Actually
by Pet Shop Boys

Actually by Pet Shop Boys
Year: 1987
Release date: 1987-00-00
Overall rank: 1,359th   
Average Rating: 
76/100 (from 285 votes)
     
Accolades:
Award Top albums of 1987 (26th)
Award Top albums of the 1980s (219th)
Award Best albums of all time (1,359th)

Listen on Spotify Spotify
Product Details
Availability

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


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


eBay
eBay
Pet Shop Boys ‎– Actually - EMI Colombia 1987
Condition: Used


  My favourite store:  

Pet Shop Boys bestography

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

Pet Shop Boys album bestography « Higher ranked
-
This album (1,359th)
Actually
Lower ranked (1,751st) »
Behaviour

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

Upcoming concerts

Mar
17
Tue
Houndmouth
The Blue Note, Columbia, United States. United States
Tickets from Ticketmaster Get tickets
 
Mar
20
Fri
Los Tigres Del Norte: La Loteria 2026
The Venue at Horseshoe Casino, Hammond, United States. United States
Tickets from Ticketmaster Get tickets
 
Mar
20
Fri
Brit Floyd: The Wall, The Moon and Beyond
Petersen Events Center, Pittsburgh, United States. United States
Tickets from Ticketmaster Get tickets
 
Discover more upcoming concerts

Listen to Actually on YouTube

Loading content from YouTube...

Actually track list

   The tracks on this album have an average rating of 79 out of 100 (all tracks have been rated).

Sort by
#
Track
Rating/Comments
1.
Average Rating: 78 (60 votes)Comments: View 1
  • Amazon Music
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
3.
Average Rating: 76 (59 votes)Comments: View 1
  • Amazon Music
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
4.
Average Rating: 82 (90 votes)Comments: View 1
  • Amazon Music
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
5.
Average Rating: 76 (57 votes)Comments: View 0
  • Amazon Music
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
6.
Average Rating: 76 (62 votes)Comments: View 0
  • Amazon Music
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
7.
Track pick (850 - 112 votes)
Average Rating: 85 (112 votes)Comments: View 4
  • Amazon Music
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
8.
Average Rating: 76 (57 votes)Comments: View 0
  • Amazon Music
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
9.
Average Rating: 82 (75 votes)Comments: View 0
  • Amazon Music
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
10.
Average Rating: 81 (68 votes)Comments: View 2
  • Amazon Music
  • iTunes
  • Spotify

Track pick (1000 - 100 votes) Top-rated track as rated by BestEverAlbums.com members.

Actually rankings

Rankings summary
Overall rank: 1,359th | 1980s rank: 219th | 1987 rank: 26th

Actually collection

Actually ratings

Average Rating: 
76/100 (from 285 votes)
   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 285 ratings for this album.

Sort by
RatingDate updatedMemberAlbum ratingsAvg. album rating
 
75/100
 !
01/17/2026 16:09 Milhaud   1,80170/100
 
60/100
 !
12/29/2025 21:21 Hyggevinyl   4,22372/100
 
80/100
 !
12/23/2025 21:31 RasmV   2,50173/100
 
60/100
 !
12/14/2025 22:23 MagicSix   89360/100
 
75/100
 !
11/18/2025 19:34 Exist-en-ciel   7,44870/100

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 75.9/100, a mean average of 75.2/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 76.0/100. The standard deviation for this album is 15.2.

Please log in or register if you want to be able to leave a rating

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)
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)
Rating:  
80/100
From 07/29/2016 18:00 | #171944
The best Pet shop boys album, full of good songs with, it's a sin, the obvious highlight. As always with PSB's, Neil Tennant's weak singing voice tarnishes the songs slightly, but that's only a minor complaint. A very good record.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
70/100
From 04/05/2014 20:41 | #108586
Fantastic pop. Has more depth than many of their contemporaries.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
70/100
From 07/30/2012 15:40 | #47475
For the most part, this album follows the tried-and-true cassette hit singles album format: dud/hit/dud/hit/dud, turn tape over, dud/hit/dud/hit/dud. Except that the last couple of "duds" are ok. And of course, the hits can be pretty spectacular pop masterpieces.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (1 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
Please log in or register if you want to be able to add a comment

Your feedback for Actually

Anonymous
Let us know what you think of this album by adding a comment or assigning a rating below!
Log in or register to assign a rating or leave a comment for this album.
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. Hysteria by Def Leppard
12. Kick by INXS
13. Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me by The Cure
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
Back to Top