Super (Pet Shop Boys album)

Super was the second in a trilogy of albums produced by Stuart Price, preceded by Electric (2013) and followed by Hotspot (2020). As on the first album, the music on Super was purely electronic, with no additional instruments. Pet Shop Boys wrote 25 songs between November 2014 and July 2015, working in London and, mainly, Berlin.{{cite news |author=|date=8 April 2016|title=Music Interview: Pet Shop Boys|url=https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/whats-on/arts-and-entertainment/music-interview-pet-shop-boys-622437 |work=Yorkshire Evening Post|access-date=22 January 2025}} Twelve were ultimately used on the album, with an emphasis on upbeat electronic dance tracks.{{cite magazine|last=Todd|first=Matthew|date=April 2016|title=Pets Win Prizes|magazine=Attitude|pages=131–36}}

"The Pop Kids" was the first song written for Super. The music originated as a demo titled "Munich", written in that city by Chris Lowe during the Progress Live tour in 2011. Neil Tennant added the lyrics during the album writing sessions, telling a story about two students and their shared love of pop music. The music of "Twenty-something" was inspired by reggaeton, which Lowe heard at a club in Bogota, while the lyrics refer to young professionals in London. "Sad Robot World" was written after the duo were given a tour of the Wolfsburg Volkswagen Plant, where they saw cars being washed by robotic arms.{{cite book |last=Tennant|first=Neil|date=2018|title=One Hundred Lyrics and a Poem: 1979–2016|location=London|publisher=Faber & Faber|page=146|isbn=9780571348916}}

Some tracks on Super are largely instrumental, with only a few lyrics and non-traditional song structures. "Pazzo!", meaning "crazy" in Italian, was made using a collection of sounds saved from another track. "Inner Sanctum" celebrates an exclusive club experience; the duo imagined how it would sound in the Berlin nightclub Berghain as they worked on it.

Tracks that were not used for Super included more conventional pop songs, as well as some dark, topical songs like "In Bits", which became a b-side of "The Pop Kids", and "The Lost Room", which was eventually released with other Super-era tracks on the Lost EP (2023).{{cite web |url=https://www.petshopboys.co.uk/news/2023-01-23/psb-release-lost-cd?archive|title=PSB release "Lost" CD |website=petshopboys.co.uk |date=23 January 2023|access-date=22 October 2024}}

Super was recorded in Los Angeles, where Price resided. Lowe came up with the album title, conveying an uplifting mood with an internationally recognisable word.{{cite web |author= |date=April 2016|title=History: April 2016|url=https://www.petshopboys.co.uk/history/2016 |website=petshopboys.co.uk|access-date=25 January 2025}}

==Promotion and release==

Pet Shop Boys teased Super in January 2016 with an anonymous poster and social media campaign using the circle logo (pictured), leading to the now-defunct website What Is Super, which featured a brief music clip.{{cite web |author= |date=15 January 2016|title=It looks like Pet Shop Boys are teasing a 'Super' new album|url=https://www.popjustice.com/thenews/it-looks-like-pet-shop-boys-are-teasing-their-new-album/ |website=Popjustice|access-date=21 January 2025}} On 21 January, the site went live with the album announcement, along with a video preview of the song "Inner Sanctum".{{cite web |author= |year=2016|title=What Is Super|url=http://whatissuper.co/ |website=What Is Super|url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160121233412/http://whatissuper.co/ |archive-date=21 January 2016|access-date=21 January 2025}}{{cite web |last=Monroe|first=Jazz|date=21 January 2016|title=Pet Shop Boys announce new album Super, share "Inner Sanctum"|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/62939-pet-shop-boys-announce-new-album-super-share-inner-sanctum/ |website=Pitchfork|access-date=25 January 2025}} Super was made available for pre-order on compact disc, vinyl, or digital download; those who used the iTunes Store received an instant download of "Inner Sanctum". Additionally, the band announced a four-performance residency at the Royal Opera House, held in July 2016.{{cite web |url=https://www.petshopboys.co.uk/news/archive/2016/01|title=A New Album And Live Dates |publisher=petshopboys.co.uk |date=21 January 2016|access-date=19 September 2024}}

The album's opening track, "Happiness", was released as a second teaser track on 23 March 2016.{{cite web |author= |date=23 March 2016|title=Happiness world premiere|url=https://www.petshopboys.co.uk/news/2016-03-23/happiness-world-premiere?archive |website=petshopboys.co.uk|access-date=25 January 2025}}

A pop-up shop was opened in London between 1 and 3 April 2016 to promote the release of the album.

The album was released with colour variations of cover. Each format was given its own fluorescent colour scheme. The different music streaming services also have their own colour schemes.{{cite web|url=https://beoplay.squarespace.com/journal/2016/4/1/meet-mark-farrow-designer-for-the-pet-shops-boys|title=Meet Mark Farrow, Designer for the Pet Shop Boys |website=B&O PLAY|date=1 April 2016|access-date=18 November 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/master/979726-Pet-Shop-Boys-Super|title=Pet Shop Boys – Super (master release) |website=Discogs|access-date=18 November 2024}}

On 16 February 2016, "The Pop Kids" was released as the album's lead single. A CD single and a digital extended play were released on 18 March, featuring two remixes of "The Pop Kids" and two new tracks, "In Bits" and "One-Hit Wonder".{{cite web|url=http://petshopboys.co.uk/news/6671/201602|title=The Pop Kids|publisher=petshopboys.co.uk|date=12 February 2016|access-date=12 February 2016|archive-date=14 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160214222808/http://www.petshopboys.co.uk/news/6671/201602|url-status=dead}} A white vinyl 12-inch with five remixes of the song was released on 27 May.{{cite web |last=Sinclair|first=Paul|date=13 April 2016|title=Pet Shop Boys to issue 'The Pop Kids' on white vinyl 12-inch record|url=https://superdeluxeedition.com/news/pet-shop-boys-to-issue-the-pop-kids-on-white-vinyl-12-inch-record/ |website=Super Deluxe Edition|access-date=25 January 2025}} "The Pop Kids" reached number one on the UK Physical Singles Chart{{cite web |author= |date=24 March 2016 |title=Official Physical Singles Chart: 24 March 2016 – 30 March 2016|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/physical-singles-chart/20160325/1/ |website=Official Charts|access-date=25 January 2025}} but missed out on the UK Top 100 at number 128.{{cite web |author= |date=26 March 2016|title=Chart Log UK: Update 26.03.2016|url=https://www.zobbel.de/cluk/160326cluk.txt |website=Zobbel.de|access-date=25 January 2025}} It peaked at number one on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart.

On 24 June, "Twenty-something" was released as the album's second single on CD and download, featuring the single edit, two remixes, and two new tracks, "The White Dress" and "Wiedersehen"; the latter featured backing vocals by Rufus Wainwright.{{cite web |last=Rodrigues|first=Maria|date=26 June 2016 |title=Pet Shop Boys Release Single 'Twenty Something', Two Bonus Singles|url=https://nexus.radio/news/pet-shop-boys-release-single-twenty-something-two-bonus-singles |website=nexus.radio|access-date=26 January 2025}} It debuted at number one on the UK Physical Singles Chart.{{cite web |author= |date=30 June 2016 |title=Official Physical Singles Chart: 30 June 2016 – 6 July 2016|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/physical-singles-chart/20160701/1/ |website=Official Charts|access-date=26 January 2025}} For the music video, released on 10 May, Pet Shop Boys chose director Gavin Filipiak, who had directed the video of a cover version of "West End Girls" by the cholo goth group Prayers. The "Twenty-something" video follows a Latino man in San Diego, struggling to reintegrate into society after being incarcerated.{{cite web |last=Raygoza|first=Isabela|date=9 May 2016|title=Exclusive: Pet Shop Boys release powerful music video for "Twenty-something"|url=https://www.univision.com/univision-news/culture/exclusive-pet-shop-boys-release-powerful-music-video-for-twenty-something |website=Univision|access-date=26 January 2016}}{{cite AV media |people=Pet Shop Boys (performers); Filipiak, Gavin (director)|date=10 May 2016|title=Twenty-something (Official Video)|type=music video|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KCVmOQ1q6Y}} It won the San Diego Film Award for Best Music Video.{{cite web |author= |year=2017|title=San Diego Film Award|url=https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0001871/2017/1/ |website=IMDB|access-date=26 January 2025}}

On 22 July, "Inner Sanctum" was released on 12-inch vinyl to celebrate their sold out shows at the Royal Opera House in London. The 4-track vinyl release featured the Carl Craig C2 Juiced RMX, two demo versions of the song, and the album version.{{cite web |last=Sinclair|first=Paul|date=8 July 2016 |title=Pet Shop Boys / Inner Sanctum 12-inch|url=https://superdeluxeedition.com/news/pet-shop-boys-inner-sanctum-12-inch/ |website=Super Deluxe Edition|access-date=26 January 2025}} The Carl Craig remix was also released digitally.

On 16 September, "Say It to Me" was released on CD and on two separate digital bundles. The first included an alternate mix of the song, as well as two new tracks, "A Cloud in a Box" and "The Dead Can Dance". The second bundle included remixes by Tom Demac, Real Lies, and Offer Nissim. A 12-inch vinyl format was released a week later.{{cite web |author= |date=16 September 2016|title="Say It to Me" is released|url=https://www.petshopboys.co.uk/news/2016-09-16/say-it-to-me-is-released |website=petshopboys.co.uk|access-date=26 January 2025}} The song entered the Billboard Dance Club Chart at number 31 the week of 29 October,{{cite magazine|author=|date=29 October 2016|title=Boxscore: Dance Club Songs

|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/00s/2016/Billboard-2016-10-29.pdf |magazine=Billboard|page=95|access-date=26 January 2025|via=World Radio History}} and on 10 December the song reached number four. It debuted at number one on the UK Physical Singles Chart.{{cite web |author= |date=22 September 2016 |title=Official Physical Singles Chart: 22 September 2016 – 28 September 2016|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/physical-singles-chart/20160923/1/ |website=Official Charts|access-date=26 January 2025}} No promotional video was created for "Say It to Me", and it was not performed on the Super Tour.{{cite web |author= |title=Songs played by tour: The Super Tour|url=https://www.setlist.fm/stats/pet-shop-boys-7bd6ae70.html?tour=3d6c9cb |website=setlist.fm|access-date=26 January 2025}}

Originally, "Burn" was planned as the fourth and final single, however, these plans were cancelled following the Ghost Ship warehouse fire.{{Cite web|last=Studer|first=Wayne|title=Burn|url=http://www.geowayne.com/newDesign/super/burn.htm|access-date=2021-08-17|website=www.geowayne.com}}

On 1 April 2017, a three-track CD of "Undertow" was released exclusively with orders of the new Annually fan publication. A four-track vinyl 12-inch was released commercially on 21 April, the same day as the three-track digital download. The CD and digital download contained new remixes of "Undertow" and "Burn" by Tuff City Kids and Baba Stiltz respectively, as well as a new studio version of "Left to My Own Devices". The vinyl single included these three tracks and added "Undertow" (Tuff City Kids dub).{{cite web |author= |date=15 March 2017|title=Undertow on vinyl |url=https://www.petshopboys.co.uk/news/2017-03-15/undertow-on-vinyl |website=petshopboys.co.uk|access-date=26 January 2025}}

{{Music ratings

| ADM = 7.0/10{{cite web |title=Pet Shop Boys: Super|url=http://www.anydecentmusic.com/review/7900/Pet-Shop-Boys-Super.aspx|website=AnyDecentMusic? |access-date=13 June 2018}}

| MC = 75/100{{Metacritic album|accessdate=27 April 2016}}

| rev1 = Attitude

| rev1score = 8/10{{cite web |last=O'Brien |first=Jon |url=http://attitude.co.uk/album-review-pet-shop-boys-super/ |title=Album Review: Pet Shop Boys – Super |magazine=Attitude |date=30 March 2016 |access-date=1 April 2016 |archive-date=2 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160402081157/http://attitude.co.uk/album-review-pet-shop-boys-super/ |url-status=dead }}

| rev2 = Consequence of Sound

| rev2score = C+{{cite web |last=Comaratta |first=Len |url=http://consequenceofsound.net/2016/03/album-review-pet-shop-boys-super/ |title=Pet Shop Boys – Super |website=Consequence of Sound |date= 29 March 2016 |access-date=1 April 2016}}

| rev3 = Drowned in Sound

| rev3score = 8/10{{cite web |last1=Woolley |first1=Hayden |title=Pet Shop Boys: Super |url=http://drownedinsound.com/releases/19356/reviews/4149947 |website=Drowned in Sound |date=April 2016 |access-date=13 June 2018 |archive-date=13 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180613160543/http://drownedinsound.com/releases/19356/reviews/4149947 |url-status=dead }}

| rev4 = Evening Standard

| rev4score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite news |last= Aizlewood |first=John |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/stayingin/music/pet-shop-boys-super-album-review-they-are-indestructible-a3215891.html|title=Pet Shop Boys – Super, album review: 'they are indestructible'|newspaper=Evening Standard |date=1 April 2016 |access-date=6 April 2016}}

| rev5 = Exclaim!

| rev5score = 7/10{{cite magazine |last1= Sciarpelletti|first1=Laura |title=Pet Shop Boys: Super|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/pet_shop_boys-super|magazine=Exclaim! | access-date=13 June 2018 |date=5 April 2016}}

| rev6 = The Guardian

| rev6score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite news |last=Lynskey |first=Dorian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/mar/31/pet-shop-boys-super-cd-review-neil-tennant-chris-lowe-stuart-price |title=Pet Shop Boys: Super review – punky, urgent and laser bright |newspaper=The Guardian |date=31 March 2016 |access-date=1 April 2016}}

| rev7 = MusicOMH

| rev7score = {{rating|4|5}}{{cite web |last1=Hogwood|first1=Ben |title=Pet Shop Boys – Super |url=https://www.musicomh.com/reviews/albums/pet-shop-boys-super|website=musicOMH | access-date=13 June 2018 |date=1 April 2016}}

| rev8 = PopMatters

| rev8Score = 9/10{{cite web|work=PopMatters|first=Chris|last=Gerard|date=4 April 2016|access-date=11 February 2024|title=Super|url=http://www.popmatters.com/review/pet-shop-boys-super/}}

| rev9 = Rolling Stone Russia

| rev9score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{cite magazine |last=Бухарин |first=Андрей |url=http://www.rollingstone.ru/music/review/22856.html |title=Pet Shop Boys - "Super" |magazine=Rolling Stone Russia |date=31 March 2016 |access-date=1 April 2016}}

| rev10 = Slant Magazine

| rev10score = {{rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web |last1=Rice |first1=Paul |title=Pet Shop Boys: Super |url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review/pet-shop-boys-super |website=Slant Magazine | access-date=13 June 2018 |date=March 22, 2016}}

}}

Super received generally favourable reviews from music critics. The album earned a 75 Metascore from Metacritic based on 22 reviews.{{cite web |author= |year=2016 |title=Super by Pet Shop Boys|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/super/pet-shop-boys |website=Metacritic|access-date=26 January 2025}}

Martyn Young of DIY gave Super 4 out of 5 stars and described it as "a record that's frequently playful, vibrant and witty and shows off all the hallmarks of classic Pet Shop Boys… 'Super' is confirmation of their position at the head of the pop pantheon with an album brimming with excitement and fizzing with energy".{{cite magazine |last=Young|first=Martyn|date=1 April 2016|title=Album Review: Pet Shop Boys – Super |url=https://diymag.com/review/album/pet-shop-boys-super-album-review |magazine=DIY|access-date=26 January 2025}} The 4-star AllMusic review by David Jeffries compared Super to its predecessor, Electric, stating: "The musical landscape is the same and still, it's not a sequel or a very proper follow-up. It feels confident, loose, and free like a swaggering epilogue, like the smaller Quantum of Solace following the epic Casino Royale... while Super scores as high as the crossover-ish Electric, it's built more for the fan who puts 'Paninaro' at the top of their list, well ahead of 'West End Girls'".{{cite web |last=Jeffries|first=David|date=7 April 2016|title=Super Review |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/super-mw0002912725 |website=AllMusic|access-date=26 January 2025}}

The album received a 7 out of 10 from The Line of Best Fit{{'s}} Tom Hocknell, who wrote: "Super is a grower – a brave rejection of pipe and slippers, embracing the mythical dance floor with admirably vacuous experimentation, even if it mines the mid-nineties, when dance music grew least interesting. It veers from the irritating to the irresistible. The good songs could easily be extended, while others shortened, if not removed completely".{{cite magazine |last=Hocknell|first=Tom|date=6 April 2016|title=Pet Shop Boys 'Super'|url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/reviews/albums/pet-shop-boys-super |magazine=The Line of Best Fit|access-date=26 January 2025}} The Telegraph headline asked, "Time for the Pet Shop Boys to leave the party?" with reviewer Helen Brown giving the album 3 out of 5 stars, noting: "At times, though, the bleepy, burbling "fun" gets too wacky and cheesy for even PSB's long-standing irony to uphold. Too many tracks sound like they've been spun out of ringtones". But she observed, "The brand is established. The fans will buy in. Or they won't. Either way, the "boys" will keep calm, carry on and have a cuppa".{{cite news |last=Brown|first=Helen|date=8 April 2016|title=Time for the Pet Shop Boys to leave the party?|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/what-to-listen-to/time-for-the-pet-shop-boys-to-leave-the-party/ |work=The Telegraph|location=London|access-date=26 January 2025}}

The album debuted at number three on the UK Albums Chart, selling 16,953 copies in its first week, becoming their 13th consecutive top 10 studio album.{{cite magazine|last1=Jones|first1=Alan|title=Official Charts Analysis: Everything You've Come To Expect tops the Official Albums Chart|url=http://www.musicweek.com/businessanalysis/read/official-charts-analysis-everything-you-ve-come-to-expect-tops-the-official-albums-chart/064491|magazine=Music Week|access-date=9 April 2016|date=8 April 2016}} In the United States, Super debuted at number 58 on the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 10,000 copies. It also debuted at number one on Billboard{{'}}s Dance/Electronic Albums chart, becoming Pet Shop Boys' first number-one album on the chart since Disco 3 (2003).

The album was supported by the Super Tour, with performances in Europe, North and South America, and Asia between 2016 and 2019. The production was designed by Es Devlin.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/international/8490020/pet-shop-boys-super-tour-asia-2019-dates|title=Pet Shop Boys Will Bring 'Super Tour' to Asia in 2019: See Dates|magazine=Billboard|date=12 December 2018|access-date=26 January 2025}} Pet Shop Boys played two separate residencies at the Royal Opera House in July 2016 and July 2018.{{cite news |last=Cragg|first=Michael|date=26 July 2018|title=Pet Shop Boys review – bring on the dancing balloon people|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/jul/26/pet-shop-boys-review-royal-opera-house |work=The Guardian|location=London|access-date=26 January 2025}}

A concert film from the 2018 dates was released on DVD and Blu-ray, accompanied by a live album on CD, under the title Inner Sanctum.{{cite web |last=Forrest|first=Jo|date=29 January 2019|title=Pet Shop Boys announce the release of 'Inner Sanctum' on DVD|url=https://www.totalntertainment.com/music/pet-shop-boys-announce-the-release-of-inner-sanctum-on-dvd/ |website=TotalNtertainment|access-date=26 January 2025}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Super track listing

| all_writing = Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, except "Say It to Me" written by Neil Tennant, Chris Lowe, and Stuart Price

| title1 = Happiness

| length1 = 4:04

| title2 = The Pop Kids

| length2 = 3:55

| title3 = Twenty-something

| length3 = 4:22

| title4 = Groovy

| length4 = 3:29

| title5 = The Dictator Decides

| length5 = 4:50

| title6 = Pazzo!

| length6 = 2:44

| title7 = Inner Sanctum

| length7 = 4:18

| title8 = Undertow

| length8 = 4:15

| title9 = Sad Robot World

| length9 = 3:18

| title10 = Say It to Me

| length10 = 3:08

| title11 = Burn

| length11 = 3:53

| title12 = Into Thin Air

| length12 = 4:17

| total_length = 46:33

}}

• Pet Shop Boys – performers and programming
• Stuart Price – production, mixing and additional programming
• Jessica Freedman – additional vocals on "Undertow"
• Nayanna Holley – additional vocals on "Burn"

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-end}}

{{Certification Table Top|caption=Sales for Super}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|artist=Pet Shop Boys|title=Super|nocert=true|salesamount=33,041|relyear=2016|salesref={{cite magazine|url=http://www.musicweek.com/talent/read/pet-shop-boys-to-be-honoured-with-nme-s-godlike-genius-award/067361|magazine=Music Week|title=Pet Shop Boys to be honoured with NME's Godlike Genius Award|first=Ben|last=Homewood|date=2 February 2017|access-date=16 April 2019}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|artist=Pet Shop Boys|title=Super|nocert=true|salesamount=20,000|relyear=2016|salesref={{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/7549762/billboard-dance-chart-upstarts-pet-shop-boys-party-favor|magazine=Billboard|title=Billboard Dance Chart Upstarts: Pet Shop Boys, Party Favor & Seven Lions|first=Gordon|last=Murray|date=20 October 2016|access-date=16 April 2019}}}}

{{Table end}}

{{reflist}}

{{Pet Shop Boys}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2016 albums

Category:Albums produced by Stuart Price

Category:Pet Shop Boys albums

Category:X2 (record label) albums