Pet Shop Boys are an English synthpop/pop music duo, consisting of Neil Tennant who provides main vocals, keyboards and very occasionally guitar, and Chris Lowe on keyboards and occasionally on vocals.
The longevity of Pet Shop Boys' career is generally attributed to their ability to create melodic pop/dance music with intelligent lyrics and striking style. The duo are one of the most consistently successful duos in pop music, particularly in Europe. Since 1986, they have had 39 top thirty singles in the UK including four number ones: "West End Girls", "It's a Sin", "Always on My Mind" and "Heart". Pet Shop Boys were very successful in the United States in the mid-1980s; however, their mainstream popularity waned by 1988 with the duo's final top 40 single, "Domino Dancing", reaching number 18 on the US pop chart. They have remained commercially successful outside the USA since then.
Pet Shop Boys' latest studio album, Fundamental, was released on the Parlophone label on 22 May 2006. The album peaked at number five in the UK and in the rest of Europe at number two marking a strong return to the charts. The album's first single, "I'm with Stupid" was released in the UK on 8 May 2006, reaching number eight in the UK Singles Chart. In December 2006, the duo was nominated for two Grammy Awards for Best Dance Recording ("I'm with Stupid") and Best Electronic/Dance Album (Fundamental). Pet Shop Boys released a live DVD, Cubism in May 2007 via Warner Vision. The DVD features a live show recorded at the Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City in November 2006.
Pet Shop Boys played at a free festival in the online virtual world Second Life on June 30.
In July 2007 Pet Shop Boys signed a new deal with Parlophone Records. They originally signed to the label in 1985 followed by a renegotiation in 1990. Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe commented: “It’s over 20 years since we originally signed to EMI and we’re very happy to be continuing our relationship with them”. Miles Leonard, Parlophone’s MD says: “What Pet Shop Boys are doing is unique. They continue to be at the vanguard of pop culture, constantly surprising and thrilling us with their every move. We are extremely pleased to have them on the label.” Pet Shop Boys has sold more than 50 millons records over the world
