When it comes to my favorite bands of all time, Pet Shop Boys are in my top five somewhere. Nobody really does what they do, and they're such a huge force in Brit-Pop music that even their missteps are worth listening to.

Last week they released Smash: The Singles 1985–2020, which runs through (almost all) of their singles... 55 in all...

It's a massive collection that's a non-stop parade of great tracks.

As I was listening to it for the third or fourth time, it compelled me to go through my Pet Shop Boys playlist and sort them from my favorite tracks. It's interesting to see how so many of my favorite songs were never released as singles.

As an example, my favorite Pet Shop Boys song is The Way it Used to Be off of the album Yes. It's a gorgeous track that's meticulously crafted. For reasons that completely escape me, it was never released as a single, and therefor wasn't included on Smash (and, to my knowledge, has never been performed live on tour).

The list below is far from complete. There's a ton of demo tracks and side-projects that I'll need to work in one of these days. For now though, 253 entries is enough...

1. The Way it Used to Be (Yes 2009).
2. Flamboyant (PopArt: The Hits 2003).
3. Red Letter Day (Bilingual 1996).
4. Love Comes Quickly (Please 1986).
5. Memory of the Future (Elysium 2012).
6. Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money) (Please 1986).
7. Dreaming of the Queen (Very 1993).
8. The Survivors (Bilingual 1996).
9. The End of the World (Behavior 1990).
10. Up Against It (Bilingual 1996).
11. Go West (Very 1993).
12. Love etc. (Yes 2009).
13. Suburbia (Please 1986).
14. Always (Release: Further Listening 2002).
15. What Have I Done to Deserve This? (with Dusty Springfield) (Actually 1987).
16. West End Girls (Please 1986).
17. Vulnerable (Yes 2009).
18. Liberation (Very 1993).
19. Beautiful People (Yes 2009).
20. Leaving (Elysium 2012).
21. All Over the World (Yes 2009).
22. Home and Dry (Release 2002).
23. Together (Yes: Further Listening 2009).
24. Did You See Me Coming (Yes 2009).
25. It Doesn't Often Snow at Christmas (Nightlife: Further Listening 1999).
26. This Must Be the Place I Waited Years to Leave (Behavior 1990).
27. I'm With Stupid (Fundamental 2006).
28. A Different Point of View (Very 1993).
29. More Than a Dream (Yes 2009).
30. Can You Forgive Her? (Very 1993).
31. I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing (Very 1993).
32. I Get Along (Release 2002).
33. Building a Wall (Yes 2009).
34. King of Rome (Yes 2009).
35. Rent (Actually 1987).
36. Thursday (featuring Example) (Electric 2013).
37. Tonight is Forever (Please 1986).
38. Jealousy (Behavior 1990).
39. Two Divided by Zero (Please 1986).
40. Pandemonium (Yes 2009).
41. Glad All Over (Yes: Further Listening 2009).
42. Paninaro (Please: Further Listening 1986).
43. Before (Bilingual 1996).
44. To Face the Truth (Behavior 1990).
45. To Speak is a Sin (Very 1993).
46. The Sodom and Gomorrah Show (Fundamental 2006).
47. Saturday Night Forever (Bilingual 1996).
48. To Step Aside (Bilingual 1996).
49. The Loving Kind (Yes: Further Listening 2009).
50. A New Life (Actually: Further Listening 1987).
51. Always on My Mind (Discography: The Complete Singles Collection 1991).
52. Minimal (Fundamental 2006).
53. In Private (featuring Elton John) (Release: Further Listening 2002).
54. Psychological (Fundamental 2006).
55. Jack The Lad (Please: Further Listening 1986).
56. Alone Again, Naturally (featuring Elton John) (Release: Further Listening 2002).
57. It's a Sin (Actually: Further Listening 1987).
58. One and One Make Five (Very 1993).
59. Why Don't We Live Together (Please 1986).
60. Domino Dancing (Introspective 1988).
61. One in a Million (Very 1993).
62. Winner (Elysium 2012).
63. Being Boring (Behavior 1990).
64. Tonight is Forever (Please 1986).
65. Give It a Go (Elysium 2012).
66. So Hard (Behavior 1990).
67. Young Offender (Very 1993).
68. Bet She's Not Your Girlfriend (Behavior: Further Listening 1990).
69. The Theater (Very 1993).
70. Yesterday When I Was Mad (Very 1993).
71. I'm Not Scared (Introspective 1988).
72. This Used to Be the Future (with Phil Oakey) (Yes: Further Listening 2009).
73. How Can You Be Expected to Be Taken Seriously (Behavior 1990).
74. The Only One (Nightlife 1999).
75. The Night I Fell in Love (Release 2002).
76. You Only Tell Me You Love Me When You're Drunk (Nightlife 1999).
77. I Cried for Us (Yes: Further Listening 2009).
78. Left To My Own Devices (Introspective 1988).
79. Birthday Boy (Release 2002).
80. Shopping (Actually 1987).
81. I Want to Wake Up (Actually 1987).
82. Heart (Actually 1987).
83. It Must Be Obvious (Behavior: Further Listening 1990).
84. Miserablism (Behavior: Further Listening 1990).
85. We're All Criminals Now (Yes: Further Listening 2009).
86. Nightlife (Nightlife: Further Listening 1999).
87. It Couldn't Happen Here (Actually 1987).
88. It Always Comes As a Surprise (Bilingual 1996).
89. E-Mail (Release 2002).
90. London (Release 2002).
91. Listening (Elysium: Further Listening 2012).
92. Breathing Space (Elysium 2012).
93. My Girl (Yes: Further Listening 2009).
94. I Want a Lover (Please 1986).
95. Requiem in Denim and Leopardskin (Elysium 2012).
96. Hell (Elysium: Further Listening 2012).
97. You Choose (Release 2002).
98. Only the Wind (Behavior 1990).
99. Se a Vida é (Bilingual 1996).
100. Footsteps (Nightlife 1999).
101. I Started a Joke (Elysium: Further Listening 2012).
102. A Face Like That (Elysium 2012).
103. The Dictator Decides (Super 2016).
104. Vampires (Nightlife 1999).
105. It's Alright (Introspective 1988).
106. In His Imagination (Elysium: Further Listening 2012).
107. Dreamland (featuring Years & Years) (Hotspot 2020).
108. I Want a Dog (Introspective 1988).
109. My October Symphony (Behavior 1990).
110. Burning the Heather (Hotspot 2020).
111. In Denial (Nightlife 1999).
112. Only the Dark (Hotspot 2020).
113. Indefinite Leave to Remain (Fundamental 2006).
114. Up and Down (Yes: Further Listening 2009).
115. I Don't Wanna (Hotspot 2020).
116. Love is a Bourgeois Construct (Electric 2013).
117. Here (Release 2002).
118. King's Cross (Actually 1987).
119. Give Stupidity a Chance (Agenda 2016).
120. Invisible (Elysium 2012).
121. Gin and Jag (Yes: Further Listening 2009).
122. Between Two Islands (Release: Further Listening 2002).
123. What Are We Going to Do About the Rich (Agenda 2016).
124. Reunion (Release: Further Listening 2002).
125. Monkey Business (Hotspot 2020).
126. I Made My Excuses and Left (Fundamental 2006).
127. Hold On (Elysium 2012).
128. Hoping for a Miracle (Hotspot 2020).
129. Decadence (Very: Further Listening 1993).
130. Night Song (Yes: Further Listening 2009).
131. Happiness is an Option (Nightlife 1999).
132. Was That What it Was? (Please: Further Listening 1986).
133. Losing My Mind (Introspective: Further Listening 1988).
134. Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes Off of You) (Behavior: Further Listening 1990).
135. You Are the One (Hotspot 2020).
136. Everything Means Something (Elysium 2012).
137. Inside a Dream (Electric 2013).
138. The Last to Die (Electric 2013).
139. Happy People (Hotspot 2020).
140. On Social Media (Agenda 2016).
141. Will-O-the-Wisp (Hotspot 2020).
142. Groovy (Super 2016).
143. Love Life (Release: Further Listening 2002).
144. I Didn't Get Where I Am Today (Release: Further Listening 2002).
145. We're the Pet Shop Boys (Release: Further Listening 2002).
146. Believe / Song for Guy (with Elton John) (Nightlife: Further Listening 1999).
147. The Forgotten Child (Agenda 2016).
148. Twenty-Something (Super 2016).
149. Casanova in Hell (Fundamental 2006).
150. The Pop Kids (Super 2016).
151. Searching for the Face of Jesus (Release: Further Listening 2002).
152. Love is a Catastrophe (Release 2002).
153. Sexy Northerner (Release: Further Listening 2002).
154. Twentieth Century (Fundamental 2006).
155. Inside (Elysium: Further Listening 2012).
156. Time on My Hands (Release: Further Listening 2002).
157. Florescent (Electric 2013).
158. Happiness (Super 2016).
159. Shameless (Very: Further Listening 1993).
160. Transparent (Release: Further Listening 2002).
161. Vocal (Electric 2013).
162. Your Early Stuff (Elysium 2012).
163. Radiophonic (Nightlife 1999).
164. Boy Strange (Nightlife 1999).
165. Closer to Heaven (Nightlife 1999).
166. Too Many People (Very: Further Listening 1993).
167. In The Night (Please: Further Listening 1986).
168. I Don't Know What You Want But I Can't Give It Anymore (Nightlife 1999).
169. Sail Away (Nightlife: Further Listening 1999).
170. The Samurai in Autumn (Release 2002).
171. Hit and Miss (Bilingual: Further Listening 1996).
172. For Your Own Good (Nightlife 1999).
173. I Get Excited (You Get Excited Too) (Introspective 1988).
174. One More Chance (Actually 1987).
175. Do I Have To? (Actually: Further Listening 1987).
176. DJ Culture (Behavior: Further Listening 1990).
177. Hey Headmaster (Very: Further Listening 1993).
178. The View from Your Balcony (Bilingual: Further Listening 1996).
179. If Looks Could Kill (Release: Further Listening 2002).
180. Girls and Boys (Very: Further Listening 1993).
181. New York City Boy (Nightlife 1999).
182. Fugitive (Fundamental: Further Listening 2006).
183. A Man Could Get Arrested (Please: Further Listening 1986).
184. Hit Music (Actually 1987).
185. Your Funny Uncle (Introspective: Further Listening 1988).
186. Into Thin Air (Super 2016).
187. Metamorphosis (Bilingual 1996).
188. The Ghost of Myself (Nightlife: Further Listening 1999).
189. The Lost Room (Lost 2023).
190. Sad Robot World (Super 2016).
191. Burn (Super 2016).
192. Say It to Me (Super 2016).
193. Integral (Fundamental 2006).
194. Transfer (Fundamental: Further Listening 2006).
195. Girls Don't Cry (Fundamental: Further Listening 2006).
196. The Boy Who Couldn't Keep His Clothes On (Bilingual: Further Listening 1996).
197. The Resurrectionist (Fundamental: Further Listening 2006).
198. Try It (I'm In Love With a Married Man) (Release: Further Listening 2002).
199. A Certain "Jenesais quoi" (Fundamental: Further Listening 2006).
200. The Truck Driver and His Mate (Bilingual: Further Listening 1996).
201. Nervously (Behavior 1990).
202. Somebody Else's Business (Nightlife: Further Listening 1999).
203. Undertow (Super 2016).
204. Electricity (Bilingual 1996).
205. Bolshy (Electric 2013).
206. How I Learned to Hate Rock 'n' Roll (Bilingual: Further Listening 1996).
207. Positive Role Model (Nightlife: Further Listening 1999).
208. I Will Fail (Lost 2016).
209. Forever in Love (Very: Further Listening 1993).
210. Skeleton's in the Closet (Lost 2023).
211. Delusions of Grandeur (Bilingual: Further Listening 1996).
212. Some Speculation (Very: Further Listening 1993).
213. After the Event (Fundamental: Further Listening 2006).
214. For All of Us (Nightlife: Further Listening 1999).
215. Casting a Shadow (Nightlife: Further Listening 1999).
216. Miracles (Pop Art: The Hits 2003).
217. Luna Park (Fundamental 2006).
218. One Night (Fundamental: Further Listening 2006).
219. A Powerful Friend (Release: Further Listening 2002).
220. Living in the Past (Lost 2023).
221. Blue on Blue (Release: Further Listening 2002).
222. No Time for Tears (Fundamental: Further Listening 2006).
223. Axis (Electric 2013).
224. Kaputnik (Lost 2023).
225. Legacy (Yes 2009).
226. Bilingual (Bilingual 1996).
227. Inner Sanctum (Super 2016).
228. Betrayed (Bilingual: Further Listening 1996).
229. Silver Age (Nightlife: Further Listening 1999).
230. Inner Sanctum (Super 2016).
231. Pazzo! (Super 2016).
232. The Former Enfant Terrible (Fundamental: Further Listening 2006).
233. Screaming (Nightlife: Further Listening 1999).
234. Party Song (Release: Further Listening 2002).
235. Euroboy (Very: Further Listening 1993).
236. Disco Potential (Bilingual: Further Listening 1996).
237. Somewhere (Bilingual: Further Listening 1996).
238. Friendly Fire (Nightlife: Further Listening 1999).
239. Numb (Fundamental 2006).
240. Discoteca (Bilingual 1996).
241. What Keeps Mankind Alive (Introspective: Further Listening 1988).
242. If Love Were All (Very: Further Listening 1993).
243. Later Tonight (Please 1986).
244. Wedding in Berlin (Hotspot 2020).
245. We All Feel Better in the Dark (Behavior: Further Listening 1990).
246. The Calm Before the Storm (Bilingual: Further Listening 1996).
247. Violence (Please 1986).
248. The Way Through the Woods (Elysium: Further Listening 2012).
249. God Willing (Fundamental 2006).
250. Ego Music (Elysium 2012).
251. Shouting in the Evening (Electric 2013).
252. Lies (Nightlife: Further Listening 1999).
253. Tall Thin Men (Nightlife: Further Listening 1999).

Apparently there's another album on the way, as the Boys started recording it back in March. So I guess I'll be updating this list soon enough.