Format (album) explained

Format
Type:	compilation
Artist:	Pet Shop Boys
Cover:	Pet Shop Boys - Format.png
Border:	yes
Recorded:	1996–2009
Genre:	Synth-pop
Length:	156:27
Label:	Parlophone
Producer:	Pet Shop Boys, various
Prev Title:	The Most Incredible Thing
Prev Year:	2011
Next Title:	Elysium
Next Year:	2012

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

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]

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
Belgian Heatseekers Albums (Ultratop Flanders)^[4]	9
Belgian Heatseekers Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)^[5]	1
Croatian International Albums (HDU)^[6]	19

Notes and References

1. Web site: Pet Shop Boys – News – Format pre-order . petshopboys.co.uk . 4 February 2012.
2. Web site: Format (Ltd Ed) . . 4 February 2012.
3. Web site: Official Chart Analysis: Lana Del Rey scores biggest-selling album of 2012, Gotye shifts another 83k. Music Week. 30 January 2019.
4. Web site: Pet Shop Boys – Format – B-Sides and Bonus Tracks 1996–2009 . nl . . 13 February 2012.
5. Web site: Pet Shop Boys – Format – B-Sides and Bonus Tracks 1996–2009 . fr . Ultratop . 17 February 2012.
6. Web site: Top Stranih – Tjedan 6. 2012. . Top Foreign – Week 6, 2012 . hr . . 16 February 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120904055049/http://www.hdu-toplista.com/index.php?what=arhiva&w=details&id=980 . 4 September 2012.