| Tears for Fears discography | |
|---|---|
 Roland Orzabal (left) and Curt Smith (right) performing in Hanover, 2008 | |
| Studio albums | 7 |
| Live albums | 2 |
| Compilation albums | 3 |
| Video albums | 11 |
| Music videos | 30 |
| EPs | 1 |
| Singles | 39 |
| Box sets | 4 |
| Other compilation albums | 22 |
The English new wave/pop rock band Tears for Fears have released seven studio albums, along with numerous singles, compilations and videos. Formed in 1981 by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith, the duo signed to Phonogram Records in the UK and released their first single the same year. It was not until Tears for Fears' third single, "Mad World" (1982), that they scored their first hit, and their platinum-selling debut album The Hurting (1983) was a UK number one.
Their second album, Songs from the Big Chair, was released in 1985 and became a worldwide hit, establishing the band in the US. After a third platinum-selling studio album, The Seeds of Love (1989), Smith and Orzabal parted company. The band's first greatest hits album was released in 1992 and went double platinum in the UK. Subsequent Tears for Fears studio albums Elemental (1993) and Raoul and the Kings of Spain (1995) were effectively solo albums by Orzabal. However, the duo reformed in 2000 for a new studio album, Everybody Loves a Happy Ending, which was released in 2004/05. Although continuing to tour regularly across the world, the band's recording output slowed down for several years. A new compilation album, Rule the World: The Greatest Hits, was released in 2017, giving the band their sixth UK Top 20 album. After a lengthy development, the band's seventh studio album, The Tipping Point, was released in February 2022.
Albums
Studio albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [1] |
AUS [2] |
CAN [3] |
FRA [4] |
GER [5] |
ITA [6][7] |
NL [8] |
NZ [9] |
SWI [10] |
US [11] | |||
| The Hurting | 1 | 15 | 7 | 16 | 15 | — | 30 | 16 | — | 73 | ||
| Songs from the Big Chair |
|
2 | 5 | 1 | 12 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 1 | |
| The Seeds of Love |
|
1 | 18 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 8 | 8 | |
| Elemental |
|
5 | 56 | 18 | 5 | 26 | 10 | 31 | — | 24 | 45 | |
| Raoul and the Kings of Spain | 41 | — | 62 | 5 | 88 | 23 | 70 | — | 42 | 79 | ||
| Everybody Loves a Happy Ending | 45 | — | — | 28 | 35 | 68 | 86 | — | 48 | 46 | ||
| The Tipping Point |
|
2 [A] | 7 | 20 | 10 | 3 | 14 | 5 | — | 4 | 8 [B] | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. | ||||||||||||
Notes
- ^ The Tipping Point reached No. 1 on the UK Official Albums Sales Chart, the UK Official Physical Albums Sales Chart, the UK Official Downloads Albums Chart, and the UK Official Vinyl Albums Chart.[21]
- ^ The Tipping Point reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Top Album Sales chart.[22]
Live albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| FRA [4] | ||
| Secret World – Live in Paris | 106 | |
| Live at Massey Hall Toronto, Canada / 1985 |
|
— |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. | ||
Compilation albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [1] |
AUS [23] |
CAN [3] |
FRA [4] |
GER [5] |
ITA [6] |
NL [8] |
NZ [9] |
SWI [10] |
US [11] | |||
| Tears Roll Down (Greatest Hits 82–92) |
|
2 | 101 | 19 | 2[A] | 7 | 1 | 22 | 9 | 14 | 53 | |
| Saturnine Martial & Lunatic |
|
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Rule the World: The Greatest Hits |
|
12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 87 | — |
|
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. | ||||||||||||
Other compilations
(The following compilations tended to be regional releases, issued without the band's involvement and often on "budget price" labels)
| Title | Album details | Certifications |
|---|---|---|
| Everybody Wants to Mix the World |
|
|
| Tears Laid Low (A Tears for Fears Alter Collection) |
|
|
| The Millennium Collection: The Best of Tears for Fears |
|
|
| Media Markt Präsentiert Tears for Fears |
|
|
| Classic – The Universal Masters Collection |
|
|
| Shout |
|
|
| The Working Hour: An Introduction to Tears for Fears |
|
|
| Shout: The Very Best of Tears for Fears |
|
|
| Gold |
|
|
| The Best of Remixes |
|
|
| The Ultimate Collection |
|
|
| The Collection |
|
|
| Gold |
|
|
| The Collection |
|
|
| Sowing the Seeds of Love: The Best of Tears for Fears |
|
|
| Famous Last Words: The Collection |
|
|
| The Silver Collection |
|
|
| The Essential Collection |
|
|
| Die Grössten Hits |
|
|
| Mad World: The Collection |
|
|
| Everybody Wants to Rule the World: The Collection |
|
|
| Icon |
|
Box sets
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Collusion |
|
| Songs from the Big Chair / The Hurting |
|
| The Hurting / Sowing the Seeds of Love |
|
| 3 Original CDs |
|
EPs
| Title | EP details |
|---|---|
| Ready Boy & Girls? |
|
Singles
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK [1][25][26] |
AUS [2][23] |
BEL (FL) [27] |
CAN [28] |
FRA [29] |
GER [5] |
IRE [30] |
ITA [6][31] |
NL [8] |
NZ [9] |
US [32] | ||||
| "Suffer the Children" | 1981 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | The Hurting | |
| "Pale Shelter (You Don't Give Me Love)" [B] | 1982 | — | — | — | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Mad World" | 3 | 12 | — | — | 73[C] | 21 | 6 | — | — | 25 | — |
| ||
| "Change" | 1983 | 4 | 29 | 30 | 23 | — | — | 8 | 14 | 32 | 36 | 73 |
| |
| "Pale Shelter" (1983 version) [B] | 5 | — | — | — | — | 25 | 5 | — | — | — | — | |||
| "The Way You Are" | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album single | ||
| "Mothers Talk" | 1984 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | 23 | — | — | 50 | — | Songs from the Big Chair | |
| "Shout" | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 21 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1[D] | |||
| "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" | 1985 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 18 | 11 | 2 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 1[D] | ||
| "Head over Heels" | 12 | 21 | 18 | 8 | — | 55 | 5 | — | 29 | 12 | 3 |
| ||
| "Suffer the Children" (reissue) | 52 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | The Hurting | ||
| "Pale Shelter (You Don't Give Me Love)" (reissue) | 73 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "I Believe (A Soulful Re-Recording)" | 23 | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | — | — | 28 | — | Songs from the Big Chair | ||
| "Mothers Talk" (US remix) | 1986 | — | — | — | 87 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 27 | ||
| "Everybody Wants to Run the World" | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | Non-album single | ||
| "Sowing the Seeds of Love" | 1989 | 5 | 13 | 11 | 1 | 18 | 11 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 2 | The Seeds of Love | |
| "Woman in Chains" (featuring Oleta Adams) | 26 | 39 | 32 | 11 | 20 | 45 | 21 | 14 | 16 | 34 | 36 | |||
| "Advice for the Young at Heart" | 1990 | 36 | 116 | 34 | 25 | 31 | 51 | 15 | — | 22 | — | 89 | ||
| "Famous Last Words" | 83 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams" [E] | 1991 | 70 | 152 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album single | |
| "Laid So Low (Tears Roll Down)" | 1992 | 17 | 130 | 49 | 28 | 15 | 40 | — | 6 | 27 | — | —[F] | Tears Roll Down (Greatest Hits 82–92) | |
| "Woman in Chains" (reissue) | 57 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Break It Down Again" | 1993 | 20 | 82 | 49 | 4 | 19 | 66 | — | 10 | 27 | — | 25 | Elemental | |
| "Cold" | 72 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Goodnight Song" [G] | — | — | — | 44 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 125 | |||
| "Elemental" [H] | 1994 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Raoul and the Kings of Spain" | 1995 | 31 | — | 39 | — | — | 80 | — | — | — | — | — | Raoul and the Kings of Spain | |
| "God's Mistake" | 61 | — | — | 48 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 102 | |||
| "Secrets" [I] | 1996 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Falling Down" [J] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Call Me Mellow" [K] | 2004 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 45 | — | — | —[L] | Everybody Loves a Happy Ending | |
| "Closest Thing to Heaven" | 2005 | 40 | — | 64 | — | — | — | — | — | 70 | — | — | ||
| "Everybody Loves a Happy Ending/Call Me Mellow" | 102 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Secret World" [M] | 2006 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Secret World – Live in Paris | |
| "I Love You but I'm Lost" | 2017 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Rule the World: The Greatest Hits | |
| "The Tipping Point" | 2021 | —[N] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | —[O] | The Tipping Point | |
| "No Small Thing" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Break the Man"[39] | 2022 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "My Demons"[40] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Long, Long, Long Time"[41] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Rivers of Mercy"[42] | 2023 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. | ||||||||||||||
Videos
Video albums
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| The Videosingles |
|
| In My Mind's Eye |
|
| Scenes from the Big Chair |
|
| Sowing the Seeds |
|
| Going to California |
|
| Knebworth '90 |
|
| Tears Roll Down (Greatest Hits 82–92) |
|
| 20th Century Masters: The DVD Collection – The Best of Tears for Fears |
|
| Classic – The Universal Masters DVD Collection |
|
| Gold: The Videos |
|
Music videos
| Title | Year | Director |
|---|---|---|
| "Mad World" | 1982 | Clive Richardson |
| "Change" | 1983 | |
| "Pale Shelter" | Steve Barron | |
| "The Way You Are" | unknown | |
| "Mothers Talk" (version 1) | 1984 | Laurie Lewis |
| "Mothers Talk" (version 2) | Nigel Dick | |
| "Shout" | ||
| "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" | 1985 | |
| "Head Over Heels" | ||
| "I Believe" | ||
| "Mothers Talk" (US remix) | 1986 | |
| "Sowing the Seeds of Love" | 1989 | Jim Blashfield |
| "Woman in Chains" | Andy Morahan | |
| "Advice for the Young at Heart" | 1990 | |
| "Famous Last Words" | Nigel Dick | |
| "Laid So Low (Tears Roll Down)" | 1992 | Paul Donnellon |
| "Break It Down Again" | 1993 | Dani Jacobs |
| "Cold" | unknown | |
| "Goodnight Song" | Dani Jacobs | |
| "Elemental" | 1994 | Samuel Bayer |
| "Raoul and the Kings of Spain" | 1995 | Cameron Casey |
| "God's Mistake" | ||
| "Secrets" (version 1) | 1996 | |
| "Secrets" (version 2) | Roland Orzabal | |
| "Falling Down" | ||
| "Closest Thing to Heaven" | 2005 | Michael Palmieri |
| "I Love You but I'm Lost" | 2017 | Morgan Freed[43] |
| "The Tipping Point" | 2021 | Matt Mahurin |
| "No Small Thing" | Vern Moen | |
| "Break the Man" | 2022 | WeWereMonkeys |
| "My Demons" | Heather Gildroy | |
| "Long, Long, Long Time" | Heather Gildroy, Justin Daashuur Hopkins |
Notes
- ^ Peak position on the Compilations Chart
- ^ a b The 1982 Mike Howlett-produced version of "Pale Shelter (You Don't Give Me Love)" was eventually issued as a single in Canada in 1983, and peaked at #12.[33] In other territories, the hit single was the "1983 version" of "Pale Shelter". This 1983 version was a wholly new recording produced by Chris Hughes & Ross Cullum, and it did not include the parenthetical subtitle.
- ^ Chart position is from 2013.
- ^ a b In the US, "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" was the first single release from Songs from the Big Chair followed by "Shout".
- ^ Though not formally credited to Tears for Fears, "Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams" was originally the B-side to "Advice for the Young at Heart". It was then remixed by Fluke and released as a single by TFF's record company in the UK and simply credited to 'Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams'. The single also reached number 1 on the UK Dance Chart.
- ^ "Laid So Low" reached number 10 on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.
- ^ "Goodnight Song" was released as a single in North America and some European countries. It was also released as a promo-only single in the UK.
- ^ "Elemental" was only released as a single in France and the US.
- ^ Whilst "Secrets" was released as a single elsewhere, it was withdrawn from release in the UK.
- ^ "Falling Down" was released as a promo-only single in the US, Brazil, Mexico, and some European countries.
- ^ "Call Me Mellow" was released as a promo-only single in North America in 2004 and in the UK and Germany in 2005. However, it did get a commercial release in a Italy in early 2005.
- ^ "Call Me Mellow" reached #28 on the US Billboard Adult Top 40 chart.
- ^ "Secret World" was released as a promo-only single in France.
- ^ "The Tipping Point" reached #36 on the UK Singles Downloads Chart.[36] and #37 on the UK Singles Sales Chart[37] in October 2021.
- ^ "The Tipping Point" reached #17 on the US Billboard Adult Alternative Songs Chart, #17 on the US Billboard Alternative Digital Song Sales Chart and #19 on the US Billboard Rock Digital Song Sales Chart.[38] between October 2021 and January 2022.
References
- ^ a b c "Official Charts > Tears for Fears". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2019-05-28.
- ^ a b Australian chart peaks:
- Top 100 (Kent Music Report) peaks to 12 June 1988: Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). St. Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 306. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. N.B. the Kent Report chart was licensed by ARIA between mid-1983 and 12 June 1988.
- Top 50 (ARIA) peaks from 13 June 1988: "australian-charts.com > Tears for Fears in Australian Charts". Hung Medien. Retrieved 2019-05-28.
- Top 100 (ARIA) peaks from January 1990 to December 2010: Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (pdf ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 276.
- "Advice for the Young at Heart" (ARIA) peak: "ARIA Singles Chart w/c 4-6-1990". Imgur.com. Retrieved 2019-05-28.
- "Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams": "Week commencing 6 May 1991". Retrieved 2022-07-19.
- ^ a b "Tears for Fears in Canadian Charts". RPM Magazine. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2016-06-10.
- The Tipping Point: "Tears for Fears Chart History: Canadian Albums". Billboard. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
- ^ a b c Album chart peaks in France:
- The Hurting and Songs from the Big Chair: "InfoDisc : Tous les Albums classés par Artiste". infodisc.fr. Retrieved 2022-07-19.. Note that these are unofficial peaks produced retrospectively due to the lack of an official album chart in France at the time.
- The Seeds of Love: "European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 45. 11 November 1989. p. VIII.
- Elemental: "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 28. 10 July 1993. p. 20.
- Raoul and the Kings of Spain: "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 43. 28 October 1995. p. 58.
- Albums since 1996: "lescharts.com - Les charts français". lescharts.com. Retrieved 2022-07-19.
- ^ a b c "Offizielle Deutsche Charts > Suchen nach "Tears for Fears"" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 2019-05-28. N.B. Select 'Album' tab to display album chart peaks.
- ^ a b c "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Set "Tipo" on "Album" or "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Tears For Fears".
- ^ "italiancharts.com - Italian charts portal". italiancharts.com. Retrieved 2022-07-19.
- ^ a b c "dutchcharts.nl > Tears for Fears in Dutch Charts" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 2019-05-28.
- ^ a b c "charts.nz > Tears for Fears in New Zealand Charts". Hung Medien. Retrieved 2019-05-28.
- ^ a b "Tears for Fears in Swiss Charts" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 2019-05-28.
- ^ a b "Tears for Fears Chart History > Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved 2019-05-28.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "British certifications – Tears for Fears". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 5 January 2024. Type Tears for Fears in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Canadian certifications – Tears for Fears". Music Canada. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
- ^ a b c d e "InfoDisc : Les Certifications Officielles des Formats Longs ((33 T. / CD / Albums / Téléchargements depuis 1973". infodisc.fr. Retrieved 2022-07-19.
- ^ a b c d e f g "American certifications – Tears for Fears". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
- ^ a b c "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Tears for Fears)" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
- ^ a b "Dutch certifications – Tears for Fears" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved 19 July 2022. Enter Tears for Fears in the "Artiest of titel" box.
- ^ a b c d e Scapolo, Dean (2007). The Complete New Zealand Music Charts: 1966–2006. Wellington: Dean Scapolo and Maurienne House. ISBN 978-1877443-00-8.
- ^ The ARIA Report. Vol. 12. ARIA. 1 April 1990. p. 6.
- ^ a b "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Tears for Fears)". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
- ^ "UK Official Charts (OCC) - Tears For Fears: The Tipping Point (UK Album Charts summary)". Retrieved 2023-08-11.
- ^ "Tears For Fears - Chart History - Top Album Sales". Billboard. Retrieved 2023-08-11.
- ^ a b "Bubbling Down Under Week Commencing 6 April 1992". Bubbling Down Under. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
- ^ a b "Italian certifications – Tears for Fears" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 19 July 2022. Select "Tutti gli anni" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "Tears for Fears" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Tutte le sezioni" under "Sezione".
- ^ "Official Charts > Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2019-05-28.
- ^ UK peak for "Everybody Loves a Happy Ending/Call Me Mellow": "Chart Log UK 1994–2010 > DJ T – Tzant". Dipl.-Bibl.(FH) Tobias Zywietz. Retrieved 2016-02-21.
- ^ "Ultratop > Tears for Fears in Ultratop Vlaanderen" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 2019-05-28.
- ^ "Tears for Fears in Canadian Charts". RPM Magazine. Archived from the original on 2012-10-21. Retrieved 2011-01-16.
- ^ "lescharts.com - Les charts français". lescharts.com. Retrieved 2022-07-19.
- ^ "Tears for Fears: Irish Singles". irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 2010-08-22.
- ^ "italiancharts.com - Italian charts portal". italiancharts.com. Retrieved 2022-07-19.
- ^ "Tears for Fears Chart History > Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved 2019-05-28.
- ^ "RPM Top 50 Singles - November 5, 1983" (PDF).
- ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Tears for Fears)" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
- ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2022 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
- ^ "The Official Charts Company (Singles Downloads) - 15 October 2021". The Official Charts Company. 15 October 2021.
- ^ "The Official Charts Company (Singles Sales) - 15 October 2021". The Official Charts Company. 15 Oct 2021.
- ^ Select the right category
- ^ "Tears for Fears Rail Against the Patriarchy in New Single "Break the Man"". Rolling Stone. 13 January 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
- ^ "Tears For Fears share striking video for latest single 'My Demons'". Retro Pop. 2022-06-01. Retrieved 2022-07-19.
- ^ "Tears For Fears share music video for latest single 'Long, Long, Long, Time'". Retro Pop. 2022-08-18. Retrieved 2023-04-10.
- ^ "Tears For Fears announce three special UK shows for September". Retro Pop. 2023-06-14. Retrieved 2023-08-01.
- ^ Polcaro, Rafael (2017-12-27). "Watch Tears For Fears video for they new song "I Love You But I'm Lost"". Rock And Roll Garage. Retrieved 2022-07-19.