Pet Shop Boys will release a new digital EP, "Christmas", via Astralwerks on December 15. The track listing for the EP is: It doesn't often snow at Christmas (new version), My Girl, All over the world (new version), Viva la vida/Domino dancing, and My Girl (our house mix). "All over the world" is a new version of the track which appears on Pet Shop Boys' latest album, Yes. Also included is a new version of "It doesn't often snow at Christmas", originally an exclusive Christmas single issued to members of the Pet Shop Boys fan club in 1997. Both new versions are produced by Marius de Vries and Pet Shop Boys, based on the original tracks, and have orchestral and choir arrangements by Matt Robertson and Marius de Vries.
Pet Shop Boys' arrangement of the Madness classic, "My Girl", was originally performed with Suggs and Carl of Madness at last year's charity benefit, "Can You Bear It?", for the family of Chris and Neil's former assistant and close friend, Dainton Connell, who was tragically killed in a car accident.
The EP also includes a medley of Coldplay's "Viva la vida" and Pet Shop Boys classic "Domino Dancing" which the duo has been performing on their current world tour. This studio version is produced by Stuart Price.
In other Pet Shop Boys news, the band earned a 2010 GRAMMY Award nomination in the "Best Electronic/Dance Album" category for their album Yes. This is their 5th nomination. They also recently hit number 1 again on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart with their single "Did You See Me Coming", their tenth number 1 overall and the second number 1 from their latest album Yes. Earlier this year, their single "Love etc" broke the record for the most number 1's on the chart among groups, vaunting over fellow electro-pop veterans Depeche Mode. By taking the top spot yet again, "Did You See Me Coming" further solidifies the duo's rarefied position as dance music godfathers. Yes, the band's first album on Astralwerks and tenth album overall, debuted at an impressive number 32 on the Billboard 200, achieving the act's highest position on that chart since 1993's Very debuted at number 20.