Songs From The Big Chair

80s essential album, loved it all

shout 🗣️ SHOUT 🗣️ LET IT ALL OUT 🗣️ THESE ARE THE THINGS I CAN DO WITHOUT 🗣️ 🎷 this is the WOOOORKING HOOOOUR 🕗 🎷 THERE'S A ROOM WHERE THE LIGHT WON'T FIND YOUUUU 💃 HOLDIN' HANDS WHILE THE WALLS COME TUMBLIN' DOWN 💃 WHEN THEY DO I'LL BE RIGHT BESIDE (BEHIND?) YOU 👥

Great music and lyrics with - for me - surprising depth. I like the 80s sound with the societal criticism. Hereby added to my LP wishlist.

This album has been a favorite for a long time. Some real bangers meant to listened to loudly!

I danced a lot to some of the songs in my youth. So yes, I like this album.

Some moments stick with you. I was heading up to from the metro NYC area to Western NY to visit my then fiancée, driving across the Throggs Neck Bridge. I popped a cassette of this album into my tape player and Boom! Instant wow. The music from Song from the Big Chair had just started playing in the clubs but I hadn't yet listened to them. For the next 45 minutes, I drove the worst part of driving to Upstate NY (Cross Bronx Expressway anyone?) and kept my sanity listening to this fantastic album. The breakout album for Tears for Fears, Songs from the Big Chair took them away from the mope rock of The Hurting (which was still awesome) and towards the Beatlesque pop of their subsequent albums. It also made the MTV stars. Top 40 hits include Everybody Wants to Rule the World and Shout, both now fixtures of classic alt rock. Head Over Heels was also popular on New Music radio and College radio at the time and is my personal favorite song on the album. Songs from the Big Chair was an inflection point between the new wave and disco influenced music of the early 80s and the brit pop of the latter 80s and 90s. Listen for the history but especially for the songs.

This might be the best pop-album that I've ever heard and it contains maybe the best popsong of the eighties: 'Shout'. What an incredible song that is. I'm always complaining that there's not much happening in popmusic, but on this album that's far from reality. The compositions are very strong, the build-up in the songs - listen to the intro of 'The working hour' and neglect the sound - and the arrangements with.a very clever mix of (sometimes ugly) electronics and real instruments - it's alle great. There are five very strong songs on this album. The three hitsingles in order of quality 'Shout' Head over heels' and 'Everybody wants to rule the world', whereas the almost proggy 'The working hour' and the rather sharp 'Broken' - that's fantastically intertwined with 'Head over heels' are very strong. An album containing these songs would deserve a 10/10. But unfortunately the remaining three songs are much much weaker. 'Mothers talk' is ugly eighties music, ' I believe' is a misplaced George Michael ballad and closer 'Listen' is too long. Nevertheless, it's still a solid five star. I might buy this one.

Awesome album from the 80's. I didn't appreciate it at the time - but I do now!

This one is another of my all-time favorites so definitely biased and nostalgia-goggles fully on. It was the soundtrack to one of the best summers of my life when I was 17. They were the first concert I went to. So, yeah, this one is a biggie. Listening now, more objectively (?), its a fine example of 80's "big sound" production and though there are big hooks with "Everybody Wants to Rule the World," Head Over Heels," and one of my favorite songs ever, "Shout," the quieter, sonic textures of "I Believe" and "Listen" struck me more now. I love this album in all its big-shouldered, big 80's glory

Hell yeah. Production on this entire thing is just insane, can't believe it's 40 years old with the quality of the sound, even if its the 80s at its campiest at times. Would probably give 4.5 if it was an option, but screw it, five stars for Everybody Wants To Rule the World and Head over Heels/Broken

🤏🏻❤️

💯

Ok, this is going to be a long one. As someone born after this album, their huge hits were more of the background sounds buried into my recesses of my brain as a child. That is, until I was about I was 13/14 years old and as a kid typically does while staying up late, came across the infomercials for music compilations, and in this case, 80's hits. The thing is, these infomercials included music video clips, and when I saw 1985 Roland Orzabal with his single earring and mullet sing "Shout" into the English coast with an angsty expression, I became OBSESSED. I was that weird girl who became a rabid STAN for TFF (this rabidness resurged for Kpop in much later years) that I followed message boards, watched all their live recordings online, and even subjected my classmates to the ~7 minutes of "Shout" during open music exercise time in PE. Roland and Curt were really troubled kids who experienced childhood abuse. Music, along with Janov psychology, was a type of therapy for them, and though there is the poppy synth-heavy 80s sheen in their music, there's the underlying layer of darkness and sadness. Their debut album, The Hurting, does this so well, especially for their trippy song "Mad World" (1983 Roland is so hot in that MV btw). The Hurting set up TFF as cryboys where a lot of the focus was their own trauma, but Songs from the Big Chair set them up as 80s pop idols - they took these ideas along with bigger ideas - nature of the human condition, the root sin of the Cold War, etc. Along with some great synth beats, guitar riffs, and drum kicks, they gave us some of the best pop songs of the 80s, song we could relate to. Sure, "Shout", "Everybody Wants to Rule the World," and the perfect pop song, "Head Over Heels" are the heavy hitters, but there are no fillers here. I like how "Broken" seamlessly moves onto "Heads Over Heels", and all the tracks are connected - whether they are lound proclamations, or more quiet, subdued reflections. All of this to say that I am definitely still head over heels for TFF.

Every time I listen to an album from the 80s that is quintessentially 80s, like this one, I am surprised that music's circling back for inspiration never seems to come back for this. Maybe it's just too of-the-moment for pop to try to repurpose for today, but I think society would benefit from some influence from this near perfect album. Even the songs that weren't hits were great (with the exception perhaps of "I Believe"). But still, I genuinely enjoyed this and would give it 4.5 stars if that were an option. But it isn't, so I'm going to round up.

This was a pretty fun album to listen to. I’ve always been a fan of Tears for Fears, but I’ve never listened to any of their albums straight through. Instead, I always played the greatest hits or something similar. Now I feel like I was missing out this entire time. I’ll definitely be listening to this one again in the future.

Maybe my favourite album of the 80s

Awesome oldies bangers

Quick aside: people who claim an album sounds "too 80s" to the albums detriment are fools. Who do you think defined the 80s? These are the definitive albums and you get that! Show some respect. Anyways this is great. I knew a lot of the songs before and expected a solid 4/5 but the song transitions really bump this bad boy up

Good variation

tears for fears is the greatest 80s band. ever. this album helped solidify their space in the pop space in the mid 1980s. spacious, immersive and existential, this entire album demonstrates the sheer power these two have in terms of music. between the many... not even new wave bands, just bands in the 80s who used and abused synthesizers, other artists create cliché corny and tinny soundscapes, these guys create a gargantuan, regal castle of sound. the album symbolizes bursting from your shell, reflection on trauma and soaring across the world, even if you're not sure how your story ends. an essential album, for sure.

Classiques qu'on découvre alors qu'on les a déjà écoutés sans le savoir

4.5, rounded up

Very good! Loved shout. Everyone wants to rule the world is very nice too. Classic. His vocal is not my favourite, I hear a lot of low larynx. But it fits the music so well. The attitude the energy is a perfect match. I really like shout. It’s popular it’s artistic it’s so tasteful. Some albums have one or two strong tracks as well but I’d still doubt if one or two tracks make an album 5. Like Franz Ferdinand’s take me out is undoubtedly a masterpiece but would it make the entire album a five? Shout is slightly different. It serves as the foundation of the album, it stands out itself, but also helps me appreciate the album as a whole. It’s the motive of the album, it’s the highlight and it is the great blueprint of the album.

Had to stop and rate this. 2 all time songs, good other tracks, and not drawn out. 5 stars.

The first time I remember actively listening to Tears For Fears was on a cross-country road trip to Wyoming in a 15 passenger church van. Somewhere in the Midwest I was sharing headphones with my friend while we watched Donnie Darko on his video iPod. Eventually, Head Over Heels begins playing and I’m mesmerized. I ask Aaron who the band is for a mental note on what to find on Limewire to add to my iTunes after we got home a week later. He quickly realized that I also hadn’t heard Everybody Wants to Rule the World or Shout, so from there my mind was blown and I was swapping iPods with him every chance I got the rest of the trip to listen to this album and any other new-to-me albums he recommended. That road trip was truly a canon event for me, seeing parts of America that weren’t the Southeast and all the different music I discovered while spending 48 hours in a van with my friends was a huge part of that, and would go on to shape my taste in music, so I was very happy to return to this album in particular seventeen summers later (I feel so old typing this and have also realized that iPod screen was smaller than the area my keyboard takes up on my phone now, what a terrible way to watch that movie for the first time). As far as the album itself goes, there are three massive hits that I never get tired of listening to and the rest of the album always holds my attention with the atmospheric and poppy sounds that somehow make me nostalgic for a time I wasn’t even alive for. Also I couldn’t tell you why, but I think Songs From The Big Chair is an incredible album title. My bias might be getting the better of me here, but I’m going with five stars.

Not my usual cup of tea, but loving this album! Very iconic, peak 80s

This is on a very short list for my favorite album of the 80s. There are times listening to this album that are spiritual experiences. Perfect example of a project being infinitely more than the sum of its very very 80s parts.

Great Album. Enjoyed the Sax playing, plus what’s not to like about Tears for Fears.

Fuck yes! This is such a classic album from a classic band! I saw them a couple of years ago and they were fantastic! Also Everybody Wants to Rule The World is probably one of my favorite songs of all time!

SHOUT LET IT ALL OUT THESE ARE THE THINGS

Great album back then, great album today.

YESSSSS

“Everybody wants to rule the world with Tears For Fears” declares MF Doom on his song Rap Snitch Knishes. A rap sampler, this album is joyous from start to finish.

This album has such an atmospheric/ethereal sound while still being fairly firmly pop. It could honestly come out today and still receive overwhelmingly positive reviews and fit in with current music. I have listened to this album many times and come back to it every now and then because it's so easy to enjoy. Also, the Broken -> Head Over Heels transition is one of the best in all of pop music. It has their biggest songs, too, which adds to the overall quality and appeal.

IN MY MIIIIIIIIIND'S EYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

5 Very cool synth and sax combination. I finally get our trivia team reference, and they are worth the reference indeed

Overall: 9/10 Honestly I've listened to this a million times and was prepared to give it an 8/10 but man.....this thing slaps. It's just an excellent synth pop album that manages to be dancy and commercial while still featuring some almost ambient sounds in the mix. I wish the entire 80's pop scene sounded like this album. Fav Song: Head Over Heels Least Fav Song: Broken

So quintessentially 80's in all the best ways. Outside the obvious big hits, I forgot how good of an album this is.

One of the best albums out there.

makes me wanna time travel to when I was 16 and watching Donnie darko on my ipod after sneaking out

Very few albums can define the sound of an era better than Songs from the Big Chair. What this masterpiece presents is a sample of the best there is about 80's music: synths used in a non-annoying way, genius instrumental compositions, completely iconic tracks that almost anyone can recognize instantly with legendary chorus. While this is not a perfect album for me, and for that reason I don't give it a 10/10 rating, it's certainly one of my all-time favorites. Not only in its technical aspects it is insanely competent, but also regarding the whole worldview present - a critical shout (yeah) about the world. It's art being used as a genuine expression, which is one of my main criteria about rating. In my personal experience, I can't deny some songs grew on me on second or third try, especially "I Believe" and "Mother Talks". This is enough to show the complexity of this work, as you discover more and more layers as you revisit it. Overall, amazing album, one of the best of its time. -- Poucos álbuns conseguem definir o som de uma era melhor do que Songs from the Big Chair. O que esta obra-prima apresenta é uma amostra do melhor da música dos anos 80: sintetizadores usados de forma não irritante, composições instrumentais geniais, faixas completamente icônicas que quase qualquer um reconhece instantaneamente com refrãos lendários. Embora este não seja um álbum perfeito para mim, e por esse motivo não dou uma nota 10/10, é certamente um dos meus favoritos de todos os tempos. Não apenas em seus aspectos técnicos é incrivelmente competente, mas também em relação a toda a cosmovisão presente – um grito crítico sobre o mundo. É a arte sendo usada como uma expressão genuína, que é um dos meus principais critérios de avaliação. Na minha experiência pessoal, não posso negar que algumas músicas me cativaram melhor na segunda ou terceira tentativa, especialmente "I Believe" e "Mother Talks". Isso é o suficiente para mostrar a complexidade deste trabalho, mais e mais camadas são descobertas ao visitá-lo. No geral, um álbum incrível, um dos melhores de sua época. 9,7/10

Coming in I already knew 3 of the tracks which solidified how good this album must be. Big fan of the synths (its the 80s theres an abundance) and saxophone is some tracks. There's a mellow tone to the voices which fits all of the songs in some matter. Listen is an enchanting track, very dream like. Favorites were: Working Hour, Mothers Talk, and Head over heels/Broken.

Such an awesome album. I wasn't even old enough to get it when it came out, but I still feel nostalgia when I hear it. Definitely a seminal '80's album, and a soundtrack of the times.

BANGERS from the Big Chair. Only discovered this whole album recently and it's fucking brilliant.

very cathartic. emotional

One of the most epic of the epic. Immediate five.

I’ve always loved 70s and 80s music. Tears for Fears is a classic and reminds me of when I was younger and watched Ferris Beuhlers Day off for the first time. A nostalgic and fun album to listen to.

Amazing album. Such a good experience listening to it. Had to listen to a few songs twice. Loved it.

Enjoyed and wore this album out when I bought it. I am going with a 5, rounding up from 4.5.

A great album from the 80s that has more than just 2 popular songs

Great voice, lyrics, sound. 4.5

Unbelievably well done, absolute banger of a record. Timeless, catchy, its own thing

Yesterd1y was the 40th anniversary of one of the most excellent tracks on this album, Head Over Heels. But tbh, every song fits this album and slaps.

one of my favs. I've loved this album since it came out. I was in HS at the time. Saw them a few yrs ago. Great show.

Pretty good upbeat stuff. I likey. 5/5

Outstanding album. The biggest hit from this album is actually the weakest song to me, it doesn't showcase the depth of their work, it was clearly designed for pop radio play. The deeper tracks are fantastic.

Standout Songs: Shout The Working Hour Everybody Wants To Rule The World Broken Head Over Heels

As '80s duos go, TfF is one of the best. The singles are lyrically among the most poignant written.

Going to take a stab at rating each song: Shout 5/5 The Working Hour 4/5 for the saxophone...good god Everybody Wants To Rule The World 5/5 for obvious reasons Mothers Talk 4/5 I Believe 3/5 good but elevator music Broken 4/5 *the transition here 6/5* Head Over Heels / Broken 5/5 was a pleasure to listen to for the first time Listen 3/5 sort of a letdown of an end but also feels like a cooldown so not all bad Averages to a 4/5, I think I may go 5/5 because I like the sound and appreciate it only being 8 songs, feels like the right amount to accomplish what they were trying to accomplish. In other words, these honkeys were indeed cooking.

One of the most iconic albums of the 80’s. Still sounds great.

I LOVEEEEEE THIS ALBUMMMMMM!!! songs from the big chair is arguably one of the best british new wave albums there is.

Brings me back to my youth. Such an epic 80s album. I listened to this more times than I can count. Shout was an anthem of my youth! Everybody Wants to Rule the World and Head Over Heels were stellar as well. Roland and Curt just put it all together and made some incredible music.

I love Tears for Fears

Perfect album.

I thought Shout was a Depeche Mode track… Well, I’m surprised. Haute couture

Peak 80's synthpop

Absolute classic!!! One of my all time favourites

This is another amazing album, automatic 5 star for me.

There's a progressive rock underpinning to this album. There are elements of early, solo Peter Gabriel, Discipline-era King Crimson even as they aren't in-your-face about it. The song "I Believe" really hints at the David Sylvian album "Secrets of the Beehive". The hits on this album are iconic. But they're also some of the most intricate pop songs of any era. There is much to discover with each listen. The deep tracks are fantastic as well. I had this cassette back when it first came out as a pre-teen. Bought it for the hits and kept listening because everything on it was unlike pretty much anything else I'd heard at the time. Beyond the nostalgia, though, this is amazing music. 5 stars.

Fantastic pop record encapsulates the sound I know from its time period perfectly in one tight 8 track album with absolutely zero skips. Lot of hits on here as well to the point where like a good portion of the album is just iconic after iconic song which you do not see often so it’s pretty impressive. I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about this one but I leave it feeling more than happy, and hell even impressed. Two final notes: The transition between the 7th to 8th songs was very nice as someone who appreciates a good transition, also Shout is an absolute masterpiece of a track, and one of my favorite songs ever.

I was going to rate this as a high tier 80s pop masterpiece but “Broken” to “Head over Heels” goes wild. That alone makes the record.

Годнота отзывается в душе и памяти

Great album!

I've listened to this album at least monthly since it came out in 1985. Still sounds fresh, relevant, and insightful after 40+ years, incredible. One of the strongest albums in modern music IMO. Relative (to decade) impact: Med Absolute impact: High Listenability: High Re-listenability: Very High

One of my all time favorite records

Big 80s pop with a huge sense of grandeur, feels like a massive suit with 15 buttons and 6 feet shoulder pads. 8 tracks, 6 of which are amazing. Each one feels like it’s in exactly the right place, a real journey. Ignoring the weak middle “mothers talk and I believe” are utterly forgettable . This is an album that will stick in your head for a long time. A true 4.5* if there ever was one. But we round up.

Def a top album for me, the huge songs are huge. Had this one on vinyl and had to hook it up and listen all the way through, I’d argue one of the best of the 80s. Embodies the synths and style of the 80s without the schlock and irony. Easy 5 star. Love the guitars, drums, good bass lines, and the singers voice is pretty remarkable. Going to Listen again soon for sure

Loved it. All time favorite

It's Tears For Fears... No need to "shout" out an explanation of why this album is give stars (pun intended with prejudice)

I never knew that this was the group that made the song Everybody Wants to Rule the World. Also didn’t know that the song is played in 6/4 time and not the typical 4/4 time.

absolute brilliance

Not an ounce of fat on this album. Just fantastic through and through

Absolutely beautiful, this is one of my favourite albums of all time for a reason. The consistently smooth and slick production along with the gorgeous vocals and choruses that are so easy to just belt out all come together so well to create this absolute masterpiece.

So many iconic songs in this one that I’ve heard my whole life. Those songs really raise this album up but I did enjoy the new ones too! Was happy to listen to this.

90% Best: Shout; The Working Hour; Everybody Wants To Rule The World; Head Over Heels Must-Hear? Yes

Loved it, really great from start to finish.

A lot of HUGE hits, and the ones that weren't were still good. I usually think Duran Duran is the most stereotypical 80s sounding band but these guys give them a run for their money

This is pretty special. Looking forward to dipping into the 80s stuff I’ve missed growing up. Good start with this one!

Great album. Well done lads. Stand out song - Everybody wants to rule the world

Brilliant

Love it

Me gustó mucho. Las composiciones son perfectas. Tienen una duracion larga las canciones, pero están hechas de una manera en que todas se sienten como un viaje.

I tend to be a bit biased when it comes to New Wave and the 80's synth sound but I really don't know who could dislike this. between multiple legitimate classics to a few more 'deep cut' tracks which were honestly just as solid as their bigger hits you can't really say this album is loaded in any direction. Just consistently great and varied tracks. Possibly the only thing I could even argue as a downside is while Listen is a nice and dreamy track to end on. It does go a bit long and I would have loved having Head over Heels as the end track, though I don't know where that would leave Listen

Endlessly listenable. Top notch production with three monumentally massive hits on here. The deep cuts and slower parts of the album aren't necessarily songs that you are going to reach for first when you think of Tears For Fears but as far as album filler goes, this is pretty much as good as it gets when it comes to pop music. I listened to this probably five or six times in a row before I bothered to open up my notes app and write something down for this. For better or worse this is peak 80s, and I just so happen to love this to death. Highlights: Shout, Everybody Wants To Rule The World, I Believe, Broken, Head Over Heels

Für mich persönlich das Hammeralbum der 80er. Dieses Album hat mich damals wie heute geflasht. So ein unglaubliches Album mit so tollen Songs im elektronischen zeitlosen Sound und rockigen Elementen. Einfach mega. Zum Schreien schön.

Anyone who doesn’t gives this 5 stars is incorrect

Always had a soft spot for Tears for Fears. It brightened up my day listening and I couldn't resist singing along to Everybody wants to rule the world, Shout and Head over Heels.

Not paid much attention to this album until now. Familiar with the big hits, EWTRTW & Shout, but didn't expect to like the lesser known hits. For me the album really gets going on side 2 with the Robert Wyatt inspired, I believe, then the electro/prog (?) fusion of Broken/Head over heals. Must say I enjoyed this much more than I thought and can't think of a reason this can't be 5 stars.

one of the best albums ever. They were completely on it making this. somehow retains its 80s sound while still sounding fresh. fun and lovable.

Amazing. Period.

On vinyl - this is a belter of an album and years ahead of its time. Production is perfect

Wall of 80s sound done right

Incredible album. I don’t know if we’ve ever had such sensitive, thoughtful, deliberate, artistic, professional hitmakers since Tears for Fears. Their commitment to the execution and final result of their product is awe-inspiring. The hits on this thing! “Shout,” “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” and “Head Over Heels,” are some of the best songs ever written, and the non-single tracks are just as deep and enjoyable. Must-listen #100!

About as good an 80s pop-rock album you can get. Three massive hits, plus several other good songs. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" is one of the best pop-rock songs of the 80s (including a bizarre but mesmerizing video).

It got 5 shouts out of 5

Great album. Head over heels is my favourite track.

Surprised at how this hold up

Solklar 5a! Ett av 80-talets bästa band utan tvekan! Kompositionerna är fantastiska, produktionen är fantastisk, sången och musikaliteten överlag är topp!

“Songs from the big chair” is an essential 80’s synth pop / rock album and is an absolute must listen for its brilliant production, amazing songs & musical performances. The album kicks off with the brilliant “Shout”, a chilling track with an immense build up and quality vocals. This transitions into “The working hour” an excellent jazz inspired track which evokes the same kind of feeling as “Shout”. This track also feels intense and I really like the lyrics on this one. Vocals once again are great. Following this is the iconic “Everybody wants to rule the world” which caps off an insane 3 track run to start the album. Not much needs to be said about this one - it’s one of the best and most iconic songs of the 80’s. “Mother’s talk” has a great energy, the drums sound amazing and a catchy melody. “I believe” in comparison is much slower, with more contained instrumentation and beautiful vocals. “Broken” is a great showcase of musicianship in a mostly instrumental track which is great to listen to. This directly pairs with the next track “Head over heels” I could talk about this one for hours. It’s a perfectly crafted piece of music and one of the best songs of the 80’s. A masterpiece is musicianship with great pop sensibilities. It borrows one of the guitar parts from “Broken” in its intro. Paired with beautiful keyboard work, heavy reverb on the drums, great synth lead in the interlude, great vocals and a chanting outro, which also borrows the lyrics from “Broken”. This song just sounds absolutely massive. Perfectly crafted. “Listen” ends the album on a slow & extremely atmospheric note with chant-like vocals. This album is one of the best produced albums ever. The actual sound of everything here is so great. There is some amazing performances on a variety of fronts - sax, guitar, drums, vocals, keyboard, synths & bass all sound brilliant. Some of the lyrics on these songs are extremely emotional & poetic. This album is an absolute essential for 80’s synth pop. At least 3 of the best rock / pop songs of the decade appear here, and the rest of the tracks are great too. There isn’t much I can fault this album for, the last track doesn’t hit as much for me but I still think it’s great. This is an absolutely essential listen. 5/5.

Thank god first album is good 👍🏻😊

Few albums capture the grandeur of 80s pop like Songs from the Big Chair. It’s a perfect fusion of emotional depth, studio polish, and ambitious songwriting, proving that mainstream music could still be intelligent and deeply affecting. The album bursts out of the gate with Shout, a towering anthem that layers Roland Orzabal’s commanding vocals over pounding drums and thick, textured synths, turning catharsis into a stadium-sized experience. Everybody Wants to Rule the World is just as massive, balancing its shimmering guitars and infectious groove with lyrics that cut deeper than your average pop hit. Even the more introspective moments, like the haunting Listen or the sprawling The Working Hour, are drenched in atmosphere and carried by some of the most sophisticated production of the era. What makes Songs from the Big Chair truly special is how it seamlessly blends complexity with accessibility. Tracks like Head Over Heels and Mothers Talk are packed with intricate arrangements, but they never lose their immediacy, proving that pop music can be layered, dynamic, and still completely addictive. The band took the darker, more cerebral themes of their debut and amplified them with a newfound confidence, resulting in an album that feels both deeply personal and universally relatable. There’s no filler here—every track serves a purpose, every sound feels meticulously placed, and the production is flawless without ever feeling cold or sterile. Songs from the Big Chair isn’t just one of the best albums of the 80s; it’s a timeless masterpiece of pop craftsmanship, balancing innovation, emotion, and sheer sonic power.

# Album Name: Songs from the big chair # Artist: Tears for Fears # Rating: 5/5 # Comments: WHAT AN INTRO - shout. Great song. If anyone says they dont sing a long to that then they are lying to ya! The sax on working hours is so 80s. Its great. EBWTRTW - great track. Nuff said. I personally liked mothers talk. Head over heels - yet another banger. The transition is good. Overall, a very good album. Doesnt quite hit the 5 mark for me on first listen.But over time it got there. I didnt think id come back to it but it drew me back in. Great listen. # Top Tunes: Shoutd / Mothers talk / HoH / EBWTRTW # Would I listen to it again? Yes

My husband would leave me if I didn't give this 5 stars. Fortunately, we agree on this album.

So good, I had thought for a while I wouldn't be all into the sort of pop rock/synthpop mix but I couldn't be more wrong, TFF knew how to craft an excellent pop song but even more an immaculately produced pop song that just didn't leave your attention for a minute, even the songs I wasn't crazy about I still had my full attention on the album because they are THAT entertaining and THAT catchy. I know everyone always talks about "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" and it's great but Head Over Heels will forever be my favorite, especially with how Broken plays off some of the song in a faster way just to set up the intro so perfectly. Just a great album of the era and it will be something I'll be coming back to

Preemptive review - I love this album and it’s getting a 5 before I even listen to it. Actual review, this might be the best full synth-pop/new wave album of all time. Unbelievable song writing, arrangements, and mixing. Im really in awe of how they got the mix to sound how it does. The first four songs are incredibly strong. I believe is the first part of this album that starts to lose interest but I can’t deny it, for I am a Virgo too. The energy is immediately picked up by broken, which is a perfect intro into head over heels, the best song on the album. Listen is a perfect soundscape anti Cold War protest song album closer if one ever did exist. Im going to call Liam’s mom to talk about this album, my mom was more into INXS.

classic

Great album from the early 1980's. Some of the best tunes of the decade.

This is incredible. Obviously I knew Shout and EWTRTW prior to listening, but I was unfamiliar with how well crafted this album was as a piece of synthpop gold. For all the albums I’ve resigned to “not for me”, this album is absolutely 100% “for me.” On one hand it really encapsulates the 80s pop sound and has arguably been overplayed, but at the same time it didn’t sacrifice innovation or artistry for those hits. Thank you Big Chair for your contributions to this experience.

That was pretty amazing. You have to look past the 80s production, but the songs are really enjoyable. The last track was a bit self indulgent but I’ll forgive it

❤️❤️❤️ Another favorite from my stacks of vinyl.

funny how i listened to this album several years ago when i wasn't that much into older music and it didn't impress me much and now i listened to it again and OH MY GOD. The vibes are INSANE love this 10/10 tears for fears slay

Plenty of great sounds and compositions to hear, though not all equally catchy, still really enjoyable

Fun album of my youth! Remember how cutting edge it was back then, listening from a single speaker radios, while doing chores in the Barn.

"Everybody Wants To Rule The World" is simply one of the best pop songs ever written. And still gut-punchingly prescient. (Oddly, the Wikipedia page for the song has omits any connection this song has to popcorn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1FMJdqqLiM ). The rest of the album is solid, and surprisingly not as laden with 80s over-production as I thought it might be. 80s, for sure. But in a good way.

I cannot believe that this album has so much perfection crammed into such a short collection. This is the sound of the 80's and there's a reason why everyone knows and adores these songs. 5/5, not a single thing to dislike about this one.

Probably the one, if not the most, definitive 80's albums of the decade. It has it all, great vocals, lyrics, new wave synth work, rock influences. Just a masterpiece of an album. 5/5

This has an atmospheric quality compared to other pop records from the same times. I never really listened to this album until now, I only knew Everybody Wants To Rule The World, but the whole record is amazing! Very interesting musical choices as well.

Un gran álbum, la música es precisa y fantásticamente apoyada por sintetizadores y tecnología muy estudiada y producida

I was familiar with a lot of songs from this album, and have long considered "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" as the quintessential 80s song. For a full listen though, I was blown away by what the group was able to accomplish. The mix of rock, pop, and synthesizers, complete with a variety of instruments and sounds, really came together to make such a signature sound. The hits definitely hit as well. Overall- I was very impressed. Probably around a 4.5/5, but I do feel like they put together a complete masterpiece that bumps them up to a 5

Some of the greatest music I've ever heard in my life. Something about Everybody Wants To Rule The World makes it the perfect song on every level. Shout & Head Over Heels shouldn't be discounted either. Great album, great iconic songs. Easily top five.

Amazing

SHEEEEEEEEEESH

Not all popular albums from the '80s have aged well, but this one has. I had it on vinyl (remember that crippled, clunky medium that wore out as you played it) but I hadn't listened to the full album in ages. I'm, glad I did, all songs are really good and original despite the undeniable synthy '80s feel. I like the less popular songs as much as I like the hits.

the album that fooled a younger version of myself into thinking i liked new wave

Possibly a 4, but my love for Everybody Wants to Rule the World pushes it over. An underappreciated aspect of the album is the smooth transitions between the songs. Didn't know TFF rocked like that. I knew the big 3 of Rule the World, Shout, and Head over Heals, but Working Hour is very underrated. People who hate cliche 80s will tune out, but TFF and this album are great in my humble opinion.

Absolute classic

• 5/5 • Bonus star for being a favorite of my formative years • excellent songs throughout., especially Shout, World, and Head

Highs that are just so high. Its not a perfect album but it has too much goodness to not be a 5. Fave Tracks: Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Broken, Head Over Heels 4.5/5

This is #day169 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... it's crazy to think about, but in just one month, this album is turning 40. Songs From The Big Chair isn’t just a quintessential example of mid-'80s progressive pop and new wave; it's also a case in point of a band evolving. Think about some of the greatest sophomore albums out there. This is where Tears For Fears spread their wings and went big with their sound. It's more than just big, though; there's something monumental, almost stadium-like about it. Then, the actuality... songs like "Shout", "The Working Hour", and especially "Everybody Wants to Rule The World" feel just as relevant today, if not more so. Finally, the melodies, the moods... it's the epitome of the era. At the same time, this album is out of time. How about another 5 out of 5 in a row? You bet. Looking forward to #day170.

An album filled with classics, and Everybody Wants to Rule the World is one of my all time favorites.

💣💣💣💣💣 I rate this album 5/5 BOOMS! BOOM! 💪, BOOM! 💪, BOOM! 💪, BOOM! 💪, BOOM! 💪

Hitspäckat album och visst fan är det bra. Men jag håller debuten The Hurting högre.

very good

The true definition of a timeless classic. 40 years later, "Songs From The Big Chair" is a sure shot at the hearts of the general public.

First cassette tape I ever bought.

Juste pour l'instrumental break de Shout, l'album est un turbo banger

Classic record.

An absolutely fantastic album. Something about the darker and more mature sound is incredibly appealing. Every song is captivating, and I appreciate that the longer runtimes are utilized in a way that let's instrumental breaks shine with fills and solos. So much more than a pop album, and one that should be held in high regard by other pop artists looking for a meaningful sound

Oooh wow. This is one of my all time favorites. Beautiful and intricate eighties pop. Some of the greatest songs ever - Head Over Heels, The Working Hour, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Shout, Mothers Talk. This is just a perfect collection of perfect songs. I’m sure this sounded fresh in the eighties (I was born the year the album was released) and it sound just as fresh today. A great range of emotions and instrumentation. Powerful music that tugs at your heart strings but can also make you dance and even meditate. It even has great guitar solos! What more could you want. I listened to these songs so many times and it feels like there's still more beauty to discover in them. I just love everything here, the synths, the drum machine, the guitar, obviously the vocals. The songs dynamics are great, the lyrical topics are varied and introspective. It's just so good.

Everybody wants to rule the world é uma das minhas músicas favoritas de todos os tempos.

This album has definitely won classic status

I mean, if you're going to have a TFF album on this thing, this is DEFINITELY the one to get. I have one or two friends who are DEEP into Tears For Fears, but I really only know the stuff on this album and one or two other songs. It's definitely an album I enjoyed. There's the three big songs on it, and "Head Over Heels" is probably my favorite of theirs (although "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" is a real close second). The only track I was not fond of was the last track. I kinda feel it was a bit of a letdown after "Head Over Heels / Broken". But apart from that, I like/love every other track on it. Some people may say the album is dated because of the 80s synths and such, but I think the production really moves it ahead and gives it more of a timeless feel. Classic album.

Another big new wave / synth-pop/rock band and album. Made me think a lot about Depeche Mode and Violator. Similar sultry baritone vocals that can go high too, but too great vocalists in Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith. Similar synth with some nice real guitar or bass mixed in (but a lot of synth bass and drum tracks). I think Depeche Mode's lyrics are slightly better, but these guys penned some very deep songs. Violator was a 4 for me and I don't know if this one should go higher. There are less spots where this album drags - they keep a better tempo from song to song. Especially as they crank out Shout and Everybody Wants to Rule the World at songs one and three - those are classics. Enthralling beats, great wordplay, awesome vocals. They set and keep such a big tone. The Working Hour (in between them) is okay but Mothers Talk at song four is very good. I see why it was the lead single - a little overly produced and goes on about a minute too long but still a rocking song. I Believe is a nice soaring ballad - slows the tempo but doesn't feel out of place. Broken, on either side of Head Over Heels, is a bit redundant. Didn't need the reprise and some of the best beats in the first part (the piano intro) are also on Head Over Heels. Still, the first part isn't bad electronica. Head Over Heels is almost every bit as good as the two big singles. Always loved that one as well. Listen, like I Believe, is another song that slows the tempo down again as the album closes. Another one that is just okay and probably goes on longer than it needs to. Not perfect, but no clunkers. Probably worthy of a 4.5. I'm going to round up for the mostly seamless ride that listening to it was.

Love this album! Long time fan. It was fun to put it on and listen closely again as part of the 1001. The songs are so varied yet all share great composition and production quality. Shout is an anthemic opening. Play it on 11. The Working Hour is a nice track - I hear Peter Gabriel influence, but maybe that's just me. Love the sax solo and TIL it's Mel Collins from King Crimson! Nice. Jerry Marotta was also involved in the track, so maybe that's part of the Gabriel perception I'm getting (Jerry was Gabriel's drummer on his first set of solo albums). Everybody Wants to Rule the World - classic track. Simple, yet brilliantly composed and arranged. Mothers Talk - great rocking track. I Believe - Mellow track apparently influenced by Robert Wyatt, but without Wyatt's weirdness (they also covered Wyatt's Sea Song around this time). Broken - fun track, but for me it's just a segue into my favorite track on the album: Head Over Heels. Man, that opening piano line. So good. The song is like riding a wave. Love the flanged drums on the transition to the "four-leaf clover" section. Love the la la section - so easy to get swept away singing along. For a good laugh, look up the "Head Over Heels Literal Video" on YouTube. I admit that the Literal Video lyrics live rent free in my head when I hear this song, but I still love it. Such a great song. Listen brings us to a nice mellow close. Brilliant, perfect album.

Feels like a view into the 80s. Has some classics I had heard, while also having some songs I was less familiar with. Good mix of vibes throughout.

Amazing album.

I was excited to see this album show up today as it has some memorable songs that I am glad to listen to again. The other songs are also pretty good, though "Listen" may be a little long for my liking. Standout tracks: Shout, Everybody Wants To Rule The World, Head Over Heels

glad i gave this one a relisten

9/10 Bend kojeg sam kao klinac znao jedino po pjesmi Shout i uvijek se pitao kako to nije Depeche Mode. Tek prije nesto manje od 10 godina sam dozivio i njihovu Everybody Wants To Rule The World, koja mi je i danas jedna od najboljih stvari iz 80ih. Poslusao sam ju pozorno bezbroj puta, cuo live izvedbe, a i par modernijih artista koje volim ju znaju izvoditi tako da se ocjena vec popela prilicno visoko. Osim nje, svaka stvar mi je skroz sjela i nema smisla da ih nabrajam poimenice. Album mi je dosta ozbiljan za to razdoblje, a opet mi nisu pompozni brijači kao neki. Shout mi je zapravo mozda i najlosija, a zadnju, eksperimentalniju Listen bi izdvojio kao bas po mom ukusu. Odličan!

3 all timers on here, and they sound even better in album context then as singles. 80s synth music gets a bad rap and this is as good as it gets

one of my moms favorite. love the songs i've heard from this album Everybody Wants to Rule the World is actually indisputably one the best songs ever. I don't even know if there's a point in saying that because its so obvious. peak 80s pop for sure

Classic 80s. Loved it

A classic from my youth.

Excellent. Chill, ethereal, undeniably 80s. Awesome instrumental and vocal work. 'Everybody Wants to Rule the World' is an easy pick for my fave, but this album was fantastic from start to finish!

Amazing and powerful album, the music is excellent, and the sound is so cool, they are a little angry about everything, and I am too, but not too rude... A classic plenty of hits...

Just some of the most polished music the 80s has to offer, somehow is both perfect and still has personality.

Big sound, deep emotion. It’s layered and precise. Somewhere between the drama of Kate Bush and the pulse of New Order. Every piece fits, but it still surprises you.

Fantastic. 5/5

Quite simply one of the finest pop albums ever made

Uno de los discos más representativos de la mejor música de los 80. Tears for fears, sinónimo de calidad (y siguen publicando excelentes discos hoy en día) tocaron el cielo con este magistral álbum repleto de melodías geniales: Shout, Head over heels, Mothers talk, I believe o la inigualable Everybody wants to rule the world. Habían debutado con un estupendo disco (The hurting) y continuarían su racha con otro maravilloso álbum como es The seeds of love. Habría que esperar varias décadas para que publicaran un disco de este nivel (The tipping point) pero el más representativo y exitoso es este The big chair. Ya lo has escuchado cientos de veces, aunque tal vez no lo sepas... Otros discos del 85, el año del C85, Psychocandy, This is the sea, Low-life, Once upon a time, Brothers in arms, Hounds of love, Steve McQueen, Love not money, This nation´s saving grace, Fables of the reconstruction, Around the world in a day, Rain dogs, Meat is murder, Slave to the rithym, What Does Anything Mean? Basically , Rum, sodomy and the lash, Don´t stand my down y Picture book.

LOVE LOVE LOVE

Fantastic

Starting off with a banger, Shout is a ton of fun! Good sax music in The Working Hour. Everybody Wants To Rule The World is another great one. Dips a bit for the next few tracks, still solid though. Then the amazing Head Over Heels. Great album, love it! Best song: Head over Heels

One of my all time favorite albums, and probably my favorite 80s album

I think this album is probably the last great peak of New Wave influence. It has such an awesome feel to it - not at all detracted by heavy MTV airplay - coupled with sick singalong lyrics. Personally, I think it’s an encapsulation of the grandeur of “the 80s”. I am too glad to see it on this list. I believe it’s a desert island disc for me.

5 Because it brought back memories of a time when we couldn't get enough of hearing this... Oops, I guess we still can't get enough ;-) It's so, so good <3

Unbeliveable! I knew Tears for Fears but never let them sink in before. I laid on the couch and really let this what works, but this literally wept while listening.

Phenomenal album of original music that transcends time and "popular" categorization. Insightful lyrics, wonderfully composed music, soulful vocals, and clean instrumentation underscore how great this album is.

Loveeeed this. Absolutely non skippable

One of the greatest new wave albums ever, really nothing more to say

Brilliant 👏

Fantastic synthpop album with plenty of known songs including one of my all time favorites in "Everybody Wants To Rule The World". Apart from the songs, the production is really great and to top it off, it didn't drag on forever. Quick 41 minute album filled with great songs... don't bore us, get to the chorus! 9/10

an album I like a good deal, but one which I don't have much to say about, apart from "wow, this is layered!" the operative word here is "Big". this is quintessential eighties pop rock fare from top to bottom; most of these songs hit you with a wall constructed of shimmery guitars, icy synths, big drums dipped in thick reverb, and gripping vocal leads. over time, I've grown to really appreciate the tropes from this era of pop, tacky though they may appear on the surface to modern ears! this decade had a very particular production quality, an ethereal nature that always nevertheless feels like it's operating at a slight distance from me as a listener. there's a sort of intrigue in that dynamic that Tears for Fears, Talk Talk, Kate Bush, Depeche Mode and many more utilized to pretty tremendous success. the three biggest (and Big-est) songs here are big for a reason! I'm not sure I had ever heard the full 6+ minute version of "Shout" before but, damn, it's worth every second! a simple, perfectly orchestrated slow build if ever there was one. do I need to say anything about "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" other than "how did this almost not make the album?" I almost forgot "Head Over Heels" existed, so it was a pleasant surprise to be reminded of it again; I'll never get sick of a crafty modulation between a song's verse and chorus. the deeper cuts are nothing to sneeze at either! "The Working Hour" has some incredible saxophone work from Will Gregory; "Mothers Talk" has maybe the album's most infectious drum pocket; "I Believe" feels like a cabaret number floating through space; and I like how "Broken" frames "Head Over Heels" and gives it a greater musical context to exist in, then leads into the dreamy, near-ambient closer, "Listen". I definitely didn't expect to like this as much as I did! hoping for more surprises like that in the days to come. light 9/10.

Amazing

Yeaaaah

A landmark classic that defined a generation of Cocteau Twins enthusiasts, Tears For Fears showed everyone that they had access to an era-defining reverb by writing music that has aged into our hearts - not in our faces.

There are few albums that remind me more of my mom than this one. I grew up on this record. What an incredible opening track. This record is such a solid synth pop record. I love it.

I love all the hits on this album, and the rest of it was pretty interesting too. It's kind of broody and introspective, but with totally radical, totally 80s new wave vibes. Had a great time listening, it's aged like a fine wine!

I mean they really cranked out the bangers on this album didn't they, beautiful soundscape and aggressively 80s, doesn't get much more fun than that.

EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THIS FUCKING WORLD

Two regular gothy synthpop dudes strike up the courage to make one of the landmark albums of the 80s and maybe the greatest album of the century perhaps. It’s a production extravaganza with a luxuriance of whirring, grinding, despairing synth mixed with more relaxed, natural and polished instrumental tones and Orzabal and Smith are on super top form vocally as well. Featuring a trio of hugely successful singles and top of the lungs anthems which land so monumentally in a tracklist that is insanely tight and magnificently sequenced. A lot variety as well from the monstrous, mechanical stadium synth rock of Mothers Talk and Broken to the beautiful smooth jazz anguish of The Working Hour and the meditativeness of I Believe and more mystical closer Listen. Easy 5 stars.

Peak 80's right here. A lot of the typical 80's sound is off putting, this nails it to perfection.

Quintessential album from the 80s. I love the cool transitions between the tracks and in my humble opinion, doesn't sound like any other album that came out around the same time. "Head Over Heels," alone, easily makes this album a 5/5. "YEAH!"

I was surprised by how fantastic this album is. The tv show Psych, with frequent 80s “homage,” gave Tears for Fears special place in their 80s pantheon. I thought that whatever band held that spot would be kitschy and overblown. But I was wrong! Shout and Everybody Wants… are both deserved hits. The Working Hour is my favorite song on the record. Big fan!

Mellow and chill listening

i hate where TFF are going with the AI slop nowadays, but this album is really something special. the three pillars of the album are the mammoth hits: shout, everybody wants to rule the world, and head over heels. these three tracks really define this album, and it's awesome to hear their riffs and instruments woven throughout the album. broken is a nice little extension of head over heels, and the latter half of the album closer listen reminds me of mad world, which is pretty slick. with that said, for being such a notable 80s band and album, the other ballads on here truly stink. not sure how they flubbed that part so badly but they just don't hit at all for me. that ballad sound is also responsible for the worst two minutes of the working hour. still, the high points on this album are so high that i've really gotta hand it (my five-star review) to them. favorites: shout, the working hour, everybody wants to rule the world, broken, head over heels

Sneaky good

A great one.

Obviously all 5

own

I’ve the instrumentals. The notes. The lyrics. The vibe.

Pretty great. This album sounds like the ‘80s in the best possible way. Hippie voice: Hey man, is that Songs From The Big Chair? Then turn it up, man!

Magique. Le cœur des 80z

this has always been one of my favorite albums so i might be biased. What a soundscape, what excellent excellent brilliant 80s pop. no other words can be spoken. 1.) everybody wants to rule the world 2.) the working hour 3.) head over heels / broken

Brilliant album. Still sounds as good as when it first came out

Classic.

Still listen to this album on a regular basis 40 years later. Fantastic!

It's great, heard it many times before

5 estrelas, do começo ao final só tem obra de arte

Actually good music from the 80s? It’s more likely than you’d think

80’s are a great pick-me-up

Masterpiece 10/10

Major bias because my favorite song of all time is on this album. Don’t care, it’s a masterpiece.

10/10. This is one of my absolute freaking favourite albums in this 1001 album project!!! I fell in love with it when I first listened to it!!! It is possibly my favourite pop album of all time!!!!! :)

Great album with some nostalgic songs from the 80s. Solid album.

Absolutely essential 80s pop listening. The songwriting and production quality are immaculate.

Yes, this is 5 stars

5/9/24 A short album with 8 songs, but I found myself not getting bored of the album and will look to listen to it once again. 3 out of the 8 are classics.

Well aren’t they a pretty pair of boys on that album cover? I do quite like Tears For Fears, so it was a happy moment when saw this generated, although I’m unsure if I’ve actually listened to an album in full by them before. I’ve certainly commented this many times before, but 80’s synth does hold a soft spot for me. It’s a sound that I can’t help but love. Also, the fact that so many songs from this album still get regular airplay indicates others may think the same too. And I’m not surprised. This is a pretty banging album.

Buncha great suggesetions lately! Of course 5/5, this album is an icon.

Finally an 80's album that is actually good.

This album is a fucking 10. No more notes required.

Brilliant but over so soon!

Wow, i severely underestimated these lads. Really legit song writing on here, I’ll try and dig into the rest of their work.

Yes!!!!!

4.5/5... something happens and I am indeed head over heels

This record was on repeat in the mid 80s, this record and their second were a big part of my late teens and early twenties.

Awesome album

The platonic ideal of 80s pop yet timeless in its excellence. Shout and Everybody Wants to Rule the World are all time classics. Head Over Heels is basically my theme song. The Working Hour is hugely underrated. I've loved this album for years and will continue to love it. 47/5 stars

I really like this, it’s an excellent listen. My only reservation—I find the general 80s sound to be so of the moment and a little cheesy, like walking into a 70s kitchen, the second you walk in you know when it was made. 4.5

There's so much depth to this album beyond the brilliant BIG HITTER singles. Jazz, primal therapy, synth prog - all get a look in. The songs are woven together, teasing of a concept, but keeping the overall story hidden from view. The Broken / Head Over Heels / return to Broken suite wasn't your usual pop album expectation at the time. I rarely give five stars. Big Chair would have received five stars from me back in 1985. Almost forty years on (!) and it still gives me great pleasure. A real treat to listen to.

I have a Best Of compilation album by Tears For Fears and it might as well have been filled with this album (save for a few songs that would be missing). This album should be in my collection.

Beautiful soundscape from the synths, love the singing, and it felt very peaceful and nostalgic.

The big chair is comfy and warm

My older sister had this on cassette growing up, so it got a lot of rotation at the house and on road trips. Probably one of my favorite keyboard solos every on "Head over Heals"

It's a perfect 80s album. It has big hits on both sides, including Everybody Wants to Rule The Word (to me, a strong contender to the top 10 best pop songs of all time). The songs between the big hits are not simple fillers and add a lot of flavor and depth to the entire album, especially the smooth jazzy The Working Hour or the moody closer Listen. And while I don't love all of the songs individually (Mothers Talk in particular), I can enjoy them as part of the whole listening experience, which makes it a perfect album to recommend to someone who would try to get into listening to entire albums instead of songs or playlists. Someone in the comments recommended watching Rick Beato's video and I second that, it's really great and goes in detail to dissect the sound which will make you appreciate the thought and work behind the music even more.

Two massive hits, and you think you've heard all that you need from this album. You'd be missing out on Roland Orzabal's genius as a composer. As with "The Hurting," Orzabal seems equally comfortable creating a memorable pop song as much as an orchestral mood piece. A pinnacle of 1980s pop music.

★★★★★★

best album ever made

solid 5 stars i'm not hearing any arguments right now 💛

head over heels intro is SO satisfying to play multiple air instruments to

My god, the 80s are present, but the power is unbelievable. The guitars are ripping and the harmonies are floating through the ether. What an incredible show when the chorus’ kick in and the elements combine to create really gorgeous music. This one rips the scales of a 4, but I’m feeling a 5 because of how this moves the soul!

The opposite of a sophomore slump. I was going to ding this by a star for "I Believe," but it's a perfectly executed soul ballad with the same self-observant attitude as the rest of the album, gently laying you down in front of the massive "Head Over Heels/Broken," which rips out your heart then gifts it back to you in a healed, refreshed state where you can now see the world a little more clearly, less shit-stained. Brilliant album beginning to end, with that lush, mid-eighties gloss that can sound dated but here is effective as part of the music, magnifying the themes, spreading the music out. Simple without being boring. Huge without being obnoxious, or tedious. It just has a sincere character, unlike a lot of other so-called synth-pop/new wave from that era - not going to name names because Tears for Fears songwriting and musical chops elevate them to a level that exists sort of above any genre. Unfortunately for us Orzabal and Curt Smith didn't get along well after the next album, maybe got steamrolled by their hype, who knows. Good to see they got back together later because this was a unique sound, great voices, great playing, great songwriting. "Songs from the Big Chair" has aged well, a superior example of what pop music sounde like inthe mid-eighties, and remains one of the best albums of all time.

classic Synthpop album

5/5

Excellent writing and recording of happy catchy tunes. This has held up well over time.

Tolles 80er Wave Album mit unverwechselbaren Sounds und tollen Titeln. Let‘s „Shout“ about „Hands over Heels“ so that „Everybody wants to rule the world“ 😊. Leider sind nicht alle Songs so stark aber sie passen insgesamt ins Albumkonzept. Es ist eine tolle 3/4 Stunde back to the 80‘s 😊👍

Já conhecia algumas músicas, ouvir o restante das músicas foi só para descobrir que o álbum inteiro é foda.

very impressed with this one 4.5.5

Bedste indtil videre

Now That's What I Call 80's Music Vol. 1. What a monster of a record.

80’s music doesn’t get much better than this. Many people tried, but Tears For Fears really mastered the formula. While Side One contains the two most instantly recognizable songs, the album eventually peaks with “Head Over Heels”.

Woah. So many classics

Such a huge record. Had no idea how much These New Puritans and side C of Destroyer's Kaputt owed to this record before I'd heard it all the way through — another in that list of records you've heard a number of tracks from without realizing it. Enjoyed this immensely. Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith are far more studious musicians and writers than a casual All-80s-Weekend radio marathon might suggest.

Masterclass!

One of my absolute favorite albums of all time. The production, performance, and the thoughtful songwriting is as a great all around. There is a reason why many people to this day think that "Everybody Wants to the Rule the World" is the most perfect song ever written. At 41 minutes SFTBC is a lean album that makes the most of every note. It doesn't get bogged down in its philosophical leanings and introduces audiences with accessible versions of subgenres that were lesser known at the time. My other absolute favorite album of theirs is ELEMENTAL, released and record by Orzabal after breaking up with Curt Smith in 1993 is also an album I recommend listening to all the way through. Fantastic explorations and tight songwriting. This album and THE HURTING make clear how much their sound was affected by the loss of Ian Stalney after he left the band following this album. I just love this 80s sound so much! A decade when bands were given enough money and studio time to really explore sonic adventures and often the musical freedom to go on those voyages, unlike the music since then that is often given the freedom to explore but lacks the money, experience, or expertise to really make the songs and production shine, and record companies are unwilling to really stick with artist development to really draw out their best.

One of my favourite albums of the 80's. Atmospheric, great singles.

Retrospectively and perhaps at the time, an absolute tomb.

A great album. On a trip through California, I listened to a lot of "Tears for Fears" in the car. I didn't knew the album "Songs From The Big Chair", but a lot of it was on the best-of that I remember fondly. They were rightly on it. Nice to have heard this album in its entirety. It certainly wasn't the last time. 5/5

Brilliant

wow. a mind-blowing album. no filler tracks, just pure tracks, banger after banger.

Love this, i think its an album that defines the 80s sound, history was made.

Hell fucking yes boys. Sometimes it's all about the age you are when you first hear an album. I was all of 15 years old when the big 3 songs from this album were inescapable, all over MTV and the radio. The essential track that endures is of course Everybody Wants to Rule The World, a song you can't listen to without feeling blissfully happy. That song should be the on-hold music for suicide prevention hotlines. While the rest of America was going crazy for Wham!, I gravitated towards this overseas duo. And this is as natural of a pure power pop classic as you could find in 1985, a year that isn't as revered as 1984, but it clearly deserves to be.

An all time classic song, but surprisingly a very solid album as well

Short and sweet, some absolute bangers of songs on this album that makes for extremely easy and enjoyable listening

I loved this album so much, favourite one so far. Mother’s talk one by far for my favourite song.

4.5/5 on quality, 5/5 when sentimentality is factored in. Timeless 80s music from my childhood. This 1001 exercise is showing me that typically the singles are singles for a reason, they're the better songs...I think. Or is it just because they're familiar and album tracks for an album I've only listened to a few times haven't had the chance to grow? Who knows. Closing track Listen was an enjoyable surprise. Enya meets Talk Talk meets TFF 80s synths.

Weirdly I asked Alexa today to play music while I took a dump in the house (drowns out the sounds for house guests) and it played Everybody Wants to Rule the World. Then I thought "damn, I need to listen to that album again". Then I checked 1001 generator and it was that album. What are the chances? Anyhow, amazing album of course, I love it.

Bangers from start to finish.

4.5 All really great

Better than expected

Quite a few great songs from this one. The album itself is nothing to write home about but the few songs that are, really are

10/10 loved it

Solid album. Didn't care for it when it first came out. It provides a bit of nostalgia at this point.

porram

Fiquei muito feliz quando vi esse álbum. É maravilhoso, bom do inicio ao fim. Fave: everybody wants to rule the world

It’s a 10 for me 10/10

TfT makes me teary eyed with fantastic they are. It has their three biggest songs, it’s short and doesn’t overstay it’s welcome. Absolute masterpiece. 10/10

Очень красивый мелодичный, всё на своём месте но и не скучно. Имеется хит Everybody wants to rule the world. Жанр синтипоп, прогрок

This was my favorite album so far (having joined at Elvis). I hadn't really thought of Tears for Fears as an "album" band, more a singles band, so I enjoyed hearing them in album form. This album had so many songs I already knew and loved, and I was surprised that so many of them were on one album. The sounds are all so incredibly 80's, but in a way that feels still pretty timeless when a lot of its contemporaries can sound kinda dated. It also got surprisingly heavy at times. Great balance of big bangers, and slower softer songs. The production is perfect for their style too. The whole album sounds lush and huge and begs to be played from the biggest speakers possible. Their songwriting is also incredible. Every song on there works just as well as a top 40 commercial hit as it does an underground classic. Shout is one of the best songs ever recorded. 10/10 and a delight the whole time. B to B+ album cover

cheesy, but also musically better than I remembered. Definitely timeless, despite the cornyness of it at times

I own this album on vinyl and it's just absolutely flawless. The sound is so crisp and clean, and every instrument sounds like it was composed and performed in heaven. Such good grooves, smooth melodies and clean harmonies. The bass sound is super cool, the synths are perfectly balanced and natural sounding, the drums and cymbals are just perfect. Vocals of course are enlightened and flawless. I only wish it was longer. Five stars easily.

Great

A few weeks ago, I was lamenting that I hadn’t gotten to review an eighties album in a while. A couple of days later, I was given Motörhead’s No Sleep Till Hammersmith, which was not what I’d had in mind at all. Last weekend, I was very excited to review Duran Duran’s Rio. When I saw that on the docket today was Songs From The Big Chair, I was ecstatic. I’ve loved Tears for Fears since I was a kid, and as an adult, I’ve listened to this album in its entirety, and I think it’s a masterpiece. Most of my love for this album is due to “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.” When I think of a song that captures the mood of the decade, this is the first song I think of. I love everything about its sound: the tinkling synths, the dreamy keyboards, and the perfect guitar playing that accompanies the airy atmosphere. Curt Smith’s vocals do an excellent job of keeping the overall sound light, while still singing with the passion to convey the song’s warning of the dangers of power-hungry political administrations. I’ve heard this song countless times throughout my life, and I never get tired of it. Every time I hear those opening notes, I can just visualize going to the mall, or turning on the cable box in our wood-paneled living room. For my money, this is one of the best songs of the eighties. As much as I love “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” I’ve spent a lot of time being let down by this album’s opening track, “Shout.” Every time I hear “Shout,” I’m let down that I’m not hearing “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” instead, and that’s incredibly unfair to this song. I love its low, droning bass sound combined with the lighter tinkling percussion sounds, and the synth sound that starts during the pre-chorus is fantastic too. “Shout” does a fantastic job of subtlety building in intensity until its great outro closes out the song. “Head Over Heels” is incredible too, with its distinct piano intro, and screeching guitar notes. I love the falsetto that Curt Smith uses at the end of each line; it serves as such a great contrast to the rest of his singing. The rest of the songs on this album are fantastic too, especially “The Working Hour” and “Mothers Talk.” This album is fantastic from start to finish, and it’s a masterpiece of eighties pop. So many bands tried to duplicate the sound that Tears for Fears created on this album, but no one can hold a candle to the sounds here. As much as I might joke that this album’s weakness is that it’s not 42 minutes of “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” that’s actually where its strengths lie, because each song showcases impressively distinct pop sounds. Songs from the Big Chair is fantastic, and completely worthy of being on this list.

Brilliant.

One of my favorite albums. Lots of hits, album cuts are great, not really any duds.

Only 8 songs but some massive hits! Nice listen, surprising it’s only 41 minutes. Hit songs I knew well but even the ‘filler’ had some cool sounds and ideas within them. 4.5/5 but with ‘Everybody wants to rule the World’ having 1.5 billion plays on Spotify, I’m rounding up 👍

Really fun 80s soundzzz in a way that doesn’t feel dated. Love the way it feels experimental with the instruments. the only song I didn’t love was I Believe, feels like a classic 80’s ballad in the bad way.

This was a pretty fun album to listen to. I’ve always been a fan of tears for fears, but I’ve never listened to any of their albums straight through. Instead I always played the greatest hits, or something similar. Now I feel like I was missing out this entire time. I’ll definitely be listening to this one in the future.

What a brilliant album. I am lucky to still have the original vinyl record copy of this to listen to. Classics such as Shout and Everybody Want's to Rule The World.

Absolutely fantastic! The cool 80s electro is really shining through

Wow, some great tunes on this. I wanted to not like this lol, as TFF came along when I was anti-new wave music, and as a guitar player there was just too much synth, not enough guitar. I knew the radio songs were catchy, but I wasn't aware of the creative depth and songwriting on the album. Glad I listened to the entire thing.

This album is packed with bangers

Day67 - the first record i bought and i wore it out and still love it. curt smith on psych always makes me laugh

Le daría 10 estrellas si pudiera

All due respect to Speaking in Tongues, Stop Making Sense, Thriller, et al, but this is the best album of the 1980s that doesn't involve Prince. Just a masterpiece, end to end.

Tears for Fears were so good at packing layers of sounds without making it sound too busy or overwhelming - everything has a place in the mix. I think the guitar solo from Shout is a perfect example of a relatively simple line that is so melodically well composed within the context of that tune. Despite having a rather 'of the time' sonic palette, it doesn't feel dated. And the songs themselves are just well-crafted pop tunes.

Love Tears for Fears. Love this album. Love The Hurting too, I wonder if it's in this list.

I DO want to rule the world! How did they know? Good tuneage xx

The hits are still bangers, and the others aren't bad either.