The English new wave and 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 studio album The Hurting (1983) was a UK number one.
Their second studio 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, peaking at number two in the UK - their highest charting album in thirty years. Songs for a Nervous Planet, a live double album featuring several brand new studio tracks, was released in 2024, giving the band their seventh UK Top Ten album.
Albums Studio albums Title Details Peak chart positions Certifications UK AUSAustralian chart peaks: Top 100 (Kent Music Report) peaks to 12 June 1988: 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: Top 100 (ARIA) peaks from January 1990 to December 2010: "Advice for the Young at Heart" (ARIA) peak: "Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams": CAN The Tipping Point: FRAAlbum chart peaks in France: The Hurting and Songs from the Big Chair: . 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: Elemental: Raoul and the Kings of Spain: Albums since 1996: GER N.B. Select 'Album' tab to display album chart peaks. ITA Set "Tipo" on "Album" or "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Tears For Fears". NL NZ SWI US The Hurting Released: 7 March 1983 Label: Mercury/Phonogram Formats: LP, MC11571615—3016—73 UK: Platinum CAN: Platinum FRA: Gold US: Gold Songs from the Big Chair Released: 25 February 1985 Label: Mercury/Phonogram Formats: CD, LP, MC25112161251 UK: 3× Platinum CAN: 7× Platinum FRA: Gold GER: Gold NL: Platinum NZ: 2× Platinum US: 5× Platinum The Seeds of Love Released: 25 September 1989 Label: Fontana Formats: CD, LP, MC11853557488 UK: Platinum AUS: Gold CAN: 2× Platinum FRA: Platinum GER: Gold NL: Gold NZ: Gold SWI: Gold US: Platinum Elemental Released: 7 June 1993 Label: Mercury/Phonogram Formats: CD, LP, MC, DCC556185261031—2445 UK: Silver CAN: Gold FRA: Gold US: Gold Raoul and the Kings of Spain Released: 16 October 1995 Label: Epic Formats: CD, MC, MD41—625882370—4279 Everybody Loves a Happy Ending Released: 14 September 2004 (US)/7 March 2005 (UK) Label: New Door, Gut Formats: CD45——28356886—4846 The Tipping Point Released: 25 February 2022 Label: Concord Formats: CD, LP, MC, Blu-ray, digital download2720103145—48 "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Live albums Title Details Peak chart positions UK FRA ITA NL US Secret World – Live in Paris Released: 27 February 2006 Label: XIII Bis Formats: CD+DVD France-only release — 106 — — — Live at Massey Hall Toronto, Canada / 1985 Released: 12 June 2021 Label: UMC/Mercury Formats: CD, 2×LP, digital download — — — — — Songs for a Nervous PlanetThis album also contains four (or five in some limited editions) new studio tracks. Released: 25 October 2024 Label: Concord Formats: 2×CD, 2×LP, Blu-ray, digital download 6 37 72 58 104 "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Compilation albums Title Details Peak chart positions Certifications UK AUS CAN FRA GER ITA NL NZ SWI US Tears Roll Down (Greatest Hits 82–92) Released: 2 March 1992 Label: Fontana, Mercury Formats: CD, LP, MC, DCC2101192712291453 UK: 2× Platinum CAN: Gold FRA: Gold GER: Gold ITA: Gold NZ: Platinum SWI: Gold US: Platinum Saturnine Martial & Lunatic Released: 3 June 1996 Label: Fontana Formats: CD, MC, 2×LP—————————— Rule the World: The Greatest Hits Released: 10 November 2017 Label: Virgin EMI Formats: CD, 2×LP, digital download12———————87— UK: Platinum "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was 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 Details Certifications Everybody Wants to Mix the World Released: 1986 Label: Mercury/PolyGram Formats: LP, MC Argentina-only collection of remixes Tears Laid Low (A Tears for Fears Alter Collection) Released: 1992 Label: Fontana Formats: CD Canada limited promo-only release of B-sides 20th Century Masters – The Millennium Collection: The Best of Tears for Fears Released: 27 June 2000 Label: Mercury Formats: CD US and Canada-only release Media Markt Präsentiert Tears for Fears Released: October 2000 Label: Mercury Formats: CD Germany-only release Classic Tears for Fears: The Universal Masters Collection Released: November 2000 Label: Mercury Formats: CD Reissued in Japan in 2001 as The Best of Tears for Fears – Superstar Collection, in Germany as Millennium Edition and 2004 in Germany again as Popstars of the 20th Century Shout Released: January 2001 Label: Mercury/Universal Formats: CD Germany-only release The Working Hour: An Introduction to Tears for Fears Released: 26 March 2001 Label: Mercury Formats: CD Shout: The Very Best of Tears for Fears Released: 25 September 2001 Label: Mercury Formats: CD US-only release Gold Released: 2001 Label: Mercury Formats: CD Brazil-only release The Best of Remixes Released: 5 June 2002 Label: Mercury Formats: CD Japan-only release The Ultimate Collection Released: February 2003 Label: Universal Formats: 3×CD The Collection Released: 13 October 2003 Label: Spectrum Music Formats: CD UK: Silver Gold Released: 8 August 2006 Label: Hip-O/Mercury Formats: 2×CD The Collection Released: November 2006 Label: Brunswick News/Universal Music Formats: CD Europe-only release Sowing the Seeds of Love: The Best of Tears for Fears Released: 2006 Label: Brunswick News/Universal Music Formats: 2×CD Germany-only release Famous Last Words: The Collection Released: 14 May 2007 Label: Spectrum Music Formats: 2×CD The Silver Collection Released: June 2007 Label: Spectrum Music Formats: CD Europe-only release The Essential Collection Released: 2008 Label: Spectrum Music/Woolworths Worthit! Formats: CD Die Grössten Hits Released: 2008 Label: Mercury/Universal Music Formats: CD Germany-only release Mad World: The Collection Released: 18 October 2010 Label: Spectrum Music/Universal Formats: 2×CD Everybody Wants to Rule the World: The Collection Released: 26 August 2013 Label: Spectrum Music Formats: CD Icon Released: 5 August 2014 Label: Mercury Formats: CD
Box sets Title Details Collusion Released: 25 June 1991 Label: Fontana Formats: 4×CD Japan-only release Songs from the Big Chair / The Hurting Released: 1997 Label: Mercury Formats: 2×CD The Hurting / Sowing the Seeds of Love Released: 2000 Label: Mercury Formats: 2×CD 3 Original CDs Released: 2003 Label: Mercury Formats: 3×CD
Extended plays Title Details Ready Boy & Girls? Released: 19 April 2014 Label: Ingrooves Formats: 10″ Record Store Day release
Singles Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album UKUK peak for "Everybody Loves a Happy Ending/Call Me Mellow": AUS BEL(FL) CAN FRA GER IRE ITA NL NZ US "Suffer the Children" 1981——————————— The Hurting "Pale Shelter (You Don't Give Me Love)" 1982———12——————— "Mad World"312——73216——25— UK: Gold "Change" 19834293023——814323673 UK: Silver "Pale Shelter" 5————255———— "The Way You Are"24—————————— "Mothers Talk" 198414—————23——50— Songs from the Big Chair "Shout"411121152111 UK: Gold CAN: Platinum NZ: Gold US: Gold US: Gold (digital) "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" 198522311811212211 UK: 5× Platinum AUS: 5× Platinum CAN: Gold GER: Platinum IT: Platinum NZ: Gold "Head over Heels"1221188—555—29123 UK: Gold "Suffer the Children" 52—————————— The Hurting "Pale Shelter (You Don't Give Me Love)" 73—————————— "I Believe (A Soulful Re-Recording)"23—————10——28— Songs from the Big Chair "Mothers Talk" 1986———87——————27 "Everybody Wants to Run the World"5—————4———— "Sowing the Seeds of Love" 1989513111181142342 UK: Silver The Seeds of Love "Woman in Chains"2639321120452114163436 UK: Silver "Advice for the Young at Heart" 1990361163425315115—22—89 "Famous Last Words"83—————————— "Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams" 199170152————————— "Laid So Low (Tears Roll Down)" 19921713049281540—627—— Tears Roll Down (Greatest Hits 82–92) "Woman in Chains" 57—————————— "Break It Down Again" 199320824941966—1027—25 Elemental "Cold"72—————————— "Goodnight Song"———44——————125 "Elemental" 1994——————————— "Raoul and the Kings of Spain" 199531—39——80————— Raoul and the Kings of Spain "God's Mistake"61——48——————102 "Falling Down"——————————— "Secrets" 1996——————————— "Call Me Mellow" 2004———————45——— Everybody Loves a Happy Ending "Closest Thing to Heaven" 200540—64—————70—— "Everybody Loves a Happy Ending" / "Call Me Mellow"102—————————— "Secret World" 2006———————————Secret World – Live in Paris "I Love You but I'm Lost" 2017——————————— Rule the World: The Greatest Hits "The Tipping Point" 2021——————————— The Tipping Point "No Small Thing"——————————— "Break the Man" 2022——————————— "My Demons"——————————— "Long, Long, Long Time"——————————— "Rivers of Mercy" 2023——————————— "The Girl That I Call Home" 2024——————————— Songs for a Nervous Planet "Astronaut"——————————— "Say Goodbye to Mum and Dad"——————————— "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Collaborations and other appearances YearAlbum/singleCollaboratorComment 1990Knebworth: The AlbumVarious ArtistsThe live album contains the songs "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" and "Badmans Song"
Videos
Video albums Title Details The Videosingles Released: May 1983 Label: PolyGram Music Video Formats: VHS, Beta, LD In My Mind's Eye Released: 12 October 1984 Label: PolyGram Music Video Formats: VHS, Beta, LD Scenes from the Big Chair Released: November 1985 Label: PolyGram Music Video Formats: VHS, Beta, LD Sowing the Seeds Released: March 1990 Label: Channel 5/PolyGram Music Video Formats: VHS, LD Going to California Released: 8 October 1990 Label: PolyGram Music Video Formats: VHS, LD Knebworth '90 Released: 1991 Label: Castle Music Pictures Formats: VHS Tears Roll Down (Greatest Hits 82–92) Released: March 1992 Label: PolyGram Music Video Formats: VHS, LD 20th Century Masters: The DVD Collection – The Best of Tears for Fears Released: 24 February 2004 Label: Mercury Formats: DVD Classic – The Universal Masters DVD Collection Released: 2005 Label: Mercury/Universal Formats: DVD Gold: The Videos Released: May 2007 Label: Universal Formats: DVD
Music videos