Def Leppard
Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in Sheffield in 1977. Since 1992, the band has consisted of Rick Savage (bass, backing vocals), Joe Elliott (lead vocals), Rick Allen (drums), Phil Collen (guitar, backing vocals), and Vivian Campbell (guitar, backing vocals). They emerged as part of the new wave of British heavy metal in the early 1980s.
The band's debut album, "On Through the Night" (1980), reached the Top 15 in the UK but received little attention internationally. Their second album, "High 'n' Dry" (1981), produced by Mutt Lange, helped define their melodic hard rock style. The album's track "Bringin' On the Heartbreak" became one of the first rock videos played on MTV in 1982. "Pyromania" (1983), the first album to feature Collen replacing guitarist Pete Willis, included the singles "Photograph" and "Rock of Ages," which both topped the US Rock Tracks chart and reached the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100. The album reached number two on the US album chart and was certified Diamond in the United States.
The band's fourth album, the more pop-oriented "Hysteria" (1987), topped the UK, US, Canadian and Australian charts and remained on the charts for over two years. It has sold over 15 million copies worldwide. "Hysteria" produced six Top 20 US singles, including the Billboard Hot 100 number one "Love Bites," "Pour Some Sugar on Me" (US No. 2), "Hysteria," "Armageddon It" (US No. 3), "Animal" (No. 6, their biggest UK hit), and "Rocket."
Following the death of guitarist Steve Clark in 1991, the band recorded "Adrenalize" (1992) as a four-piece before adding Campbell for the subsequent tour. The album reached number one in the UK, US and Australia and included the hits "Let's Get Rocked" and "Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad," the latter reaching the Top 10 in the US, UK and Canada. "Adrenalize" sold over eight million copies worldwide. Their 1993 album "Retro Active" included the acoustic Top 5 hit "Two Steps Behind," and the greatest-hits collection "Vault" (1995) featured the UK number two hit "When Love & Hate Collide" and reached the Top 10 in multiple countries.
Def Leppard have sold more than 100 million records worldwide. They have received RIAA Diamond certification for both "Pyromania" and "Hysteria," making them one of only five rock bands with two original studio albums that have sold more than 10 million copies in the US. The band was ranked number 31 in VH1's "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock" and number 70 in "100 Greatest Artists of All Time." They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019.
Studio albums
On Through the Night (1980)
High 'n' Dry (1981)
Pyromania (1983)
Hysteria (1987)
Adrenalize (1992)
Slang (1996)
Euphoria (1999)
X (2002)
Yeah! (2006)
Songs from the Sparkle Lounge (2008)
Def Leppard (2015)
Diamond Star Halos (2022)
The band's debut album, "On Through the Night" (1980), reached the Top 15 in the UK but received little attention internationally. Their second album, "High 'n' Dry" (1981), produced by Mutt Lange, helped define their melodic hard rock style. The album's track "Bringin' On the Heartbreak" became one of the first rock videos played on MTV in 1982. "Pyromania" (1983), the first album to feature Collen replacing guitarist Pete Willis, included the singles "Photograph" and "Rock of Ages," which both topped the US Rock Tracks chart and reached the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100. The album reached number two on the US album chart and was certified Diamond in the United States.
The band's fourth album, the more pop-oriented "Hysteria" (1987), topped the UK, US, Canadian and Australian charts and remained on the charts for over two years. It has sold over 15 million copies worldwide. "Hysteria" produced six Top 20 US singles, including the Billboard Hot 100 number one "Love Bites," "Pour Some Sugar on Me" (US No. 2), "Hysteria," "Armageddon It" (US No. 3), "Animal" (No. 6, their biggest UK hit), and "Rocket."
Following the death of guitarist Steve Clark in 1991, the band recorded "Adrenalize" (1992) as a four-piece before adding Campbell for the subsequent tour. The album reached number one in the UK, US and Australia and included the hits "Let's Get Rocked" and "Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad," the latter reaching the Top 10 in the US, UK and Canada. "Adrenalize" sold over eight million copies worldwide. Their 1993 album "Retro Active" included the acoustic Top 5 hit "Two Steps Behind," and the greatest-hits collection "Vault" (1995) featured the UK number two hit "When Love & Hate Collide" and reached the Top 10 in multiple countries.
Def Leppard have sold more than 100 million records worldwide. They have received RIAA Diamond certification for both "Pyromania" and "Hysteria," making them one of only five rock bands with two original studio albums that have sold more than 10 million copies in the US. The band was ranked number 31 in VH1's "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock" and number 70 in "100 Greatest Artists of All Time." They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019.
Studio albums
On Through the Night (1980)
High 'n' Dry (1981)
Pyromania (1983)
Hysteria (1987)
Adrenalize (1992)
Slang (1996)
Euphoria (1999)
X (2002)
Yeah! (2006)
Songs from the Sparkle Lounge (2008)
Def Leppard (2015)
Diamond Star Halos (2022)
