Pet Shop Boys Community

87 in the official uk midweek charts.

Ultimate is the only single CD PSB hits compilation that has Go West. For physical purchasers, at least, it is the obvious choice for those looking for all the signature hits and not much more. So, the big seven are on there - the four number ones, two number twos, and Suburbia. That almost certainly does Joe Pleb.

The problem with Ultimate, of course, is that a single PSB hits CD in 2010 was never going to do them justice if they wanted it to be a full career retrospective. They lacked genuine hits after Go West. That meant sacrificing classic top-tier songs that were actually hits like Opportunities (top 10 in the US), Rent (top 10 in the UK), So Hard (top 5 in the UK), and Can You Forgive Her? (top 10 in the UK) to make room for things like Home and Dry and New York City Boy, not to mention Being Boring (which was, effectively, a flop but in there purely for artistic reasons). Throw in the expected "new" single and you've got a dog's dinner of a hits album. There's just no real logic to the tracklist. Every track on there has merit - it's just that a genuine hits album would largely consist of three-quarters of Discography, the two Very lead singles, and Se A Vida E. They were never going to draw attention to that.

The whole thing was saved by the DVD though.

Drico.

Patrick Bateman wrote: Mon 18 Nov 2024, 1:01 pm Rather amusing that Ultimate was the go-to collection, seeing as it's viewed by Petheads as the runt of the greatest hits litter.

It has the best front cover though.

Drico One wrote: Mon 18 Nov 2024, 11:22 pm Ultimate is the only single CD PSB hits compilation that has Go West.

Unfortunately it's the weird version with the much quieter final minute, though I'm not sure that's the draw for most people. Delighted that it finally got corrected for Smash, after appearing wrongly on the 2001 and 2017 Very reissues, PopArt, Story and Ultimate.

Ramzy wrote: Tue 19 Nov 2024, 5:09 pm

Drico One wrote: Mon 18 Nov 2024, 11:22 pm Ultimate is the only single CD PSB hits compilation that has Go West.

Unfortunately it's the weird version with the much quieter final minute, though I'm not sure that's the draw for most people. Delighted that it finally got corrected for Smash, after appearing wrongly on the 2001 and 2017 Very reissues, PopArt, Story and Ultimate.

You mean those versions are mixed differently? I hadn't noticed. Good to know!

Their accountant will be very happy, that’s for sure!

Ramzy wrote: Tue 19 Nov 2024, 5:09 pm

Drico One wrote: Mon 18 Nov 2024, 11:22 pm Ultimate is the only single CD PSB hits compilation that has Go West.

Unfortunately it's the weird version with the much quieter final minute, though I'm not sure that's the draw for most people. Delighted that it finally got corrected for Smash, after appearing wrongly on the 2001 and 2017 Very reissues, PopArt, Story and Ultimate.

I didn't know that. Interesting.

le petit corbusier wrote: Tue 19 Nov 2024, 6:16 pm

Ramzy wrote: Tue 19 Nov 2024, 5:09 pm

Drico One wrote: Mon 18 Nov 2024, 11:22 pm Ultimate is the only single CD PSB hits compilation that has Go West.

Unfortunately it's the weird version with the much quieter final minute, though I'm not sure that's the draw for most people. Delighted that it finally got corrected for Smash, after appearing wrongly on the 2001 and 2017 Very reissues, PopArt, Story and Ultimate.

You mean those versions are mixed differently? I hadn't noticed. Good to know!

I think it might actually be a mastering quirk rather than a mix difference - the final minute of the song, when it goes into the techno breakdown, is significantly quieter than it is on the original. It probably wouldn't sound wrong if you didn't already know the track but otherwise it just feels like there's a huge loss of energy. Otherwise I don't think there's any difference in the mix of either section, it's just their relative loudnesses that are off.

Ramzy wrote: Wed 20 Nov 2024, 1:17 pm

le petit corbusier wrote: Tue 19 Nov 2024, 6:16 pm

Ramzy wrote: Tue 19 Nov 2024, 5:09 pm
Unfortunately it's the weird version with the much quieter final minute, though I'm not sure that's the draw for most people. Delighted that it finally got corrected for Smash, after appearing wrongly on the 2001 and 2017 Very reissues, PopArt, Story and Ultimate.

You mean those versions are mixed differently? I hadn't noticed. Good to know!

I think it might actually be a mastering quirk rather than a mix difference - the final minute of the song, when it goes into the techno breakdown, is significantly quieter than it is on the original. It probably wouldn't sound wrong if you didn't already know the track but otherwise it just feels like there's a huge loss of energy. Otherwise I don't think there's any difference in the mix of either section, it's just their relative loudnesses that are off.

I'm sure it's not, but puts me in mind of when they altered Together to appeal more to the Radio 2 audience. Maybe they needed to tone down the end so as not to overexcite the pensioners.

I'm giving Ultimate a spin right now in the car. It's lean for sure but not a bad listen overall. Well sequenced tracks that flow well.

They are promoting Smash

https://www.threads.net/@petshopboys/po ... DiQcxhI4aA

TallThinMan wrote: Mon 18 Nov 2024, 5:20 pm

Gabby wrote: Mon 18 Nov 2024, 2:16 pm All those non-PSB fans googling for a best of... collection, and probably typing in "ultimate" - "Smash", "Discography" and "PopArt" don't immediately spring to mind as best of collection titles. Then it self perpetuates online.

Speaking of which, maybe the next PSB album should be called "Perpetuity". Too punny?

I think it’s even simpler than that. I just searched for “Pet Shop Boys” in the iTunes Store app on my iPhone and ‘Ultimate’ was the first result in the albums section. Whether that was the case before this latest round of interest I couldn’t say. ‘Discography’ is the second result.

I just googled "Pet Shop Boys Best of" and the only album result was Ultimate with other compilations nowhere in sight

I wouldn’t be seen dead with Spotify. Real music fans don’t touch it with a barge pole.

markrobertnolan wrote: Mon 18 Aug 2025, 7:57 pm I wouldn’t be seen dead with Spotify. Real music fans don’t touch it with a barge pole.

I believe this thread is about chart positions for PSB. Why revive a thread from months ago just to post opinions on something completely unrelated.
Make a new thread in the off topic section.