Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott attended Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour in Dublin this weekend and clearly did not look like he was having a good time in one photo, and rather looked quite miserable. It could have just been a moment though, maybe the rest of the show was fun for him!
Def Leppard’s journey from the gritty streets of Sheffield, England, to global stardom is a testament to their relentless drive and innovative approach to rock music. Their first two albums established them as key players in the new wave of British heavy metal. However, it was their 1983 album Pyromania that truly catapulted them into the mainstream. According to bassist Rick Savage, the band’s philosophy was simple: “There’s no point in trying to appeal to half the population. Why not appeal to 100% of the population?”
With the renowned producer Robert John “Mutt” Lange back on board after the 1981 album High ‘n’ Dry, Def Leppard crafted a record that was both technically sophisticated and irresistibly melodic. Pyromania featured hard-chugging riffs and catchy hooks that resonated with a wide audience, making the band’s sound accessible even to those outside the traditional metal fanbase. Before Pyromania, the music industry was hesitant to embrace metal; an April 14, 1984, Billboard article quoted a radio executive dismissively referring to a longhaired kid in a torn Def Leppard shirt as “the kind of person you wouldn’t want in your store.”
The success of Pyromania was undeniable. It soared to No. 2 on the Billboard 200, surpassing their previous peak of No. 38, and yielded two Mainstream Rock Airplay No. 1 hits, “Photograph” and “Rock of Ages,” along with three top 30 hits on the Billboard Hot 100—“Photograph,” “Rock of Ages,” and “Foolin’.” The album’s impact was monumental, earning a diamond RIAA certification for shipping over 10 million units, and solidifying Def Leppard’s status in rock history.
In related news, Taylor Swift fans also attacked Kurt Cobain recently for a sad reason.
