Pet Shop Boys accept Outstanding Contribution To Music award at BRITs

Pet Shop Boys collected an award for their Outstanding Contribution To Music at the BRIT Awards in London tonight (February 18), shortly before playing a medley of their greatest hits to close the ceremony.

The duo were introduced onto the stage by The Killers' frontman Brandon Flowers.

Flowers told the crowd that when he was 13, he found himself choosing between albums by The Smiths and Pet Shop Boys, with only enough money to buy one. He said he eventually chose Pet Shop Boys, with the decision being an important one for his musical life.

"I was introduced to a new world of beats and sophistication," said Flowers, before praising the band's longevity.

Following the introduction, the heads of Pet Shop Boys Chris Lowe and Neil Tennant appeared on the venue's big screens. The duo took turns to speak, thanking fans and explaining how special the award was to them.

They then appeared on the stage, launching into a version of 'Suburbia', followed by forthcoming new single 'Love Etc'. Pet Shop Boys then played their 1987 chart-topping cover of the standard 'Always On My Mind', followed by another cover, their 1993 UK Number Two single 'Go West', originally by The Village People.

On 'What Have I Done To Deserve This?', the band were joined onstage by Lady GaGa. Flowers then returned to the stage to sing on 'It's A Sin'.

A final performance of 'West End Girls' saw the band joined by suited dancers, along with Flowers and Lady GaGa.

For more stories and the results from the 2009 BRIT Awards head to NME.COM's BRIT Award index now.

For more on the BRIT Awards, head to our photo gallery of images from the night.

You can also head to the NME Office Blog for our minute-by-minute BRIT Awards live blog.