Next up in our series of Top 40 lists dedicated to Wet Thud's favourite musical pioneers, it's a look back through the work of pop superstars, the Pet Shop Boys. First pairing in 1981, Neil Tennant (the one who sings) and Chris Lowe (the one behind the keyboards) quickly established themselves as purveyors of a unique brand of sophisticated Europop that helped to define the sound of the latter half of that decade. Having now delivered an impressive string of more than forty UK Top 30 singles in the years since, the Pet Shop Boys have amassed the sort of repertoire that fills two-hour-plus setlists handsomely, with leftover hits to spare. Whether it be through these increasingly theatrical performances, their striking promotional clips, or their artful record sleeves, Tennant and Lowe have presented an imaginative creative vision that happily runs the gamut from the beautifully simple ("Rent", "Home And Dry") to the spectacularly elaborate ("Somewhere", "Go West", or any of their cover versions, really).
And so, apropos of no particular occasion, other than the talented twosome being midway through an extensive reissue campaign of their discography*, Wet Thud offers this highly scientific survey of our favourite forty selections from the PSB catalogue. Find a Spotify playlist of the entire Top 40 following number one below.
*Remastered and expanded versions of the studio albums between 1999's Nightlife and 2012's Elysium dropped during the second half of 2017, while redux releases of 1986's Please, 1987's Actually, and 1988's Introspective just hit shops and streaming sites earlier this month, hopefully paving the way for highly anticipated physical reissues of the long out-of-print classics Behaviour (1990), Very (1993), and Bilingual (1996) to come sooner than later.
040. "One more chance" (originally released as a standalone single, 1984; re-recorded for Actually, 1987)
039. "Liberation" (single from Very, 1993)
038. "I'm with stupid" (single from Fundamental, 2006)
037. "Love etc." (single from Yes, 2009)
036. "Somewhere" (standalone single, 1997)
035. "DJ culture" (single from Discography, 1991)
034. "Miracles" (single from PopArt, 2003)
033. "Before" (single from Bilingual, 1996)
032. "Dreaming of the Queen" (album cut from Very, 1993)
031. "To face the truth" (album cut from Behaviour, 1990)
030. "The pop kids" (single from Super, 2016)
029. "How can you expect to be taken seriously?" (single from Very, 1993)
028. "Here" (album cut from Release, 2002)
027. "It's alright" (single from Introspective, 1988)
026. "Where the streets have no name (I can't take my eyes off you)" (standalone single, 1991)
025. "Love comes quickly" (single from Please, 1986)
024. "Single - Bilingual" (single from Bilingual, 1996)
023. "Was it worth it?" (single from Discography, 1991)
022. "Paninaro" (Italy-only single from Disco, 1986)
021. "New York City boy" (single from Nightlife, 1999)
020. "Opportunities (Let's make lots of money)" (single remix from Please, 1986)
019. "Home and dry" (single from Release, 2002)
018. "The end of the world" (album cut from Behaviour, 1990)
017. "Jealousy" (single from Behaviour, 1990)
016. "Rent" (single from Actually, 1987)
015. "Go West" (single from Very, 1993)
014. "Leaving" (single from Elysium, 2012)
013. "It's a sin" (single from Actually, 1987)
012. "Suburbia" (single from Please, 1986)
011. "Left to my own devices" (single from Introspective, 1988)
010. "Se a vida é (That's the way life is)" (single from Bilingual, 1996)
009. "Can you forgive her?" (single from Very, 1993)
008. "I get along" (single from Release, 2002)
007. "So hard" (single from Behaviour, 1990)
006. "Heart" (single remix from Actually, 1988)
005. "What have I done to deserve this?" (single with Dusty Springfield from Actually, 1987)
004. "West End girls" (single from Please, 1985)
003. "Domino dancing" (single from Introspective, 1988)
002. "Always on my mind" (originally released as a standalone single, 1987; remixed for Introspective, 1988)
001. "Being boring" (single from Behaviour, 1990)
***** text-only version of the list *****
###. "Song title" (format from Album Title, release date)
040. "One more chance" (originally released as a standalone single, 1984; re-recorded for Actually, 1987)
039. "Liberation" (single from Very, 1993)
038. "I'm with stupid" (single from Fundamental, 2006)
037. "Love etc." (single from Yes, 2009)
036. "Somewhere" (standalone single, 1997)
035. "DJ culture" (single from Discography, 1991)
034. "Miracles" (single from PopArt, 2003)
033. "Before" (single from Bilingual, 1996)
032. "Dreaming of the Queen" (album cut from Very, 1993)
031. "To face the truth" (album cut from Behaviour, 1990)
030. "The pop kids" (single from Super, 2016)
029. "How can you expect to be taken seriously?" (single from Very, 1993)
028. "Here" (album cut from Release, 2002)
027. "It's alright" (single from Introspective, 1988)
026. "Where the streets have no name (I can't take my eyes off you)" (standalone single, 1991)
025. "Love comes quickly" (single from Please, 1986)
024. "Single - Bilingual" (single from Bilingual, 1996)
023. "Was it worth it?" (single from Discography, 1991)
022. "Paninaro" (Italy-only single from Disco, 1986)
021. "New York City boy" (single from Nightlife, 1999)
020. "Opportunities (Let's make lots of money)" (single remix from Please, 1986)
019. "Home and dry" (single from Release, 2002)
018. "The end of the world" (album cut from Behaviour, 1990)
017. "Jealousy" (single from Behaviour, 1990)
016. "Rent" (single from Actually, 1987)
015. "Go West" (single from Very, 1993)
014. "Leaving" (single from Elysium, 2012)
013. "It's a sin" (single from Actually, 1987)
012. "Suburbia" (single from Please, 1986)
011. "Left to my own devices" (single from Introspective, 1988)
010. "Se a vida é (That's the way life is)" (single from Bilingual, 1996)
009. "Can you forgive her?" (single from Very, 1993)
008. "I get along" (single from Release, 2002)
007. "So hard" (single from Behaviour, 1990)
006. "Heart" (single remix from Actually, 1988)
005. "What have I done to deserve this?" (single with Dusty Springfield from Actually, 1987)
004. "West End girls" (single from Please, 1985)
003. "Domino dancing" (single from Introspective, 1988)
002. "Always on my mind" (originally released as a standalone single, 1987; remixed for Introspective, 1988)
001. "Being boring" (single from Behaviour, 1990)
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