Editing Actually (section)

==Critical reception==
{{Album ratings
| rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
| rev1score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref name="Erlewine">{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/actually-mw0000197381 |title=''Actually'' – Pet Shop Boys |website=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=6 January 2015 |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine}}</ref>
| rev2 = ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''
| rev2score = {{Rating|2.5|4}}<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-09-20-ca-9321-story.html |title=Pet Shop Pop |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |issn=0458-3035 |date=20 September 1987 |access-date=9 November 2015 |last=Johnson |first=Connie}}</ref>
| rev3 = ''[[Mojo (magazine)|Mojo]]''
| rev3score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Pop Art Revolutions |magazine=[[Mojo (magazine)|Mojo]] |issn=1351-0193 |issue=237 |date=August 2013 |last=Harrison |first=Ian |page=43}}</ref>
| rev4 = ''[[Q (magazine)|Q]]''
| rev4score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.qonline.co.uk/reviews/server.asp?id=2415&ss=pet+shop+boys&cs=artist&st=cn&stars=NaN&cp=1 |title=Pet Shop Boys: ''Pet Shop Boys, Actually'' |magazine=[[Q (magazine)|Q]] |issn=0955-4955 |issue=13 |date=October 1987 |access-date=14 January 2023 |last=Snow |first=Mat |author-link=Mat Snow |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001206011500/http://www.qonline.co.uk/reviews/server.asp?id=2415&ss=pet+shop+boys&cs=artist&st=cn&stars=NaN&cp=1 |archive-date=6 December 2000 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
| rev5 = ''[[Record Mirror]]''
| rev5score = 3/5<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Pet Shop Boys: ''Actually'' |magazine=[[Record Mirror]] |issn=0144-5804 |date=12 September 1987 |last=Morton |first=Roger |page=12}}</ref>
| rev6 = ''[[The Rolling Stone Album Guide]]''
| rev6score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite book |chapter=Pet Shop Boys |last=Hull |first=Tom |author-link=Tom Hull (critic) |title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide |title-link=The Rolling Stone Album Guide |editor1-last=Brackett |editor1-first=Nathan |editor1-link=Nathan Brackett |editor2-last=Hoard |editor2-first=Christian |editor2-link=Christian Hoard |publisher=[[Simon & Schuster]] |edition=4th |year=2004 |isbn=0-7432-0169-8 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/630 630–631]}}</ref>
| rev7 = ''[[Sounds (magazine)|Sounds]]''
| rev7score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Face the Muzak |magazine=[[Sounds (magazine)|Sounds]] |issn=0144-5774 |date=12 September 1987 |last=Snow |first=Mat |author-link=Mat Snow |page=35}}</ref>
| rev8 = ''[[Spin Alternative Record Guide]]''
| rev8score = 9/10<ref>{{cite book |chapter=Pet Shop Boys |last=Sheffield |first=Rob |author-link=Rob Sheffield |title=Spin Alternative Record Guide |title-link=Spin Alternative Record Guide |editor1-last=Weisbard |editor1-first=Eric |editor1-link=Eric Weisbard |editor2-last=Marks |editor2-first=Craig |publisher=[[Vintage Books]] |year=1995 |isbn=0-679-75574-8 |pages=294–295}}</ref>
| rev9 = ''[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]]''
| rev9score = 8/10<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Pet Shop Boys: ''Please'' / ''Actually'' / ''Introspective'' |magazine=[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]] |issn=1368-0722 |issue=250 |date=March 2018 |last=Dalton |first=Stephen |page=43}}</ref>
| rev10 = ''[[The Village Voice]]''
| rev10score = A−<ref name="Christgau">{{cite news |url=https://robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cgv12b-87.php |title=Christgau's Consumer Guide |newspaper=[[The Village Voice]] |issn=0042-6180 |date=29 December 1987 |access-date=6 January 2015 |last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau}}</ref>
}}

''Actually'' was generally well received by critics. At the time of its release, Chris White of ''[[Music Week]]'' said ''Actually'' was "well worth the wait with the duo coming up with another highly original and distinctive-sounding album" and called it a "great pop album which will deservedly be one of the year's biggest sellers".<ref>{{cite magazine|last=White|first=Chris|date=12 September 1987|title=LP Reviews|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1987/Music-Week-1987-09-12.pdf |magazine=Music Week|page=19|access-date=1 January 2025|via=World Radio History}}</ref> In December 1987, [[Robert Christgau]] of ''[[The Village Voice]]'' praised it as "actual pop music with something actual to say—pure commodity, and proud of it."<ref name="Christgau"/> In his retrospective review, [[Stephen Thomas Erlewine]] of [[AllMusic]] said that ''Actually'' is the album where "the Pet Shop Boys perfected their melodic, detached [[dance-pop]]."<ref name="Erlewine"/>

''Actually'' is featured in the 2005 musical reference book ''[[1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die]]'',<ref>{{cite book |chapter=Pet Shop Boys: ''Actually'' |last=Harris |first=Sophie |title=1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die |title-link=1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die |editor-last=Dimery |editor-first=Robert |publisher=[[Universe Publishing]] |year=2006 |isbn=978-0-7893-1371-3 |page=581}}</ref> and has been recognised in various other "must-listen" lists. In 2006, ''[[Q (magazine)|Q]]'' magazine included ''Actually'' in its list of the "40 Best Albums of the '80s" at number 22.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/qlistspage3.htm#Best%20Of%20The%2080s |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060224054627/http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/qlistspage3.htm#Best%20Of%20The%2080s |url-status=usurped |archive-date=24 February 2006 |title=40 Best Albums of the '80s |magazine=[[Q (magazine)|Q]] |issn=0955-4955 |issue=241 |date=August 2006 |access-date=29 September 2011 |pages=84–89}}</ref> In 2012, ''[[Slant Magazine]]'' ranked the record at number 88 on its list of the "100 Best Albums of the 1980s".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/features/best-albums-of-the-1980s/ |title=The 100 Best Albums of the 1980s |website=[[Slant Magazine]] |date=5 March 2012 |access-date=2 January 2021}}</ref> In 2020, ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' placed ''Actually'' at number 435 on its list of the "[[Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time|500 Greatest Albums of All Time]]".<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-albums-of-all-time-1062063/pet-shop-boys-actually-1062798/ |title=The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |date=22 September 2020 |access-date=22 September 2020}}</ref>