Mad World was first released by Tears for Fears in 1982, and a stripped-back piano cover by Gary Jules brought it to a much wider audience after it featured in the 2001 film Donnie Darko. The cover later reached number one in the United Kingdom at Christmas in 2003, turning a cult song into a mainstream hit. Since then, its slow piano arrangement has become shorthand online for sadness and dramatic irony, reused in edits, memes and tribute videos long after its original chart success.