The band's first album, 1980'sOn Through the Night, reached the Top 15 in the UK but received little notice elsewhere. Their second album, 1981'sHigh 'n' Dry, was produced byMutt Lange, who helped them to define their melodic hard rock style. The album's most popular track, "Bringin' On the Heartbreak", became one of the first rock videos played onMTV in 1982. Their next studio album,Pyromania, the first with Collen replacing guitaristPete Willis, was released in January 1983, with "Photograph" and "Rock of Ages" both topping the US Rock Tracks chart and reaching the top 20 of the Hot 100. Reaching No. 2 on the US album chart,Pyromania was certifiedDiamond in the US. The band's fourth album, the more pop-orientedHysteria (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, making it one of thebest-selling albums of all time.Hysteria spawned six Top 20 US singles: The USBillboard Hot 100 No. 1 "Love Bites",[1] "Pour Some Sugar on Me" (US No. 2), "Hysteria", "Armageddon It" (US No. 3), "Animal" (at No. 6, the biggest UK hit), and "Rocket".
Following the death of guitaristSteve Clark in 1991, the band recorded their next studio album,Adrenalize (1992), as a four-piece before adding Campbell for the subsequent tour. The album reached No. 1 on the UK, US and Australian charts. It contained several hits, including theBillboard chart-topper "Let's Get Rocked". The album's third single, "Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad", was a Top 10 song in the US, UK and Canada.Adrenalize went on to sell over eight million copies worldwide. The band's 1993 album,Retro Active, contained theacoustic Top 5 hit "Two Steps Behind". Their greatest-hits album,Vault (1995), featured the UK No. 2 hit "When Love & Hate Collide" and reached the Top 10 in several countries.
As one of theworld's best-selling music artists, Def Leppard have sold more than 100 million records worldwide.[2] They have receivedRIAAdiamond certification for two albums,Pyromania andHysteria,[3] making them one of only five rock bands with two original studio albums that have sold more than 10 million copies in the US.[4][5] Def Leppard were ranked No. 31 inVH1's "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock"[6] and No. 70 in "100 Greatest Artists of All Time".[7] They were inducted into theRock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019.[8]
VocalistJoe Elliott (left) and bassistRick Savage (right), pictured in 2014, are the sole remaining original members of Def Leppard.
Rick Savage, Tony Kenning, and Pete Doubleday, all students atTapton School inSheffield, South Yorkshire, formed a band calledAtomic Mass in 1976.Pete Willis joined in 1977, departing briefly but returning full time. The band originally consisted of Doubleday (and later Willis) on guitar, Savage on bass guitar after briefly playing guitar, Kenning on drums, Andy Nicholas on bass and Nick Mackley on lead vocals. Other members to come and go were Paul Holland (vocals), Melanie Davis (guitars, keyboards, violin, bass), Paul Hampshire (lead guitar) and Nick Hawnt (vocals).[9] Only 18 at the time,Joe Elliott tried out for the band as a guitarist following a chance meeting with Willis after missing a bus in November 1977.[10] During his audition it was decided that he was better suited to be the lead singer. The band's initial rehearsals took place atPortland Works, and their first gig was in the dining hall in A Block inWestfield School inMosborough, Sheffield.[11]
Elliott proposed the name "Deaf Leopard" which was originally a band name he thought of while designing band posters in art class.[12][13] At Kenning's suggestion, the spelling was slightly modified to make the name seem less like that of a punk band.[14] In January 1978,Steve Clark joined the band. According to Elliott, he successfully auditioned for the band by playingLynyrd Skynyrd's "Free Bird" in its entirety.[15]
In November, just prior to recording sessions for a three-song release known asThe Def Leppard E.P., Kenning abruptly left the band; he later formed the band Cairo. He was replaced for those sessions byFrank Noon. By the end of the month,Rick Allen, then only 15 years old, had joined the band as its full-time drummer. Sales of the EP soared after the track "Getcha Rocks Off" was given extensive airtime byBBC Radio 1 DJJohn Peel, considered at the time to be a champion ofpunk rock andnew wave music.[16][17]
Throughout 1979, the band developed a loyal following among Britishhard rock andheavy metal fans and were considered among the leaders of thenew wave of British heavy metal movement.[18] Their growing popularity led to a record deal with the major label Phonogram/Vertigo (Mercury Records in the US). Def Leppard's original management, MSB, a local duo consisting of Pete Martin and Frank Stuart-Brown, were fired after Martin and Joe Elliott got into a fistfight over an incident on the road. The band approachedPeter Mensch of Leber-Krebs management, who had booked them on a tour of the UK supportingAC/DC. Mensch, who admitted that he had had his eye on the band, became their manager.[19]
Def Leppard's debut album,On Through the Night, was released on 14 March 1980. Although the album hit the Top 15 in the UK,[20] many early fans were turned off by the perception that the band was trying too hard to appeal to American audiences by recording songs such as "Hello America" and touring more in the US (supportingPat Travers,AC/DC, andTed Nugent); a performance at theReading Festival in August was marred when audience members expressed their displeasure by pelting the band with beer cans and bottles filled with urine. This incident was partially blamed on a cover story inSounds music newspaper by the journalist Geoff Barton titled, "Has the Leppard changed its spots?", accusing the band of selling out to the American market. In a documentary on the band recorded forBBC 2, Barton recalls feelings of guilt over the story and having a "stand-up row" with the band's manager, Mensch, backstage at the show.[19][21][22] In the documentary seriesMetal Evolution, Joe Elliott says that the media had exaggerated the event and all bands on the day had experienced 'abuse' from the crowd.[23]
The band had by then caught the attention of AC/DC producerRobert John "Mutt" Lange, who agreed to work on their second album,High 'n' Dry, released on 6July 1981. Lange's meticulous approach in the studio helped them begin to define their sound. Despite the album's unimpressive sales figures (it only peaked at number 26 in the UK and 38 in the US), the band's video for "Bringin' On the Heartbreak" became one of the first metal videos played on MTV in 1982, bringing the band increased visibility in the US.[24] The band continued to use the up-and-coming music television industry to reach fans over the years with their unique videos and the extravagance of their concerts.[25] After the album's release, European and American tours followed. The band opened forOzzy Osbourne andBlackfoot.[26]
GuitaristPhil Collen (pictured in 2003) joined the band in 1982.
On 11 July 1982, Pete Willis was fired due to excessive alcohol consumption on the job and was replaced byPhil Collen ofGirl the next day. This personnel change took place during the recording of their third album,Pyromania, which was released on 20 January 1983 and also produced by Lange. The cover artwork depicted a cartoon image of a huge flame emerging from the top floor of a skyscraper, with abullseye aimed at the flame. The lead single, "Photograph", turned Def Leppard into a household name, supplantingMichael Jackson's "Beat It" as the most requested video onMTV and becoming a staple of rock radio (holding the number 1 position on the US Album Rock Track Chart for six weeks), and sparked a headline tour across the US.[27] The second single, 'Rock of Ages, also reached number 1 on the Rock Tracks chart, with both singles reaching the Top 20 of the Hot 100 ("Photograph" number 12 and "Rock of Ages" number 16), unusual for hard rock songs.
Fuelled by "Photograph", "Rock of Ages", and the third single "Foolin'",Pyromania went on to sell six million copies in 1983 (more than 100,000 copies every week in that year) and was held from the top of the US charts only by Michael Jackson'sThriller.[28] With the album's massive success,Pyromania was the catalyst for the 1980s pop-metal movement.[29] In 2004,Pyromania wascertified Diamond having sold over 10 million copies in the US;[30] it was also certified 7× platinum in Canada, where it had peaked at number 4, its second highest certification. With their music videos becoming a staple of MTVRolling Stone named them among the artists of theSecond British Invasion.[31] ThePyromania tour began in England at theMarquee Club on Wardour Street,Soho, London in February 1983. Def Leppard's US tour in support of the album began in March opening forBilly Squier and ended with a headlining performance before an audience of 55,000 atJack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, California in September.[32] As a testament to the band's popularity at the time, a US Gallup poll in 1984 saw Def Leppard voted as favourite rock band overthe Rolling Stones, AC/DC, andJourney.[33]Pyromania was not as successful in their native UK where it reached number 18 on the album chart.
Following their breakthrough, the band moved toDublin in February 1984 for tax purposes to begin writing the follow-up toPyromania. Mutt Lange initially joined in on the songwriting sessions but then suddenly declined to return as producer due to exhaustion.Jim Steinman ofMeat Loaf'sBat Out of Hell was brought in. However, Steinman worked only briefly with the band, and the recording work was not released.[34]
On the afternoon of 31 December 1984, drummerRick Allen was involved in acar accident on theA57 road in the countryside a few miles west of Sheffield.[35][36] While trying to pass another car at a high speed, he lost control of hisCorvette C4, which hit a dry stone wall and entered a field; his left arm was severed. Doctors initially reattached the arm, but it was later amputated due to an infection.[37][38]
After losing his left arm in a car accident, drummerRick Allen (pictured in 2018) used his feet to play a customelectronic drum kit.
Despite the severity of the accident, Rick Allen was committed to continuing his role as Def Leppard's drummer. Soon after, Allen realised that he could use his legs to do some of the drumming work previously done with his arms.[39] He then worked withSimmons to design a customelectronic drum kit.[40] The other members of the band supported Allen's recovery and never sought a replacement. Allen was placed in a separate studio to practice his new drums. After a few months, Allen gathered the band together and performed the intro to the Led Zeppelin version of "When the Levee Breaks" to showcase his progress to the band. Joe Elliott reports this as being a "very emotional moment". During this period, Mutt Lange returned as producer. Def Leppard brought inJeff Rich in August 1986 to play alongside Allen during Def Leppard's warm-up mini tour of Ireland. When Rich turned up late for a gig, he and the band realised Allen could drum alone. Allen's comeback was sealed at the 1986Monsters of Rock festival in England, with an emotionally charged ovation after his introduction by Joe Elliott.[41]
After over three years of recording, Def Leppard's fourth album,Hysteria, was released on 3August 1987. One of the first singles from the album, "Animal", became the band's first Top 10 hit in the UK, reaching No. 6 on theUK Singles Chart.[42] "Animal" also started their run often consecutiveUSBillboard Hot 100 Top 40 singles.[43] The next single offHysteria, its mid-tempo title track, became the band's first Top 10 single in the US, and, peaking at number 13, their highest-charting song in Canada to that date.Hysteria topped theUK Album Charts in its first week of release, and spent 105 weeks on the chart.[42] Initial US album sales were relatively slow (compared toPyromania) until the release of the fourth single, "Pour Some Sugar on Me". The song hit No. 2, on the Hot 100 andHysteria finally reached the top of theUSBillboard 200 in July 1988.[44] Although "Pour Some Sugar On Me" was not initially a big hit in other countries (number 18 in the UK, number 22 in Canada, and number 26 in Australia), it has come to be regarded as the band'ssignature song, and was ranked No. 2 onVH1's "100 Greatest Songs of the 80s" in 2006.[45]Hysteria also topped the album charts in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Norway, at No. 10, was their first album to chart in Germany, and was eventually certified Diamond in sales in the US and 13× Platinum in Canada.
The band's UK success saw them nominated for the1988 Brit Award for Best British Group.[citation needed] In October 1988, the power ballad "Love Bites" reached number one on theBillboard Hot 100.[43] About reaching No. 1 with "Love Bites", Elliot reflected: "It's strange because we’d been to No. 1 with the album. So now we wanted a No. 1 single because we'd never had one. So it was like, 'come on! come on!' When we got there, it was, as you can imagine, a 'yes!' moment."[1] It was a Top 10 hit in several other countries, including reaching number six in Canada. In January 1989, the band scored another US Top five hit with "Armageddon It", and by spring of 1989 the final single "Rocket" was in the Top 15 in the US[43] and several other countries. Wanting to give fans something new after the massive radio and video airplay for not only the seven singles but also the album tracks that radio DJs were playing off the album, the band performed "Tear It Down", a HysteriaB-side at the1989 MTV Video Music Awards.
Hysteria is one of only a handful of albums that has charted seven singles or more on the US Hot 100: "Women" (No. 80), "Animal" (No. 19), "Hysteria" (No. 10), "Pour Some Sugar on Me" (No. 2), "Love Bites (No. 1), "Armageddon It" (No. 3), and "Rocket" (No. 12).[43] Aside from "Women", these same songs all made the Top 25 on the UK Singles chart. It remained on the charts for three years and has sold over 15 million copies worldwide, making it one of thebest-selling albums of all time.[46] Equally successful was the accompanying 16-monthHysteria tour, in which the band performedin the round. This concept proved wildly popular with fans (as seen in the videos for "Pour Some Sugar on Me" and "Armageddon It") and was used again for theAdrenalize tour.[47]
At the 1989Brit Awards held at theRoyal Albert Hall in London, Def Leppard were again a nominee for Best British Group, and the band performed "Pour Some Sugar on Me" at the ceremony.[48][49] At the 1989American Music Awards, Def Leppard won Favorite Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Artist, as well as Favorite Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Album (forHysteria).[50]
FollowingHysteria, the band quickly set out to work on their fifth album, hoping to avoid another lengthy gap.Steve Clark's alcoholism worsened to the point that he was constantly in and out ofrehab. Recording sessions suffered from this distraction, and in mid-1990, Clark was granted a six-month leave of absence from the band. Clark died from a mix of prescription drugs and alcohol on 8January 1991, in his London home.[51] The remaining band members decided to carry on and recorded the album as a four-piece, with Collen mimicking Clark's style on his intended guitar parts.
Def Leppard's fifth album,Adrenalize, was finally released on 31 March 1992. The album simultaneously entered at number one on both the UK and US album charts, staying number one on the latter for five weeks, while also reaching the summit on the Canadian and Australian charts and hitting No. 8 in Germany.[44][52] The first single, the anthemic "Let's Get Rocked", was an instant hit and remains the band's highest-charting song ever in several countries, including the UK (No. 2), Canada (No. 3), Australia (No. 6) and Germany (No. 22), while reaching No. 1 on the US Rock Tracks chart and No. 15 on theBillboard Hot 100. The band performed the song at the1992 MTV Video Music Awards where it was nominated forBest Video of the Year.[53] Like withHysteria, several singles were released offAdrenalize, including the rocker "Make Love Like a Man", the ballad "Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad" and the mid-tempo "Heaven Is", each of which made the Top 15 in the UK, with "Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad" being the most successful track in Canada (No. 7) and on the US Hot 100 (No. 12) . Another single, the mid-tempo "Stand Up (Kick Love into Motion)", was a hit in Canada, peaking at No. 11, and also reached No. 1 on the US Rock Tracks chart, edging out "Make Love Like a Man" (No. 3) as the second most successful track off the album on US rock radio.
GuitaristVivian Campbell in 2003. He joined Def Leppard in 1992.
In a period between late-1991 and early 1992, auditions for another guitarist commenced. Among the guitarists who auditioned includedAdrian Smith,John Sykes, andGary Hoey. Ultimately, the band choseVivian Campbell in 1992, formerly ofDio andWhitesnake. In April 1992, Def Leppard appeared atThe Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert atWembley Stadium, London, performing a three-song set of "Animal", "Let's Get Rocked" andQueen's "Now I'm Here" with guitaristBrian May.[54] Joe Elliott later performed "Tie Your Mother Down" with the remaining members of Queen andGuns N' Roses guitaristSlash.[55] Another world tour followed but the band's fortunes began to be affected by the rise ofalternative rock, includinggrunge. Amidst the increasing popularity of alternative rock, the band decided to balance their original image as rebellious rock stars with a slightly friendlier energy, combining heavy metal with melodies and hooks more reminiscent of pop music.[56][57] On 6June 1993, Def Leppard performed the first ever rock concert at theDon Valley Stadium in their home city of Sheffield before an audience of over 50,000.[32]
A collection of B-sides and unreleased tracks recorded between 1984 and 1993, calledRetro Active, was released in October 1993, preceded by the success of the acoustic ballad "Two Steps Behind" (from theArnold Schwarzenegger filmLast Action Hero).[58] The song charted in many countries, reaching Top 5 in Canada and peaking at No. 12 in the US, where it was their last significant hit song. Another single fromRetro Active, "Miss You in a Heartbeat", was also successful in Canada (No. 19) while a cover ofSweet's "Action" was popular in the UK, reaching No. 14.Retro Active made the Top 10 in the UK, US, and Canada and has sold 3 million copies worldwide to date. In 1995, Def Leppard issued their first greatest hits collection,Vault: Def Leppard Greatest Hits (1980–1995), which reached number3 in the UK, Top 10 in several other countries, and eventually sold over 5 million copies in the US.[42][59] Alternate track listings of the album were issued for North America, the UK, and Japan. The compilation included a new track, the power ballad "When Love & Hate Collide", which became their biggest ever hit in the UK, hitting No. 2 on theUK Singles Chart,[60] while also hitting No. 6 in Canada., their last major hit single in both countries, but barely charted in the US.
On 23 October 1995, the band entered theGuinness Book of World Records by performing three concerts on three continents in one day (Tangiers, Morocco; Sheffield, England; and Vancouver, Canada).[61]Slang, released in May 1996, marked a drastic musical departure for the band by featuring darker lyrics and a stripped-down alternative rock edge. The band rehearsed and played the songs together in the studio instead of recording parts separately, resulting in a much more live-sounding album.[62] The US audience reception forSlang and itssubsequent tour was a major drop-off from a decade earlier, althoughQ Magazine nonetheless listedSlang as one of their Top Ten Albums of 1996.[63] The album only reached No. 14 on the US album chart, and although the track "Work It Out" reached No. 6 on the US Rock Tracks chart, neither it or any of the other singles released off the album charted on the Hot 100. For the first time, a Def Leppard studio album peaked higher in the UK than in the US as it hit No. 5 there, with two singles, the album's title track (No. 17), and "Work It Out" (No. 22) performing well on the UK singles chart. In Canada, "Work It Out" was a Top 10 single and while the album only peaked at No. 12, it eventually still went double platinum in sales.
VH1 revived the band's fortunes in the US in 1998 by featuring them on one of the first episodes ofBehind the Music. Re-runs of the episode yielded some of the series' highest ratings and brought the band's music back into the public consciousness (following years of burial by the alternative rock climate). The episode was even parodied onSaturday Night Live. In an effort to capitalise on this new momentum, Def Leppard returned to its classic sound with the 1999 albumEuphoria. The first single, "Promises", reunited the band with Mutt Lange and hit the US Mainstream Rock Track charts at No. 1 for three weeks although it did not receive much play on Top 40 radio; it was also a moderate hit in the UK and Canada.Euphoria peaked at No. 11 in both the UK and US, and at No 14 in Germany, although it was less successful in Canada and Australia.
Def Leppard performing inWolverhampton in February 2003.
On 5 September 2000, Def Leppard were inducted intoHollywood's RockWalk onSunset Boulevard by their friendBrian May ofQueen.[64] In 2001, VH1 produced and airedHysteria – The Def Leppard Story, a biopic that includedAnthony Michael Hall as Mutt Lange andAmber Valletta as Lorelei Shellist (Steve Clark's girlfriend). The docudrama covered the band's history between 1977 through 1986, recounting the trials and triumphs of Rick Allen and Steve Clark.
Def Leppard's eighth album,X, saw the band's musical direction moving more towards pop and further away from the band's hard rock roots.X ultimately became the band's least successful release, peaking at No. 11 on the USBillboard 200.[65] No. 14 on the UK Albums Chart,[66] No. 12 in Canada, and No. 19 in Germany. Its first single, "Now", reached the Top 30 in the UK and Canada but missed the US Hot 100, only reaching No. 26 on the US Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
An expanded and updated best-of collection,Best Of, was released internationally in October 2004. The North America-only version,Rock of Ages—The Definitive Collection, was released the following May. Def Leppard participated at theLive 8show in Philadelphia and toured in the summer withBryan Adams. In 2005, the band left their long-time management team,Q Prime, and signed with HK Management.[67]
On 23 May 2006, Def Leppard released an all-covers album titledYeah!. The disc pays homage to classic rock songs of their childhood, originally recorded byBlondie,The Kinks,Sweet,ELO, andBadfinger among others. Their cover of "How Does It Feel" bySlade was used as a non-album B-side. It debuted at No. 16 in the US, their tenth consecutive Top 20 album.[44] The band toured to promote the album withJourney from June through November 2006 in Europe, the UK, and the US.[68]
The band, along withQueen,Kiss, andJudas Priest, were the inaugural inductees ofVH1 Rock Honors on 31 May 2006.[69] During the show,The All-American Rejects paid homage to the band with a cover of "Photograph". Soon afterwards, they embarked on a US tour with Journey. That October,Hysteria was re-released in a two-disc deluxe edition format, which combined the original remastered album with B-sides, remixes, and bonus tracks from single releases. Def Leppard began their Downstage Thrust Tour, on 27 June, which took them across the US and into Canada.[70]
On 25 April 2008, Def Leppard released their first album of new studio material in six years,Songs from the Sparkle Lounge. The album debuted at No. 5 on theBillboard 200 in the US. The first single was entitled "Nine Lives" and featured country singerTim McGraw, who co-wrote the song with Joe Elliott, Phil Collen, and Rick Savage.[71]
Def Leppard performing inSacramento in September 2009.
A tour in support of the album began on 27 March 2008 in Greensboro, North Carolina,[72] with Styx andREO Speedwagon. They also played several European rock festivals. An arena tour of the UK took place in June in which the band co-headlined with Whitesnake and were supported byBlack Stone Cherry. The band then returned to Europe before coming back for a second leg of the UK tour in June. The first of these dates was at the Glasgow SECC on 17 June. Again they were joined by Whitesnake; however, hard rock bandThunder supported at some of these shows. Black Stone Cherry continued to support most of the dates, including some of the Thunder ones. Six shows which were cancelled during the USA/Canada leg of their world tour due to illnesses affecting Joe Elliott and Phil Collen were rescheduled and played in August of that year. On 11 June, Def Leppard announced further dates for their 2008 World Tour. The extension saw them visit Japan, Australia and New Zealand. Whitesnake continued to support Def Leppard for their Indian and Japanese dates. Def Leppard toured 41 US cities plus Toronto during mid-2009 withPoison andCheap Trick and also headlined theDownload Festival atDonington Park, England to a sell-out crowd of 83,000 withWhitesnake andZZ Top.[32]
In October 2008, Def Leppard played with country starTaylor Swift in a taped show inNashville, Tennessee, in a show calledCMT Crossroads: Taylor Swift and Def Leppard. This was released as a DVD on 16 June 2009 exclusively at Wal-Mart.[73] The release was the best-selling DVD of the week, and the 10th best-selling Wal-Mart music release.[74] In October 2009, the band announced that they would be cancelling the last leg of the 2009 North American tour, a total of 23 shows. The band cited, "unforeseen personal matters", as the reason for the cancellations.[75] At the time, the band denied rumours about a break-up, saying, "We're not splitting. Not at all. We often joke, what else would we do? You just can't imagine doing anything else."[75][76]
After taking a year off from touring in 2010, the band announced on 22 February 2011 that they would be releasing their first live album in the summer.Mirror Ball – Live & More, a two-disc live album, with three new studio tracks. It was released in parts of Europe on 3June, the rest of Europe on 6June, and on 7June in the US; it was announced at the same time that Def Leppard would perform at theDownload Festival on 10 June 2011.[77] Of the three new studio tracks, two were released as singles, the first single being "Undefeated" released in April 2011.[78][79]
Def Leppard performing an acoustic set inRosemont, 2012
Def Leppard embarked on atwo-month US tour in the summer of 2011 withHeart,[80] as well as another seven shows in Australia in October withThe Choirboys and Heart,[81] two shows in Japan in November,[82] and six shows in the United Kingdom in December withSteel Panther andMötley Crüe.[83] The next year, they toured withPoison andLita Ford from 20 June through 15 September, dubbed the "Rock Of Ages 2012 Tour".[84][85]
The year after, Def Leppard played an 11-show residency at theHard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada from 22 March through to 13 April 2013. The residency, referred to asViva! Hysteria, featured a two-part show, with the first half featuring Def Leppard opening for themselves, under the alias "Ded Flatbird", (jokingly called the best Def Leppard cover band in the world), when they played songs they very rarely play live, going back to "Good Morning Freedom", a B-side from the single "Hello America" released in February 1980, an era usually left untouched by the band. The opening set varied each night, from playing the best hits from albums likeOn Through the Night,Slang, andEuphoria, to being the entire first half ofHigh 'n' Dry. The second half, and "main event" was Def Leppard, as themselves playing their best-selling album,Hysteria, from start to finish. A live album, also titledViva! Hysteria was released on 22 October 2013. This was the first time the band had played an album live from start to finish.[86][87] The band has re-recorded several hits and even the entire albumHysteria in an effort to circumvent their record label from future royalties, though of these re-recordings, only "Rock of Ages", "Pour Some Sugar on Me", and "Hysteria" have been released.[88][89][90]
On 11 February 2014, the band released a remastered deluxe edition of their 1996 albumSlang after much delay. The album, still coveted by many loyal fans of the band, now features 30 tracks including demos, B-sides, and unreleased material.[91] From 23 June 2014 to 31 August 2014, Def Leppard andKiss toured 42 cities, with one dollar per ticket donated to such military charities asWounded Warrior Project.[92] Def Leppard contributed one song, "Helen Wheels", to thePaul McCartney tribute albumThe Art of McCartney released on 18 November 2014. Joe Elliott also contributed another track, "Hi, Hi, Hi". At certain recent points in time the band had projects, such as a cartoon and a documentary, in development. However, these projects seem to have been shelved indefinitely. The band had originally planned to do another residency in Las Vegas, this time in honour ofPyromania (calledViva! Pyromania), but due to the "Heroes 2014" tour with Kiss, and the recording of their new studio album, the project had been pushed back indefinitely.[93][94] The new album was originally planned to be an EP, but the set-list increased to 15 songs by June 2014.[95] The album was released on 30 October 2015 with a tour following.[96]
Def Leppard,Diamond Star Halos andDrastic Symphonies (2015–2023)
In December 2014, the band announced a 13-date Canadian tour in April and May 2015.[97] This was followed in February 2015 with the announcement of a 2015 US summer tour withStyx andTesla from June to October 2015.[98] The tour was then extended to include dates in Japan and Australia throughout November, and a tour of the UK and Ireland with Whitesnake in December. Def Leppard then returned to North America with REO Speedwagon and Tesla in early-2016.[99]
The eleventh studio album, titledDef Leppard, was recorded in 2014 and 2015, and released on 30 October 2015.[100] The band released the lead single from their self-titled album on 15 September 2015, titled "Let's Go", with a music video for the song being released on 30 October.[101] The 14-track album debuted at number 10 in the US and number 11 in the UK.[102]
During the break following their 2015 tour, Def Leppard led theHysteria on the High Seas concert cruise aboard theMSC Divina in January 2016. Joe Elliott became ill with laryngitis on the night of their cruise performance.[103] This led to the band performing without Elliott for the first time in their history. Vivian Campbell and Phil Collen sang lead vocals on two songs of the shortened seven song set in addition to two songs with vocals byAndrew Freeman and two more withEric Martin andKip Winger.[103] in addition to this, Campbell and Freeman'sLast in Line bandmateJimmy Bain, former bassist ofDio died of lung cancer aboard the ship the same night, causing Last in Line to cancel their show the following day.[104] Back on land, Elliott struggled through the first concert of the 2016 tour, resulting inTesla's Jeff Keith joining Elliott on lead vocals. The following day's concert was also postponed "due to illness", with Rick Allen stating on Twitter "The Doctor basically said that if Joe continues to sing without resting his throat for a month he might do permanent damage."[105] By July 2016, the band were performing regularly again and intended to complete 48 dates.[106] When the tour stopped atDTE Energy Music Theatre inClarkston, Michigan, on 15 July, the show was recorded for future release. On 10 February 2017, the band releasedAnd There Will be a Next Time... Live from Detroit, a double live album and concert video.[107] In August 2017, the band celebrated the 30th anniversary ofHysteria by releasing a collector's edition box. The singles were also re-released on vinyl.[108]
In January 2018, Def Leppard announced they would embark on a 58-date North American tour withJourney.[109] The tour included ten dates in baseball stadiums, a first for the band, with special guests Cheap Trick. The tour was highly successful, as the bands played in front of more than a million fans in North America in just three months, marking the tour out as one of the most successful in 2018.[110] In addition, the group'sdiscography was made available for streaming and digital download after a deal was reached between the band andUniversal Music Group.[111]
On 30 November 2018, the band released a new two-disc best of compilation,The Story So Far – The Best Of. In addition to 34 of Def Leppard's greatest hits, the collection featured the band's new cover of theDepeche Mode hit "Personal Jesus" (which was originally released in July 2018 forSpotify Singles), the new Christmas track "We All Need Christmas", and the new remix of "Rock On". On the same day, a new limited edition, 10-disc vinyl box set featuring all of the 7" singles from the Hysteria album was released.[112] The band finished the year off with a sell-out tour of the UK and Ireland titled Hysteria & More Tour.[113][114] They embarked on a world tour in 2019 beginning with theSweden Rock Festival on 6June.[115] In March 2019, it was announced that the band would undertake a second Las Vegas residency titled Def Leppard Hits Vegas—The Sin City Residency.[116] The box setThe Early Years 79-81 was released in March 2020, featuring remastered versions of the band's first two albums plus a variety of live recordings, B-sides, and studio outtakes from the 1979 to 1981 period.
On 15 March 2022, Def Leppard announced their twelfth studio album,Diamond Star Halos.[120] The album is named after a lyric in theMarc Bolan-pennedT. Rex song "Get It On".[121] On 17 March, the band released the lead single, "Kick".[122] The album released on 27 May, receiving moderate to positive reviews, reaching Number 10 on the USBillboard 200. 'Diamond Star Halos' is the band's highest-charting album since 1992'sAdrenalize.
In January 2023, Joe Elliot was featured on a new version ofGhost's singleSpillways released as Ghost and Def Leppard.[123][124]
On 16 March 2023, a teaser video was uploaded to the official Def Leppard YouTube channel, announcing an album titledDrastic Symphonies. The album was released on 19 May and featured 16 tracks from previous albums reworked, stripped, or re-recorded. All tracks feature newly composed orchestra combined with most of the original vocals, performed by theRoyal Philharmonic Orchestra.[125] The album reached number 4 on the UK album chart, making this their highest chart position for many years.[citation needed]
On 13 June 2024, Def Leppard released its first song in two years, "Just Like 73", featuring a guest guitar solo byTom Morello.[126] When asked that same month onSirius XM'sTrunk Nation With Eddie Trunk if it is a one-off single or the seed of the band's next album, guitaristPhil Collen said, "Oh, it's absolutely the seed of another Def Leppard record. I mean, it was a leftover from the album before, but it was also the start of a new album. So, without a doubt. [Joe and I] write all the time. We send each other things. Sav gets in on there. Just between the three of us, there's just a lot of stuff floating around already. So we've, yeah, got a bunch of stuff. It's really exciting. And it's a great place to be. It's never that thing where, 'Well, we've got to sit down and write an album.' It's, like, 'Wow, I can't wait to play this to the guys and see what the reaction is.' And we keep pushing the boat out even further." He also mentioned a possible 2025 or 2026 release date for the new album, "You know how these things go. We have these tours and everything, but we've got a new song. So that's really exciting. So that'll be on the go pretty soon."[127]
In the mid-1980s, the band were associated with the growing glam metal scene, mainly due to their mainstream success and glossy production.[139]Pyromania has been cited as the catalyst for the 1980s pop-metal movement.[29] Def Leppard, however, expressed their dislike of the "glam metal" label as well, as they thought it did not accurately describe their look or musical style.[140] By the release of theHysteria album, the band had developed a distinctive sound featuring electronic drums and effects-laden guitar sounds overlaid with a multi-layered wall of husky, harmonised vocals. According to Joe Elliott, the band is influenced by "everything from pure pop to downright hardcore rock".[141] He has citedIan Hunter andMott the Hoople among the band's early influences.[142] Def Leppard themselves have been cited as an influence by a wide range of musical artists, includingMatt Nathanson[143] andTaylor Swift.[144]
Def Leppard were among the most successful of the new wave of British heavy metal bands in the early 1980s. They combined the raw power of metal with a pop emphasis on melody, catchy hooks and vocal harmonies that, particularly later on, contrasted sharply with harsher contemporary metal and punk bands.[146] Their early albumOn Through the Night (1980) appealed to metal fans like ofDimebag Darrell ofPantera[147] andJeff Hanneman ofSlayer.[148] Their hugely popular later albums, such asHysteria (1987), were different due to their perfectionism in the studio, but appealed to a broad range of music fans.[146]
In 2006, the band received aSheffield Legends plaque in their hometown of Sheffield.[149] Despite their huge commercial success, Elliott has said in an interview that he feels the band does not receive its fair share of respect from the British music press and he said the band had been barred from the BBC'sLater with Jools Holland series because they were "not cool enough".[150]
The band made a cameo appearance in the partly fictional filmBank of Dave, released in January 2023. They simulated giving a fund-raising concert atTurf Moor, Burnley.[citation needed][importance?]
Not everybody realises that these guys are not just crowd pleasers. They also embody such an amazing technical excellence. They have it all. I regard all these guys as great friends and kind of part of my family, that's why it's so important for me to be here. I wouldn't have let anybody else do this.
—Brian May, inducting Def Leppard into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[151]
On 9 October 2018, Def Leppard received an induction nomination from theRock and Roll Hall of Fame.[152] In addition to the 1,000 members of the Hall of Fame voting committee, the general public also had an opportunity to participate in the "Fan Vote".[153] On 13 December 2018, Def Leppard were named in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's Class of 2019. The band won the Klipsch Audio Fan Vote, beating 14 other nominees with 547,647 general public votes (119,803 and 28% more than second vote receiverStevie Nicks).[154]
The current line-up of the band, along with past members Pete Willis and Steve Clark, were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on 29 March 2019 at a ceremony at Brooklyn'sBarclays Center.[153][155] Def Leppard were inducted byQueen guitaristBrian May, who said they were "a magnificent rock group, in the classic tradition of what a rock group really is" and "a bunch of magnificent human beings".[151]
Joe Elliott sang lead vocals on two tracks onRolling Stones guitaristRonnie Wood's 1992 solo album,Slide on This. His then-wife Karla appeared in the videos for "Always Wanted More" and "Somebody Else Might". Various members of Def Leppard have played on tribute records forJeff Beck,AC/DC, andAlice Cooper.[citation needed]
A fan of his local football clubSheffield United F.C., Elliott performed on two tracks to the soundtrack of the 1996 Sheffield-set motion picture,When Saturday Comes (featuring fellow Sheffield nativeSean Bean as a star football player), the title track and an instrumental, "Jimmy's Theme".[158] Elliott sang and co-wrote the opening track, "Don't Look Down" on Mick Ronson's farewell albumHeaven and Hull. A promotional video was issued for the song as well.[159]
Cybernauts was a side project consisting of Elliott and Collen teamed with members ofThe Spiders From Mars (David Bowie's former band), minus the lateMick Ronson. The group played several shows, covering Bowie'sZiggy Stardust-era songs and released one internet-only album (since deleted).[160]
Vivian Campbell has played with two side bands in recent years,Clock and theRiverdogs, and recorded a solo album,Two Sides of If, released in 2005. Campbell toured withThin Lizzy in early 2011 before joining Def Leppard on their Mirrorball tour.[161]
Joe Elliott founded and fronts the bandDown 'n' Outz with members ofThe Quireboys. The band plays covers ofMott the Hoople and related artists such asBritish Lions andIan Hunter. They have released two studio albums of covers, one of original material and one live album since their incarnation in 2009.[163]
Following the death ofRonnie James Dio, Vivian Campbell reunited with the rest of the originalDio line-up with vocalistAndrew Freeman to formLast in Line. The band pays tribute to Dio by playing songs from their original tenure in the band and released an album titled Heavy Crown in February 2016.[164]
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