While Tears for Fears falls under the pop category, some of their songs fall under the pop-rock or synth-pop category. For example, “The Hurting” is a synth-pop hit that spread across the UK, pushing them towards stardom while “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” is a pop-rock song that brought them international fame.

Tears for Fears began in Bath, England in 1981 with the release of its first single “Suffer the Children.” Their early music was inspired by the work of Arthur Janov, an American psychotherapist who founded Primal Scream Therapy. This kind of therapy lets repressed childhood memories and trauma resurface through intense screaming and crying.

Tears for Fears broke up in 1991 after the release of their hit album The Seeds of Love. There were a few theories surrounding the breakup of the band, but most assume that personality differences between the band mates led to the split. Notably, Orzabal’s perfectionism in music production and Smith’s laid back approach and lavish lifestyle are thought to have clashed too heavily and reached a boiling point which led to the band’s break up.

All of the past and present members of Tears for Fears were born in the 1950s or early 1960s:

• Roland Orzabal, the band’s primary songwriter and joint vocalist is the only member to appear on every Tears for Fears album. He was born on August 22, 1961 and is 62 years old.
• Curt Smith was the band’s bassist and joint vocalist between 1981 and 1991. He rejoined Tears for Fears in 2000 and is 1961-06-24. years old, having been born on June 24, 1961.
• Manny Elias, the band’s percussionist and drummer between 1981 and 1986, was born on February 21, 1953 and is 71 years old.
• Ian Stanley, the band’s keyboardist and backing vocalist between 1981 and 1987, was born on February 28, 1957 and is 67 years old.

Tears for Fears conquered the charts for decades with their top hits “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” “Shout,” “Head Over Heels,” “Sowing The Seeds Of Love,” and “Mad World” still playing on radio stations across the world. Arguably, their biggest hit remains “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.”

“Everybody Wants to Rule the World” was written during the Cold War between Russia and the United States. Context-wise, it depicts a controlling government and the lust for power and authority that are detrimental to society, especially the youth. Orzabal also viewed the song as a “cynical” anthem about life, given the disastrous effects of politics.

“Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” was released in 1985 and reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States and sold over 1.2 million units in the UK, reaching 2x Platinum status in the country.

There are several movies where the song was played or chosen as a part of the soundtrack: Peter’s Friends, Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion, Sky High, and White Bird in a Blizzard. Lorde covered the song for “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” in 2013.

Roland Orzabal's wife, Caroline Orzabal, passed away in July 2017 when she was 62 years old. She struggled with depression and alcoholism for a long time, leading to the cirrhosis and dementia that would cause her death. It was reported that her depression only came about after her menopause.

Tears For Fears has had 630 concerts.

Tears For Fears is most often considered to be Rock, Pop, Pop Rock, Soft Rock, New Wave, Psychedelic Pop, Britpop, Synthpop, Art Pop, New Wave Pop, Synth-Pop, Permanent Wave, New Romantic, and Sophisti-Pop.

The last Tears For Fears concert was on January 02, 2024.

The songs that Tears For Fears performs live vary, but here's the latest setlist that we have from the November 18, 2023 concert at Huntington State Beach in Huntington Beach, California, United States:

1. Stay
2. No Small Thing
3. The Tipping Point
4. Everybody Wants to Rule the World
5. Sowing the Seeds of Love
6. Long, Long, Long Time
7. Break the Man
8. My Demons
9. Rivers of Mercy
10. Mad World
11. Memories Fade
12. Suffer the Children
13. Pale Shelter
14. Break It Down Again
15. Head Over Heels / Broken
16. Shout