Tears for Fears discography

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.

Tears for Fears discography
Roland Orzabal (left) and Curt Smith (right) performing in Hanover, 2008
Studio albums	7
EPs	1
Live albums	3
Compilation albums	3
Singles	44
Video albums	10
Music videos	30
Box sets	4
Other compilation albums	22

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	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	Released: 7 March 1983 Label: Mercury/Phonogram Formats: LP, MC	1	15	7	16	15	—	30	16	—	73	UK: Platinum[12] CAN: Platinum[13] FRA: Gold[14] US: Gold[15]
Songs from the Big Chair	Released: 25 February 1985 Label: Mercury/Phonogram Formats: CD, LP, MC	2	5	1	12	1	6	1	2	5	1	UK: 3× Platinum[12] CAN: 7× Platinum[13] FRA: Gold[14] GER: Gold[16] NL: Platinum[17] NZ: 2× Platinum[18] US: 5× Platinum[15]
The Seeds of Love	Released: 25 September 1989 Label: Fontana Formats: CD, LP, MC	1	18	5	3	5	5	7	4	8	8	UK: Platinum[12] AUS: Gold[19] CAN: 2× Platinum[13] FRA: Platinum[14] GER: Gold[16] NL: Gold[17] NZ: Gold[18] SWI: Gold[20] US: Platinum[15]
Elemental	Released: 7 June 1993 Label: Mercury/Phonogram Formats: CD, LP, MC, DCC	5	56	18	5	26	10	31	—	24	45	UK: Silver[12] CAN: Gold[13] FRA: Gold[14] US: Gold[15]
Raoul and the Kings of Spain	Released: 16 October 1995 Label: Epic Formats: CD, MC, MD	41	—	62	5	88	23	70	—	42	79
Everybody Loves a Happy Ending	Released: 14 September 2004 (US)/7 March 2005 (UK) Label: New Door, Gut Formats: CD	45	—	—	28	35	68	86	—	48	46
The Tipping Point	Released: 25 February 2022 Label: Concord Formats: CD, LP, MC, Blu-ray, digital download	2	7	20	10	3	14	5	—	4	8
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Live albums

Title	Details	Peak chart positions
		UK [1]	FRA [4]	ITA [7]	NL [8]	US [11]
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 Planet[21]	Released: 25 October 2024[22] 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 [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)	Released: 2 March 1992 Label: Fontana, Mercury Formats: CD, LP, MC, DCC	2	101	19	2[A]	7	1	22	9	14	53	UK: 2× Platinum[12] CAN: Gold[13] FRA: Gold[14] GER: Gold[16] ITA: Gold[24] NZ: Platinum[18] SWI: Gold[20] US: Platinum[15]
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 download	12	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	87	—	UK: Gold[12]
"—" 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[12]
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
		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	—	UK: Gold[12]
"Change"	1983	4	29	30	23	—	—	8	14	32	36	73	UK: Silver[12]
"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]	UK: Gold[12] CAN: Platinum[13] GER: Gold[34] NZ: Gold[18] US: Gold[15] US: Gold (digital)[15]
"Everybody Wants to Rule the World"	1985	2	2	3	1	18	11	2	12	2	1	1[D]	UK: 4× Platinum[12] AUS: 5× Platinum[35] CAN: Gold[13] IT: Platinum[24] NZ: Gold[18]
"Head over Heels"		12	21	18	8	—	55	5	—	29	12	3	UK: Gold[12]
"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	UK: Silver[12]	The Seeds of Love
"Woman in Chains" (featuring Oleta Adams)		26	39	32	11	20	45	21	14	16	34	36	UK: Silver[12]
"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
"Falling Down"[36][37]		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"Secrets"[I]	1996	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"Call Me Mellow"[J]	2004	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	45	—	—	—[K]		Everybody Loves a Happy Ending
"Closest Thing to Heaven"	2005	40	—	64	—	—	—	—	—	70	—	—
"Everybody Loves a Happy Ending" / "Call Me Mellow"		102[L]	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"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"[43]	2022	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"My Demons"[44]		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"Long, Long, Long Time"[45]		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"Rivers of Mercy"[46]	2023	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"The Girl That I Call Home"[47]	2024	—[P]	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		Songs for a Nervous Planet
"Astronaut"[49]		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"Say Goodbye to Mum and Dad"[50]		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

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

Title	Year	Director(s)
"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[51]
"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 and Justin Daashuur Hopkins
"The Girl That I Call Home"	2024	Maschima
"Astronaut"

Notes

1. Peak position on the Compilations Chart
2. 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 version was a wholly new recording produced by Chris Hughes and Ross Cullum, and it did not include the parenthetical subtitle.
3. Chart position is from 2013.
4. In the US, "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" was the first single release from Songs from the Big Chair followed by "Shout".
5. 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 Tears for Fears' 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.
6. "Laid So Low" reached number 10 on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.
7. "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.
8. "Elemental" was only released as a single in France and the US.
9. Whilst "Secrets" was released as a single elsewhere, it was withdrawn from release in the UK.
10. "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.
11. "Call Me Mellow" reached #28 on the US Billboard Adult Top 40 chart.
12. "Everybody Loves A Happy Ending/Call Me Mellow" reached #79 on the UK Physical Singles Chart^[38] and #13 on the UK Independent Singles Chart^[39] in June 2005.
13. "Secret World" was released as a promo-only single in France.
14. "The Tipping Point" reached #36 on the UK Singles Downloads Chart.^[40] and #37 on the UK Singles Sales Chart^[41] in October 2021.
15. "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.^[42] between October 2021 and January 2022.
16. "The Girl That I Call Home" reached #93 on the UK Singles Downloads Chart in November 2024.^[48].