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This is a great moment to be the Pet Shop Boys. The ultimate Eighties synth-pop duo are having a renaissance right now, just in time for the 40th anniversary of their classic hit “West End Girls.” They have a brilliant new album, Nonetheless, their zippiest of this century and one of their best ever. New fans are discovering them in films like Saltburn and All of Us Strangers. They even scored the ultimate 2024 status symbol: a beef with Drake, after Aubrey Graham used “West End Girls” without permission for “All The Parties.

Look around and you just may find yourself amid a Pet Shop Boys renaissance.

Of course, the English duo — consisting of Neil Tennant, 69, and Chris Lowe, 64 — never went anywhere. They have been steadily putting out music since their landmark 1984 debut, Please, which instantly established them with timeless songs like “West End Girls” and “Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots of Money).”

But Pet Shop Boys’ deep catalog has been plundered in recent years everywhere from Madison Avenue (“Opportunities” showed up in a Super Bowl ad for Allstate) to Hollywood (several classics were used to wonderful effect in two of last year’s zeitgeistiest movies, Saltburn and All of Us Strangers). Their signature sound is suddenly everywhere — wistful and longing, danceable and intellectually sophisticated synth-pop. Their 15th studio effort, Nonetheless, drops tomorrow and features more of that infectious trademark music.

Tennant and Lowe sat with The Hollywood Reporter recently to relive their...

Tune in for a captivating journey through the iconic career of the Pet Shop Boys in the latest episode of “Imagine…” airing on BBC One this Tuesday at 10:40 Pm. Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, the dynamic duo behind the Pet Shop Boys, have left an indelible mark on British pop music with their unique blend of synth-pop and thought-provoking lyrics.

With over 50 million records sold, more than forty Top 40 singles, and four UK number ones to their name, the Pet Shop Boys are undeniably one of the most successful duos in British music history. From their early hits to their latest releases, Neil and Chris have continued to push boundaries and captivate audiences with their wit, sensitivity, and intelligence.

Join “Imagine…” as it delves into the stories behind the music, exploring how the Pet Shop Boys’ songs have often served as commentary on Britain and the world around them.

Some movies feature terrifying animals with accurate details, like the patrolling behavior of sharks in The Shallows. The live-action Jungle Book accurately depicts the size of King Louie as an extinct ape species. Nope incorporates real marine animal inspiration into its alien design, creating a plausible creature.

Some movies that feature terrifying animals which are seemingly exaggerated for dramatic effect still include some surprisingly accurate details. With almost any horror or survivalist movie that focuses on characters escaping a bloodthirsty predator, experts will point out that the animals in question rarely attack humans. Theoretically, if there are no other food sources or an animal is provoked, they will attack people – but critics of such horror movies typically stress that it is not likely.

However, impressively accurate aspects about a species make their way into many genres. The team behind the Jurassic Park movies researched the dinosaurs they wanted to depict...

On Drake’s “All the Parties,” his voice emerges from what sounds like an ambient fever dream with ethereal synths swirling his words as he latches onto a familiar melody: “It’s 6, our town a dead-end world,” he sings, with autotune blipping his voice, “East End boys and West End girls, yeah.” Then he repeats that last line, just like the Pet Shop Boys did when they recorded the song “West End Girls” close to 40 years ago.

“West End Girls” was the British synth-pop group’s first single, which came...

The Meg was a big hit internationally back in 2018, swimming its way to $384 million at the international box office. In comparison, the film’s domestic total was just $145 million.

Upcoming sequel Meg 2: The Trench is looking to have the same success internationally, and today a gorgeous new poster has been unleashed for the big screen follow-up.

This one promotes the release of the film in China, where The Meg performed particularly well back in 2018. And it’s unlike any movie poster you’ll ever see here in the States.

Check out the Chinese poster below and see The Meg 2 in theaters on August 4, 2023.

Get ready for the ultimate adrenaline rush this summer in Meg 2: The Trench, a literally larger-than-life thrill ride that supersizes the 2018 blockbuster and takes the action to higher heights and even greater depths with multiple massive Megs and so much more!

Dive into uncharted...

Get ready for the ultimate adrenaline rush this summer in “Meg 2: The Trench,” a literally larger-than-life thrill ride that supersizes the 2018 blockbuster and takes the action to higher heights and even greater depths with multiple massive Megs and so much more!

Dive into uncharted waters with Jason Statham and global action icon Wu Jing as they lead a daring research team on an exploratory dive into the deepest depths of the ocean. Their voyage spirals into chaos when a malevolent mining operation threatens their mission and forces them into a high-stakes battle for survival. Pitted against colossal Megs and relentless environmental plunderers, our heroes must outrun, outsmart, and outswim their merciless predators in a pulse-pounding race against time. Immerse yourself in the most electrifying cinematic experience of the year with “Meg 2: The Trench” – where the depths of the ocean are matched only by the heights of sheer, unstoppable excitement!

They’re back for seconds. #Meg2 only in theaters August 4.

"Get ready for the ultimate adrenaline rush this summer in “Meg 2: The Trench,” a literally larger-than-life thrill ride that supersizes the 2018 blockbuster and takes the action to higher heights and even greater depths with multiplemassive Megs and so much more! Dive into uncharted waters with Jason Statham and global action icon Wu Jing as they lead a daring research team on an exploratory dive into the deepest depths of the ocean. Their voyage spirals into chaos when a malevolent mining operation threatens their mission and forces them into a high-stakes battle for survival. Pitted against colossal Megs and relentless environmental plunderers, our heroes must outrun, outsmart, and outswim their merciless predators in a pulse-pounding race against time. Immerse yourself in the most electrifying cinematic experience of the year with “Meg 2: The Trench” – where the depths of the ocean...

Shark attack sequel Meg 2: The Trench will be swimming into theaters on August 4, 2023, and the mega-sized official trailer has taken a big bite out of the internet tonight.

The trailer runs 3-minutes long and is absolutely brimming with deep sea action-horror insanity, beginning with The Meg devouring a T-Rex and then piling more and more delicious cheese on top of the meal. It’s looking like Ben Wheatley went ahead and made the biggest budget Syfy original shark attack movie ever made, and goddamn does it look like a blast.

Are we finally getting the movie we were hoping to get back in 2018? If this trailer for Meg 2: The Trench is any indication, Wheatley isn’t planning on letting us down.

Preview the various underwater horrors of Meg 2: The Trench below!

Get ready for the ultimate adrenaline rush this summer in Meg 2: The Trench, a literally...

The official trailer for Meg 2: The Trench is chomping its way online later today, and while you wait, Warner Bros. has unleashed a mega-sized motion poster to whet your appetite.

Take a bite out of the motion poster below!

Meg 2: The Trench will be swimming into theaters on August 4, 2023.

Get ready for the ultimate adrenaline rush this summer in Meg 2: The Trench, a literally larger-than-life thrill ride that supersizes the 2018 blockbuster and takes the action to higher heights and even greater depths with multiple massive Megs and so much more!

Dive into uncharted waters with Jason Statham and global action icon Wu Jing as they lead a daring research team on an exploratory dive into the deepest depths of the ocean. Their voyage spirals into chaos when a malevolent mining operation threatens their mission and forces them into a high-stakes battle for survival. Pitted against colossal Megs and relentless environmental plunderers,...

Music supervisor Iain Cooke found himself immersed in two different eras over the past year in helping craft the pop landscape of TV projects. He focused on one year for just-released AppleTV+ doc “1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything. But the bold miniseries “It’s a Sin,” with its frank depiction of AIDS ripping through the day-to-day lives of a tight-knit group of young London pals in the ’80s, proved a specific challenge.

“We were trying hard to preserve the integrity of this immensely personal story that [creator] Russell T. Davies had been trying to tell for many years, and so many of the choices were very specific and represented a time and a place”, said Cooke. “I’m a huge fan of Russell’s writing, I don’t know of many other writers that can have you laughing out loud then sobbing inconsolably within half a page, and he creates...

Pet Shop Boys have released their new song “Cricket Wife,” a 10-minute track the duo recorded while under lockdown in 2020.

The track was originally conceived as an instrumental work composed by Pet Shop Boys’ Chris Lowe, with Neil Tennant adding the lyrics — based on a poem he had written — and vocals, with both members recording their contributions from their own homes.

Additionally, Pet Shop Boys have digitally released the “lockdown version” of their classic “West End Girls,” which the duo recorded in June 2020. “Cricket Girl” and the new take on...

It was one of the highlights of the U.K.’s biggest music awards show — but mystery surrounds why the Pet Shop Boys didn’t join Elton John and Years & Years’ performance of their classic song, “It’s a Sin,” at Tuesday night’s Brit Awards.

Elton and Years & Years’ Olly Alexander pre-recorded their cover of the song — originally released on Pet Shop Boys’ 1987 album, “Actually,” and a U.K. No.1 and U.S. No. 9 hit — ahead of the May 11 live show. The performance, inspired by the hit BBC Channel 4 drama of the same name, which was set during the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1980s and starred Alexander, was shown on big screens at the ceremony, with the Years & Years singer watching in the audience.

But it later emerged that the Pet Shop Boys, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, had also been due to be part of the performance,...

Warning: major spoilers for Unforgotten series one, two and three.

When Unforgotten series four begins, Dci Cassie Stuart has been away from work for a year. She’s living with boyfriend John and her 21-year-old son Adam, her father Martin having moved out to live with his fiancee. Spending almost 30 years as a detective investigating the most brutal and traumatic murder cases has taken its toll on Cassie’s mental health. At the end of series three, Cassie was signed off on sick leave. Now just months away from receiving her police pension, she’s requesting medical retirement and feeling unable to cope with a return to work.

Her colleagues DS Sunny Khan (and his backpack), along with DC Fran Lingley, DC Jake Collier and DS Murray Boulting, are still working the cold case unit. When a body is discovered at a local refuse site, they open a new investigation...

Discogs, the bottomless music reference site and music marketplace, has released a list of the 100 most expensive records sold on its platform, and the Number One sale is a fittingly obscure one: a special 12-inch promo vinyl released by the British DJ Scaramanga Silk.

Scaramanga Silk’s 2008 self-released debut, Choose Your Weapon, was released as a promo gatefold with a 12-inch vinyl and a CD-Rom, both of which contain the title track. The release also comes with “an art print by Immyart and a poem on acetate.” Only 20 copies of...

New Order and Pet Shop Boys will embark on a co-headlining North American tour this September.

The 11-date Unity Tour will kick off September 5th at the Budweiser Stage in Toronto and include stops in cities like Boston, New York, Chicago, Vancouver and San Francisco before wrapping October 2nd at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. Tickets will go on sale February 28th at 10 a.m. local time, with complete information available via New Order and Pet Shop Boys‘ respective websites.

The Unity Tour marks the first time New Order...

Synth-pop stalwarts the Pet Shop Boys unveiled an infectious new rug-cutter, “Monkey Business,” set to appear on their upcoming album, Hotspot, out January 24th.

The track finds the duo fusing their classic synth sound with elements that seem expertly sourced from a vintage Giorgio Moroder disco track: a thumping four-on-the-floor, dramatic string swipes, lush horns and — for good measure — vocoder-laced vocals. The lyrics boast a delightful energy as well, with Neil Tennant singing, “Bring me margaritas/Champagne and red wine/We’re gonna have a party/Where we all cross...

The actor on starring in a new Pet Shop Boys musical, her addiction to Twitter and Strictly, and the impossibility of avoiding Brexit chat

Frances Barber, 62, was born in Wolverhampton and studied drama at Bangor and Cardiff universities. She began her stage career with the Hull Truck Theatre Company and in 1984 won an Olivier award for her RSC debut in Camille. Her film roles include Prick Up Your Ears, Sammy and Rosie Get Laid and Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool. TV credits include Silk, Doctor Who and Mapp and Lucia. She stars in the new Pet Shop Boys musical, Musik, which premieres at Edinburgh festival fringe.

How are rehearsals going for the Pet Shop Boys musical?

I’ve just got back from my first full run-through, doing the whole play in front of Pet Shop Boys. Not in the least bit frightening! Chris Lowe took his sunglasses off,...

The Killers had a pair of surprises in store for their Glastonbury headlining set Saturday as the band brought out both Pet Shop Boys and Johnny Marr during the gig’s encore.

With the iconic British dance duo, the Killers tackled the Pet Shop Boys’ synth-pop rendition of “Always on My Mind” before Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe joined the Killers on that band’s hit “Human.”

What's this?! A @petshopboys and @thekillers duet?

We are Here for this!

Looking forward to The Pet Shop boys headlining for us at...

Johnny Marr covered a lot of ground when he stopped by our podcast, Rolling Stone Music Now, for an in-depth interview, from the break-up of the Smiths to his excellent new solo album Call the Comet. To hear the entire interview, press play below or download and subscribe on iTunes or Spotify.

More highlights from the conversation:

There’s a genuinely spooky song on your new album called “Walk Into the Sea.” Where did that come from?

Well, the thing with the record was that I was really led by my emotions.

A rescoring of Drive has caused online outrage, but Mark's keeping an open mind about musical reinterpretations

Movie music matters. It's tough to wax lyrical about why it matters without sounding like one of those autocue scripts that we'll be hearing all throughout the coming awards season, probably read out by unlikely pairs of presenters, (“Now, to present the award for Best Sound Editing, Justin Bieber and Angela Lansbury!”) so let's just say that it does.

Whether it's an original score from Hans Zimmer or a jukebox tour of Quentin Tarantino's record collection, a movie's soundtrack informs the tone and timbre of the movie itself. So when we get into the question of movie rescores, we're really getting back into that thorny issue of asking whether the director's original intentions are sacrosanct to any subsequent versions of a film. As some of you may already have guessed, we bring...

"Neighbours, everybody needs good neighbours."

In early 2015, Neighbours will celebrate its 30th anniversary. The Aussie soap has provided us with nearly 7,000 episodes of drama, laughs and Harold Bishop falling off a clifftop and returning five years later as a bloke called Ted.

With preparations already underway for the 30th celebrations and the possible return of Kylie Minogue - the show's most famous breakout star - being teased, we want to find out who else you would like to see back in Ramsay Street to celebrate the show's birthday.

Here are our suggestions on who they could bring back:

Annalise Hartman (Kimberley Davies) - Alex Fletcher, Deputy Editor

Pretty much every teenage boy in the '90s had a major crush on Ramsay Street's Annalise Hartman. Played by Kimberley Davies, she was a man magnet in Erinsborough, working her way through relationships with Lou(!), Sam Kratz, Mark Gottlieb and Stonefish. She...

Nestled in the announcement about the 2014 Brit Awards was confirmation that next year's ceremony willbe the last hosted by James Corden.

Having made his debut alongside Kylie Minogue and comedy partner Mat Horne in 2009, Corden will have presented the annual backslapping event solo for four consecutive years, the longest stint in its history.

In the past, the Brits have changed host year-on-year, with only a handful (Tim Rice, Noel Edmonds, Simon Bates, Ben Elton, Chris Evans) getting a couple of consecutive shows under their belt.

Given Corden's safe-pair-of-hands success, we can well see the British Phonographic Industry looking to pick another long-term prospect. Either way, Digital Spy rounds out some possible replacements for Corden.

Alan Carr

The reason for Corden's success was his ability to (in the main) successfully juggle a sense of fun with the respectful deference the suits and stars demand from The Brits. Carr has of course...

Alexander Skarsgaard attends the 49th annual New York Film Festival

Birthday Shoutouts! Anne Rice is 70, Alicia Silverstone is 35, and Chris Lowe (the other guy from Pet Shop Boys) is 52. Time to name your top five Psb songs. Here are mine: 5. "Left To My Own Devices," 4. "Suburbia," 3. "West End Girls," 2. "Domino Dancing," 1. "What Have I Done To Deserve This?"

We have our first confirmed casualty of the fall season. The Playboy Club has been canceled. Hopefully Sean Maher will find something bigger and better. AfterEllen has an article on the cancellation, and what the show's short run meant to progressive gay TV. In other ratings news, Terra Nova has rebounded from its weak premiere, while Dancing With Nancy Grace's Nipples continues its slide, and the Monday night CBS lineup continues to dominate. Mad Fashion debuts tonight on Bravo at 10 Pm Et, and below you can get a glimpse of Chris March and his design studio.

Being a fan of "Neighbours" has benefited Lily Allen in getting a guest stint on the Australian TV soap. The singer will play as herself and share a frame with Matt Werkmeister who plays Zeke Kinski on the show. "I'm freaking out," Matt, who is a fan of Lily, revealed. "I'll be starstruck for sure but will try my hardest to stay professional." In his excitement, Matt added, "I definitely want her autograph but will probably be too scared, so I'll ask someone to get it for me."

Lily, who reportedly is a self-confess fan of the long-running series, will begin shooting her scene during the Australian leg of "It's Not Me, It's You Tour". She is scheduled to perform at Melbourne's Forum Theatre on June 12 and 13. While the episode is expected to air in Australia immediately after that, fans of the show in Britain will have to wait about...