Before Def Leppard, heavy metal was associated with leather, studs, and motorcycles. After a pair of mega-platinum albums in the '80s, Leppard proved that pop hooks, hard rock, and good looks could equal massive success, hatching a slew of imitators in the process. Despite numerous setbacks such as drummer Rick Allen losing an arm in an accident, followed by the death of guitarist Steve Clark, the British band persevered, achieving even more popularity. Though they inspired legions of hair metal bands, their longevity is a testament to their enduring musical legacy.
Track Listing
DISC 1 for Rock of Ages: The Definitive Collection (CD) Album
By Def Leppard (Artist)
1 Pour Some Sugar On Me (HISTORIA video edit)
2 Photograph
3 Love Bites
4 Let's Get Rocked
5 Two Steps Behind (acoustic version)
6 Animal
7 Heaven Is
8 Foolin'
9 Rocket (VISUALIZE video edit)
10 When Love & Hate Collide
11 Armageddon It
12 Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad?
13 Rock Of Ages
14 Hysteria
15 Miss You In A Heartbeat
16 Bringin' On The Heartbreak
17 Switch 625
DISC 2 for Rock of Ages: The Definitive Collection (CD) Album
By Def Leppard (Artist)
While many of their peers were abandoning '70s metal and arena rock to hop the punk/new wave bandwagon, Def Leppard smartly stripped the earlier era's music of its excesses, bolstered it with energetic, pop-savvy hooks and quickly found itself the vanguard of the UK's new metal revival and one of the '80s most spectacularly successful rock acts. The first disc of this 35-track, two-and-a-half hour double-disc retrospective focuses on the familiar hits of their early MTV, platinum-selling prime, though the inclusion of the video edit/remixes of "Pour Some Sugar On Me" and "Rocket" attempts to cast them in a more club-friendly contemporary groove. But the grittier second disc showcases some of the early, overlooked roots of On Through the Night and High 'N' Dry, as well as underappreciated later gems like '99's "Promises" and a power-pop-perfect take on Badfinger's "No Matter What" from an upcoming covers project. --Jerry McCulley
If You Enjoy "Rock of Ages: The Definitive Collection (CD)", May We Also Recommend: