# 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.
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 | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Certifications |
| Title | Details | UK | AUS | CAN | FRA | GER | ITA | NL | NZ | SWI | US | Certifications |
| The Hurting | Released: 7 March 1983 Label: Mercury/Phonogram Formats: LP, MC | 1 | 15 | 7 | 16 | 15 | — | 30 | 16 | — | 73 | UK: Platinum CAN: Platinum FRA: Gold US: Gold |
| 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 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, MC | 1 | 18 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 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, DCC | 5 | 56 | 18 | 5 | 26 | 10 | 31 | — | 24 | 45 | UK: Silver CAN: Gold FRA: Gold US: Gold |
| 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 | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions |
| Title | Details | 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 Planet | 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 | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Certifications |
| Title | Details | UK | AUS | CAN | FRA | GER | ITA | NL | NZ | SWI | US | Certifications |
| Tears Roll Down (Greatest Hits 82–92) | Released: 2 March 1992 Label: Fontana, Mercury Formats: CD, LP, MC, DCC | 2 | 101 | 19 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 22 | 9 | 14 | 53 | 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 download | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 87 | — | UK: Gold |
| "—" 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: 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 | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album |
| Title | Year | UK | AUS | BEL (FL) | CAN | FRA | GER | IRE | ITA | NL | NZ | US | Certifications | Album |
| "Suffer the Children" | 1981 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | The Hurting |
| "Pale Shelter (You Don't Give Me Love)" | 1982 | — | — | — | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | The Hurting |
| "Mad World" | 1982 | 3 | 12 | — | — | 73 | 21 | 6 | — | — | 25 | — | UK: Gold | The Hurting |
| "Change" | 1983 | 4 | 29 | 30 | 23 | — | — | 8 | 14 | 32 | 36 | 73 | UK: Silver | The Hurting |
| "Pale Shelter" (1983 version) | 1983 | 5 | — | — | — | — | 25 | 5 | — | — | — | — | | The Hurting |
| "The Way You Are" | 1983 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Non-album single |
| "Mothers Talk" | 1984 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | 23 | — | — | 50 | — | | Songs from the Big Chair |
| "Shout" | 1984 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 21 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | UK: Gold CAN: Platinum GER: Gold NZ: Gold US: Gold US: Gold (digital) | Songs from the Big Chair |
| "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" | 1985 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 18 | 11 | 2 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 1 | UK: 4× Platinum AUS: 5× Platinum CAN: Gold IT: Platinum NZ: Gold | Songs from the Big Chair |
| "Head over Heels" | 1985 | 12 | 21 | 18 | 8 | — | 55 | 5 | — | 29 | 12 | 3 | UK: Silver | Songs from the Big Chair |
| "Suffer the Children" (reissue) | 1985 | 52 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | The Hurting |
| "Pale Shelter (You Don't Give Me Love)" (reissue) | 1985 | 73 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | The Hurting |
| "I Believe (A Soulful Re-Recording)" | 1985 | 23 | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | — | — | 28 | — | | Songs from the Big Chair |
| "Mothers Talk" (US remix) | 1986 | — | — | — | 87 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 27 | | Songs from the Big Chair |
| "Everybody Wants to Run the World" | 1986 | 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) | 1989 | 26 | 39 | 32 | 11 | 20 | 45 | 21 | 14 | 16 | 34 | 36 | | The Seeds of Love |
| "Advice for the Young at Heart" | 1990 | 36 | 116 | 34 | 25 | 31 | 51 | 15 | — | 22 | — | 89 | | The Seeds of Love |
| "Famous Last Words" | 1990 | 83 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | The Seeds of Love |
| "Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams" | 1991 | 70 | 152 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Non-album single |
| "Laid So Low (Tears Roll Down)" | 1992 | 17 | 130 | 49 | 28 | 15 | 40 | — | 6 | 27 | — | — | | Tears Roll Down (Greatest Hits 82–92) |
| "Woman in Chains" (reissue) | 1992 | 57 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Tears Roll Down (Greatest Hits 82–92) |
| "Break It Down Again" | 1993 | 20 | 82 | 49 | 4 | 19 | 66 | — | 10 | 27 | — | 25 | | Elemental |
| "Cold" | 1993 | 72 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Elemental |
| "Goodnight Song" | 1993 | — | — | — | 44 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 125 | | Elemental |
| "Elemental" | 1994 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Elemental |
| "Raoul and the Kings of Spain" | 1995 | 31 | — | 39 | — | — | 80 | — | — | — | — | — | | Raoul and the Kings of Spain |
| "God's Mistake" | 1995 | 61 | — | — | 48 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 102 | | Raoul and the Kings of Spain |
| "Secrets" | 1996 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Raoul and the Kings of Spain |
| "Falling Down" | 1996 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Raoul and the Kings of Spain |
| "Call Me Mellow" | 2004 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 45 | — | — | — | | Everybody Loves a Happy Ending |
| "Closest Thing to Heaven" | 2005 | 40 | — | 64 | — | — | — | — | — | 70 | — | — | | Everybody Loves a Happy Ending |
| "Everybody Loves a Happy Ending" / "Call Me Mellow" | 2005 | 102 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Everybody Loves a Happy Ending |
| "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" | 2021 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | The Tipping Point |
| "Break the Man" | 2022 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | The Tipping Point |
| "My Demons" | 2022 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | The Tipping Point |
| "Long, Long, Long Time" | 2022 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | The Tipping Point |
| "Rivers of Mercy" | 2023 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | The Tipping Point |
| "The Girl That I Call Home" | 2024 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Songs for a Nervous Planet |
| "Astronaut" | 2024 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Songs for a Nervous Planet |
| "Say Goodbye to Mum and Dad" | 2024 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | Songs for a Nervous Planet |
| "—" 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 | Clive Richardson |
| "Pale Shelter" | 1983 | Steve Barron |
| "The Way You Are" | 1983 | Un­known |
| "Mothers Talk" (version 1) | 1984 | Laurie Lewis |
| "Mothers Talk" (version 2) | 1984 | Nigel Dick |
| "Shout" | 1984 | Nigel Dick |
| "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" | 1985 | Nigel Dick |
| "Head over Heels" | 1985 | Nigel Dick |
| "I Believe" | 1985 | Nigel Dick |
| "Mothers Talk" (US remix) | 1986 | Nigel Dick |
| "Sowing the Seeds of Love" | 1989 | Jim Blashfield |
| "Woman in Chains" | 1989 | Andy Morahan |
| "Advice for the Young at Heart" | 1990 | Andy Morahan |
| "Famous Last Words" | 1990 | Nigel Dick |
| "Laid So Low (Tears Roll Down)" | 1992 | Paul Donnellon |
| "Break It Down Again" | 1993 | Dani Jacobs |
| "Cold" | 1993 | Un­known |
| "Goodnight Song" | 1993 | Dani Jacobs |
| "Elemental" | 1994 | Samuel Bayer |
| "Raoul and the Kings of Spain" | 1995 | Cameron Casey |
| "God's Mistake" | 1995 | Cameron Casey |
| "Secrets" (version 1) | 1996 | Cameron Casey |
| "Secrets" (version 2) | 1996 | Roland Orzabal |
| "Falling Down" | 1996 | Roland Orzabal |
| "Closest Thing to Heaven" | 2005 | Michael Palmieri |
| "I Love You but I'm Lost" | 2017 | Morgan Freed |
| "The Tipping Point" | 2021 | Matt Mahurin |
| "No Small Thing" | 2021 | Vern Moen |
| "Break the Man" | 2022 | WeWereMonkeys |
| "My Demons" | 2022 | Heather Gildroy |
| "Long, Long, Long Time" | 2022 | Heather Gildroy and Justin Daashuur Hopkins |
| "The Girl That I Call Home" | 2024 | Maschima |
| "Astronaut" | 2024 | Maschima |