The Hurting

For the television series, see The Hurting (TV series).
The Hurting
Standard cover art, originally used for the "Suffer the Children" single
Studio album by
Tears for Fears
Released7 March 1983
Recorded1981–1983
Genre
Length41:39
Label
Producer
Tears for Fears chronology
The Hurting
(1983) 		Songs from the Big Chair
(1985)
International cover art
Cover art for earlier international editions, originally used for the "Mad World" single
Singles from The Hurting
  1. "Suffer the Children"
    Released: 30 October 1981
  2. "Pale Shelter (You Don't Give Me Love)"
    Released: 29 March 1982
  3. "Mad World"
    Released: 20 September 1982
  4. "Change"
    Released: 24 January 1983
  5. "Pale Shelter (second version)"
    Released: 18 April 1983

The Hurting is the debut studio album by British new wave band Tears for Fears, released on 7 March 1983 by Mercury Records distributed by Phonogram Inc. The album peaked at No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart in its second week of release and was certified Gold by the BPI within three weeks of release. The album also entered the Top 40 in several other countries including Canada, Germany, and Australia. It was certified Platinum in the UK in January 1985.

The Hurting is a loose concept album focusing on themes of child abuse, psychological trauma and depression. Despite its dark subject matter, the album was a huge commercial success. It contains Tears for Fears' first three hit singles – "Mad World", "Change", and "Pale Shelter" – all of which reached the top five in the UK and the Top 40 internationally. It also contains a new version of the band's first single, "Suffer the Children", which had originally been released in 1981, while the album version of "Pale Shelter" is also a new recording. The album initially received mixed reviews but attracted retrospective critical acclaim.

The album was remastered and reissued in 1999, and included four remixes as bonus tracks and an extensive booklet with liner notes about the album's creation. A 30th anniversary reissue was released on 21 October 2013, in both double-CD and deluxe four-disc boxed set editions. For the album's 40th anniversary, new Dolby Atmos and 5.1 surround sound Blu-ray remixes by Steven Wilson, as well as a remastered vinyl edition of the original mix, was released in June 2023.[5]

  1. ^ Gerard, Chris (8 April 2021). "The 100 Best Alternative Singles of the 1980s: 40 - 21". PopMatters. p. 4. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  2. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Tears for Fears Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  3. ^ a b Rosenberg, Tal (20 August 2017). "Tears for Fears: Songs From the Big Chair". Pitchfork. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
  4. ^ "'The Hurting': The Tears For Fears Smash Debut Album". uDiscover Music. 7 March 2023.
  5. ^ "Tears for Fears / The Hurting on SDE-exclusive Blu-ray Audio – SuperDeluxeEdition".