Def Leppard – Biography, Songs, Albums, Discography & Facts

Def Leppard Biography

English rock group Def Leppard was established in Sheffield in 1976. Rick Savage (bass, backing vocals), Joe Elliott (lead vocals), Rick Allen (drums, backing vocals), Phil Collen (guitar, backing vocals), and Vivian Campbell (guitar, backing vocals) have made up the group since 1992. They made a name for themselves in the early 1980s, when it was a new wave of the British heavy metal movement.

The band’s most successful period in terms of sales occurred between the early 1980s and the early 1990s. On Through the Night, their debut album from 1980, peaked at number 15 in the UK but gained little attention outside of that country. Mutt Lange, who helped them define their melodic hard rock style, produced their second album, 1981’s High ‘n’ Dry. The album’s most well-known track, “Bringin’ On the Heartbreak,” became one of the first rock videos played on MTV in 1982, but the album only made it to the Top 30 and 40 in the UK and the US. Pyromania, Def Leppard’s subsequent studio album, was released in January 1983. “Photograph” and “Rock of Ages” both peaked at the top of the US Rock Tracks chart and made it to the Hot 100’s top 20. Pyromania entered the top 20 in the UK and peaked at No. 2 on the US album chart. It was certified 7 platinum in Canada and diamond in the US and reached No. 2 on the US album list.

The more pop-focused Hysteria, Def Leppard’s fourth album, peaked at number one on the charts in the UK, US, New Zealand, Canada, Australia, and Norway in 1987. Without any Top 50 singles in either Sweden or Germany, it also reached No. 2 and No. 10, respectively. With over 25 million copies sold worldwide, it has been certified 12 platinum in the US and 13 platinum in Canada, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time. The album produced six Top 20 US singles, including “Love Bites,” which peaked at No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Other Top 10 singles from the album included “Pour Some Sugar on Me,” which peaked at No. 2, “Hysteria,” “Armageddon It,” which peaked at No. 2 in New Zealand, “Animal,” which peaked at No. 6, and “Rocket” (a Top 15 hit in many countries). In New Zealand, Hysteria scored four Top 10 hits.

Adrenalize, their second studio album and the first they released after guitarist Steve Clark’s passing, peaked at No. 1 in the UK, US, NZ, Canadian, and Australian charts in 1992 and reached the Top 10 in Sweden and Germany. It featured a number of songs, including “Let’s Get Rocked,” which peaked at No. 1 on the US Rock Tracks chart and went on to become their biggest hit worldwide, peaking at No. 2 in the UK, No. 3 in Canada and Switzerland, and reaching the Top 20 in Sweden and Germany. “Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad” was the third single and reached the Top 15 in the US, UK, and Canada. Over 8 million copies of Adrenalize were eventually sold globally. “Two Steps Behind,” an acoustic Top 5 North American smash, was featured on their 1993 album Retro Active. When Love & Hate Collide, which peaked at No. 2 in the UK, was featured on their greatest hits album Vault, which was released in 1995 and went 5 platinum in the US. Between 1996 and 2008, Def Leppard released five albums, the first of which was Slang. The majority of these albums frequently debuted in the Top 15 in the UK, US, and Canada. 2015 saw the release of their self-titled album, which peaked in the Top 10 on various international charts. Diamond Star Halos, the group’s most recent studio album, was released in May 2022 and debuted in the US, UK, and Australia’s Top 10.

Def Leppard is one of the best-selling musicians in the world, with more than 100 million albums sold worldwide. Pyromania and Hysteria both hold the RIAA diamond certification, making them one of just five rock bands to have two studio albums that have sold more than 10 million copies in the US. In VH1’s “100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock,” the band was placed No. 31, and in “100 Greatest Artists of All Time,” they were ranked No. 70. In 2019, Def Leppard was enshrined in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Def Leppard Discography

Songs from the Sparkle LoungeSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Yeah!SpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
XAppleYouTubeAmazon
EuphoriaSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
SlangSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
AdrenalizeSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
HysteriaSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
PyromaniaSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
High ‘n’ DrySpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
On Through the NightSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon

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Frequently Asked Questions

How Many No 1 Has Def Leppard Had?

Def Leppard is an English rock band formed in 1977 in Sheffield. The band originally consisted of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Joe Elliott, bassist Rick Savage, drummer Pete Willis, and lead guitarist Steve Clark. Def Leppard has had numerous lineup changes over the years, with Elliott being the only constant member. The band’s best-known lineup consisted of Elliott, Savage, Willis, Clark, and guitarist Vivian Campbell.

What Was Def Leppard’S Best Selling Album?

The answer is Pyromania, which was released in 1983. The album has sold more than 10 million copies in the United States alone and has been certified Diamond by the RIAA. It is also one of only two albums by Def Leppard to be certified Diamond in both the US and Canada. Pyromania spawned a number of hit singles, including “Photograph”, “Rock of Ages”, and “Foolin'”.

What Is Def Leppard’S Most Famous Song?

The most famous song by Def Leppard is “Pour Some Sugar on Me”. The song was released in 1987 and quickly became a hit, reaching the top of the charts in several countries. It remains one of the band’s most popular songs and is often considered their signature tune.

Most Searched For Def Leppard Songs

Pour Some Sugar On Me – Remastered 2017SpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
HysteriaSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
PhotographSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Rock Of AgesSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Love Bites – Remastered 2017SpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
AnimalSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Bringin’ On The HeartbreakSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
FoolinSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
When Love And Hate CollideSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Two Steps Behind – String / Acoustic VersionSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon