| "Axis" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Pet Shop Boys | ||||
| from the album Electric | ||||
| Released | 30 April 2013 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 5:32 | |||
| Label | x2 | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | Stuart Price | |||
| Pet Shop Boys singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Axis" on YouTube | ||||
"Axis" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys from their twelfth studio album, Electric (2013). It was released on 30 April 2013 as a preview to the album. [4]
"Axis" was written during the writing sessions for the duo's previous album, Elysium (2012). [5] Chris Lowe and Neil Tennant were inspired after attending an Italo disco night in Berlin, and they composed a demo that same night. "Axis" did not suit Elysium, and Pet Shop Boys decided to make a separate dance album, Electric. The titles "Electric" and "Turn It On", from the lyrics, were considered for the album track, but the original demo name "Axis" was kept. The song was produced by Stuart Price, who used a VCS 3 to create some of the sounds on the track. [6]
"Axis" was released digitally on 30 April 2013 and as a twelve-inch single on 15 July 2013. [4] [7] The latter format includes a remix by Boys Noize, [7] which was also released as a digital download. [8]
In the music video for "Axis", released on 30 April 2013, "The raver-friendly visuals include Tron-like flashing lights, an elegant dancing couple, and what look to be the Boys themselves, hidden behind animal heads", according to Spin . [1]
The song was performed as the opening track on the Electric Tour [3] [9] [10] [11] in a slightly shorter and more up-tempo version.[ citation needed ]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Axis" | 5:32 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Axis" | 5:32 |
| 2. | "Axis" (Boys Noize remix) | 4:10 |
| Chart (2013) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA) [12] | 194 |
| UK Singles (OCC) [13] | 196 |
| UK Indie (OCC) [14] | 25 |
Pet Shop Boys are an English synth-pop duo formed in London in 1981. Consisting of primary vocalist Neil Tennant and keyboardist Chris Lowe, they have sold more than 100 million records worldwide, and were listed as the most successful duo in UK music history in the 1999 edition of The Guinness Book of Records.
Disco 3 is the third remix album by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, released on 3 February 2003 by Parlophone. The album consists of five remixes of songs and B-sides from their previous album, Release, three new tracks, a new recording of "Positive Role Model" from their 2001 musical Closer to Heaven, and a cover version of "Try It ", originally by Oh Romeo, the band of former Pet Shop Boys producer Bobby Orlando. "Positive Role Model" also appeared on the Germany-only single "London" in 2002 as a B-side.
English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys have released 15 studio albums, five live albums, nine compilation albums, four remix albums, five soundtrack albums, four extended plays and over seventy singles. The duo's debut single, "West End Girls", was first released in 1984 but failed to chart in most regions. However, the song was entirely re-recorded in late 1985, and this newly recorded version became their first number-one single, topping the UK Singles Chart, Billboard Hot 100 and Canadian Singles Chart. Parlophone released the duo's debut album, Please, in the United Kingdom in March 1986. It peaked at number three on the UK Albums Chart and was certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). It also peaked at number seven on the Billboard 200 in the United States and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The following summer they released "It's a Sin", the lead single from their second album, Actually. The single became another UK number one and also reached number nine in the US. This was followed by "What Have I Done to Deserve This?", with Dusty Springfield, which peaked at number two in both the UK and US. In the summer of 1987, the Pet Shop Boys recorded a cover of Brenda Lee's song "Always on My Mind", which became their third UK number-one single over Christmas 1987. This was followed by another UK number one, "Heart", in spring 1988. The album Actually was released in September 1987, peaked at number two in the UK and was certified three-times platinum by the BPI.
"Being Boring" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, released in November 1990 by Parlophone as the second single from their fourth studio album, Behaviour (1990). The song was written by Chris Lowe and Neil Tennant, and produced by them with German producer Harold Faltermeyer. It reached number 20 on the UK Singles Chart, marking the duo's first single to miss the top 10 since "Opportunities " in 1986. Its music video was directed by fashion photographer Bruce Weber.
"Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money)" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys from their debut studio album, Please (1986). It was released as a single in 1985 and re-recorded and reissued in 1986, gaining greater popularity in both the United Kingdom and United States with its second release, reaching number 11 on the UK Singles Chart and number 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100. After the song was featured in a Super Bowl ad in February 2021, it re-entered the charts, claiming the number one spot on Billboard's Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales.
"It's a Sin" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys from their second studio album, Actually (1987). Written by Chris Lowe and Neil Tennant, the song was released on 15 June 1987 as the album's lead single. It became the duo's second number-one single on the UK Singles Chart, spending three weeks atop the chart. Additionally, the single topped the charts in Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland, while reaching number nine on the US Billboard Hot 100. It remains one of Pet Shop Boys' most popular songs with 40 million streams in the UK.
"Paninaro" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, originally a B-side to the 1986 single "Suburbia". In 1995, a re-recording titled "Paninaro '95" was released to a wider market, to promote the duo's B-side compilation album Alternative, though only the original version was included on the compilation.
"Numb" is a song recorded by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys on their ninth studio album, Fundamental (2006). It was released on 16 October 2006 as the album's third and final single, peaking at number 23 on the UK Singles Chart. Up to that point, it was only the duo's second single in 39 releases to miss the UK top 20.
"Heart" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys from their second studio album, Actually (1987). It was released as the album's fourth and final single on 21 March 1988 by Parlophone. The song topped the UK Singles Chart for three weeks in April 1988, becoming the duo's fourth and final chart-topper to date in the United Kingdom. Its music video was directed by Jack Bond and filmed in Yugoslavia. The group had initially written the song for Madonna, though they never asked her to record it, instead keeping it for themselves.
"Jealousy" is a song originally written in 1982 by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, recorded for their fourth studio album, Behaviour (1990). It was released on 28 May 1991 as the album's fourth and final single in a slightly remixed form, which appears on the Pet Shop Boys' greatest hits albums. It reached number 12 on the UK singles chart. The song was performed by Robbie Williams at the Pet Shop Boys' 2006 BBC Radio 2 concert at the Mermaid Theatre, a recording of which was released on the Pet Shop Boys' live album Concrete.
Disco 4 is the fourth remix album by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, released on 8 October 2007 by Parlophone on CD and vinyl. It was not made available as a digital download, due to licensing difficulties for each track.
"I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys from their fifth studio album, Very (1993). The song, both written and produced by the duo, describes a person normally hesitant to unwind and show his feelings, who—because of some event in his life—suddenly becomes willing to loosen up. It was released in the United Kingdom on 29 November 1993 by Parlophone as the album's third single, reaching number 13 on the UK Singles Chart. In the United States, where it was released in January 1994, it reached number two on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. The song's accompanying music video was directed by Howard Greenhalgh.
"Yesterday, When I Was Mad" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, released as the fifth and final single from their fifth studio album, Very (1993), on 29 August 1994 by Parlophone. The single, both written and produced by Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, peaked at number 13 on the UK Singles Chart and number four on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. The song was remixed by Jam & Spoon for its single release, among other things removing a compression effect applied to Tennant's voice during the verses. Its music video was directed by Howard Greenhalgh. One of the B-sides is a cover of the Noël Coward song "If Love Were All".
"Liberation" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, released by Parlophone as the fourth single from their fifth studio album, Very (1993). It peaked at number 14 on the UK Singles Chart, making it the lowest-charting single from Very in the United Kingdom. Its music video was directed by Howard Greenhalgh. The single's B-side, "Decadence", featuring Pat O'Brien was on the Further Listening: 1992–1994 re-release of Very, and the B-sides compilation Alternative.
Elysium is the eleventh studio album by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys. Released on 5 September 2012, it was the duo's last album with Parlophone for the next 12 years. The album was recorded in 2012 in Los Angeles and produced by Andrew Dawson and Pet Shop Boys.
"Leaving" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys from their eleventh studio album, Elysium (2012). It was released as the album's second single on 12 October 2012. It entered the UK Singles Chart at number 44.
Electric is the twelfth studio album by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys. It was released on 14 July 2013 on the duo's own label, x2, through Kobalt Label Services. It was the duo's first album since their departure from Parlophone. The single "Thursday" features a collaboration with English singer and rapper Example.
"Vocal" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys from their twelfth studio album, Electric (2013). It was released on 3 June 2013 as the album's second single.
"Memory of the Future" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys from their eleventh studio album, Elysium (2012). It was released on 31 December 2012 as the album's third and final single. The track reached number 68 in Germany and number 111 in the United Kingdom. The single version was remixed by Stuart Price and differs notably from the album version.
Nonetheless is the fifteenth studio album by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, released on 26 April 2024 through the band's own label x2 and Parlophone. It was produced by James Ford and mostly recorded at his East London studio. The band's first album for Parlophone since Elysium in 2012, its four-year gap with Hotspot (2020) marks their longest period between studio albums to date. It was preceded by the single "Loneliness", released alongside the album announcement.
