Pet Shop Boys' feud with Drake explained as pop-duo says "the whole publishing thing was sorted out"

In 2023, the Pet Shop Boys publicly criticized Drake for using lyrics from their iconic 1986 song, West End Girls, in his track All the Parties without their consent. The British synth-pop duo allegedly learned of the unauthorized sampling when Neil Tennant, one-half of the group, was notified by his brother that Drake had incorporated a chorus from their hit single in his track.

In All the Parties, Drake sings:

"And it’s 6, our town a dead end world/ East End boys and West End girls."

This mirrors the original lyrics from the Pet Shop Boys' West End Girls:

"In a West End town, a dead end world/The East End boys and West End girls."

The rapper's representatives were quick to apologize, and in an interview with Rolling Stone, published on May 4, 2024, Neil Tennant explained that although the duo did not meet with Drake directly, they resolved the publishing issue and acknowledged that it was an amicable resolution:

"Within 15 minutes, our representatives got a call from Drake’s people, and they were very apologetic—in fact, they said Drake wants to speak to them. In the end, we didn’t speak to him, but the whole publishing thing was sorted out."

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How Pet Shop Boys' Neil Tennant found out about West End Girls being on Drake's new album

Drake (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

In the latest interview by Rolling Stone, Neil Tennant explained how the unauthorized sampling of Pet Shop Boys' song initially caught them off guard.

He explained how he got to know about the same:

"I was driving in my car back from the supermarket, and my brother phoned me to say his son, my nephew who’s a Drake fan, said, ‘Oh, does Neil know ‘West End Girls’ is on Drake’s new album?'”

Tennant then went to search for the track on Spotify. He recalled how he was initially confused:

"We get a lot of requests, so I thought, maybe we agreed to this? But this, I thought we’d remember it." he said.

He later added that his manager made it certain that the Canadian rapper had not asked for permission before the release.

The duo then took to social media to post about the same, believing it would be the quickest way to resolve the issue:

"So we put up a social media post because we thought it was the best way to bring it to everyone’s attention."

Soon after, Drake's team called theirs and apologized, as per Tennant.

Tennant's bandmate Chris Lowe also chimed in at this point, saying he was intrigued by Drake's vocal techniques:

"I would like to know how Drake gets that vocal sound because I would quite like to hear you [Tennant] singing like that."

Tennant agreed, acknowledging the need to uncover Drake's "trick" and surmising that it might involve AutoTune.

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What else did the Pet Shop Boys say in the interview?

Cardi B (Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images)

Apart from their interactions with Drake, the Pet Shop Boys were thrilled to discover that Cardi B was a fan of their work. They expressed a keen interest in collaborating with the WAP rapper but insisted the initiative should come from her.

"I think the ball’s in her court," ChrisoLowe stated.

He further suggested that she would have to reach out to them for a potential collaboration.

On the topic of Taylor Swift, Tennant was candid about his views on her music. While he acknowledged her impressive productivity and lauded her decision to re-record her earlier albums, he expressed some disappointment with her recent work, adding:

"Where are the famous songs?"

Tennant further elaborated, saying that although he liked The Archer from her album Lover, he didn't find some of her other tracks, particularly those done with Aaron Dessner, as compelling. Nevertheless, he appreciated her determination to regain control of her earlier work after the sale of her master recordings, saying:

"I love the fact she’s re-recorded her early albums, to p*ss off whoever they got sold to."

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Pet Shop Boys new album

The Pet Shop Boys released their latest album, Nonetheless, on April 26, 2024. The album is produced by James Ford and showcases the legendary synth-pop duo returning to their classic sound while experimenting with new ideas.

Some notable songs on the album include Loneliness, Dancing Star, and Bullet for Narcissus. It has earned high chart positions, reaching number two on the UK Official Albums Chart and topping the UK Vinyl Albums Chart.

Nonetheless is available across multiple physical formats and digital platforms. Alongside its release, the Pet Shop Boys also announced their "Dreamworld" tour, which will feature a series of special performances at London's Royal Opera House.