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What's New? – Recent Updates & Additions

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.

September 8, 2026

Albums and Songs

Thanks to Rafael Moretti for suggesting an improvement to my "Albums and Songs" page—namely, to group together assorted songs that appeared on various EPs. I agreed that this would be an improvement, so I've gone ahead and done that. These songs still appear in the "miscellaneous" section that follows all the albums, but the EP songs are now batched together at the top of that section. Please note, however, that I do not group together such miscellaneous tracks in any other way, such as by single b-side batches and the like. Only the formally recognized EPs get this special treatment.

September 7, 2026

Song Annotations

Thanks to a new site visitor, Lizzie M, who has suggested a reasonable alternate source (Aldous Huxley's 1928 novel Point Counter Point) for the character of Lucy in the Pet Shop Boys' song "Bright Young Things," which I describe and explain in an expansion on my first bullet-point annotation to my commentary on that song. In appreciation, I've now added Lizzie to my Thank You page.

Thanks also to Andrew Shaw for pointing out that the line "Frankly, my dear, I don't need the grief" in "No Excuse" may be a conscious takeoff on the famous climactic line in the classic film Gone with the Wind, "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn." I've added this speculation as a new annotation to that song.

And thanks to Matteo for suggesting an alternate interpretation for the title phrase of the song "Blue on Blue," which I've described in a new third bullet-point annotation to that track. (Matteo notes that he's not alone in this interpretation—that fan "petshopgrrl" on the Pet Shop Boys Community Forum has made this observation as well.)

Mixes/Versions

Thanks to Nick Birch for pointing me to some additional information about the authorized but officially unreleased Andy Gray remixes of "Go West," which the Boys themselves talk about in Issue 22 of their old fan publication Literally (April 2000). I've made the appropriate updates to my page devoted to that song.

September 6, 2026

Updates/Corrections

Thanks to Alison C. for catching a typo, now corrected, on my page for A Man from the Future.

September 4, 2026

Breaking News!

The Pet Shop Boys' website has just announced the release on October 9 of A Man from the Future in various formats: CD, vinyl, Blu-ray audio, and digitally. Pre-orders are now being accepted.

September 3, 2026

Updates/Corrections

As it turns out, I had misunderstood what Stu was suggesting to me (see September 2, just below), and Stu had apparently misinterpreted the chronological relationship between "New York City Boy" and Modern Talking's "Last Exit to Brooklyn" as I had already described it here on my website. So with those mutual misunderstandings cleared up, I've made one final small adjustment to what I write about these two tracks in my final annotation to the PSB song, indicating that the possible "cross-pollination" I write about there is just that—possible, but by no means definite. In other words, the "cross-pollination" may be entirely coincidental, although there's little if any doubt that the Boys had indeed influenced Modern Talking in the first place.

Meanwhile, thanks to Jeff Schapira for catching and reporting a longstanding typo, now corrected, on my home page. I always find it remarkable how typos can go unnoticed for years and then suddenly "get caught."

September 2, 2026

Song Annotations

Thanks to Stu S. for pointing out a bit of apparent musical cross-pollination, so to speak, in the Pet Shop Boys' recent live renditions of "New York City Boy." As I've long observed in one of my annotations to that song, the 2001 track "Last Exit to Brooklyn" by Modern Talking seems to borrow somewhat from that PSB classic. And, as Stu has noticed, the PSB Dreamworld performances of "New York City Boy" seem to borrow a bit from the Modern Talking track, specifically in their extended "Party up!" chanting sequences. So I've expanded my pre-existing annotation on this subject to mention this apparent fact.

August 28, 2026

Breaking News!

The Pet Shop Boys' website has announced this morning that their new recording of the revised A Man from the Future will be broadcast twice on Sunday, October 4, first on BBC Radio 6 and later on BBC Radio 3. No official word yet on its physical release (at least on CD but probably on other formats as well), but that seems very likely in the near future, ideally in time for the holidays.

On much the same subject, the Pet Shop Boys' appearance on BBC television this morning to talk about this is now available on YouTube.

August 26, 2026

Updates/Corrections

Thanks to Javier Richarte for pointing out a chronology discrepancy that demonstrates how a poor televised performance of "Tonight Is Forever" could not have been what prevented that song from becoming the follow-up single to "West End Girls," something I had already discounted in my list of "singles that weren't" but which I had nevertheless (based on a statement by Neil himself to a journalist) suggested in my first annotation to the former song. I've made the appropriate modification to eliminate this discrepancy.

PSB Songs That Have Been Used in Commercials

After some further digging—not to mention a good, strong nudge from Andrew Shaw (thanks!)—I've decided (for reasons that I explain there) to move "Losing My Mind" from the main body of my list of Pet Shop Boys songs used in commercials to its concluding "borderline" category. I hope this adjustments settles this matter—unless, of course, some new information emerges to indicate that a remix of the PSB rendition really is being used in that trailer.

August 25, 2026

Breaking News!

Word is quickly spreading online that A Man from the Future will finally be officially released (reportedly on both CD and Blu-ray) on October 9. But I haven't seen or heard anything about it from the Pet Shop Boys' official website or any record company sources. Until I do, I'm taking this news with the proverbial grain of salt. That being said, however, I certainly hope it's true! I've been advocating for this release for a long time. Thanks so much to Michael Fick for first alerting me to this as yet unconfirmed news.

August 24, 2026

PSB Songs That Have Been Used in Commercials

Thanks to Drew from Toronto for letting me know that a somewhat stripped-down mix of the chorus of "It's a Sin" is featured in a new commercial for the Italian fashion/cosmetics company Valentino Beauty's fragrance Vendetta. I've therefore noted this fact in the entry for that song at #11 in my list of Pet Shop Boys songs used in commercials. And if you would like to see and hear this commercial for yourself, it's available on YouTube.

August 22, 2026

PSB Songs That Have Been Used in Commercials

Thanks to Andrew Shaw for bringing to my attention the fact that the version of "Losing My Mind" used in the new trailer for the new Marvel/Disney+ television series VisionQuest is credited not to the Pet Shop Boys but rather to Art d'Ecco. Yet it sure sounds like Neil's vocal. Is this a case of Neil's vocal being sampled in the Art d'Ecco recording, or of the vocalists simply sounding a lot alike? Is this a case Art d'Ecco taking "artist credit" for such a radical remix? I'm going to try to learn more about this matter. In the meantime, I'm going to leave it for the time being in my list of PSB songs that have been used in commercials, but with the caveat that I may soon be deleting it depending on what I can learn. If any of you, my site visitors, know anything more about this, please share your knowledge and/or insights. Again, if you would like to see this trailer for yourself, it's available on YouTube.

August 20, 2026

Updates/Corrections

Thanks so much to a new site visitor and, in fact, a brand new Pet Shop Boys fan, Alan Kane, for catching and reporting a very long-standing typo, now corrected, on my "Being Boring" page. I've now added Alan's name to my Thank You page.

 

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