The Pet Shop Boys have been unveiled as the recipients of NME’s Godlike Genius Award for 2017.
Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe will perform at the VO5 NME Awards 2017, which takes place at the O2 Academy Brixton on February 15.
The duo’s last album was 2016’s Super, which peaked at No.3 and has sold 33,041 copies to date. They have 22 Top 10 singles and four No.1’s to their name. 1996’s Bilingual album peaked at No.4 and has 108,054 sales to date, while hits compilation Discography: The Complete Singles Collection has sold 555,701 copies since its release in 1991, according to Official Charts Company data.
In a statement, the band said: "We’re really happy to win NME’s Godlike Genius award and we’re looking forward to playing at the awards show this year.”
The magazine’s editor-in-chief, Mike Williams, added: "For three decades, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe have been pushing the boundaries of pop music, releasing a series of consistently excellent singles and albums and working to blur the boundaries between art, music and social commentary. Their influence on pop culture is undeniable and the list of artists they’ve worked with is a mini rock’n’roll hall of fame. Pet Shop Boys’ stage performances and festival shows are never anything short of spectacular, and we’re honoured that our latest Godlike Geniuses will grace the Brixton stage for an extra-special set of hits to close the VO5 NME Awards 2017.”
Also set to perform on the night are Bastille, Dua Lipa and Wiley, while The 1975, Skepta and Kings Of Leon are among the artists in contention for the biggest awards.
Blossoms, Cabbage and Rory Wynne all feature on the VO5 NME Awards Tour 2017, which begins in Keele on March 16.
Tickets for the tour and awards ceremony are on sale now.
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