Format (album)

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}

{{Use British English|date=February 2012}}

{{Infobox album

| name = Format

| type = compilation

| artist = Pet Shop Boys

| cover = Pet Shop Boys - Format.png

| border = yes

| alt =

| released = {{Start date|2012|02|06|df=yes}}

| recorded = 1996–2009

| venue =

| studio =

| genre = Synth-pop

| length = 156:27

| label = Parlophone

| producer = Pet Shop Boys, various

| prev_title = The Most Incredible Thing

| prev_year = 2011

| next_title = Elysium

| next_year = 2012

}}

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).

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.{{cite web |url=http://www.petshopboys.co.uk/news/2812 |title=Pet Shop Boys – News – Format pre-order |publisher=petshopboys.co.uk |access-date=4 February 2012}} The album was released on 6 February 2012 in the UK, but was released earlier in various territories worldwide, including Australia, where it was released on 3 February.{{cite web |url=http://www.jbhifionline.com.au/music/pop-rock/format-ltd-ed/660868 |title=Format (Ltd Ed) |publisher=JB Hi-Fi |access-date=4 February 2012}} The album debuted at number 26 on the UK Albums Chart, selling 5,909 copies in its first week.{{cite web|url=http://www.musicweek.com/news/read/official-chart-analysis-lana-del-rey-scores-biggest-selling-album-of-2012-gotye-shifts-another-83k/048060|title=Official Chart Analysis: Lana Del Rey scores biggest-selling album of 2012, Gotye shifts another 83k|website=Music Week|access-date=30 January 2019}}

Track listing

{{Track listing

| all_writing = 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

| total_length = 77:41

| extra_column = Featured on

| headline = Disc one: 1996–2002

| title1 = The Truck-Driver and His Mate

| extra1 = "Before", Bilingual: Further Listening 1995–1997

| length1 = 3:34

| title2 = Hit and Miss

| extra2 = "Before", Bilingual: Further Listening 1995–1997

| length2 = 4:07

| title3 = In the Night (1995)

| extra3 = "Before", Bilingual: Further Listening 1995–1997

| length3 = 4:16

| title4 = Betrayed

| extra4 = "Se a vida é (That's the Way Life Is)", Bilingual: Further Listening 1995–1997

| length4 = 5:19

| title5 = How I Learned to Hate Rock-and-Roll

| extra5 = "Se a vida é (That's the Way Life Is)", Bilingual: Further Listening 1995–1997

| length5 = 4:38

| title6 = Discoteca

| note6 = new version

| extra6 = "Single-Bilingual", Bilingual: Further Listening 1995–1997

| length6 = 3:43

| title7 = The Calm Before the Storm

| extra7 = "Single-Bilingual", Bilingual: Further Listening 1995–1997

| length7 = 2:46

| title8 = Confidential

| note8 = demo for Tina Turner

| extra8 = "Single-Bilingual", Very: Further Listening 1992–1994

| length8 = 4:47

| title9 = The Boy Who Couldn't Keep His Clothes On

| note9 = International Club Mix

| extra9 = "A Red Letter Day", Bilingual: Further Listening 1995–1997, Bilingual Special Edition

| length9 = 6:05

| title10 = Delusions of Grandeur

| extra10 = "A Red Letter Day", Bilingual: Further Listening 1995–1997

| length10 = 5:04

| title11 = The View from Your Balcony

| extra11 = "Somewhere", Bilingual: Further Listening 1995–1997

| length11 = 3:45

| title12 = Disco Potential

| extra12 = "Somewhere", Bilingual: Further Listening 1995–1997

| length12 = 4:07

| title13 = Silver Age

| extra13 = "I Don't Know What You Want But I Can't Give It Any More", bonus USA Nightlife disc, Nightlife: Further Listening 1996–2000

| length13 = 3:33

| title14 = Screaming

| extra14 = "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

| length14 = 4:56

| title15 = The Ghost of Myself

| extra15 = "New York City Boy", bonus US Nightlife disc, Nightlife: Further Listening 1996–2000

| length15 = 4:03

| title16 = Casting a Shadow

| extra16 = "New York City Boy", bonus US Nightlife disc, Nightlife: Further Listening 1996–2000

| length16 = 4:37

| title17 = Lies

| extra17 = "You Only Tell Me You Love Me When You're Drunk", Mini, Nightlife: Further Listening 1996–2000

| length17 = 4:39

| title18 = Sexy Northerner

| extra18 = "Home and Dry", bonus US Release disc, Release: Further Listening 2001–2004

| length18 = 3:42

}}

{{Track listing

| extra_column = Featured on

| total_length = 78:46

| headline = Disc two: 2002–2009

| title1 = Always

| extra1 = "Home and Dry", bonus US Release disc, Release: Further Listening 2001–2004

| length1 = 5:03

| title2 = Nightlife

| extra2 = "Home and Dry", bonus US Release disc, Nightlife: Further Listening 1996–2000

| length2 = 3:53

| title3 = Searching for the Face of Jesus

| extra3 = "I Get Along", Release: Further Listening 2001–2004

| length3 = 3:27

| title4 = Between Two Islands

| extra4 = "I Get Along", Release: Further Listening 2001–2004

| length4 = 5:06

| title5 = Friendly Fire

| extra5 = "I Get Along", bonus US Release disc, Nightlife: Further Listening 1996–2000

| length5 = 3:23

| title6 = We're the Pet Shop Boys

| extra6 = "Miracles", Release: Further Listening 2001–2004

| length6 = 4:55

| title7 = Transparent

| extra7 = "Miracles", Release: Further Listening 2001–2004

| length7 = 3:51

| title8 = I Didn't Get Where I Am Today

| extra8 = "Flamboyant", Release: Further Listening 2001–2004

| length8 = 3:37

| title9 = The Resurrectionist

| extra9 = "I'm with Stupid", Fundamental: Further Listening 2005–2007

| length9 = 3:10

| title10 = Girls Don't Cry

| extra10 = "I'm with Stupid", Fundamental: Further Listening 2005–2007

| length10 = 2:34

| title11 = In Private

| note11 = 7-inch mix; duet with Elton John

| extra11 = "Minimal", Release: Further Listening 2001–2004

| length11 = 4:11

| title12 = Blue on Blue

| extra12 = "Minimal", Release: Further Listening 2001–2004

| length12 = 3:12

| title13 = No Time for Tears

| note13 = 7-inch mix

| extra13 = "Minimal", original on Battleship Potemkin, Fundamental: Further Listening 2005–2007

| length13 = 3:35

| title14 = Bright Young Things

| extra14 = "Numb", Release: Further Listening 2001–2004

| length14 = 4:55

| title15 = Party Song

| extra15 = "Numb", Release: Further Listening 2001–2004

| length15 = 3:40

| title16 = We're All Criminals Now

| extra16 = "Love etc.", Yes: Further Listening 2008–2010

| length16 = 3:55

| title17 = Gin and Jag

| extra17 = "Love etc.", Yes: Further Listening 2008–2010

| length17 = 4:29

| title18 = After the Event

| extra18 = "Did You See Me Coming?", Fundamental: Further Listening 2005–2007

| length18 = 5:16

| title19 = The Former Enfant Terrible

| extra19 = "Did You See Me Coming?", Fundamental: Further Listening 2005–2007

| length19 = 2:51

| title20 = Up and Down

| extra20 = "Did You See Me Coming?", Yes: Further Listening 2008–2010

| length20 = 3:43

}}

Personnel

;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

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"| Chart (2012)

! scope="col"| Peak
position

{{album chart|Austria|73|artist=Pet Shop Boys|album=Format - B-Sides and Bonus Tracks 1996-2009|rowheader=true|access-date=15 February 2012}}
scope="row"| Belgian Heatseekers Albums (Ultratop Flanders){{cite web |url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/album/2e155/Pet-Shop-Boys-Format-B-Sides-And-Bonus-Tracks-1996-2009 |title=Pet Shop Boys – Format – B-Sides and Bonus Tracks 1996–2009 |language=nl |publisher=Ultratop |access-date=13 February 2012}}

| 9

scope="row"| Belgian Heatseekers Albums (Ultratop Wallonia){{cite web |url=https://www.ultratop.be/fr/album/2e155/Pet-Shop-Boys-Format-B-Sides-And-Bonus-Tracks-1996-2009 |title=Pet Shop Boys – Format – B-Sides and Bonus Tracks 1996–2009 |language=fr |publisher=Ultratop |access-date=17 February 2012}}

| 1

scope="row"| Croatian International Albums (HDU){{cite web |url=http://www.hdu-toplista.com/index.php?what=arhiva&w=details&id=980 |title=Top Stranih – Tjedan 6. 2012. |trans-title=Top Foreign – Week 6, 2012 |language=hr |publisher=Top of the Shops |access-date=16 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120904055049/http://www.hdu-toplista.com/index.php?what=arhiva&w=details&id=980 |archive-date=4 September 2012}}

| 19

{{album chart|Czech|24|date=201208|rowheader=true|access-date=13 December 2020}}
{{album chart|Netherlands|82|artist=Pet Shop Boys|album=Format - B-Sides and Bonus Tracks 1996-2009|rowheader=true|access-date=12 February 2012}}
{{album chart|Germany4|31|id=188757|artist=Pet Shop Boys|album=Format – B-Sides and Bonus Tracks 1996–2009|rowheader=true|access-date=13 December 2020}}
{{album chart|Ireland2|67|artist=Pet Shop Boys|rowheader=true|access-date=13 December 2020}}
{{album chart|Italy|93|artist=Pet Shop Boys|album=Format - B-Sides and Bonus Tracks 1996-2009|rowheader=true|access-date=13 December 2020}}
{{album chart|Scotland|38|date=20120212|rowheader=true|access-date=6 May 2020}}
{{album chart|Spain|43|artist=Pet Shop Boys|album=Format - B-Sides and Bonus Tracks 1996-2009|rowheader=true|access-date=18 February 2012}}
{{album chart|Sweden|33|artist=Pet Shop Boys|album=Format - B-Sides and Bonus Tracks 1996-2009|rowheader=true|access-date=18 February 2012}}
{{album chart|Switzerland|52|artist=Pet Shop Boys|album=Format - B-Sides and Bonus Tracks 1996-2009|rowheader=true|access-date=15 February 2012}}
{{album chart|UK2|26|date=20120212|rowheader=true|access-date=6 May 2020}}

References