Will the psb be retiring?

[domino]

[...] Release (April 2002) to Fundamental (May 2006) and Super (April 2016) to Hotspot (January 2020) are currently the largest gaps. With the former, Disco 3 came out in February 2003, which is similar to a studio album. Inner Sanctum came out in April 2019, which is not. Is anyone realistically expecting an album this year? [...]

To be fair: If Disco 3 is considered as "similar to a studio album", then Agenda (2019) is "similar to a studio album", too. Disco 3 had five new tracks on it, Agenda had four.

To answer your question: I can't see any new albm until spring 2024. But as with Disco 3 and Agenda, we get Lost along the way. (no pun intended)

[Patrick Bateman]

To be fair: If Disco 3 is considered as "similar to a studio album", then Agenda (2019) is "similar to a studio album", too. Disco 3 had five new tracks on it, Agenda had four.

To answer your question: I can't see any new albm until spring 2024. But as with Disco 3 and Agenda, we get Lost along the way. (no pun intended)

Fair enough but Agenda is definitely an EP. Yes, early 2024 seems the likeliest.

[jasonjohn]

doomed to hell songs like Burning The Heather and Will-O-The Wisp.

Was just thinking how marvelous Will-O-The-Wisp was last night.

Probably my 3rd favorite album opener, behind Boring and Devices.

It has a retro vibe but also manages to be vital and fresh.

[daveid]

At least we've had a few small releases since Hotspot, but this is shaping up to be their leanest four year period in terms of new songs. I can't see any new album til at least 2024, despite the fact that we know they've written a lot of songs. If we're lucky we'll get a single late this year and then the album will come out early in 2024. This does mean that two consecutive albums have been released after four years, making them the new Depeche Mode...

[telys]

I think they have a problem with getting old and the entire naturally fading rich life thing. But that's nature. If you don't succeed you don't succeed. Rich people are greedy.

TROLL!

[Nickname]

I hate to say it but it seems they're youth has run out. Their last album was a sign of their demise with doomed to hell songs like Burning The Heather and Will-O-The Wisp. Perhaps they will be forgotten in the back passages of time. I suppose their time is over and they can no longer get satisfaction from being the higher positions of the Nightclubs and such. Time has run them down, as it does all of us.... but I'm not there yet. I'm in a different situation. Time has spoken to me. I have just stopped playing videogames. So what has been the psb's legacy? Discuss.

..and I thought Nickname was insufferable. Nickname, I take it all back !!

Well, you asked for it!.

Of course, they can do whatever they want.

In my opinion, they should try to get new influences and experiment with different styles of music. I love eletro-pop but you can mix that with other styles (ex: funky, gospel, R'n'B, etnic or something different). The problem here is they don't surprise us anymore with the sound of their music, in some way Monkey Busines is the song that surprises me more from Hotspot. The average quality album.

I suppose they don't have money for more ambitious productions. For me, PSB of '20 is a cheaper version of the PSB from the '80 and '90 and not so inspiring. So many sad and melancholic songs are not for me but that's because we are younger than them and the fast ones are not as good as the older ones.

If I were them I'd play the horror mix of Suburbia while I was working on the new album. Taking a ride with the dogs again, I'm sure something good could be created.

[tottenhammattspurs]

At least we've had a few small releases since Hotspot, but this is shaping up to be their leanest four year period in terms of new songs. I can't see any new album til at least 2024, despite the fact that we know they've written a lot of songs. If we're lucky we'll get a single late this year and then the album will come out early in 2024. This does mean that two consecutive albums have been released after four years, making them the new Depeche Mode...

There's a danger of them both making Kraftwerk look prolific....

[NotInvisible]

In my opinion, they should try to get new influences and experiment with different styles of music. I love eletro-pop but you can mix that with other styles (ex: funky, gospel, R'n'B, etnic or something different). The problem here is they don't surprise us anymore with the sound of their music, in some way Monkey Busines is the song that surprises me more from Hotspot.

The last four albums have had everything from Hold On to Axis to Twenty-Something to Burning the Heather. The EPs range in sound from Give Stupidity a Chance to Soup to No Boundaries. The idea that they're not branching into new sounds is utterly ludicrous. If anything, they're vastly more creative in sonic terms than they were in the '80s.

[NotInvisible]

There's a danger of them both making Kraftwerk look prolific...

They have twice as many albums if you include Relentless, the theatrical projects and the Disco series...

[jules]

People thought this after behaviour, bilingual, release, fundamental and elysium. I have no idea how it will happen, but if they announce a last album it will be brutal.

I like the fact that they're still ouring a lot and that's awesome. I think it would be even more memorable if the old hits were remixed (a bit like royksopp do).

I mean that yes their sound is different and more vast than in the 80's and that's why at every new concert i expect something different for the old hits.

[oakey]

Don't think bands easily retire these days. Making music can be done from home and touring can be less extensive, but there's so much money to be made and most artists are used to the lifestyle of traveling, meeting many people etc. Nowadays it's more likely that band members die or fall seriously ill while active, but bands may even continue in one form or another when key members (or even singers) have passed away. E.g. Eagles, ACDC, Queen, Pink Floyd, and recently Van Halen, Pulp, Depeche Mode, De La Soul etc.

Hard to think that PSB will continue after one of them stops for whatever reason, but 'the other one' and the heirs that will then be the new copyright owners will want to keep the legacy alive. Cf. Prince who was all about being very in control about his output, but after he passed a flood of stuff from his vaults came out officially and a lot of 'FM' bootleg CDs you can buy at amazon.

And in the end all of these bands will be forgotten if there are no fans left anymore. But that's life.

But on topic: I do not think they will retire soon. They are still one of the most active legacy acts (in terms of new releases, tours and side projects). The Kraftwerk comparison is a joke of course; their last album is 20 years old, and even that was a reworking of a song that was at the time also 20 years old! Electric Café is their last album of entirely new music, which was released almost 40 years ago. SInce, Pet Shop Boys had their whole career

[NotInvisible]

Don't think bands easily retire these days. Making music can be done from home and touring can be less extensive, but there's so much money to be made and most artists are used to the lifestyle of traveling, meeting many people etc.

The entire idea of retiring from creative endeavors is rooted in ageism. One of the greatest developments of recent times is artists refusing to fade away once they "age out" of being pop/rock stars. I saw Springsteen the other day and he absolutely destroyed it at age 73 - the idea that he shouldn't have stepped on that stage is absolutely moronic and anyone holding it probably eats with a bib. Kylie continues to make music in her fifties and it's glorious. Why would Pet Shop Boys retire? You're absolutely right that this is a lifestyle, and recording is easier and more convenient than ever. Neil has a brilliant voice for aging - ironically the oft-described weakness of his voice is a secret weapon as he approaches his seventies, because it means the records still sound the same.

There's no reason for them to stop. Give me another five albums and let me mourn when they stop, instead of dancing on their grave. The "fans" eager for them to pack up shop are embarrassing themselves.

[Nickname]

In my opinion, they should try to get new influences and experiment with different styles of music. I love eletro-pop but you can mix that with other styles (ex: funky, gospel, R'n'B, etnic or something different). The problem here is they don't surprise us anymore with the sound of their music, in some way Monkey Busines is the song that surprises me more from Hotspot.

The last four albums have had everything from Hold On to Axis to Twenty-Something to Burning the Heather. The EPs range in sound from Give Stupidity a Chance to Soup to No Boundaries. The idea that they're not branching into new sounds is utterly ludicrous. If anything, they're vastly more creative in sonic terms than they were in the '80s.

For example: Introspective.

A song like LTOMOD had dance, disco, orchestral, opera, rap, pop, etc.
I want a dong: electonic, house, funky
Domino Dancing: electronic, dance
I'm not Scared: electro pop
Alway on my Mind: gothic, dance
It's Alright: anthemic, dance

And the songs are not as good as they were at that time

[y3potential]

In my opinion, they should try to get new influences and experiment with different styles of music. I love eletro-pop but you can mix that with other styles (ex: funky, gospel, R'n'B, etnic or something different). The problem here is they don't surprise us anymore with the sound of their music, in some way Monkey Busines is the song that surprises me more from Hotspot.

The last four albums have had everything from Hold On to Axis to Twenty-Something to Burning the Heather. The EPs range in sound from Give Stupidity a Chance to Soup to No Boundaries. The idea that they're not branching into new sounds is utterly ludicrous. If anything, they're vastly more creative in sonic terms than they were in the '80s.

For example: Introspective.

A song like LTOMOD had dance, disco, orchestral, opera, rap, pop, etc.
I want a dong: electonic, house, funky
Domino Dancin: electronic, dance
I'm not Scared: electro pop
Alway on my Mind: gothic, dance
It's Alright: anthemic, dance

And the songs are not as good as they were at that time

[eastendboy]

I’ve said in another thread let’s enjoy it all while it lasts and who knows they might pack it all in soon but they have tons of songs they wrote during lockdown and I would imagine they have ideas for songs all the time. Neil
has said that Chris writes music for pleasure and if anything Chris would pack it in and possibly Neil would do some solo stuff. I’m not going to open a can of worms but there are many bands/artists we could ask are …… going to pack it all in one day.