.

Finally, thanks to Carlos Javier Perez for raising some legitimate questions about Alan Turing's suicide (intentional or otherwise), which has inspired me to post a new annotation to my commentary on the the track "Only in His Death."

October 30, 2026

Updates/Corrections
On This Day in Pet Shop Boys History

Thanks so much to Stevie (DJ Boy) Nicholl of PSBPlease for noticing and reporting a serious "dating issue," now corrected, related to today's "On This Day in Pet Shop Boys History" page.

October 29, 2026

The 10 Longest PSB Album Tracks

Thanks to Rafael Moretti for reminding me that, now that A Man from the Future has been officially released, two of its tracks have earned a spot in my list of the ten longest Pet Shop Boys album tracks (not counting bootlegs, Disco albums, "special editions," and the like). I've now made that update.

Personal Observations

Please don't think that I'm "playing favorites" with regard to some update suggestions as opposed to others. On account of my tremendous shortage of time right now, necessitated by having houseguests, I need to restrict any updates to those that require only a very few minutes (such as the one noted just above, which took me less than five minutes to address) as opposed to those that would require much more time, including research and verification. If I've put off your recent input, please keep in mind that it's only temporary during this time of playing host to relatives.

October 27, 2026

Updates/Corrections

As noted just below, I'm extremely limited in what I can do on my website this week. But since I was alerted to a couple of blatant typos on my page for A Man from the Future that resulted in some incorrect years, I had to make time for the necessary corrections, which could be done very quickly. Thanks so much to Christian H. J. Jensen (whose name I've added to my Thank You page) for bringing these flaws to my attention!

October 23, 2026

PSB Songs That Contain Biblical Allusions

Thanks to Steve N. for suggesting that the A Man from the Future track "Only in His Death" may qualify for my list of Pet Shop Boys songs that contain biblical allusions by virtue of its inclusion of a quotation from Oscar Wilde's "The Ballad of Reading Gaol." I agree, though I've placed it in the "questionable" batch at the end of the list at #29.

Personal Observations

I'll be hosting houseguests all of next week and the weekend after, and this weekend will be busy with housecleaning and other preparations. I'll therefore be greatly limited in my ability to make any website updates or even to respond promptly to any emails I receive. I'll be very distracted and simply won't have much time. So I beg your indulgence that I'll be comparatively "silent" for next ten days or so. Please be patient if I take far longer than usual to respond to any messages and/or make any updates. Thanks so much for your understanding!

October 18, 2026

Pet Shop Boys' International (Non-U.K./U.S. Pop Chart History

Thanks so much to Jens Boldt for sharing data that enables me to fill in a number of gaps (as well as to make a couple of corrections) for the German pop charts on my page dedicated to the Pet Shop Boys' international pop chart history.

Mixes/Versions

Thanks to Richard Firth for pointing out that the radio edit of "Vocal" appeared on Smash several years after it had originally appeared on an official promo CD, but I had never gotten around to updating my mixes/versions list for that song. I've now taken care of that. Please note that my mixes/versions lists have never been meant to provide comprehensive lists of all appearances of any given mix. But, that being said, Smash certainly now offers that version's most common, readily available appearance; hence I'm glad to make this update.

October 17, 2026

Pet Shop Boys' U.K. and U.S. Pop Chart History
Pet Shop Boys' International (Non-U.K./U.S. Pop Chart History

A Man from the Future has debuted on the official U.K. album chart at #19, so I've updated my page devoted to the Pet Shop Boys' U.K. and U.S. pop chart history accordingly. I've also updated my PSB international (non-U.K./U.S.) pop chart history page with the placements I'm aware of so far.

October 13, 2026

PSB Songs That Have Been Used in Films and "Non-musical" TV Shows

Thanks to PDUBOKC for letting me know that not just "Always on My Mind" but also the Pet Shop Boys' video for it make an appearance in the second episode of the new HBO/HBO Max legal drama War, a fact I've now noted in the entry for that song at #16 in my list of PSB songs used in films and non-musical TV shows.

October 11, 2026

PSB Songs That Have Been Used in Films and "Non-musical" TV Shows

Thanks for Keiron Patrick Standfield for pointing out an apparent factual error, now corrected, in one of the older entries for "Heart" at #53 in my list of Pet Shop Boys songs used in films and non-musical TV shows.

October 10, 2026

PSB U.S. and U.K. Gold and Platinum Records

Thanks to Michael Fick for informing me that BPI has awarded "It's a Sin" U.K. platinum record status for at least 600,000-unit sales (thanks to recent downloads and streaming purchases). I've therefore upgraded the status of that song from gold to platinum on my page devoted to the Pet Shop Boys' U.S. and U.K. gold and platinum records.

PSB Songs Performed by Other Artists

Thanks to Andrew Shaw for telling me about the fairly recent live Dusty Unplugged performances in London by singer Jo Harrop and pianist/arranger Jeanette Mason (accompanied by bassist Simon Little), which have included "In Private" and "What Have I Done to Deseve This?" I've now noted them on my page devoted to PSB songs performed by other artists. And if you would like to see a video of their rendering of the latter song, it's available online. (A fragment of their performance of the other song is also available, but since it's just a fragment combined with other songs, I won't bother linking to it.)

Updates/Corrections

Thanks to Raymond Merkh for calling attention to a number of items on my page devoted to A Man from the Future that required updating but which I had overlooked. I think I've now taken care of those oversights (knock on wood).

October 9, 2026

PSB Songs That Have Been Used in Commercials

Thanks to Nigel Brand for letting me know that "Heart" features prominently as background music for the "Official International Trailer" for the new film Elsinore, which I've now noted in the entry for that song at #9 in my list of Pet Shop Boys songs used in commercials. If you like, you can see this trailer for yourself on YouTube.

Updates/Corrections

Having received today my copy of A Man from the Future and having spent time listening to it again, I've made scattered revisions to my page devoted to this work, most relatively minor, but most significantly to its concluding title track—appropriately considering that it's the most substantially revised movement of the piece.

October 7, 2026

Major Awards Won by the Pet Shop Boys

This evening Neil and Chris received the 2026 Legend Award, presented by Sir Ian McKellen, at the Virgin Atlantic Attitude Awards, which took place at The Roundhouse in London. I've therefore added this occurrence to my list of major awards won by the Pet Shop Boys. A video showing them receiving this award is available on YouTube.

October 6, 2026

Personal Observations

I learned yesterday that Volume 1 of my Pet Shop Boys: Song by Song books has thus far sold nearly—not quite, but almost—twice as many copies as Volume 2. (Volume 1 sold well enough to go into a second printing, but that hasn't happened yet for Volume 2.) Part of this may be, of course, because Volume 1 was released several months before Volume 2 and has therefore had more time to sell. And part of it may be because the Pet Shop Boys themselves sold far more records during the first half of their career than during the second half, thereby making Volume 1 more appealing to more casual fans than Volume 2. I'll be very interested to see whether the total sales of the two volumes "even out" as time goes on.

October 5, 2026

Updates/Corrections

Thanks to Paul Mann for suggesting that I rephrase that part of my first paragraph of my commentary on the song "Indefinite Leave to Remain" to clarify the nature and requirements of ILR. I've now taken care of that.

Personal Observations

Yesterday I listened to the full broadcast premiere on BBC Radio 6 of the excellent new studio version of A Man from the Future. Although I've made a few minor adjustments to my page devoted to that work, I'm probably going to hold off on making any further updates until after I've had a chance to "digest" the whole thing once I've received the CD and audio Blu-ray copies that I've ordered. (It's worth noting at this time, however, that the most substantial changes in the work occur in its final movement, also titled "A Man from the Future.") Meanwhile, if you missed this broadcast, a recording of it is currently available in Mixcloud. Please note, however, that A Man from the Future itself doesn't begin until about 33:05 into this recording, and it's periodically interrupted with interview segments (Neil, Chris, and their collaborator Andrew Hodges) and unfortunately even at one point a couple of other pieces of music.

On an unrelated matter, I've just learned from one of my Russian correspondents that my website can appparently no longer be accessed by web browsers in Russia unless they're using a VPN set to disguise their location as being outside that nation. This is apparently a result of the Russian government's efforts to enforce "family values" standards online, although it wouldn't surprise me if the Pet Shop Boys' own repeated outspokenness in opposition to the Putin regime may play a significant factor as well.

October 4, 2026

Personal Observations

Happy birthday to Chris Lowe!

On related matter, it's been a long time since I've posted a link to any of José Cruz's almost universally superb unofficial remixes of Pet Shop Boys tracks. But I simply can't resist highlighting his latest, a transformative spin on their marvelous power ballad "Birthday Boy" that José created specifically to celebrate Chris's birthday. So I invite you to listen to the terrific JCRZ Remix of this song.

September 30, 2026

PSB Songs That Have Been Used in Films and "Non-musical" TV Shows

I'm indebted to a posting in the Format: Pet Shop Boys Facebook group for informing me that the PSB rendition of "Always on My Mind" was used quite fittingly in the final scene of today's premier episode of the new ITV crime drama Winter. I've now noted this fact in the entry for that song at #16 in my list of Pet Shop Boys songs that have been used in films and non-musical TV shows.

Personal Observations

Thanks to Danny Edmunds for letting me know about the Pet Shop Boys' appearance today, along with their collaborator Andrew Hodges, on BBC Radio 4 to talk briefly about their upcoming release of A Man from the Future. If you would like to listen to what they had to say, it's available online, starting a little less than 48½ minutes into the recording there.

September 25, 2026

Song Annotations

Thanks to Javier Richarte for pointing out that I didn't say anything in my entry for "Paninaro" about the interview segment famously sampled there in which Chris talks about music he doesn't like. That's true, I didn't say anything about it, although I do briefly allude to it in that song's entry in my Song by Song Volume 1 book. Perhaps I simply felt it was too well known to fans to bother talking about it here. But Javier's right—I should at least mention it. So I've inserted a new concluding addendum on that subject on my page devoted to "Paninaro." Thanks again, Javier!

September 24, 2026

Updates/Corrections

Thanks to George "Jammer" Dashevsky for catching and reporting a couple of typos, now corrected, both on this page below and on my page listing my other favorite artists.

September 23, 2026

PSB Songs That Have Been Used in Commercials

Thanks to Eddie Xavier for letting me know that portions of the Pet Shop Boys' classic rendition of "Always on My Mind" can be heard in the new ad campaign for J.Crew's Barn Jacket. I've therefore added this fact to the entry for that song at #8 in my list of PSB songs used in commercials. And if you would like to see a couple of these ads for yourself, they're available on the J.Crew websites. (I believe some may be running on YouTube right now as well, but I haven't yet found them there myself.)

PSB "Connections"

Thanks to long-time site visitor Martijn for suggesting that Randy Newman's 2017 song "Putin" should be the subject of a "connection" between Newman and the Pet Shop Boys on my page devoted to my other favorite artists. In that song Newman does cast his scathingly satirical eye on the Russian leader, whom the Pet Shop Boys have also satirized and/or criticized on more than one occasion (as in "Hell," "Hymn (In Memoriam Alexei Navalny)," "A Top Secret Washing Machine," and, a little more obliquely, "Kaputnik"). To U.K./European ears, Newman's opening line about "Putin putting his pants on one leg at a time" may sound like a reference to Putin's underwear, as in the Boys' "A Top Secret Washing Machine"; the standard U.K. meaning of "pants" does refer to underpants. But, being an American, Newman is actually using the common U.S. expression about someone putting his pants on—that is, his trousers—one leg at a time to suggest Putin is just an ordinary mortal man. So while there's a definitely a "connection," it's not quite as strong as those more familiar with U.K. English than American English might think. Still, I think it's well worth noting, so I've indeed added this to my list of Newman/PSB connections. Thanks again, Martijn!

September 19, 2026

Personal Observations

You may be very interested (I certainly am!) in the new music video by singer Miley (the mononym by which Miley Cyrus now prefers to be known) for her song "Let's Get Married." It's very obviously strongly influenced by—and probably an outright intentional homage to—the Pet Shop Boys' classic video for "Being Boring." The parallels between the two are striking and numerous: black-and-white footage, bubble baths, male nudes, shaving, partying, a bicycle, etc. I even initially suspected it may have been directed by Bruce Weber (despite his now advanced age), but it turns out the director is fellow fashion photographer Mert Alaş. Thanks so much to site visitor Handerson Oliveira, who told me about this new video.

September 18, 2026

Breaking News!

The Pet Shop Boys have debuted a brand new song online titled "A Top Secret Washing Machine." It's obviously a renamed version of a song they had originally composed in late 2022, "Putin's Underpants," which they had previously talked about in the German magazine Musikexpress. I've now shared my early observations on a new page devoted to this song (accessible via its link above). But please note that these are indeed just my initial comments; chances are good I'll be expanding on them later on.

Incidentally, thanks to Dave F. for making a suggestion about this song's line "Knowing he got to the root of the problem" that nudged me into making an annotation about it that I had already been contemplating. Sometimes all it takes is a little push.

Mixes/Versions

Thanks to Soti Dimadis for telling me about a new "Pet Shop Boys Instrumental Mix" of the Hidden Cameras' "Colour of a Man" that has just surfaced online, such as on YouTube. I've therefore added it to my list of mixes/versions for that track.

September 17, 2026

Films That Have Featured PSB Songs
PSB Songs That Have Been Used in Films and "Non-musical" TV Shows

The Pet Shop Boys' "Paninaro" twice serves as ironic commentary in relevant scenes of the 2026 film Rosebush Pruning, a fact that I've now noted in my two relevent lists: films that have featured PSB songs and its "flipside," PSB songs that have been used in films and non-musical TV shows. I'm indebted to a recent thread started by "psbnyc" on the Pet Shop Boys Community Forum for bringing this fact to my attention. As it so happens, "psbnyc" is Jens Birk, who already holds a spot on my Thank You page. Thanks so much, Jens!

Updates/Corrections

Thanks to eagle-eyed Raymond Merkh for catching a typo, now corrected, right here on this page.

September 15, 2026

On This Day in Pet Shop Boys History

Thanks so much to Stevie (DJ Boy) Nicholl of PSBPlease for catching and reporting a longstanding error on my "On This Day in Pet Shop Boys History" page. For goodness knows how long, I had listed there for September 15 that the Pet Shop Boys performed live at the MTV Music Awards in 1986. Stevie told me, however, that it was September 5, 1986, not September 15. Having confirmed that he was correct, I removed that item from today's page. But when I then went to put it on the September 5 page, I discovered that it was already there! In other words, for years I've listed the fact that the Boys performed at the MTV Music Awards on both September 5 and 15, 1986. This redundancy is now eliminated. Thanks again, Stevie Boy!

September 12, 2026

Updates/Corrections

Thanks to Andrew Shaw for letting me know that the full-length Pet Shop Boys remix of Louis Dunford's "Angel (North London Forever)" can now be heard on YouTube. I've updated my entry for that track accordingly. UPDATE: After initially being viewable by anyone, that YouTube video has (very curiously) been rendered "Private," meaning you now need to submit a password to watch it. I have no idea why.

All text on this website aside from direct quotations (such as of lyrics and of other nonoriginal content) is copyright © 2001-2026 by Wayne Studer. All Rights Reserved. All lyrics and images are copyright © their respective dates by their respective owners. Brief quotations and small, low-resolution images are used for identification and critical commentary, thereby constituting Fair Use under U.S. copyright law and Fair Dealing under U.K copyright law. If, however, the owners of any copyrighted items object to their use on this site, or if they consider my use inadequately or improperly attributed, I will immediately either remove the pertinent items or establish appropriate attribution upon request and verification. Billboard chart data are copyright © their respective dates by Nielsen Business Media, Inc.