Neil Tennant and David Lowe will receive NME’s Godlike Genius Award on February 15 (Picture: Britta Pedersen)

The Pet Shop Boys will join a long line of musical geniuses when they receive the Godlike Genuis Award at the V05 NME Awards 2017 later this month.

The 80s synth-pop duo will be presented with the award on February 15 at a ceremony at London’s O2 Academy in Brixton.

The Pet Shop Boys have sold 50 million record sales worldwide since they were formed in 1981 (Picture: Virginia Turbett/Redferns)

The coveted award, which seeks to recognise trailblazers who have had significant influence on the world of music, has been running for 22 years with previous recipients including Blondie, The Cure and Primal Scream.

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Last year, Coldplay scooped the gong charting a change in opinion after receiving a number of nominations for Worst Band and Band with the Worst Haircuts back in the mid-2000s.




The Pet Shop Boys, who have sold over 50 million records worldwide, released their 16th top ten album, SUPER, in 2016 which entered the album charts at number 3.

The synth-pop duo supposedly got their name from a friend who worked in a pet shop (Picture: Dave Hogan/Getty Images)

Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, the duo that make up the band who supposedly took inspiration for their name from a friend who worked in a pet shop in Ealing, have had four number one hits in the UK since they formed in London in 1981.

Following their acceptance of the award on February 15 the band will close the ceremony with a performance of their greatest hits.

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Also on the line-up for the evening are Bastille, Dua Lipe and Wiley, who will receive the Outstanding Contribution to Music Award.

Speaking about their win the duo 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.’

Wiley will receive the NME Outstanding Contribution to Music Award (Picture: Andy Sheppard/Redferns via Getty Images)

The award will by no means be the first for the duo who have so far amassed three Ivor Novello Awards, three Brit Awards and a BBC award for Song of the Decade 1985-1994 for ‘West End Girls’ which was voted for by six million BBC Radio 2 listeners.

Fans who fail to catch them at the V05 NME Awards 2017 can see their show, produced in collaboration with designer Es Devlin, which starts touring in February.

NME’s editor-in-chief Mike Williams said: ‘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,’ according to NME.

Beyonce currently leads the tally of nominations with five including Best Album, Hero of the Year, Music Moment of the Year, Best International Female and Best Video for Formation, with The 1975, Skepta, Bastille and Christine and the Queens all having four nominations each.



The VO5 NME Awards Tour 2017 begins in Keele on March 16.

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