The canon of Def Leppard represents a lot more than just music.
How many great moments have been soundtracked by "Photograph?" How many times have you sung along to "Pour Some Sugar On Me" amongst friends? How many memories can be associated with their records?
Def Leppard not only maintain, but also extend one of rock music's greatest legacies by consistently delivering airtight songcraft and top-flight performances on each subsequent tour, release, and new frontier. That's why they've moved over 100 million records worldwide. It's why they're "one of only five rock bands with two original studio albums selling over 10 million copies in the U.S." It's why their admirers span everyone from Metallica to Taylor Swift. It's why the music endures forty years since their 1977 formation in Sheffield, UK.
In 1980, the platinum On Through The Night introduced Def Leppard on a global scale. Right out of the gate, they set a rigorous standard for touring and even touched down stateside for the first time. 1981's double-platinum High 'n' Dry saw them begin a storied creative partnership with producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange powered by signature singles "High 'n' Dry (Saturday Night)" and "Bringin' On the Heartbreak"-eventually covered by none other than Mariah Carey.
Then the boys set everything on fire…
Def Leppard lit up Pyromania in 1983 alongside Lange. Fueled by singles such as "Photograph," "Rock of Ages," "Foolin'," and more, the record eventually became a Diamond-seller, moving over 10 million units in the U.S. alone by 2004. Long before the days of TRL, "Photograph" famously knocked Michael Jackson's "Beat It" from the top of MTV as the "Most Requested Music Video." Among countless placements everywhere from the Grand Theft Auto and Guitar Hero video game franchises to Blades of Glory, "Photograph" would also be honored with covers by Santana and Daughtry, The All-American Rejects, and more as The Offspring famously sampled "Rock of Ages." A 2017 Rolling Stone list of the "100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time" ranked Pyromania at #52.
A household name at this point, Hysteria cemented them as icons in 1987. Their best-seller to date, it sold in excess of 30 million copies globally and 12 million in North America, standing out as the "51st best-selling album ever in the states." Hysteria spent 96 weeks in the Top 40-a feat shared only by Born in the U.S.A. A critical favorite, Rolling Stone named it among the coveted 500 Greatest Albums of All Time and a poll in Q placed it on the 100 Greatest Albums of All Time. Beyond clinching #1 on the Billboard Top 200 and UK Albums Chart, this epic spawned the Top 5 juggernauts "Pour Some Sugar On Me," "Animal," "Love Bites," "Hysteria," "Rocket," and "Armageddon It."
In 1992, the triple-platinum Adrenalize catapulted to #1 on the Top 200 as well as reaching #1 in a total of 23 countries. During this era, the current lineup of Joe Elliott [vocals], Rick "Sav" Savage [bass], Rick Allen [drums], Phil Collen [guitar], and Vivian Campbell [guitar] was locked. A string of fan favorites followed, including the gold-selling Slang [1996] and Euphoria [1999], X [2002], and Yeah! [2006]. 2008's Songs from the Sparkle Lounge bowed at #5 as the musicians joined forces with Taylor Swift to perform the single "Love" on CMT Crossroads. The 2015 self-titled Def Leppard repeated that chart success, crashing the Top 200 at #10.
2018 represents yet another watershed moment as the group unleashes their full catalog on digital platforms for the very first time. Of course, the songs roar as loudly as ever in the 21st century.
"It's with a mixture of relief and euphoria that we now see our entire catalog finally getting a digital release," says Elliott. "Having embraced every other format with open arms-especially and more recently the reemergence of vinyl-we're now going to be available to everyone everywhere. Honestly, it's as exciting as the original releases were."
That excitement amplifies as they embark on a massive worldwide co-headliner alongside longtime friends Journey. Dominating stadiums and arenas everywhere, expect a spectacle for the ages.
"This tour is going to be a blast," smiles Elliott. "We've toured together before. It was massive, and it was good, but this time it's going to be even bigger and better."
"Bigger and better" is a promise that Def Leppard keep time and time again.
The future will be no exception.
—Def Leppard Official Site
