tears-for-fears

Tears For Fears

Active: 1982–2005

PopRock

23

Releases

24

Active Years

About Tears For Fears

After the dissolution of their first group, a mod outfit called Graduate, in 1981, childhood friends Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal (along with keyboardist Ian Stanley) set out to form England’s next big synth band.

But while they were aiming for Duran Duran, they ended up with “Mad World,” a darkly relatable song that offered an early sign that Tears for Fears were more contemplative.

After all, they took their name from Arthur Janov's book on primal therapy and imbued their lyrics with many of his ideas, like the lines concerning dreams about dying on “Mad World.” Their 1983 debut album, The Hurting, earned them success in the UK, but their 1985 follow-up LP, Songs from the Big Chair, introduced their sobering pop to the world.

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Complete Discography

1982
1 release
single

MAD WORLD

Documented across 17 weeks

1983
3 releases
single

CHANGE

Documented across 9 weeks

single

PALE SHELTER

Documented across 8 weeks

single

THE WAY YOU ARE

Documented across 8 weeks

1984
2 releases
single

MOTHERS TALK

Documented across 9 weeks

single

SHOUT

Documented across 19 weeks

1985
5 releases
single

EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD

Documented across 75 weeks

single

HEAD OVER HEELS

Documented across 9 weeks

single

PALE SHELTER {1985}

Documented across 4 weeks

single

SUFFER THE CHILDREN

Documented across 5 weeks

single

I BELIEVE (A SOULFUL RE-RECORDING)

Documented across 5 weeks

1986
1 release
single

EVERYBODY WANTS TO RUN THE WORLD

Documented across 8 weeks

1989
2 releases
single

SOWING THE SEEDS OF LOVE

Documented across 9 weeks

single

WOMAN IN CHAINS

Documented across 9 weeks

1990
2 releases
single

ADVICE FOR THE YOUNG AT HEART

Documented across 4 weeks

single

FAMOUS LAST WORDS

Documented across 2 weeks

1992
2 releases
single

LAID SO LOW (TEARS ROLL DOWN)

Documented across 5 weeks

single

WOMAN IN CHAINS {1992}

Documented across 1 week

1993
2 releases
single

BREAK IT DOWN AGAIN

Documented across 5 weeks

single

COLD

Documented across 1 week

1995
1 release
single

RAOUL AND THE KINGS OF SPAIN

Documented across 3 weeks

1996
1 release
single

GOD'S MISTAKE

Documented across 1 week

2005
1 release
single

CLOSEST THING TO HEAVEN

Documented across 2 weeks

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