Tears for Fears is an English '80s pop rock band formed in Bath, England in 1981 by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith. Founded after the dissolution of their first band, the mod-influenced Graduate, Tears for Fears were initially associated with the new wave synthesiser bands of the early 1980s. Later, the band branched out into mainstream rock and pop and attained international chart success. Tears for Fears were part of the MTV-driven Second British Invasion of the US.^[8]

The band's debut album, The Hurting (1983), reached number one on the UK Albums Chart. Their second album, Songs from the Big Chair (1985), reached number one on the US Billboard 200, achieving multi-platinum status in both the UK and the US.^[9][10] Songs from the Big Chair contained two Billboard Hot 100 number one hits: "Shout" and "Everybody Wants to Rule the World"'. The latter song won the Brit Award for Best British Single in 1986.^[11]