Actually
by Pet Shop Boys

Actually by Pet Shop Boys
Year: 1987
Release date: 1987-09-07
Overall rank: 1,365th   Overall chart history
Average Rating: 
76/100 (from 287 votes)
  Ratings distribution   Average rating history
Accolades:
Award Top albums of 1987 (26th)
Award Top albums of the 1980s (218th)
Award Best albums of all time (1,365th)

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Product Details
Availability

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Pet Shop Boys - Actually (2018 Remastered Version) [New Vinyl LP] Rmst
Condition: New


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Pet Shop Boys - Actually - 1987 UK 1st Press Album (EX) Ultrasonic Clean
Condition: Used


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Pet Shop Boys - Actually: Further Listening: 1987-1988 [Slipcase] New CD
Condition: Like New


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Pet Shop Boys bestography

Actually is ranked as the best album by Pet Shop Boys.

Pet Shop Boys album bestography « Higher ranked
-
This album (1,365th)
Actually
Lower ranked (1,844th) »
Behaviour

(N.B. Bestographies include all albums by an artist (and their variations), but do not include albums ranked outside the top 100,000).

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Actually rankings

Rankings summary
Overall rank: 1,365th | 1980s rank: 218th | 1987 rank: 26th

Actually collection

Actually ratings

Average Rating: 
76/100 (from 287 votes)
  Ratings distribution Help Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AV
where:
av = trimmed mean average rating an item has currently received.
n = number of ratings an item has currently received.
m = minimum number of ratings required for an item to appear in a 'top-rated' chart (currently 10).
AV = the site mean average rating.

Showing latest 5 ratings for this album.  | Show all 287 ratings for this album.

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RatingDate updatedMemberAlbum ratingsAvg. album rating
 
95/100
 
03/14/2026 17:54 el_faraon  Ratings distribution  2676/100
 
75/100
 
03/09/2026 09:24 zsolti  Ratings distribution  67381/100
 
100/100
 
03/07/2026 19:47 heavensin  Ratings distribution  8494/100
 
30/100
 
02/17/2026 12:04 Leginlists  Ratings distribution  3,28082/100
 
75/100
 
01/17/2026 16:09 Milhaud  Ratings distribution  1,90570/100

Rating metrics: Help Outliers can be removed when calculating a mean average to dampen the effects of ratings outside the normal distribution. This figure is provided as the trimmed mean. A high standard deviation can be legitimate, but can sometimes indicate 'gaming' is occurring. Consider a simplified example* of an item receiving ratings of 100, 50, & 0. The mean average rating would be 50. However, ratings of 55, 50 & 45 could also result in the same average. The second average might be more trusted because there is more consensus around a particular rating (a lower deviation).
(*In practice, some albums can have several thousand ratings)

This album is rated in the top 5% of all albums on BestEverAlbums.com. This album has a Bayesian average rating of 76.0/100, a mean average of 75.3/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 76.1/100. The standard deviation for this album is 15.4.

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Actually comments

Showing latest 10 comments | Show all 15 comments |
Most Helpful First | Newest First | Positive Sentiment First | Longest Comments First
(Only showing comments with -2 votes or higher. You can alter this threshold from your profile page. Manage Profile)

Rating:  
40/100
From 01/29/2025 11:05 | #307305
I mirror the guy on the right when listening to this. Boring as batshit.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
90/100
From 07/22/2022 06:46 | #287710
Album Rating: 84.00
(840/10)

1.One More Chance. 84
2.What Have I Done To Deserve This? 85
3.Shopping. 83
4.Rent. 100
5.Hit Music. 73
6.It Couldn't Happen Here. 76
7.It's A Sin. 95
8.I Want To Wake Up. 74
9.Heart. 90
10.King's Cross. 80
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (1 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
Rating:  
80/100
From 02/28/2022 16:59 | #281996
The rare pop album that peaks at the end.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
80/100
From 02/16/2022 15:57 | #281387
Actually a good album.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
65/100
From 02/07/2021 17:51 | #265973
Seems to have a dull-as-death song for every good/great one.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (1 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
Rating:  
60/100
From 08/07/2018 01:00 | #219331
Actually suffers from tracks that go on a little too long removing the original punch.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | -2 votes (0 helpful | 2 unhelpful)
From 06/03/2018 02:24 | #216056
Good album...Great album cover!
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 05/21/2018 01:21 | #215323
Very much a continuation of their debut "Please" with fluttering synthpop melodies and despairing lyrics, with a few of the tracks hitting on modern-day crises like thatcher-era britain or AIDS. The main difference here is they allow their tracks to stretch out a bit, with most of them sitting around 5 minutes long, and being able to have more time with these great songs is nothing but a good thing. Pretty much rivals their debut in terms of quality, of which it's high.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
90/100
From 01/25/2018 22:19 | #206511
Solid pop fluff of the highest quality. The light and breezy production really makes those synths and sharp beats sing, but it's real talent is found in just how classy this well-made record is. Delivers absolute classics like What Have I Done To Deserve This? and It's A Sin, but isn't afraid to tackle tougher stuff such as on Kings Cross and It Could Happen Here, and it does it with enough sincerity to show that it isn't just trying to score points easily. An essential piece of the late-80s pop sound.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +4 votes (4 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From 08/13/2016 06:53 | #172831
my favorite PSB album... what have I done to deserve this and its a sin I could listen to until my death bed
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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Best Albums of 1987
1. The Joshua Tree by U2
2. Appetite For Destruction by Guns N' Roses
3. Sign "O" The Times by Prince
4. Strangeways, Here We Come by The Smiths
5. You're Living All Over Me by Dinosaur
6. Document by R.E.M.
7. Bad by Michael Jackson
8. Music For The Masses by Depeche Mode
9. Sister by Sonic Youth
10. Substance by New Order
11. Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me by The Cure
12. Hysteria by Def Leppard
13. Kick by INXS
14. Louder Than Bombs by The Smiths
15. Darklands by The Jesus And Mary Chain
16. Come On Pilgrim by Pixies
17. Diesel And Dust by Midnight Oil
18. Paid In Full by Eric B. & Rakim
19. Tango In The Night by Fleetwood Mac
20. Tunnel Of Love by Bruce Springsteen