Smash - The Singles 1985 - 2020

[moebius]

Just got an email from Warners stating that they're aware of the issues with people from the EU ordering from the store so they've temporarily removed the White Vinyl and Cassette versions from the store until the issues are resolved so as to give everyone an equal chance to order them. So good-ish news at least.

How long to fix the issues?

I'm asking the same question...

[misterme]

With those videos being posted on YouTube as HD Upgrade versions, we now begin to see what they will actually look like on blu-ray.
I've only seen two so far (Minimal and Together) and I must say that I'm disappointed. They have used some edge enhancement technique that looks artificial and, while it adds some details to the images, it makes them look harsh / rough, unpleasant to watch.
In comparison, Madonna's director cut for her American Life video has been released recently and it looks stunning. Miles away from the PSB videos.

[Mimmo]

Just got an email from Warners stating that they're aware of the issues with people from the EU ordering from the store so they've temporarily removed the White Vinyl and Cassette versions from the store until the issues are resolved so as to give everyone an equal chance to order them. So good-ish news at least.

How long to fix the issues?

I'm asking the same question...

The limited edition 6LP white vinyl and cassette are now available to pre-order
again. I’ve just ordered the music bundle without problems (from Italy).

[y3potential]

Just saw this message from Warner's..

SMASH

We're pleased to update you that the issues with ordering have been resolved.

The limited edition 6LP white vinyl and

cassette are now available to pre-order again. Thank you for your patience, and once again we apology for the inconvenience

caused.

The Warner Music Team

WARNER MUSIC GROUP



I'm a little confused now. Does this mean that anyone who pre-ordered previously and had the amount debited from their accounts have to re order or not..?

[Disco.]

White vinyl sold out.

[ChrisLove]

When I first saw this collection i thought that i don't need this beacuse i have Discography already but now looking for songs list I think there are many versions which i don't have in my collection these are either radio or single versions so in the end this might be worth buying

[daveid]

Here's a reminder of how the years have flown by and how rare PSB singles are these days. If Neil and Chris consider a "proper" single to be a CD released in the UK with promotion on the radio/TV then let's look at their single output after 1997 (and I use that year as the point after which their single output significantly declined)

Before then they'd averaged about 2.4 singles a year

Let's see what happens when we spread their post-1997 singles out a bit year by year:

(Somewhere 1997)
I don't know what you want but I can't give it any more 1998
NYC boy 1999
Drunk 2000
Home and dry 2001
I get along 2002
Miracles 2003
Flamboyant 2004
Stupid 2005
Minimal 2006
Numb 2007
Love etc. 2008
Did you see me coming? 2009
IDOSAC 2010
Together 2011
Winner 2012
Leaving 2013
Memory of the future 2014
Vocal 2015
Bourgeois 2016
Thursday 2017
The pop kids 2018
20-S 2019
Say it to me 2020
Dreamland 2021
Monkey business 2022
I don't wanna 2023

And so we arrive at the present day. So that's basically one single on average each year since 1998 despite Elysium and Electric being just a year apart.

As fans we know this is far from the whole story, with a number of what might be called quasi-singles and EPs but from a traditional single POV it's averaging one a year folks.

Smashing

[Patrick Bateman]

Here's a reminder of how the years have flown by and how rare PSB singles are these days. If Neil and Chris consider a "proper" single to be a CD released in the UK with promotion on the radio/TV then let's look at their single output after 1997 (and I use that year as the point after which their single output significantly declined)

Before then they'd averaged about 2.4 singles a year

Let's see what happens when we spread their post-1997 singles out a bit year by year:

(Somewhere 1997)
I don't know what you want but I can't give it any more 1998
NYC boy 1999
Drunk 2000
Home and dry 2001
I get along 2002
Miracles 2003
Flamboyant 2004
Stupid 2005
Minimal 2006
Numb 2007
Love etc. 2008
Did you see me coming? 2009
IDOSAC 2010
Together 2011
Winner 2012
Leaving 2013
Memory of the future 2014
Vocal 2015
Bourgeois 2016
Thursday 2017
The pop kids 2018
20-S 2019
Say it to me 2020
Dreamland 2021
Monkey business 2022
I don't wanna 2023

And so we arrive at the present day. So that's basically one single on average each year since 1998 despite Elysium and Electric being just a year apart.

As fans we know this is far from the whole story, with a number of what might be called quasi-singles and EPs but from a traditional single POV it's averaging one a year folks.

Smashing

I was thinking this the other day!

Disc 1 spans 1985-1991 (six years)
Disc 2 spans 1993-2003 (10 years)
Disc 3 spans 2006-2020 (14 years)

A lot of it relates to Disc 3 being the period when they were less commercial and therefore releasing only three 'proper' singles per album while Disc 1 is obviously their commercial peak with four singles per album and shorter gaps between albums (their first four studio albums in five years compared with six studio albums in the final 14 years).

There is a strange pattern to it. If there were a Disc 4, we would see it in 2042, or at least those of us still alive would.

[Lleonard Pler]

Here's a reminder of how the years have flown by and how rare PSB singles are these days. If Neil and Chris consider a "proper" single to be a CD released in the UK with promotion on the radio/TV then let's look at their single output after 1997 (and I use that year as the point after which their single output significantly declined)

Before then they'd averaged about 2.4 singles a year

Let's see what happens when we spread their post-1997 singles out a bit year by year:

(Somewhere 1997)
I don't know what you want but I can't give it any more 1998
NYC boy 1999
Drunk 2000
Home and dry 2001
I get along 2002
Miracles 2003
Flamboyant 2004
Stupid 2005
Minimal 2006
Numb 2007
Love etc. 2008
Did you see me coming? 2009
IDOSAC 2010
Together 2011
Winner 2012
Leaving 2013
Memory of the future 2014
Vocal 2015
Bourgeois 2016
Thursday 2017
The pop kids 2018
20-S 2019
Say it to me 2020
Dreamland 2021
Monkey business 2022
I don't wanna 2023

And so we arrive at the present day. So that's basically one single on average each year since 1998 despite Elysium and Electric being just a year apart.

As fans we know this is far from the whole story, with a number of what might be called quasi-singles and EPs but from a traditional single POV it's averaging one a year folks.

Smashing

Commercial demise apart, nowadays the line between a single and a promotional track is blurrier than ever. And of course, the impact of the releases of a band after a career of 40 years can't be the same as in their imperial phase. Neither the necessity of being impactful: in their peak they just had to release the strongest material, now they can put other criteria first if they want to.

Disc 1 could include most singles of the period because most of them were successful.

Afterwards they opted for being more selective than comprehensive. There probably would be material for a 4 discs singles compilation but what would be the point if the general public won't know the songs anyway as they didn't impact the charts or even played on the radio.

Axis is the perfect example. Apparently they don't count that as a single, even if it had proper artwork, a digital release, a 12", a remix and even a video (one of their best of the last decade IMO) and it launched an album campaign and a tour announcement. Also it's the only PSB song post Yes that I have enjoyed in a club. For me Axis is as much as a single as Say it to me or I don't wanna. Or even more, as it was released for actual promotion, not just a cash-in decision.

And then there comes the exclusion of regional singles (London, Beautiful People) or the inclusion of IDOSAC and not the other A-side of Christmas, AOTW, that had a video and a new single mix that was sent to the radios. Not to mention all the string of promotional tracks, like Integral, Burning the Heather or Undertow, that had digital releases with proper artwork but aren't counted as a single either.

I'd say they have a healthier and stronger releases history than any other act after 40 uninterrupted years of career. If they ever release a second volume of Catalogue, it will be more complete than Smash, that's for sure.

[Patrick Bateman]

Commercial demise apart, nowadays the line between a single and a promotional track is blurrier than ever. And of course, the impact of the releases of a band after a career of 40 years can't be the same as in their imperial phase.

Disc 1 could include most singles of the period because most of them were successful.

Afterwards they opted for being more selective than comprehensive. There probably would be material for a 4 discs singles compilation but what would be the point if the general public won't know the songs anyway as they didn't impact the charts or event played on the radio.

Axis is the perfect example. Apparently they don't count that as a single, even if it had proper artwork, a digital release, a 12", a remix and even a video (one of their best of the last decade IMO) and it launched an album campaign and a tour announcement. Also it's the only PSB song post Yes that I have enjoyed in a club. For me Axis is as much as a single as Say it to me or I don't wanna. Or even more, as it was released for actual promotion, not just a cash-in decision.

And then there comes the exclusion of regional singles (London, Beautiful People) or the inclusion of IDOSAC and not of the other A-side of Christmas, AOTW, that had a video and a new single mix that was sent to the radios. Not to mention all the string of promotional tracks, like Burning the Heather or Undertow, that had digital releases with proper artwork but aren't counted as a single either. Integral also has a video.

I'd say they have a healthier and strongest releases history than any other act after 40 uninterrupted years of career. If they ever release a second volume of Catalogue, it will be more complete than Smash, that's for sure.

Yeah, Axis is the most glaring omission as you still associate it with the launch of the post-Parlophone era and all the concomitant excitement. And as you say, it had a proper video, which Love is a bourgeois construct doesn't.

I suppose IDASAC was on a Christmas EP but it does feel more of an outlier when you see it on SMASH. Their last Top 40 hit too, which seems wrong.

[TallThinMan]

Something to remember is that Pet Shop Boys' imperial phase occurred during the first 10% of their career.

[daveid]

A good point made about Axis. It was like the launch pad of their second label. I have the 12" and there was a video of sorts. I think they're being a bit OCD about it to be honest. It's not the 90s any more when everything came out on CD with loads of b-sides. I do think AotW was meant to act as a third Yes single so it's a shame it's absent but from a commercial pov IDOSAC makes more sense. Burning the Heather should be on here too.

[Patrick Bateman]

Got to say that I've been enjoying the shorts they've been releasing to promote this. Even singles I'm less keen on seem exciting when you condense them down to the chorus.

[NotInvisible]

Axis is the perfect example. Apparently they don't count that as a single, even if it had proper artwork, a digital release, a 12", a remix and even a video (one of their best of the last decade IMO) and it launched an album campaign and a tour announcement. Also it's the only PSB song post Yes that I have enjoyed in a club. For me Axis is as much as a single as Say it to me or I don't wanna. Or even more, as it was released for actual promotion, not just a cash-in decision.

I don't count Axis as a proper single either. I can't really take issue with their selections (aside from the omission of How can you expect to be taken seriously?). A fourth disc of "quasi singles" would be welcome, but even on my own makeshift playlists I've never thought of Axis as a single. I don't think having a video or a 12" is really the defining factor.

[MikeyC]

If they ever release a second volume of Catalogue, it will be more complete than Smash, that's for sure.

We learned from the new Classic Pop interview that they are, indeed, releasing an updated version of Catalogue!