Super (album)

Super
Studio album by Pet Shop Boys
Released 1 April 2016 (2016-04-01)
Recorded 2015
Genre
Length 46:33
Label x2
Producer Stuart Price
Pet Shop Boys chronology
Electric
(2013)		 Super
(2016)
Singles from Super
  1. "The Pop Kids"
    Released: 16 February 2016
  2. "Twenty-Something"
    Released: 24 June 2016
  3. "Inner Sanctum"
    Released: 22 July 2016
  4. "Say It To Me"
    Released: 16 September 2016

Super is the thirteenth studio album by English synthpop duo Pet Shop Boys, released on 1 April 2016, on the band's own label, x2, through Kobalt Label Services. It is available on vinyl and compact disc along with a digital download.[1] It debuted at No. 3 on the UK album chart, lead single "The Pop Kids" was played on BBC Radio 2 & Radio 6, Absolute Radio and several smaller stations, reaching No. 1 on the Physical Singles Chart & narrowly missing out on the Top 100 in the main chart.

Promotion

The album's release was announced on the band's website and social media pages on 21 January 2016. It was made available for pre-order via the iTunes Store on the same day. Those who pre-ordered Super received an instant download of the album's first track, "Inner Sanctum".[1] Additionally, the band announced a four-performance residency at the Royal Opera House, scheduled for July 2016.[2] The album's opening track. "Happiness", was released as a second teaser track on 23 March 2016. The video for "Twenty-something" was released on 10 May 2016.[3]

As well as this, a pop-up shop was opened in London between the 1st and 3rd of April 2016 to promote the release of the album.

Singles

"The Pop Kids" was released as the album's lead single on 16 February 2016.[4] A CD single and a digital extended play was released on 18 March 2016, and features two remixes of "The Pop Kids" and two new tracks, "In Bits" and "One-hit Wonder".[5] A white vinyl 12" of "The Pop Kids" was released on May 27. It features five remixes of the song. On June 24th "Twenty-something" was released as the album's second single on CD and download, featuring the single edit, two new tracks "The white dress" and "Wiedersehen" and 2 remixes. On July 22nd new versions of "Inner sanctum" were released on 12-inch vinyl and digitally to celebrate their sold out shows at the Royal London Opera House. Both formats feature the Carl Craig C2 Juiced RMX. The vinyl release also featured two demo versions of the song. These demos have yet to be released in any other format. On September 16th "Say It To Me" was released digitally and on CD as the third and final single. Like "The Pop Kids" there were two separate digital bundles. The first includes 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 includes remixes by Tom Demac, Real Lies, and Offer Nissim. A 12" vinyl format was released a week later. The song entered the US Billboard Dance Chart at number 31 on October 21st and continues to ascend slowly to the top. On December 10th the song reached number 4. No promotional video was created for "Say it to me" and it remains the only single not performed on their 2016 Super Tour.

Reception

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic75/100[6]
Review scores
SourceRating
Attitude8/10[7]
Consequence of SoundC+[8]
The Guardian[9]
PopMatters[10]
Rolling Stone Russia[11]
Evening Standard[12]

Super received generally favorable reviews from music critics.

Commercial performance

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.[13] 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).[14]

Track listing

All tracks written by Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, except "Say It to Me" written by Neil Tennant, Chris Lowe, and Stuart Price. 

No. Title Length
1. "Happiness"   4:04
2. "The Pop Kids"   3:55
3. "Twenty-something"   4:22
4. "Groovy"   3:29
5. "The Dictator Decides"   4:50
6. "Pazzo!"   2:44
7. "Inner Sanctum"   4:18
8. "Undertow"   4:15
9. "Sad Robot World"   3:18
10. "Say It To Me"   3:08
11. "Burn"   3:53
12. "Into Thin Air"   4:17
Total length:
 46:33

Personnel

Charts

Chart (2016) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[15] 12
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[16] 8
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[17] 21
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[18] 27
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[19] 35
Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI)[20] 2
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[21] 27
Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[22] 13
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[23] 8
French Albums (SNEP)[24] 39
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[25] 3
Irish Albums (IRMA)[26] 16
Italian Albums (FIMI)[27] 20
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[28] 28
Polish Albums (ZPAV)[29] 48
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[30] 7
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[31] 10
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[32] 4
UK Albums (OCC)[33] 3
US Billboard 200[34] 58
US Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard)[35] 1

References

  1. 1 2 "What Is Super". petshopboys.co.uk. 21 January 2016. Retrieved 21 January 2016.
  2. ↑ "A New Album And Live Dates". petshopboys.co.uk. 21 January 2016. Retrieved 21 January 2016.
  3. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KCVmOQ1q6Y
  4. ↑ "The Pop Kids (Radio Edit)". Qobuz. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  5. ↑ "The Pop Kids". petshopboys.co.uk. 12 February 2016. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  6. ↑ Super (album) at Metacritic Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  7. ↑ O'Brien, Jon (30 March 2016). "ALBUM REVIEW: PET SHOP BOYS – SUPER". Attitude. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
  8. ↑ Comaratta, Len (29 March 2016). "Pet Shop Boys – Super". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
  9. ↑ Lynskey, Dorian (31 March 2016). "Pet Shop Boys: Super review – punky, urgent and laser bright". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
  10. ↑ Gerard, Chris (4 April 2016). "Super". PopMatters. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  11. ↑ Бухарин, Андрей (31 March 2016). "Pet Shop Boys - "Super"". Rolling Stone Russia. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
  12. ↑ Aizlewood, John (1 April 2016). "Pet Shop Boys – Super, album review: 'they are indestructible'". Evening Standard. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  13. ↑ Jones, Alan (8 April 2016). "Official Charts Analysis: Everything You've Come To Expect tops the Official Albums Chart". Music Week. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
  14. ↑ http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/7333899/pet-shop-boys-super-top-dance-electronic-albums
  15. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – Super". Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
  16. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Pet Shop Boys – Super" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
  17. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Pet Shop Boys – Super" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
  18. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Pet Shop Boys – Super" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
  19. ↑ "Pet Shop Boys – Chart history" Billboard Canadian Albums Chart for Pet Shop Boys. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  20. ↑ "Czech Albums – Top 100". ČNS IFPI. Note: On the chart page, select 201614 on the field besides the word "Zobrazit", and then click over the word to retrieve the correct chart data.
  21. ↑ "Danishcharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – Super". Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  22. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Pet Shop Boys – Super" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
  23. ↑ "Pet Shop Boys: Super" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  24. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – Super". Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
  25. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Pet Shop Boys – Super" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
  26. ↑ "GFK Chart-Track Albums: Week 14, 2016". Chart-Track. IRMA. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
  27. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – Super". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
  28. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – Super". Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
  29. ↑ "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLIS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 14, 2016.
  30. ↑ "Spanishcharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – Super". Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  31. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – Super". Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
  32. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – Super". Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
  33. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
  34. ↑ "Pet Shop Boys – Chart history" Billboard 200 for Pet Shop Boys. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  35. ↑ "Pet Shop Boys – Chart history" Billboard Dance/Electronic Albums for Pet Shop Boys. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
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