Format (album)

Format is a double-disc compilation album by English synthpop duo Pet Shop Boys. The album consists of B-sides from various singles released from 1996 to 2009 (Bilingual through 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) through "Yesterday, When I Was Mad" (1994).

Format
Compilation album by Pet Shop Boys
Released	3 February 2012 (2012-02-03)
Genre	Synthpop
Length	156:27
Label	Parlophone
Producer	Pet Shop Boys, various
Pet Shop Boys chronology
The Most Incredible Thing (2011) Format (2012) Elysium (2012)

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.[1] The album was released on 6 February 2012 in the UK,[1] but was released earlier in various territories worldwide, including Australia, where it was released on 3 February.[2] The album debuted at number 26 on the UK Albums Chart, selling 5,909 copies in its first week.[3]

Track listing

All tracks are written by 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.

Disc one: 1996–2002

No.	Title	Featured on	Length
1.	"The Truck-Driver and His Mate"	"Before", Bilingual: Further Listening 1995–1997	3:34
2.	"Hit and Miss"	"Before", Bilingual: Further Listening 1995–1997	4:07
3.	"In the Night (1995)"	"Before", Bilingual: Further Listening 1995–1997	4:16
4.	"Betrayed"	"Se a vida é (That's the Way Life Is)", Bilingual: Further Listening 1995–1997	5:19
5.	"How I Learned to Hate Rock-and-Roll"	"Se a vida é (That's the Way Life Is)", Bilingual: Further Listening 1995–1997	4:38
6.	"Discoteca" (new version)	"Single-Bilingual", Bilingual: Further Listening 1995–1997	3:43
7.	"The Calm Before the Storm"	"Single-Bilingual", Bilingual: Further Listening 1995–1997, "Se a vida é (That's the Way Life Is)"	2:46
8.	"Confidential" (Demo for Tina Turner)	"Single-Bilingual", Very: Further Listening 1992–1994	4:47
9.	"The Boy Who Couldn't Keep His Clothes On (International Club Mix)"	"A Red Letter Day", Bilingual: Further Listening 1995–1997, Bilingual Special Edition	6:05
10.	"Delusions of Grandeur"	"A Red Letter Day", Bilingual: Further Listening 1995–1997	5:04
11.	"The View from Your Balcony"	"Somewhere", Bilingual: Further Listening 1995–1997	3:45
12.	"Disco Potential"	"Somewhere", Bilingual: Further Listening 1995–1997	4:07
13.	"Silver Age"	"I Don't Know What You Want But I Can't Give It Any More", bonus USA Nightlife disc	3:33
14.	"Screaming"	"I Don't Know What You Want But I Can't Give It Any More", bonus USA Nightlife disc, Mini	4:56
15.	"The Ghost of Myself"	"New York City Boy", bonus USA Nightlife disc	4:03
16.	"Casting a Shadow"	"New York City Boy", bonus USA Nightlife disc	4:37
17.	"Lies"	"You Only Tell Me You Love Me When You're Drunk", Mini	4:39
18.	"Sexy Northerner"	"Home and Dry", bonus USA Release disc	3:42
Total length:			77:41

Disc two: 2002–2009

No.	Title	Featured on	Length
1.	"Always"	"Home and Dry", bonus USA Release disc	5:03
2.	"Nightlife"	"Home and Dry", bonus USA Release disc	3:53
3.	"Searching for the Face of Jesus"	"I Get Along"	3:27
4.	"Between Two Islands"	"I Get Along"	5:06
5.	"Friendly Fire"	"I Get Along", bonus USA Release disc	3:23
6.	"We're the Pet Shop Boys"	"Miracles"	4:55
7.	"Transparent"	"Miracles"	3:51
8.	"I Didn't Get Where I Am Today"	"Flamboyant"	3:37
9.	"The Resurrectionist"	"I'm with Stupid"	3:10
10.	"Girls Don't Cry"	"I'm with Stupid"	2:34
11.	"In Private" (7-inch mix; duet with Elton John)	"Minimal"	4:11
12.	"Blue on Blue"	"Minimal"	3:12
13.	"No Time for Tears" (7-inch mix)	"Minimal", original on Battleship Potemkin	3:35
14.	"Bright Young Things"	"Numb"	4:55
15.	"Party Song"	"Numb"	3:40
16.	"We're All Criminals Now"	"Love etc."	3:55
17.	"Gin and Jag"	"Love etc."	4:29
18.	"After the Event"	"Did You See Me Coming?"	5:16
19.	"The Former Enfant Terrible"	"Did You See Me Coming?"	2:51
20.	"Up and Down"	"Did You See Me Coming?"	3:43
Total length:			78:46

Personnel

• Neil Tennant
• Chris Lowe

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

Chart (2012)	Peak position
Austrian Albums Chart[4]	73
Belgian Heatseekers Albums Chart (Flanders)[5]	9
Belgian Heatseekers Albums Chart (Wallonia)[6]	1
Croatian International Albums Chart[7]	19
Czech Albums Chart[8]	24
Dutch Albums Chart[9]	82
German Albums Chart[10]	31
Irish Albums Chart[11]	67
Italian Albums Chart[12]	93
Scottish Albums Chart[13]	38
Spanish Albums Chart[14]	43
Swedish Albums Chart[15]	33
Swiss Albums Chart[16]	52
UK Albums Chart[17]	26

References

1. "Pet Shop Boys — News — Format pre-order". petshopboys.co.uk. Retrieved 4 February 2012.
2. "Format (Ltd Ed)". JB Hi-Fi. Retrieved 4 February 2012.
3. "Official Chart Analysis: Lana Del Rey scores biggest-selling album of 2012, Gotye shifts another 83k - News - Music Week". Musicweek.com. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
4. "Pet Shop Boys – Format – B-Sides And Bonus Tracks 1996–2009" (in German). austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 February 2012.
5. "Pet Shop Boys – Format – B-Sides And Bonus Tracks 1996–2009" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 February 2012.
6. "Pet Shop Boys – Format – B-Sides And Bonus Tracks 1996–2009" (in French). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 February 2012.
7. "Top Stranih – Tjedan 6. 2012" (in Croatian). Hrvatska Diskografska Udruga. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
8. "TOP50 Prodejní: PET SHOP BOYS – Format" (in Czech). IFPI Czech Republic. Retrieved 15 February 2012.
9. "Pet Shop Boys – Format – B-Sides And Bonus Tracks 1996–2009" (in Dutch). dutchcharts.nl. Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
10. "Pet Shop Boys, Format" (in German). charts.de. Media Control. Retrieved 15 February 2012.
11. "Top 75 Artist Album, Week Ending 9 February 2012". Chart-Track. Irish Recorded Music Association. Archived from the original on 28 May 2015. Retrieved 13 February 2012.
12. "Artisti – Classifica settimanale dal 06/02/2012 al 12/02/2012" (in Italian). Federation of the Italian Music Industry. Archived from the original on 13 October 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2012.
13. "2012 Top 40 Scottish Albums Archive". Official Charts Company. 18 February 2012. Retrieved 13 February 2012.
14. "Pet Shop Boys – Format – B-Sides And Bonus Tracks 1996–2009". spanishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 February 2012.
15. "Pet Shop Boys – Format – B-Sides And Bonus Tracks 1996–2009". swedishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 February 2012.
16. "Pet Shop Boys – Format – B-Sides And Bonus Tracks 1996–2009". swisscharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 February 2012.
17. "2012 Top 40 Official UK Albums Archive". Official Charts Company. 18 February 2012. Retrieved 13 February 2012.