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History

August 1981

On August 19th, Neil and Chris meet by chance in an electronics shop on the Kings Road. Realizing they have a common interest in dance music, they begin to write together. Initially they call themselves West End; later they come up with the name Pet Shop Boys, a name derived from some friends who work in a pet shop in Ealing. “We thought it sounded like an English rap group”.

On this day

2000

The Pet Shop Boys announce that they will donate their performance fees from the preceding summer’s Roskilde Festival to charity, including efforts to improve public safety at music festivals.

2009

The Boys perform in Birmingham, U.K.

2020

BPI awards Discography double-platinum status, nearly three decades after it had received the platinum award shortly after release.