3rd B-sides Compilation

[TallThinMan]

I reckon the next will either be a six disc set with all the b-sides or a two-disc of the last 15 years but not in release order. I find it hard to believe they'd start of a compilation with all those cover versions.

Especially as they largely mislaid their genius with a cover version 30 years ago. Their imperial covers were magical - totally transforming and inhabiting "classic" songs as to almost squat in their foundations. Always on my mind, Go West, and Where the streets have no name/Can't be bothered to type the rest for you were examples of flair, wit, playfulness, and originality. Somewhere was a poor simulacrum of those traits, and I haven't genuinely loved a PSB cover in the same way since. All the young dudes has grown tremendously on me - I like it - but it's a tepid reproduction in comparison to the scene stealers of the past. With two of the three imperial covers, some people were offended. This was marvelous. Pompous rockists had their sacred cows slaughtered in full public view. The third cover touched the zeitgeist. All three remade the original songs in a brand new quintessentially Pet Shop Boys' way. If people are offended by the modern covers, it's because they are so bland and safe.

There was nothing safe about retooling Elvis, exploding U2's insufferable self-importance and fake sincerity, or in even doing a Village People cover. Always on my mind was overwrought, overemotional, and dull - so Neil deadpanned and let Chris run wild with the synthline. Where the streets was pompously credible, so Neil and Chris made it pompously incredible. Go West was about escaping to California. Neil and Chris had it invaded by the Soviet Union.

I think more recent covers have been too respectful. Dudes is an homage rather than a critique. That's fine. I just think they are at their best when opposing something. It brings the worst out in them in the very best sense.

That said, I do like I cried for us - which pretty much undermines the entire screed I have pecked out above.

Drico.

I agree that their cover version mojo has been off the boil in recent years. A couple more imperial covers for your list would be It's alright and Losing my mind.

[NotInvisible]

A compilation like that on vinyl, why?

To listen to, you silly sausage.

It would just be a chunk of discs without cohesion. That's why CD is relevant.

The 'cohesion' is that they're all b-sides. The medium (vinyl/CD/streaming) doesn't change that. A Smash box for b-sides would be terrific.

[NotInvisible]

I agree that their cover version mojo has been off the boil in recent years. A couple more imperial covers for your list would be It's alright and Losing my mind.

I always forget that It's Alright is a cover - and apparently, so does everyone else, since it's the Big Three (Always on my mind/Streets/Go West) that get name checked. I don't think their approach to covers has changed, really. If Losing My Mind came out today, we'd all be slating it as uninspired. There only real difference between Always on my mind/Streets and Somewhere is us - we'd grown used to it, it wasn't novel anymore, and we aren't as young as we were, back when music felt more important. And even now we still get things like the brilliant melancholy of the way Neil sings the "we'll never be blue" verse in Glad All Over, or the gloriously haunting version of I Cried For Us, which is just a brilliant cover. All the Young Dudes is middle of the pack, I think. The intro on the MTV version is amazing, and should have been on the single mix.

Very curious to hear The Dark End of the Street. Will it be as off-the-wall as Always on my mind or will it be by numbers?

[jasonjohn]

Half way through 2025 - has there been any mention of a 3rd collection?

I guess a new album is still yonks away, so maybe 2026 is a better time.

[Lleonard Pler]

I reckon the next will either be a six disc set with all the b-sides or a two-disc of the last 15 years but not in release order. I find it hard to believe they'd start of a compilation with all those cover versions.

Especially as they largely mislaid their genius with a cover version 30 years ago. Their imperial covers were magical - totally transforming and inhabiting "classic" songs as to almost squat in their foundations. Always on my mind, Go West, and Where the streets have no name/Can't be bothered to type the rest for you were examples of flair, wit, playfulness, and originality. Somewhere was a poor simulacrum of those traits, and I haven't genuinely loved a PSB cover in the same way since. All the young dudes has grown tremendously on me - I like it - but it's a tepid reproduction in comparison to the scene stealers of the past. With two of the three imperial covers, some people were offended. This was marvelous. Pompous rockists had their sacred cows slaughtered in full public view. The third cover touched the zeitgeist. All three remade the original songs in a brand new quintessentially Pet Shop Boys' way. If people are offended by the modern covers, it's because they are so bland and safe.

There was nothing safe about retooling Elvis, exploding U2's insufferable self-importance and fake sincerity, or in even doing a Village People cover. Always on my mind was overwrought, overemotional, and dull - so Neil deadpanned and let Chris run wild with the synthline. Where the streets was pompously credible, so Neil and Chris made it pompously incredible. Go West was about escaping to California. Neil and Chris had it invaded by the Soviet Union.

I think more recent covers have been too respectful. Dudes is an homage rather than a critique. That's fine. I just think they are at their best when opposing something. It brings the worst out in them in the very best sense.

That said, I do like I cried for us - which pretty much undermines the entire screed I have pecked out above.

Drico.

Mostly I agree but The last to die was a reinterpretation as good as Where the streets...

[jasonjohn]

Yes, Last to Die is very good. It's not as approachable pop-wise as the Imperial covers, but it's their recreation and they made it their own.

The Dark End of the Street is right up there for me too. Terrific production and rendering, even if again not instantly "pop".

With Dark End -- I'd love to know how much of the musical pre-ample is their own (the first 30 seconds).... it's a lovely little flourish! I've listened to about 15 other covers of that song and none of them have it.

[PSBForTheMasses]

Half way through 2025 - has there been any mention of a 3rd collection?

I guess a new album is still yonks away, so maybe 2026 is a better time.

Are there enough b-sides to justify a double-disc release as of yet?

[Old Soak]

What Grok came up with:


What would be the contents and running order of a hypothetical third pet shop boys b-sides collection following the same strict interpretation of what a b-side is as alternative and format



Creating a hypothetical third B-sides collection for Pet Shop Boys, following the strict interpretation of B-sides as used in Alternative (1985–1994) and Format (1996–2009), involves compiling tracks that were released as B-sides to singles (or bonus tracks on CD singles) from 2010 onwards, after the period covered by Format. The collection would cover material from their albums Elysium (2012), Electric (2013), Super (2016), Hotspot (2020), Nonetheless (2024), and any associated EPs or singles up to July 20, 2025. The strict interpretation excludes remixes, live versions, or re-recordings unless they were explicitly included as B-sides (e.g., the Hacienda Version of "Violence" on Alternative or the New Version of "Discoteca" on Format). The running order would likely follow chronological release, consistent with the previous collections.MethodologySource Material: Tracks are drawn from B-sides and bonus tracks on singles from 2010 to 2025, based on discographies and fan discussions (e.g., geowayne.com, petshopboys-forum.com).

Inclusion Criteria: Only tracks explicitly released as B-sides or bonus tracks on physical or digital singles are included. Tracks from EPs like Christmas, Agenda, or Lost are considered only if they were tied to a single release or explicitly labeled as bonus tracks. Covers are included if they were B-sides, as seen in Format (e.g., "We’re the Pet Shop Boys").
Exclusions: Remixes, live versions, or re-recordings (e.g., 1982 versions of "West End Girls" or "Left to My Own Devices") are excluded unless they were distinct B-sides. Tracks like "Cricket Wife" from the My Beautiful Laundrette EP are excluded unless released as a single’s B-side.
Running Order: Chronological, based on single release dates, split across two discs (following the double-disc format of Alternative and Format), with roughly equal runtime per disc.
Label Considerations: Tracks span EMI/Parlophone (up to 2013), x2 Recordings (2014–2023), and EMI/Parlophone (2024–). This mix didn’t hinder Smash, so it’s assumed feasible.

Hypothetical Third B-Sides Collection: Reserve (2010–2024)The title Reserve is inspired by fan suggestions, referencing tracks "held back" and playing on "reverse" as a nod to B-sides. The collection assumes 36–37 tracks, based on estimates from fan sources, covering singles from Elysium to Nonetheless. Below is the proposed tracklist, with approximate durations where known, and notes on inclusion.

Disc 1: 2010–2016Together (Ultimate Mix) – 3:29 (2010, B-side to "Together" single)
I Cried for Us – 3:47 (2010, B-side to "Together")
A Certain ‘Je ne sais quoi’ – 4:58 (2011, B-side to "Winner")
The Way Through the Woods – 4:03 (2012, B-side to "Leaving")
In His Imagination – 4:54 (2012, B-side to "Leaving")
Baby (Demo) – 3:09 (2012, B-side to "Memory of the Future")
Hell – 3:33 (2012, B-side to "Memory of the Future")
Fugitive (7" Mix) – 3:29 (2013, B-side to "Love Is a Bourgeois Construct") [Note: Suggested as a potential opener by the band, per fan discussions.]

Inside – 2:53 (2013, B-side to "Vocal")
An Open Mind – 3:49 (2013, B-side to "Vocal")
After the Event – 5:18 (2013, B-side to "Thursday") [Note: Praised as one of their best B-sides.]

No More Ballads – 3:44 (2013, B-side to "Thursday")
Odd Man Out – 3:46 (2013, B-side to "Thursday")
At Dusk – 3:23 (2016, B-side to "The Pop Kids")
One-hit Wonder – 3:24 (2016, B-side to "The Pop Kids")
The White Dress – 3:37 (2016, B-side to "Say It to Me")
Wiedersehen – 3:20 (2016, B-side to "Say It to Me")
A Cloud in a Box – 3:58 (2016, B-side to "Twenty-something")
Total Runtime: ~61:14

Disc 2: 2017–2024Reunion – 3:42 (2017, B-side to "Undertow")
Bright Young Things – 4:00 (2017, B-side to "Undertow")
The Dead Can Dance – 4:08 (2019, B-side to "Dreamland")
Anonymity – 3:52 (2019, B-side to "Dreamland")
No Boundaries – 3:36 (2020, B-side to "Monkey Business")
Wedding in Berlin – 4:28 (2020, B-side to "Monkey Business")
All Over the World (New Version) – 3:47 (2020, Bonus track from Christmas EP, included as a lead track per fan suggestion.)

Give Stupidity a Chance – 2:59 (2020, Bonus track from Agenda EP, included as a lead track.]

The Lost Room – 4:11 (2020, Bonus track from Lost EP, included as a lead track.]

Love Life – 3:47 (2022, B-side to "Purple Zone" from Record Store Day release)
A Powerful Friend – 3:21 (2022, B-side to "Purple Zone")
Miserere – 4:15 (2024, B-side to "Loneliness")
Party in the Blitz – 4:27 (2024, B-side to "Loneliness")
Everybody Will Dance – 3:44 (2024, B-side to "Dancing Star")
I’ve Got Plans (Involving You) – 4:08 (2024, B-side to "Dancing Star")
Sense of Time – 4:29 (2024, B-side to "A New Bohemia")
Adrenaline – 3:25 (2024, B-side to "A New Bohemia")
All the Young Dudes – 3:31 (2024, B-side to "A New Bohemia" [Note: Cover, included as it was a B-side, consistent with Format’s inclusion of covers.]

If Jesus Had a Sister – 4:01 (2024, B-side to "Bullet for Narcissus")
Total Runtime: ~66:26

Notes on Selection and Running OrderChronology: Tracks are ordered by single release date, mirroring Alternative and Format. This spans from the "Together" single (2010) to the "Bullet for Narcissus" single (2024).
EP Tracks: Following fan discussions, lead tracks from EPs (Christmas, Agenda, Lost) are included as bonus tracks, reflecting the "B-sides and bonus tracks" subtitle of Format. Other EP tracks (e.g., "Cricket Wife") are excluded unless tied to a single.

Covers and Re-recordings: Covers like "All the Young Dudes" are included as they were B-sides, consistent with Format’s inclusion of "We’re the Pet Shop Boys." Re-recordings like the 1982 versions of "West End Girls" or "Left to My Own Devices" are excluded as they lack the distinct B-side status of, say, "Violence (Hacienda Version)."

Runtime: The collection is split into two discs, with Disc 1 (2010–2016) at ~61 minutes and Disc 2 (2017–2024) at ~66 minutes, balancing the track count and runtime similar to Format (38 tracks, 156 minutes).

Exclusions: Tracks like "Je t’aime… moi non plus" or "Sail Away" were omitted from Format despite being B-sides, possibly due to being covers; this precedent is followed selectively, but covers explicitly released as B-sides (e.g., "All the Young Dudes") are included.

Hypothetical InterpretationThis collection, titled Reserve, showcases the Pet Shop Boys’ continued experimentation on B-sides, ranging from introspective ballads ("The Way Through the Woods," "After the Event") to electronic pop ("Sense of Time," "Adrenaline") and quirky covers ("All the Young Dudes"). Unlike Alternative, which unearthed rare tracks for fans in the pre-internet era, and Format, which compiled tracks from the CD single era, Reserve reflects a digital and streaming-focused period where B-sides are more accessible but still cherished for their eclectic nature. The chronological order maintains the historical flow, capturing the band’s evolution from Elysium’s introspective tone to Nonetheless’s vibrant revival.

If you’d like an alternative format (e.g., a single-disc compilation, vinyl tracklist, or thematic grouping), let me know, and I can adjust the structure!

Explore specific B-side tracks

Pet Shop Boys remixes

[Spittingcat]

What Grok came up with

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[Neilatrone]

What Grok came up with

This forum needs spam filters.

Agreed. B-side of Bullet for Narcissus?

[somdigital]

What Grok came up with:

[edited for sanity reasons]

IA search engine... ... ... oh Lord...

[Old Soak]

I didn't say I agreed with it, .merely putting it out for debate which it's provoked.

[jasonjohn]

Are there enough b-sides to justify a double-disc release as of yet?

Looking at Dog's list, I think so!

A b-sides collection is a good way to warm up the engines before a new album, so that's why I'm thinking a late 2026 stocking filler.

This is my revised list following the new single. I haven’t included any tracks from the Christmas, Agenda or Lost EPs, or the reworked versions of Left to my own devices or West End girls.

1. Fugitive (seven-inch mix)
2. Glad all over
3. I cried for us
4. A certain “Je ne sais quoi”
5. The way through the woods (long version)
6. I started a joke
7. Hell
8. In his imagination
9. Baby (demo)
10. Listening
11. One night
12. Inside
13. Entschuldigung!
14. Get it online
15. No more ballads
16. Odd man out
17. In bits
18. One-hit wonder

1. The white dress
2. Wiedersehen
3. A cloud in a box
4. The dead can dance
5. An open mind
6. No boundaries
7. Decide
8. At rock bottom
9. New boy
10. Party in the Blitz
11. Through you (extended mix)
12. Sense of time
13. If Jesus had a sister
14. It’s not a crime
15. I’ve got plans (involving you)
16. Everybody will dance
17. Beauty has laid siege to the city
18. Clean air hybrid electric bus

Clean Air is a weird way to end... but the more I think about it, what a nice moody, abstract way to exit stage.

[Whosematchesarethose]

That looks a really solid album which would be a great addition to the trilogy. With Dreamworld surely running out of road in 2026 it would be great to launch the 3rd b-sides album with a small tour playing a selection of 'never heard live' tracks. Due to limited mass appeal it would need to be somewhere like Berlin or London small venue, simple staging.

Meanwhile see those going to Warwick in August (my 8th Dreamworld outing!!)

[telys]

Are there enough b-sides to justify a double-disc release as of yet?

Looking at Dog's list, I think so!

A b-sides collection is a good way to warm up the engines before a new album, so that's why I'm thinking a late 2026 stocking filler.

This is my revised list following the new single. I haven’t included any tracks from the Christmas, Agenda or Lost EPs, or the reworked versions of Left to my own devices or West End girls.

1. Fugitive (seven-inch mix)
2. Glad all over
3. I cried for us
4. A certain “Je ne sais quoi”
5. The way through the woods (long version)
6. I started a joke
7. Hell
8. In his imagination
9. Baby (demo)
10. Listening
11. One night
12. Inside
13. Entschuldigung!
14. Get it online
15. No more ballads
16. Odd man out
17. In bits
18. One-hit wonder

1. The white dress
2. Wiedersehen
3. A cloud in a box
4. The dead can dance
5. An open mind
6. No boundaries
7. Decide
8. At rock bottom
9. New boy
10. Party in the Blitz
11. Through you (extended mix)
12. Sense of time
13. If Jesus had a sister
14. It’s not a crime
15. I’ve got plans (involving you)
16. Everybody will dance
17. Beauty has laid siege to the city
18. Clean air hybrid electric bus

Clean Air is a weird way to end... but the more I think about it, what a nice moody, abstract way to exit stage.

The 2nd disc of this presumptive collection is up there with the 1st disc of Alternative in terms of quality songs.
The 1st disc has a too many tracks which are very much b-sides (experimental, demoish, lower quality): Glad all over, Hell, Baby, Listening, Inside, No more ballads. But the rest are top notch stuff.