Chris Left, Neil Right in album cover photos.

[Gabby]

Just looking at album covers and noticed, more often than not, that Chris is on the left and Neil on the right of the photo.

I'm not one that reads too much into things but it seems to be an aesthetic they've mostly stuck with over 40 years.

Purely an observation unless anyone has specific thoughts or insight.

[DopeFiend]

Yeah, Chris then Neil.

With Nightlife, it is Neil then Chris. But their faces are obscured so I wouldn't say it counts.
Also technically, if you consider the hidden reflection in the window then Chris is technically first.



Is it Chris on the left on Hotspot? I think so. Crossed arms and slightly shorter than Neil.

By the way, obviously Discography has Chris first.


I love how this is a thing, because Chris Lowe is really the backbone of PSB and deserves to be shown first.
It helps to balance out the credit since Neil is the focus with his brilliant vocals and lyric writing, along with his
outspoken presence in interviews.

[leesmapman]

Heh, interesting observation. You would say it's a 50% chance there's either Neil or Chris first, but this is just almost all of them.

Singles are not so consistent though

[Leonidas]

I believe they follow a pattern when performing in concerts, on tv etc. in terms of where they stand.

[michael888]

But in live shows, Chris is always on the right hand side!

[Gabby]

Alternative and Back to Mine is Chris on the left too.

Ultimate Neil is left.

[ea39]

This is obviously where Ant & Dec got the idea from...

[ChrisLove]

With Nightlife, it is Neil then Chris. But their faces are obscured so I wouldn't say it counts.
Also technically, if you consider the hidden reflection in the window then Chris is technically first.

speaking about Nightlife cover is there available not blurred picture ?

[daveid]

With Nightlife, it is Neil then Chris. But their faces are obscured so I wouldn't say it counts.
Also technically, if you consider the hidden reflection in the window then Chris is technically first.

speaking about Nightlife cover is there available not blurred picture ?

There is their reflection...

nightlife~2.png

[innerxsanctum]

But in live shows, Chris is always on the right hand side!

Actually, Chris is also on the left for that too. Neil always says that Chris' fans are "to the left side of the stage," so they see their positions based on their view of the stage and not ours, which would be Chris "to the right."

[negative_0ne]

interesting.. for the singles, they switch around quite a bit.

maybe for the album covers it just worked out that way.

early ones..
west end girls - chris on left, neil on right



opportunities, only neil on front:


suburbia - neil on left


love comes quickly - only chris


its a sin - chris, and neil


rent - they are flipped - neil and chris


what have i done to deserve this - chris and then neil


later
|| | ||
ne gative 1

[negative_0ne]

in the night - both vertically


left to my own devices - neil and then chris


domino dancing - neil and chris


its alright - chris on the cover


how can you expect to be taken seriously - chris, and neil


being boring - neil and then chris


so hard - neil and then chris


dj culture - back to chris and neil


was it worth it - chris and neil


later
|| | ||
ne gative 1

[Gabby]

Weirdly I find the Chris on left images more esthetically pleasing BUT the Neil on left images are arguably stronger.

[tottenhammattspurs]

So Chris has appeared on more front covers than Neil.

[nonesuch]

Remembered this thread while reading The Pet Shop Boys versus America:

They sit in a back-stage room, surrounded by wigs and stage costumes, preparing to be interviewed by MTV. Neil tries to sit on Chris’s left.
‘I always sit on that side,’ objects Chris.
‘You do?’ says Neil, moving over. ‘I've never thought about it.’