Format is a double-disc compilation album by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys. The album consists of B-sides from various singles released from 1996 to 2009 (Bilingual to Yes, or "Before" to "Did You See Me Coming?"). It is their second B-sides album after Alternative (1995), which collected B-sides from the time of their first version of "Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money)" (1985) to "Yesterday, When I Was Mad" (1994).
| Format | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Compilation album by | ||||
| Released | 6 February 2012 | |||
| Recorded | 1996–2009 | |||
| Genre | Synth-pop | |||
| Length | 156:27 | |||
| Label | Parlophone | |||
| Producer | Pet Shop Boys, various | |||
| Pet Shop Boys chronology | ||||
| ||||
The album's release was initially announced in November 2011, then officially on 19 December 2011 through the Pet Shop Boys' official website, offering it for pre-order.[1] The album was released on 6 February 2012 in the UK,[1] but was released earlier in various territories worldwide, including Australia, where it was released on 3 February.[2] The album debuted at number 26 on the UK Albums Chart, selling 5,909 copies in its first week.[3]
Track listing edit
All tracks are written by Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, except "We're the Pet Shop Boys", written by My Robot Friend, and "Screaming", written by Chris Lowe, Neil Tennant, and Tom Stephan
| No. | Title | Featured on | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Truck-Driver and His Mate" | "Before", Bilingual: Further Listening 1995–1997 | 3:34 |
| 2. | "Hit and Miss" | "Before", Bilingual: Further Listening 1995–1997 | 4:07 |
| 3. | "In the Night (1995)" | "Before", Bilingual: Further Listening 1995–1997 | 4:16 |
| 4. | "Betrayed" | "Se a vida é (That's the Way Life Is)", Bilingual: Further Listening 1995–1997 | 5:19 |
| 5. | "How I Learned to Hate Rock-and-Roll" | "Se a vida é (That's the Way Life Is)", Bilingual: Further Listening 1995–1997 | 4:38 |
| 6. | "Discoteca" (new version) | "Single-Bilingual", Bilingual: Further Listening 1995–1997 | 3:43 |
| 7. | "The Calm Before the Storm" | "Single-Bilingual", Bilingual: Further Listening 1995–1997 | 2:46 |
| 8. | "Confidential" (demo for Tina Turner) | "Single-Bilingual", Very: Further Listening 1992–1994 | 4:47 |
| 9. | "The Boy Who Couldn't Keep His Clothes On" (International Club Mix) | "A Red Letter Day", Bilingual: Further Listening 1995–1997, Bilingual Special Edition | 6:05 |
| 10. | "Delusions of Grandeur" | "A Red Letter Day", Bilingual: Further Listening 1995–1997 | 5:04 |
| 11. | "The View from Your Balcony" | "Somewhere", Bilingual: Further Listening 1995–1997 | 3:45 |
| 12. | "Disco Potential" | "Somewhere", Bilingual: Further Listening 1995–1997 | 4:07 |
| 13. | "Silver Age" | "I Don't Know What You Want But I Can't Give It Any More", bonus USA Nightlife disc, Nightlife: Further Listening 1996–2000 | 3:33 |
| 14. | "Screaming" | "I Don't Know What You Want But I Can't Give It Any More", bonus USA Nightlife disc, Mini, Nightlife: Further Listening 1996–2000 | 4:56 |
| 15. | "The Ghost of Myself" | "New York City Boy", bonus US Nightlife disc, Nightlife: Further Listening 1996–2000 | 4:03 |
| 16. | "Casting a Shadow" | "New York City Boy", bonus US Nightlife disc, Nightlife: Further Listening 1996–2000 | 4:37 |
| 17. | "Lies" | "You Only Tell Me You Love Me When You're Drunk", Mini, Nightlife: Further Listening 1996–2000 | 4:39 |
| 18. | "Sexy Northerner" | "Home and Dry", bonus US Release disc, Release: Further Listening 2001–2004 | 3:42 |
| Total length: | 77:41 | ||
| No. | Title | Featured on | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Always" | "Home and Dry", bonus US Release disc, Release: Further Listening 2001–2004 | 5:03 |
| 2. | "Nightlife" | "Home and Dry", bonus US Release disc, Nightlife: Further Listening 1996–2000 | 3:53 |
| 3. | "Searching for the Face of Jesus" | "I Get Along", Release: Further Listening 2001–2004 | 3:27 |
| 4. | "Between Two Islands" | "I Get Along", Release: Further Listening 2001–2004 | 5:06 |
| 5. | "Friendly Fire" | "I Get Along", bonus US Release disc, Nightlife: Further Listening 1996–2000 | 3:23 |
| 6. | "We're the Pet Shop Boys" | "Miracles", Release: Further Listening 2001–2004 | 4:55 |
| 7. | "Transparent" | "Miracles", Release: Further Listening 2001–2004 | 3:51 |
| 8. | "I Didn't Get Where I Am Today" | "Flamboyant", Release: Further Listening 2001–2004 | 3:37 |
| 9. | "The Resurrectionist" | "I'm with Stupid", Fundamental: Further Listening 2005–2007 | 3:10 |
| 10. | "Girls Don't Cry" | "I'm with Stupid", Fundamental: Further Listening 2005–2007 | 2:34 |
| 11. | "In Private" (7-inch mix; duet with Elton John) | "Minimal", Release: Further Listening 2001–2004 | 4:11 |
| 12. | "Blue on Blue" | "Minimal", Release: Further Listening 2001–2004 | 3:12 |
| 13. | "No Time for Tears" (7-inch mix) | "Minimal", original on Battleship Potemkin, Fundamental: Further Listening 2005–2007 | 3:35 |
| 14. | "Bright Young Things" | "Numb", Release: Further Listening 2001–2004 | 4:55 |
| 15. | "Party Song" | "Numb", Release: Further Listening 2001–2004 | 3:40 |
| 16. | "We're All Criminals Now" | "Love etc.", Yes: Further Listening 2008–2010 | 3:55 |
| 17. | "Gin and Jag" | "Love etc.", Yes: Further Listening 2008–2010 | 4:29 |
| 18. | "After the Event" | "Did You See Me Coming?", Fundamental: Further Listening 2005–2007 | 5:16 |
| 19. | "The Former Enfant Terrible" | "Did You See Me Coming?", Fundamental: Further Listening 2005–2007 | 2:51 |
| 20. | "Up and Down" | "Did You See Me Coming?", Yes: Further Listening 2008–2010 | 3:43 |
| Total length: | 78:46 | ||
Personnel edit
- Producers
- Pet Shop Boys – all tracks
- Danny Tenaglia – disc 1: track 9
- David Morales – disc 2: track 2
- Craig Armstrong – disc 2: track 5
- Chris Zippel – disc 2: tracks 6 and 14
- Stuart Crichton – disc 2: track 11
- Sven Helbig – disc 2: track 13
- Guest musicians
- Pete Gleadall – programming on all tracks except disc 1: tracks 7 and 9; disc 2: tracks 6, 14, 16–20; additional programming and vocals on disc 2: track 18
- Sylvia Mason James – additional vocals on disc 1: tracks 1 and 3
- Katie Kissoon, Davide Giovannini, Joseph De Jesus, Weston Foster and Lino Rocha – additional vocals on disc 1: track 6
- Peter Daou – keyboards on disc 1: track 9
- Louie "Balo" Guzman and Danny Tenaglia – drum programming on disc 1: track 9
- Vanessa Ichak – banji girl vocals on disc 1: track 9
- Tom Stephan – additional keyboards on disc 1: track 14
- Mark Bates – piano on disc 1: track 14
- Jodie Linscott – percussion on disc 2: tracks 1, 3, 4 & 8
- Joey Mosk – programming on disc 2: track 2
- Johnny Marr – guitars on disc 2: tracks 3, 4 and 8
- Craig Armstrong – orchestral arrangement on disc 2: track 5
- Steve Walters – bass swoops on disc 2: track 8
- Elton John – guest vocals on disc 2: track 11
- Torsten Rach – orchestration on disc 2: track 13
- Dave Clayton – additional keyboards and programming on disc 2: track 13
- Chris Zippel – programming on disc 2: track 14
Charts edit
| Chart (2012) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[4] | 73 |
| Belgian Heatseekers Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[5] | 9 |
| Belgian Heatseekers Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[6] | 1 |
| Croatian International Albums (HDU)[7] | 19 |
| Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI)[8] | 24 |
| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[9] | 82 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[10] | 31 |
| Irish Albums (IRMA)[11] | 67 |
| Italian Albums (FIMI)[12] | 93 |
| Scottish Albums (OCC)[13] | 38 |
| Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[14] | 43 |
| Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[15] | 33 |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[16] | 52 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[17] | 26 |
References edit
- ^ a b "Pet Shop Boys – News – Format pre-order". petshopboys.co.uk. Retrieved 4 February 2012.
- ^ "Format (Ltd Ed)". JB Hi-Fi. Retrieved 4 February 2012.
- ^ "Official Chart Analysis: Lana Del Rey scores biggest-selling album of 2012, Gotye shifts another 83k". Music Week. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
- ^ "Austriancharts.at – Pet Shop Boys – Format - B-Sides and Bonus Tracks 1996-2009" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 February 2012.
- ^ "Pet Shop Boys – Format – B-Sides and Bonus Tracks 1996–2009" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 13 February 2012.
- ^ "Pet Shop Boys – Format – B-Sides and Bonus Tracks 1996–2009" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved 17 February 2012.
- ^ "Top Stranih – Tjedan 6. 2012" [Top Foreign – Week 6, 2012] (in Croatian). Top of the Shops. Archived from the original on 4 September 2012. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
- ^ "Czech Albums – Top 100". ČNS IFPI. Note: On the chart page, select 08.Týden 2012 on the field besides the words "CZ – ALBUMS – TOP 100" to retrieve the correct chart. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Pet Shop Boys – Format - B-Sides and Bonus Tracks 1996-2009" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Pet Shop Boys – Format – B-Sides and Bonus Tracks 1996–2009" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
- ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Pet Shop Boys". Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
- ^ "Italiancharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – Format - B-Sides and Bonus Tracks 1996-2009". Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
- ^ "Spanishcharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – Format - B-Sides and Bonus Tracks 1996-2009". Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 February 2012.
- ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – Format - B-Sides and Bonus Tracks 1996-2009". Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 February 2012.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – Format - B-Sides and Bonus Tracks 1996-2009". Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 February 2012.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 May 2020.