On this day February 25 1985 Tears for Fears released their second studio album Songs from the Big Chair. The album became a massive commercial success reaching number one on the US Billboard 200 and also topping the charts in Canada Germany and the Netherlands. It went on to sell over five million copies in the US alone cementing the band’s status as one of the biggest acts of the 1980s.
Songs from the Big Chair featured some of Tears for Fears’ most iconic hits including Shout and Everybody Wants to Rule the World. The latter became their first US number one single while Shout followed shortly after also reaching the top spot. The album blended synth pop and rock with deep introspective lyrics making it a defining record of the decade.
Produced by Chris Hughes the album showcased a more expansive sound than their debut record The Hurting. It received critical acclaim for its sophisticated songwriting and innovative production with tracks like Head Over Heels and Mothers Talk further solidifying the band’s versatility.
Fun fact: The album’s title was inspired by the 1976 television film Sybil which was based on a woman with dissociative identity disorder. The idea behind the title was that the big chair represented a place of safety and comfort.
Trivia question: Tears for Fears had multiple chart topping hits but can you name the song they recorded for the 1986 film Real Genius?
Songs from the Big Chair featured some of Tears for Fears’ most iconic hits including Shout and Everybody Wants to Rule the World. The latter became their first US number one single while Shout followed shortly after also reaching the top spot. The album blended synth pop and rock with deep introspective lyrics making it a defining record of the decade.
Produced by Chris Hughes the album showcased a more expansive sound than their debut record The Hurting. It received critical acclaim for its sophisticated songwriting and innovative production with tracks like Head Over Heels and Mothers Talk further solidifying the band’s versatility.
Fun fact: The album’s title was inspired by the 1976 television film Sybil which was based on a woman with dissociative identity disorder. The idea behind the title was that the big chair represented a place of safety and comfort.
Trivia question: Tears for Fears had multiple chart topping hits but can you name the song they recorded for the 1986 film Real Genius?
