Pet Shop Boys to get Outstanding Contribution award

The Pet Shop Boys will receive the Outstanding Contribution to Music award at next year's BRIT Awards.

The duo – Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe – will receive the prestigious accolade at the ceremony in February, and will close the star-studded event with a live performance of their greatest hits.

Chairman of the BRITs committee Ged Doherty said: "Since their first BRIT Award over 20 years ago, Neil and Chris have produced a fantastic body of work with songs that truly were the soundtrack to a whole generation's lives.

"The Pet Shop Boys have since become one of the most influential groups of the modern era and are deserving recipients of the award."

The pair have sold over 50 million records worldwide, including four UK number one singles and 22 top 10 hits.

Their first UK number one – 1986’s ‘West End Girls’, which was a worldwide hit – secured them the Best British Single BRIT in 1987. They went on to win Best British Group in 1988.

They have worked with a string of successful recording artists over the years, including David Bowie, Madonna and Kylie Minogue. Previous winners of the Outstanding Contribution to Music accolade include Sir Paul McCartney, Oasis, Fleetwood Mac and Paul Weller.

Music mogul Simon Cowell and shamed singer George Michael were previously rumoured to be in the running to take the honour at the 2009 show, which will be presented by ‘Gavin and Stacey’ stars James Corden and Mathew Horne.