Def Leppard – US Live Debut

On the 1st of August, 1980, Def Leppard made their US live debut when they appeared at the New York City concert opening for AC/DC. It was also Def Leppard singer Joe Elliott’s 21st birthday.

Def Leppard is an English rock band formed in 1977 in Sheffield, and up to date, the band has 11 Studio Albums. They established themselves as part of the new wave of British heavy metal movement of the early 1980s.

On 9 October 2018, Def Leppard received an induction nomination from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. 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”. On 13 December 2018, Def Leppard were named in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s Class of 2019.

Def Leppard won the award for “Favorite Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Artist” and “Favorite Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Album” for their fourth studio album Hysteria during 1989’s American Music Awards. Hysteria (1987), topped the UK, US, New Zealand, Canadian, Australian and Norway charts. It also went to No. 2 in Sweden. It has been certified 12× platinum for sales in the US and 13x platinum in Canada, selling over 25 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time. The album spawned six Top 20 US singles, including the US Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 Love Bites, alongside Pour Some Sugar on Me, Armageddon It, Animal, Rocket, and Hysteria.

Band members since 1992: Joe Elliott (lead vocals), Rick Savage (bass, backing vocals), Rick Allen (drums, backing vocals), Phil Collen (guitars, backing vocals), and Vivian Campbell (guitars, backing vocals).

Former members: Tony Kenning (drums); Pete Willis (guitars, backing vocals); Steve Clark (guitars, backing vocals)

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)

Def Leppard article cover photo: Mercury Records, Getty images