Duran Duran or Tears for Fears?

duran duran had more mainstream success and top 40 hits in the 80's, but tears for fears was more musically interesting and had better songs.

imo sowing the seeds of love is one of the best songs ever recorded...an epic, orchestral pop song...its perfect.

but duran duran wrote one of the best bond themes and also two of those dudes were in power station and played on some like it hot, which should be on every 80's playlist.

tears for fears for me.

https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/robert-smith-one-band-the-cure-hated/

Duran Duran were the embodiment of the ’80s and its obsession with excess. Everything about the group was grandiose, whether it was the extravagant music videos or their flamboyant dress sense. With that, and much to Smith’s frustration, Duran Duran were never out of the charts, and throughout their career, they have sold over 100 million records.

In 2019, Smith spoke to The Guardian about how The Cure had managed to carve out a niche and successfully operated outside the traditional bubble. They developed a resilient ‘Us vs Them’ attitude, and in Smith’s eyes, there was no act that catered for the masses more than Duran Duran.

Smith explained: “It was generally Duran Duran, which is really sad because they loved us, and they used to come to our shows. But they represented everything we hated: the whole glamorous ’80s, consumer bullshit; this horrorshow that we were up against.”

Duran Duran epitomised the attitudes that had crept into society. In videos, frontman Simon Le Bon waltzed around carelessly on a yacht in glossy clips while half the country was undergoing intense financial hardship. However, in the defence of Duran Duran, their music was simply slick pop which didn’t have an overt political message. They were undeniably a product of their time, and whether the band liked her or not, they were an epoch of Thatcherism.

 

Darude - Sandstorm

 

Anyone else remember the Duran Duran vs Depeche Mode thread in the Hangout?

 

reminds me of the oldie rock band the doors

 

Tears for Fears.

 

I've got a tie.

 

To me Duran Duran has a greater number of bangers than Tears for Fears, but the quality of Tears for Fears bangers beat Duran Duran.

Put another way, Duran Duran is a mile wide but an inch deep, while Tears for Fears is an inch wide but a mile deep. TFF cuts go darker and deeper, which I like.

Conclusion: Nobody wins, it a draw.

 

Meh. I'm more mainstream and non edgy I guess
Duran Duran and its not close for me.

I think the mixture of songs and videos worked for me.
Tears for Fears were not bad but I guess I never listened to them too intently

Mad World - Gary Jules (Lyrics) <--- was better than Tears for Fear's version IMO

Rocket River

 

Tears for Fears is among my favorite groups of all time.

Everybody Wants to Rule the World and Working Hour are probably both top 10 for me, personally....and Everybody Wants to Rule the World is either 1a or 1b with Every Little Thing She Does is Magic for me.

 

They both have their solid numbers. They both have some duds in their catalog. To me Duran's duds are more offensive than Tears' duds.

But also Tears for Fears latest album was actually really solid. It's original and on par with some of the best work from earlier in their career. Some of the new songs have definitely roots in some of their older material. But some of it is an inspired departure.





They obviously look older but their voices are still good.

 

I saw Tears for Fears twice last year. I love their new album

 

I saw them in the summer and was very pleasantly surprised. It was a great show.

 

Truth be told --- Tears for Fears was popular in their day, but they never were as popular as they should have been and they were never as popular as Duran Duran.... but a lot of the appeal of Duran Duran was their persona.

 

Tears for Fears is way up there for me, ingrained into my childhood and something by them will be among the first songs played on a new set of speakers or headphones when trying them out because I know them well... and because I love the sound.

Duran Duran has some good songs, but they are ultimately just another band.

 

i listened to it when it came out and liked it. i need to check it out again.

their "comeback" album from like 20 years ago "everybody loves a happy ending" is great too.

 

I will have to check that out. I remember hearing about it at the time, but I think I was scared to listen to it for fear it would tarnish my appreciation of them. I don't really have that concern now.

 

No poll...may want to talk..

 

phish albums

 

Duran Duran released more albums and are probably better known but the quality of Tears for Fears work gives them the edge, imo.

Duran Duran had that great comeback album with The Wedding Album (with Come Undone and my favorite song of theirs ever in Ordinary World) but my God, the albums before and after that one are just absolutely putrid.