Def Leppard (UK)

Def Leppard originally entered the scene at the end of the ’70 as part of the new wave of British heavy metal, taking a cue from bands like Led Zeppelin (note the similarities in the groups’ names).

But by the early part of the ‘80s they began injecting more commercial-friendly sounds into their music, breaking out with 1983’s ‘Pyromania,’ which included the Top 40 hits ‘Photograph’ and ‘Rock of Ages.’

When they returned four years later (part of the delay was due to their drummer losing his arm in a car accident; he had to relearn how to play a computerized set), Def Leppard and producer Robert “Mutt” Lange had assembled one of the era’s most defining works, ‘Hysteria,’ a digital triumph that bridged traditional hard rock with its pop future. The album went on to sell more than 20 million copies worldwide. Since then, the band has released a series of records that recall their golden period.

Joe Elliott

Phil Collen

Rick Savage