Are the Pet Shop Boys the most underrated music act of all time?

Seriously, as a gay 80's band, they have suffered a severe backlash that has gone beyond being ignored, but has people actively disliking them. I understand the casual radio listener may have only heard Go West and Always On My Mind, but they have such an incredible amount of poignant, slow gems, as well as stompers. How one could hate My October Symphony, Being Boring, King's Cross, etc. is beyond me. They have remarkable songcrafting skills, and the fact that they express them through electronic synthesizers may have led to a backlash. I don't hesitate comparing them to The Beatles.

They have never taken an extended break in their career, and are constantly challenging their audience artistically. I can only name New Order and Depeche Mode as two other 80's bands who made good albums in the 2000's, yet both rarely put out material of consistent quality. Quite simply, at this point, PSB have no equals and are doing something unique. Yet they're made fun of or ignored.

Are the Pet Shop Boys the most underrated music act of all time?performing shows

The Pet Shop Boys are really amazing songwriters, and they have stood the test of time because they are obsessed with melodies and hooks, as well as the total package. Like the Beatles, they are reclusive, but their accomplishments are staggering. They've had hit albums, revived 60s songstresses, performed full theatrical concerts, cowritten a stage musical, scored a classic silent film, and made a feature film of their own. If anyone is interested in their process, there is a great BBC documentary from a couple of years back that puts their whole career in perspective. Chris Lowe knocks out an entire arrangement of "It's a Sin" on a PIPE ORGAN. Truly amazing. I've loved them, really, since Behaviour, although I appreciated their work before that.

Are the Pet Shop Boys the most underrated music act of all time?say yes opera theater

I don't think they are underrated at all. They are respected a great deal.
I just watched a special on LOGO 2 nights ago about the Pet Shop Boys. They had me with "West End Girls" a long time ago!
When you're in the public spotlight, you get scrutinized for everything. The fact that Elvis and Willie Nelson already won awards for Always On My Mind well before they cut it is also a detractor. Also, many people feel a lot of pop records all sound the same, which is why they like other genres.

That being said, why you didn't bring up West End Girls, Opportunity, or their collarboration with Dusty Springfield is well beyond me. You can't hate what you haven't heard. I know their singles, and they were great.