Pet Shop Boys, the

English pop group who pioneered electronic, synthesized dance music in the 1980s. Formed in 1981 in London, the group had many successful albums, including the debut Please (1986), Actually (1997), and Introspective (1988). They are also known for diverse musical interests, covering Elvis Presley's ‘Always on my Mind’ in 1987, featuring the English singer Dusty Springfield on the single ‘What Have I Done to Deserve This?’ in the same year, and producing the 1989 album Results for US actor and singer Liza Minnelli.

The group was formed by pop music journalist Neil Tennant (1954– ) on vocals and Chris Lowe (1959– ) on keyboards when they discovered they shared a passion for making music electronically. Although their first releases did not bring them the success they had hoped, the re-release in 1986 of their first single, ‘West End Girls’, brought them chart success and critical acclaim. The album Very was released in 1993, and in 1996 the group released Bilingual, which marked a change in direction with a more Latin feel.