Super (album)

Super
Studio album by Pet Shop Boys
Released	1 April 2016
Recorded	2015
Genre	Synthpop hi-NRG deep house electro pop Techno
Length	46:33
Label	x2
Producer	Stuart Price
Pet Shop Boys chronology
Electric (2013) Super (2016)
Singles from Super
"The Pop Kids" Released: 16 February 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.

Singles

"The Pop Kids" was released as the album's lead single on 16 February 2016.^[3] 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".^[4] A white vinyl 12" of "The Pop Kids" will be released on May 27. It will feature five remixes of the song.

Reception

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	75/100[5]
Review scores
Source	Rating
Attitude	8/10[6]
Consequence of Sound	C+[7]
The Guardian	[8]
PopMatters	[9]
Rolling Stone Russia	[10]
Evening Standard	[11]

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.^[12] 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).^[13]

Track listing

All songs written and composed 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

Charts

Chart (2016)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[14]	12
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[15]	8
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[16]	21
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[17]	27
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[18]	35
Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI)[19]	2
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[20]	27
Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[21]	13
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[22]	8
French Albums (SNEP)[23]	39
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[24]	3
Irish Albums (IRMA)[25]	16
Italian Albums (FIMI)[26]	20
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[27]	28
Polish Albums (ZPAV)[28]	48
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[29]	7
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[30]	10
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[31]	4
UK Albums (OCC)[32]	3
US Billboard 200[33]	58
US Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard)[34]	1

References

1. "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. "The Pop Kids (Radio Edit)". Qobuz. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
4. "The Pop Kids". petshopboys.co.uk. 12 February 2016. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
5. Super (album) at Metacritic Retrieved 27 April 2016.
6. O'Brien, Jon (30 March 2016). "ALBUM REVIEW: PET SHOP BOYS – SUPER". Attitude. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
7. Comaratta, Len (29 March 2016). "Pet Shop Boys – Super". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
8. Lynskey, Dorian (31 March 2016). "Pet Shop Boys: Super review – punky, urgent and laser bright". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
9. Gerard, Chris (4 April 2016). "Super". PopMatters. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
10. Бухарин, Андрей (31 March 2016). "Pet Shop Boys - "Super"". Rolling Stone Russia. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
11. Aizlewood, John (1 April 2016). "Pet Shop Boys – Super, album review: ‘they are indestructible’". Evening Standard. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
12. 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.
13. http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/7333899/pet-shop-boys-super-top-dance-electronic-albums
14. "Australiancharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – Super". Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
15. "Austriancharts.at – Pet Shop Boys – Super" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
16. "Ultratop.be – Pet Shop Boys – Super" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
17. "Ultratop.be – Pet Shop Boys – Super" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
18. "Pet Shop Boys – Chart history" Billboard Canadian Albums Chart for Pet Shop Boys. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
19. "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.
20. "Hitlisten.NU - Danmarks officielle hitlister". Tracklisten. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
21. "Dutchcharts.nl – Pet Shop Boys – Super" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
22. "Pet Shop Boys: Super" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
23. "Lescharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – Super". Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
24. "Offiziellecharts.de – Pet Shop Boys – Super" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
25. "GFK Chart-Track Albums: Week 14, 2016". Chart-Track. IRMA. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
26. "Italiancharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – Super". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
27. "VG-lista - Topp 40 Album uke 14, 2016". VG-lista. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
28. "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLIS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 14, 2016.
29. "Spanishcharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – Super". Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
30. "Swedishcharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – Super". Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
31. "Swisscharts.com – Pet Shop Boys – Super". Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
32. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 April 2016.
33. "Pet Shop Boys – Chart history" Billboard 200 for Pet Shop Boys. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
34. "Pet Shop Boys – Chart history" Billboard Dance/Electronic Albums for Pet Shop Boys. Retrieved 14 April 2016.