Pyromania

It's a Def Leppard standard and like the other album from them I've heard from this generator I'd say that while its kinda mid, you're still always having a great time listening to this band. Thus, I'd say its a fair three stars and a better album than Hysteria.

Awesome Rock straight from the eighties.

A pretty damn fun glam metal record, Def Leppard follows up their breakout album "High 'n' Dry" with an album that leans even more into the hook based pop sounds of the 80s glam metal scene without sacrificing the dynamic riffing and soloing that made the previous album so appealing. This album contains some of my favorite songs from Def Leppard: from the anthemic opener "Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)" to the sleek rockers of "Photograph" and "Rock of Ages" and the power ballads "Too Late For Love" and "Foolin'", this album is a pretty great variety of different 80s rock/metal sounds that never really get boring even after hearing them to death on classic rock radio. The only song I really don't care too much for is the middle track "Die Hard the Hunter", as it feels the most processed and really drags due to it being the longest song on the record at over 6 minutes. In many ways this song kind of foreshadows the following album "Hysteria", which while it isn't a bad record by any means, it ends up feeling pretty bloated and overly glossy in a way that "Pyromania" doesn't. This album still feels fresh and alive to this day, helped by the production of Robert "Mutt" Lange, who produced the previous record and several other hard rock records of the day, like AC/DC's "Highway to Hell" and "Back in Black".

Def Leppard: the hairiest hair that ever haired. A slightly less punchy Guns N' Roses, maybe. I can definitely see the appeal – it's solid background-listening material, for dads who don't like their ears taking any risks. I think the title of the opening song really exemplifies the sound as a whole: "Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)". So goddamn cheesy. Like a deep-dish pizza, with no other ingredients (except possibly X-tra Spicy Pepperoni whose only spice is a dash of black pepper). Nice guitar, I guess, but it feels just a little... lightweight? Same with the vocals. Axl Rose and Slash do slightly better on just about every account. Photograph is a little better, verging more towards a sort of stadium-rock sound. Even the guitars are mixed in a wider, airier manner that makes them sound further away from you. Def Leppard adds a few trumpety synths to complete the sound. I think Stagefright might be the strongest so far, if only because it challenges my ears ever so slightly. Then Too Late For Love is even better – that singing is genuinely pretty impressive. Extremely 80s-esque though. Elliott, you're making all the Gen X girls swoon ("Tooooo laaaaaaaayyyyte", hey now). Side 1 concludes with Die Hard The Hunter, one that certainly overstays its welcome but at least puts on a cool progressive show at the same time. The explosion in energy a little over a minute in works nicely. I also like the instrumental break halfway through, and how it cuts out certain instruments then brings them back in. Foolin' is the first song thus far where the percussion impresses me. It isn't even particularly complex; "atmospheric" is the word I'd use. Though Rock Of Ages sort of rips a hook from I Love Rock 'n' Roll (released two years earlier), I can definitely understand the appeal of the track. If you're going to steal a hook, better make it a good one. Excellent guitar solo too, and really the only time on the album the guitar has that harsh atonal quality. Nice rises and falls in tension in both Comin' Under Fire and Action! Not Words, plus some solid guitar parts. Billy's Got A Gun is a pretty weak way to end the album – especially that perplexing synth/drum monstrosity of an outro. Go out with a bang, guys! I wonder if the old tradition of placing B-sides nearer to the end of a record is seeping through with a lot of releases from this period. 3/5 Key tracks: Too Late For Love, Foolin', Rock Of Ages

9 arms, better than I remember

Classic 80s rock album. I love photograph and some of the riffs I heard on this are classic Def Leppard. Worth a listen.

This was on heavy rotation in 1983 as I was mowing lawns and shoveling snow for spending money. While it doesn't quite make the cut for my currently listening and the lyrics are puerile it does take me back to a time and place, the way good music does. Yes, I had and wore the shirt, proudly. I seem to remember this and Kilroy Was Here were on each side of a 90 minute tape in my Walkman. And Too Late for Love still hits all these years later. This metalhead and punk aficionado is a little bashful about giving this full marks, but it just is so very good.

Pyromania suffers from overproduction just as their next album Hysteria does and most likely all their other albums. I’m not going to research that last accusation any further, two Def Leppard albums are more than enough for me. I’m not even certain better production would really help them all that much really, their songs lack much substance, the band doesn’t seem to have a whole lot of creativity in general. I guess now at least I know where that dumbass sample for The Offsprings, “Pretty Fly” came from. So there’s that… not many other takeaways from this glossy heap. 2 stars

Def Leppard’s “Pyromania”, DayGlo mutant hairspray rock, is a second-generation descendant of the Blues. Isn’t pop weird? This released bubbles of amusement and excitement today, though I wasn’t as thrilled as I was with its successor two years ago when that was sent our way. The cover art is engagingly of its time.

Soundtracks a higher-quality strip bar than "Hysteria", and with a more powerful drum sound. Still AC/DC by numbers, but at least I can finally put a name and a face to two generic songs I hear occasionally: "Photograph" and "Foolin'", apparently. I would have guessed either were by Foreigner in a pinch.

It is FUN and I like fun

Makes me want to crash a Trans AM into a tree

Mid

A lot of people like this style of cheese rock. I do not.

Great album

So metal but it's actually pop rock core (3/5)

Very inoffensive rock album

It's very classic Def Leppard, you have to be in the right kind of mood for this for sure.

Day 10 Bro this shit is funner than I ever thought it'd be. Not the biggest fan of glam rock but put aside the "WE LOVE ROCK AND ROLL 🎸🎸🎸" shit and what's left is pretty servicable bordering good. Fav track: Photograph

Is this the best Def Leppard album? Probably. Do I care for them a lot? Definitely no.

Fairly enjoyable. 3.

It was fine. Mostly ended up attached to the big hits I was already familiar with. The other songs didn't stand out a whole lot to me. Fav Tracks: "Photograph", "Foolin'" and "Billy's Got a Gun".

not their best, not their worst... a bit like AC/DC it all sounds the same and a bit formulaic Released in 1983 this is pretty much an album of its time, brits doing 80's hair metal Their biopic is better than any of their albums

The worlds biggest rock chords opening this one. I feel like this is something I should hate but tbh it really isn't like that. It is pretty cliche pop rock at this point but as a first time listen it is rather catchy at times. Not that I think it is anything special, maybe it woulda been at the time. Everything is just so GIGANTIC on this album, it is kind of entertaining. Like watching a superhero movie or something, fun for the spectacle. Three stars, bang in middle of 3 aswell

Today, music like this sounds like a parody of itself. I'm completely serious when I say that I can't actually tell if this is serious or not. It's not bad it's just totally bland. Kind of like if Guns N' Roses didn't have Slash, AC/DC didn't have Angus Young, and Rolling Stones didn't have heroin 1.9

Vsf roque

Drink every time you hear "rock", and wake up in the hospital. It's the soundtrack for a generation of t-top-driving primped mullet and tank top-wearing dudes. About as base of a "metal" album as one could get, there's no denying the radio-friendly-ness of this one. If one were looking for a poster child for the butt rock era, you'd need look no further. Every track stays in the lines between metal-adjacent and pop. I imagine a lot of teenagers in leopard print attire spraying ungodly amounts of hair product whilst prepping for a trip to the mall with this one spinning in the background, and, that isn't all bad.

Seems to be basic rock music with common themes. It was okay, but granted I dont listen to a lot of this genre. Not sure if I paid enough attention to this to fully understand this or fully appreciate it, but based on first impressions it was music ahh music.

Definitely one of the classic rock/Metal band from this era. Saying that I haven't really listened to them a lot just a few songs here and there throughout the years. This was a great time listening through and the songs were easy to listen to. Its probably not something I will come back to as I have other nostalgic bands that do similar music and where the songs already are stuck in my mind forever.

Not for me

A few fun standouts drowned in a wall of generic filler

So…boring.

This is #day736 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… how about that hard'n'heavy glam classic, aka my first of two Def Leppard's records represented on the list? Quite a signature sound, let's face it. A bunch of staples here and there. Otherwise, a fine Friday afternoon listen, if not too samey at times. I must admit I was blown away when I learned their drummer had lost one arm and kept on playing. But that would be the next album. This one gets a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day737.

Hair Metal/Cock Rock fusion. What's not to dislike? Its disgusting

This is probably a nostalgia score as I remember my sister loving this band at the time, so most of the songs are familiar. Also, I always thought they were German for some reason which made the banal lyrics seem charming. Turns out it’s just banal. 3.5 stars

If was part of the evolution of rock and roll. Thumbs up.

Perfectly serviceable rock n roll. 3.5

Most of this isn’t very good. Clunky lyrics and repetitive. However, Photograph is pretty iconic. And it earns its place, holding the album up a bit.

excellent

A lot of fun if youre in the mood. A lot of the same though

No private session used for Spotify. I had this on cassette in the 80s. I used to listen to this on my walkman every Thursday morning delivering a weekly paper. It's 5am and I am roaming the streets listening to guitar driven rock. I still like this album, it's a classic though I will admit to the nostalgia l.

This was pretty heavy. Photograph was awesome. Solid album.

I'd rather Listen to ACDC

never really listened to them before but i get it now

Before I've even hit play, +1 for Rick Allen. What a beast. He's got both of em' for this one but I have seen the future. I know this monster cannot be stopped. Is Def Leppard my jam? No, not really. I don't care for glam/hair metal at all, in fact. Was it important to musical development? Probably. I don't know that you get the 90s metal scene without hair metal there bridging the gap between radio rock and the harder stuff. Someone had to draw in the next generation. I guess I'm calling Def Leppard a gateway drug. For some. Why was the hidden track the best part of the album?

Shockingly bad. I feel like I owe The Rolling Stones an apology. They are no longer the worst rock band to have multiple albums on this list.

This is a classic. Having enjoyed this album for years my initial thought was that it was a 5, but revisiting it I think a 4 is more apt due to a couple of songs just not quite being up to par. I think the same could be said for Hysteria too I think.

This is album is apart of the Peacemaker starter pack. Usually, I don’t like this vibe but this is actually a nice, catchy album

I don't hate this at all but I can only take 80s hard rock in small doses at a time.

boo

You know how all Def Leppard songs sound the same? Well, they do. They've never been one of my bands and while this album has two standouts, I feel my earlier perception was validated. Top tracks: "Photograph," "Rock of Ages"

good for buttrock breakfast, meh for everything else.

--Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)...I can tell already this is not my thing. the dreaded butt rock --Photograph...heavy rotation on classic rock radio. it's fine --Stagefright...fun guitar solo. the production is nice --Too Late for Love...the super serious track --Die Hard the Hunter...what a title. cool riff once it gets going. head bopper --Foolin'...dammit this LP is slowly winning me over. I usually like my rockers to be a little more raw sounding but the clean production works for this group --Rock of Ages...it's not complicated but these guys do tap into something primal/instinctual --Comin' Under Fire...starting to repeat themselves --Action! Not Words...see above --Billy's Got a Gun...nice bass chug. it's decent but it's too long on an already long LP. and what is with the weird outro?

Ready, aim, fire

Nice

Ok listen but there’s no real reason for coming back to a relisten. 6/10

Not for me but still pretty fun

All bangers.

What do you mean Def Leppard are British? I always thought they were American. Anyway, "Pyromania" is a flawed album that could've been great. I somewhat dislike glam metal; it's a good thing "Pyromania" is one of the better examples of the genre. Even the worst songs are better than Aerosmith's best. 3 stars for "Pyromania".

hard one - my brother played this to death when it came out, it's a memory not just an album and boy did we love Def Leppard, with my girl cousins we 'divvied up' who could have a crush on who and I had to 'share' Rick Savage w my cousin Tina LOLLL. I still love Photograph so much!!!

This one is a Nissan Z with the legendary T-top roof from the 80s. Was it a great car? No. But if your parents owned one, and mine did, you’ll probably remember it and smile. It was so of its era. Completely absurd now.

I moved to Princeton Lakes - a subdivision NW of Atlanta. Nearby subdivisions included Jacksons Creek, Willow Pointe, Lake Fjord and Indian Hills with street names like Karls Gate and Muirfield. Many had "lakes" similar to the lake we lived on in Princeton Lakes. Nice enough place if a bit prefab. If you don't dig too deep you won't be disappointed. And we were not alone in moving there. At the time I believe Cobb County was the fastest growing county in the country. Our local high school (Walton) was two years old and already so full (over 3000 kids) they were operating on split session - half the kids went in the morning the other half in the afternoon - until the new high school Lassiter was completed. I arrived in the midst of the rise of the BMX and shortly after I moved I traded in the Schwinn stingray for a Hutch BMX bike. Sweet ride. A friend - Tommy Ash - had a crazy older brother who was a bit of a local legend as a skater and BMX rider who actually raced and did a fair bit of winning. One day he asked if he could try out my bike. Who am I to say no. And what how did with that bike is still with me today. Across the lake from our house was the swim club. To get there you traveled across a causeway that went between two lakes. Those two lakes were separated by a spillway. That spillway was a 20 ft slag of cement that dropped down about three feet from the causeway with ramps on either side. Perfect for jumping. Or was it. Clad in his Motorhead t shirt - Peter Ash took the bike up to the top of a huge hill next to the pool. He came down and and extraordinary speed, caught air flying off the hill running down to the causeway. He rocketed across said stairway kicking up dust, caught air again flying off the downslope of the spillway, launched what seems like 15ft in the air off the ramp, did a table top, landed and skidded to a complete stop. The crowd gathered outside club gave a cheer. I stood agog as I had no idea my bike to do that. Cut to the next week. I'm headed home coming down the same hill where Peter started his epic jump. I pedal and gain some speed. I hit the grassy hill and find nothing but bumps as I do catch air. Once I hit the causeway I kick it on and gain speed, fly off the spillway and wobble a bit when I hit the ground, hit the up ramp and pull back to launch myself into the air. I'm ascending until I realize I have pulled up too hard and - unintentionally - begin a backward flip that I would not compete. Instead I land flat on my back which knocks the wind out of me. There is no one there to witness my failed adventure. I am just looking up at the sky, still holding my bike and hoping I am able to move. I am. Thankfully. Pyromania is the first album - maybe fi st rock/pop album as I had some Burt and Ernie LPs, the Star wars soundtrack and a record of haunter Halloween sounds - I ever owned. An LP given to me by my neighbor David Phillips for my 13th birthday. We went to Six Flags. I rode my first big roller coaster. It was great birthday. Def Leppard was a great gateway drug. And like the subdivision I lived in - there may not be much underneath but I made some friends, rode my bike and had a pretty happy existence. It's not what I wanted forever but it was perfect for a 13 year old kid trying to find his way. Not all great albums have to be great. Some just are. And this album just is - with hooks galore, a better than .500 batting average including four singles that absolutely bang and production that - for better or worse - would be the sound for the remainder of the decade. Listening in 2026 - the pop greatness of Photograph with that amazing sugar rush only a great pop song gives you - it makes me feel like riding a bike at 13. A feeling Im happy to revisit anytime. Now if I could just find my Union Jack shorts...

Struggled with this - all a bit naff - feels very teenage bedroom stuff and very American for a Sheffield band - not awful, just meh!

Pyromania by Def Leppard confirmed something I already suspected—I don't think this style of 1980s hard rock is for me. I didn't enjoy Hysteria, so I went into this expecting to have similar struggles. Unfortunately, that's exactly what happened. For me, this type of rock has become a bit of a self-parody. It's packed with big choruses, huge guitar riffs and endless references to rock and roll, but it feels like style over substance. The songs are polished and technically well played, but they rarely have enough depth or individuality to really hold my attention. As the album went on, I found many of the tracks blending together. They follow a very similar formula, with the same structure, the same soaring choruses and the same glossy production. I know that's exactly what many fans love about Pyromania, but for me it became predictable rather than exciting. Listening to it also reminded me of This Is Spinal Tap. The over-the-top rock clichés are all here, only without the comedy. I can appreciate how influential this album was and why it became such a huge commercial success, but it just isn't a sound that connects with me. Favourite tracks: "Photograph" is actually a pretty good pop-rock song and easily the standout track if I had to choose one. Least favourite tracks: Most of the rest of the album blurred into one generic 1980s rock sound. Tracks like "Action! Not Words" summed up the formula that, for me, became repetitive. Album artwork: I do really like the album cover. It's bold, memorable and probably my favourite thing about the album.

About the most generic hair metal album ever. Except for a few decent guitar riffs nothing real stands out.

Solid 80s pop rock. It’s catchy with hooks and decent sound.

"Too Late For Love" is an alltime banger. Been rocking that solo for a month now. The rest is a bit generic hit and miss, as a lot of classic rock is. I like "Coming under fire" as well. Other songs like "Photograph" which is a classic I'm not so fond of.

80s bombastic rock'n'roll, yeah!

If I were to rock until I drop, I would need this album to stop stop. Cheesy 80's gross rock... Sorry dad.

Yuck.

Some great songs in here, some not so much but still enjoyable

Every song sounded like it was going to break into Livin’ on a Prayer

aight

Favorite Track: Photograph

Great classic rock album

very good

This was such a big part of the soundtrack of my early high school years. Great album if only for the memories that it brings back. My only gripe is that this was the beginning of them overproducing the hell out of their music. Their album High N Dry had the more raw sound that I prefer. But that's just by two-bits.

Another overrepresented band, I should only need to listen to at most one DL album in my life. This one is fine, it seems like maybe the best of a pretty boring and dated genre of music

We all know who Def Leppard are, but I did not know how good this album was. I loved it, it classic rock as expected but also so modern and has absolutely held up

I didn't care for this at all and I hope to never hear it again.

I think if I heard this in just the right mood I'd really get into it. As it happens I'm listening to it while doing crosswords (so only half paying attention to the lyrics) and am incredibly tired today. I still quite like it, sort of Bon Joviesque fun glam rock. But it didn't really move me

In some of my 1 star reviews, I have registered my suspicion about fans standing by music they loved in their youth, despite now being grown-ass adults. I have also stated how lucky I feel that my taste as a kid seemed so amazing as to never need to address this myself. This felt potentially blinkered, but thankfully Def Leppard are here to help me out. Even factoring in the nostalgia of this being among the 1st 5 albums I EVER owned, I can still only afford it 3 stars. They still had a long way to go to achieve the ninja level cheesiness of Hysteria, but they give it a really good go here. Musically I can now spot the influences when I once thought they were innovative, but to be fair to them, the target of the US they were clearly laser focused upon, hasn’t quite “produced out” all the edges of the songs. They are finding the sweet spot between going hard and FM radio friendliness, but it’s not at the expense of turning over each track to a formula. I’m happy that I didn’t feel sick revisiting my youth, but I’m happier that I’m able to apply the appropriate restraint not to try heralding this as anything more than it is; dated, cringy, hair-metal, suitable for kids.

No. 416/1001 Rock! Rock! 3/5 Photograph 5/5 Stagefright 4/5 Too Late For Love 4/5 Die Hard The Hunter 3/5 Foolin' 4/5 Rock of Ages 4/5 Comin' Under Fire 4/5 Action! Not Words 3/5 Billy's Got a Gun 3/5 Average: 3,7

pretty good!

it started and then it finished

This kind of big 80s stadium/ hair rock doesn’t do much for me. It’s not terrible but it’s so produced and kind of cheesy

Metal-lite is about all I can say about it. Not a great album but not the worst on this list by any measure.

I have very little interest in glam metal. This will sound gatekeepery but it removes what sets metal apart in having a bit of bite, watering that down into pretty standard melodic rock. I'm not trying to knock commercial appeal because I think other bands have done it well without doing this (Metallica, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, System of a Down) There are some pretty good riffs though. 2.5 Highlights: Stagefright

неплохо, одну песню засейвил.

4 stars for giving birth to pop/hair metal

A poppy glam rock album, standard 80s stuff, but among the best of its kind with really well written songs and interesting moments I wouldn't have expected from an album like this, especially the last 30 seconds of the album. Always heard about Def Leppard, cool to hear an album from them cover to cover while I liked it so much.

Very solid 80s rock album, Def Leppard def defined the 80s In their own way. Great tracks, High and Dry is great before this too. Heavy 3, light 4 energy

amazing

Typical Mutt Lange sound somewhere between AC/DC and Bryan Adams. It's a strange thing about that whole Hair "Metal" era, that they use these wild aesthetics while basically playing smooth pop with a pseudo rough production. Def Leopard rally takes the cake in that department with absolutely ridiculous lyrics with no trace of substance and music without the slightest rough edge, passion or even innovation. Deeply commercial and superficial the entrance of even a second album in this list is as ridiculous as their music, even though their guitar pop is kind of okay on the radio and doesn't stick out in between, say, Journey or the Eagles.

Hoe meer prima 3 sterren albums ik achter elkaar luister, hoe meer ik er minder dan 3 sterren wil geven

Domme, matige jaren 80 pop vermomd als metal om in te cashen op het snel groeiende genre. Een soort Imagine Dragons van begin jaren 80 dit. Er zit gelukkig hier en daar nog een catchy refreintje tussen.

типичные "орлы на мотиках", как говорит фредгитарист. есть классные рифы, гитарный тон неплохой, но барабаны какие-то пластиковые, как будто это сэмплы? моя оценка: 4/5, потому что орломотики имеют свой вайб и порой послушать их очень хочется

Not bad but this style is not my choice.

Goofy pop lyrics disguised as heavy metal. No thanks. Rock rock till you drop. Oy vey

The guitar solos are perfect, but since this album is one of the things that popularized rock'n'roll and to some extent, metal, it's also very pop-ish. I think it deserves its place in 1001 albums before you have to die, because it also has a chronological importance in the aforementioned genres, but jesus christ it sounds like plain old milk. I'm giving it a 3, but in my heart, it's a 2.5.

We probably didn't need two Def Leppard albums on this list. Still, it is a fun, low-stakes time to listen two, although I think I preferred Hysteria a bit more. Just something to turn off your brain to, not really the pinnacle of art. Key tracks: Photograph

Je me demande souvent pourquoi le rock des années quatre-vingt a fini par ressembler à une gigantesque plaisanterie capitaliste enrobée de laque pour cheveux et de shorts en élasthanne moulants. La réponse tient en deux mots : Def Leppard. En me penchant sur le cas de leur célèbre opus de 1983, une question existentielle me traverse immédiatement l'esprit : Def Leppard... et pourquoi pas Bon Jovi pendant qu'on y est ? Car il faut bien l'avouer de manière totalement objective, ces deux-là, c'est un peu comme cul et chemise dans le grand catalogue de la compromission artistique et commerciale. Ils partagent le même ADN de synthèse, la même ambition démesurée de remplir des arènes entières en vendant une rébellion de pacotille à des cadres dynamiques en quête d'un frisson de fin de semaine contrôlé. Oui, je sais, la comparaison est facile, mais elle est pourtant d'une justesse implacable, presque autant que la note qui va tomber immédiatement comme un couperet inéluctable sur cette chronique : un pauvre, unique et misérable 1 sur 5. Et croyez-moi sur parole, je me trouve d'une indulgence absolument christique et d'une gentillesse rare aujourd'hui en accordant cette unité, car si ma grille d'évaluation ou mon intégrité profonde me permettraient des notes négatives ou des zéros pointés, je n'hésiterais pas une seule seconde à enfoncer le clou encore plus loin. Mais malheureusement, le barème plancher me force à la charité, alors ils s'en sortent avec les honneurs du strict minimum légal. Bon, soyons parfaitement justes et honnêtes, ce n'est pas techniquement une merde absolue au sens de l'amateurisme total ou du garage rock mal enregistré. Si vous êtes un ingénieur du son obsédé par la compression dynamique maximale et le lissage obsessionnel de la moindre fréquence, vous trouverez probablement de quoi satisfaire vos fantasmes cliniques les plus enfouis. Le coupable derrière les manettes s'appelle Robert John "Mutt" Lange, un homme capable de transformer n'importe quel groupe de rock authentique et rugueux en une machine à tubes pop d'une efficacité terrifiante pour les radios FM. Le problème majeur, c'est que sous cette avalanche de production chirurgicale et artificielle, l'âme même du rock 'n' roll a été totalement aspirée, lyophilisée et remplacée par un produit de grande consommation parfaitement standardisé. Prenez ces fameux refrains qui ont fait la gloire internationale de l'album : ils sont systématiquement portés par des chœurs de castrats superposés à l'infini grâce à la magie des pistes multiples du studio. On se retrouve face à une sorte de chorale de robots programmés pour chanter la gloire de l'industrie grand public, où chaque voix est tellement corrigée et nettoyée qu'on dirait un banc de synthétiseurs déguisés en chanteurs de hard rock. C'est propre, c'est lisse mais c'est d'une froideur industrielle absolue qui me laisse de marbre. Mais là où le supplice auditif devient véritablement insupportable, c'est lorsqu'on décide de poser une oreille attentive sur le travail des guitaristes. Si vous êtes un adepte des solos interminables, interchangeables et techniques, dignes des plus grands branleurs de manche de la création, vous allez prendre votre pied car les musiciens rivalisent de technicité stérile, enchaînant les cascades de notes rapides, les acrobaties sur le vibrato et les démonstrations de vélocité gratuites sans jamais insérer la moindre once d'émotion. C'est de la masturbation guitaristique pure et simple, de l'étalage de virtuosité de foire destiné uniquement à impressionner les clients des magasins de musique ou les foules passives. Derrière cette démonstration de force superficielle, les structures des morceaux s'appuient lâchement sur des rythmes heavy déjà vus, entendus, digérés, rabâchés et recrachés par des centaines de groupes de seconde zone avant eux. Le rythme global est d'une prévisibilité navrante, un poum-tchak éléphantesque et lourd qui avance avec la délicatesse d'un rouleau compresseur. Il n'y a aucun groove, aucune tension rythmique subtile, aucune de ces syncopes magiques qui font vibrer le corps humain. Tout est carré, mathématique, rigide, prévisible dès la première seconde de chaque morceau, et d'un ennui mortellement linéaire. Et puis, comment pourrais-je décemment ignorer l'emballage visuel et marketing de cette farce ? Car chez Def Leppard, la musique n'est finalement que la moitié du problème ; l'autre moitié réside entièrement dans le look, la posture scénique et cette esthétique outrancière taillée sur mesure pour les grands stades et les écrans avides d'MTV. Tout dans leur attitude transpire le calcul commercial rigoureux et la rébellion en plastique pour cour de récréation. Les poses héroïques adoptées devant des murs d'amplificateurs vides, les jeans savamment déchirés par des stylistes de mode payés à prix d'or, les brushings volumineux ayant nécessité des hectolitres de laque industriels... C'est le triomphe absolu et vulgaire de l'image de marque sur la substance artistique. On tente de nous vendre de la fureur hard rock sauvage, mais on nous livre un boys band avant l'heure, un produit calibré par des cadres supérieurs de maison de disques pour maximiser les ventes de t-shirts et remplir des arènes de cinquante mille places en Amérique du Nord. Cette posture de rockeurs de l'extrême est d'une hypocrisie totale, un cirque ambulant où le clinquant des effets de lumière et les explosions de pyrotechnie cachent tant bien que mal le vide sidérant du propos textuel. Le groupe ne joue pas sa vie sur scène, il exécute une chorégraphie financière bien huilée pour s'assurer que le tiroir-caisse fonctionne à plein régime. C'est précisément pour toutes ces raisons évidentes et par dégoût profond de cette superficialité triomphante que j'ai toujours viscéralement préféré le côté sombre de la musique. Il y a quelque chose de profondément pur, d'infiniment plus honnête et de viscéralement authentique dans les recoins obscurs de l'underground musical, là où les artistes n'ont pas pour ambition secrète de plaire à votre grand-mère ou de passer en boucle sur les ondes des radios corporatives. En choisissant de rester délibérément et fièrement loin du soleil trompeur, brûlant et aveuglant du succès de masse, on s'éparpille beaucoup moins et on s'épargne surtout bien des désillusions artistiques. En somme, en étant loin du soleil de la pop de grande écoute, on évite de se prendre une insolation monumentale ou un coup de grisou dévastateur en s'approchant trop près de ces machines de guerre industrielles qui finissent toujours par broyer la moindre étincelle de créativité réelle. Les territoires de l'ombre n'ont absolument pas besoin d'artifices de production surchargés ou de solos grandiloquents pour exister pleinement. Ils tirent leur immense force de la sincérité brute de leur démarche, d'une exploration sans concession des failles de l'âme humaine, de la mélancolie poignante et de la véritable électricité créative. Là où Def Leppard utilise des millions de dollars de matériel de studio pour masquer son absence totale d'idées neuves, les grands poètes de la pénombre se contentent de quelques notes dépouillées pour vous transpercer le cœur à jamais. Replacer cet album dans le contexte global de l'année 1983 permet d'ailleurs de mesurer avec précision l'ampleur du désastre culturel en cours à cette époque. Pendant que des esprits visionnaires et audacieux jetaient discrètement les bases de la musique électronique moderne, du rock alternatif ou du hip-hop, ce groupe choisissait délibérément de figer le hard rock dans une formule mathématique interchangeable et paresseuse. Chaque morceau de ce disque semble avoir été construit sur le même modèle industriel strict : une introduction de guitare accrocheuse pour capter immédiatement l'attention du programmateur radio distrait, un couplet d'une platitude confondante où la basse et la batterie se contentent de marquer sagement le pas, suivi d'un pré-refrain qui fait monter artificiellement la tension dramatique, pour culminer enfin sur ce fameux refrain grandiloquent porté par ces voix surcompressées. C'est une recette de cuisine commerciale appliquée à la lettre, un algorithme pop-rock avant l'heure qui élimine toute possibilité de surprise, de spontanéité, de danger ou d'accident heureux. Le rock 'n' roll historique s'est pourtant entièrement construit sur l'accident, sur la distorsion imprévue, sur l'urgence crue du moment présent ; cet opus en est l'antithèse absolue, un produit congelé, emballé sous vide et réchauffé au micro-ondes pour des masses dociles. Alors oui, je sais bien que les nostalgiques de cette époque révolue viendront m'opposer les millions d'exemplaires vendus à travers le monde, le succès planétaire de morceaux dont je refuse même de citer les titres tant ils me provoquent des crises d'urticaire immédiates, et l'impact visuel indéniable du groupe sur l'industrie du spectacle de masse. Mais le succès commercial massif n'a jamais été, et ne sera jamais, un gage de qualité artistique réelle, bien au contraire ; il est bien plus souvent la preuve irréfutable d'un compromis total avec la médiocrité ambiante de son époque. Cet album restera gravé dans l'histoire pour ce qu'il est véritablement : le point de départ tragique d'une décennie de décadence esthétique absolue où le rock a définitivement troqué sa fureur noire et sa rage d'origine contre des paillettes superficielles et des dollars faciles. Une boursouflure sonore insoutenable qui préfigurait les pires excès du hair metal putassier des années qui suivirent. En ce qui me concerne, mon choix est fait depuis bien longtemps : je retourne de ce pas me réfugier avec délice dans mes disques de chevet sombres, froids et salvateurs, très loin de cette lumière artificielle fatigante, de ces refrains agaçants et de ces branleurs de manche professionnels en collants. Ce disque n'est rien d'autre qu'une coquille vide clinquante enveloppée de bruit inoffensif, un monument stérile à la gloire de la vacuité triomphante. Un malheureux petit point sur cinq, et estimez-vous heureux que ma grande bonté d'âme m'empêche de descendre plus bas.

It’s on the Mount Rushmore of peak 80s albums and if you don’t think so, you’re wrong.

I've been hearing tracks from this album on the radio since I was a child. There's a certain amount of suspicion in my mind that Def Leppard is one of the bands that led my young self to believe that I just didn't like much music. I suspect I'm going to blame Mutt Lange, producer (and man who singularly did not deserve Shania Twain) for a lot of this, but let's see, shall we? First up: Joe Elliott sounds like a half-assed version of Brian Johnson, with that sort of high falsetto growl that hair metal bands from this period all displayed. Everything sounds thin and tinny, like they were trying to make room for the kick drum and the bass, which both disappear in the mix anyway. I looked it up and learned that Def Leppard had three guitars on this record (not simultaneously; Pete Willis was fired for substance abuse and replaced by Phil Collen; Steve Clark is also present) but the guitars are all so high-timbred that I'm beginning to understand that late-90's obsession with 7- and 8-stringed down-tuned guitars that some of the numetal guys had. Allegedly, a man named Rick Savage plays bass on this record. Rick Allen (famously one-armed, having lost the other in an accident) plays drums. The old joke goes, "What has nine arms and sucks? Def Leppard." It's not Allen's fault, though -- he's fine. The album does contain vocal hooks (variously boring and overly saccharine), competent guitar solos (flimsy imitations of Thin Lizzy and Boston, eventually outshone profoundly by Metallica; always outdone by Bon Jovi's Ritchie Sambora) and gang vocal harmonies but a lot of it is lost in the swirling flanger effects that infest the rhythm guitar tracks, the reverb that undermines the guts of the lead singing and the drums and whatever they did to the bass recordings. It's possible there's a decent album in here -- a big concession for me. Some of this sounds like things I like in other bands but it feels insubstantial and/or overproduced. 'Stagefright' has a pretty good drive to it (I won't call it a groove) and 'Too Late For Love' almost gets a mid-tempo Van Halen thing going (but doesn't). And yet, some people revere this band. It feels hollow, soft and robotic. It has all the trappings of interesting music -- we've got your wailing singer, call-and-response, key changes, breakdowns, stomp-clap beats, furious sweep-picking and (somewhere, a Rick plays on) a bass player! It just doesn't gel. It sounds like wallpaper, digitized and pixelated -- but not quite enough to have a cool, lo-fi sound. The backing vocals sound like a synth pad. The guitars sound like someone recorded the amps through a telephone. The drums, as this album is from 1983, sound like horseshit sitting on hot asphalt, stomped on by several pipe and drum bands. There is also a synth here that seriously fucks up the gang vocals ('Die Hard The Hunter' features that synth mirroring their melodies and it is not helping.) Holy fuck the drums sound terrible -- and not for lack of skill. That snare sound is awful. Rick Allen taught himself to play his drums predominantly with his feet and this is how you treat him? I think Mutt Lange ruined this band. The record sounds like it was mastered by taping it off an AM radio station. Listen to some Metallica or Van Halen or Iron Maiden from this era instead. I'll go as far as saying this is better than either 2010's numb-indie or (*spits on the ground*) the Smiths. It's a toss-up whether I'd rather listen to this or that one Kid Rock album again. I'd probably take The Cure instead. I bet these guys sounded good live, though, once they got away from Lange. 2/5, though you should probably eat these vegetables once before you die: this was all over the radio from its release in 1983 right through till the early 2000's and it really pushed the music industry. Some people imitated it (Bryan Adams really sounds like this; another Mutt Lange production) and I think it's clear that there's a backlash to this that happens. Grunge is the opposite -- no Spandex, no perms, simpler production, deeper timbres and grooves (some baritone singers!) and a pretty different lyrical focus (opposite Diamond Dave).

Photograph is good. The rest is fine.

Gunter gleiben glauchen globen

I am an unapologetic Def Leppard fan. I actually saw them when they were touring for Pyromania...they were opening for Billy Squier! :D Great album...and Photograph is one of my favorites!

Def Leppard's songs are like massive structures built of steel girders bolted together with pieces sticking out in random directions, like a Lego tower build by a 5-year-old. (Foolin' has at least three segments that could be considered choruses.) Now I learn that Mutt Lange encouraged them to write bits and pieces and swapped them around almost at random (I also read this in a book about the Cars, who recorded Heartbeat City with Lange and found him to be a lunatic). This album has my favorite Def Lep songs (Photograph and Foolin'), and the most ridiculous (Rock of Ages), so another 4.5.

Standard 80s, not much to say

80s rock is so meh

This one didn't click with me as much as Hysteria, but was still pretty good. Having a bit more influence from hard rock and less from pop, several tracks are a bit too close to AC/DC without being quite as good. Still, it was a fun listen and I'm sure with another listen or two I'd want to put a few songs on my playlist.

this band is well edgy. rock til you drop, edgy as fuck. look at that artwork. edgy as fuck. listen to those guitar solos, edgy as fuck

Embarrassing, but...

"Kih-kuh-kuh YUYEEEAHHHH I'M DOCTOR ROCKZO! THE ROCK AND ROLL CLOWN 🤡 I DO COCAAAAINE!" I swear to god if you think "fun" is a strong defense for dogshit hair metal, then you can't be trusted with anything of critical importance. You could be listening to Priest or Iron Maiden. Hell, even the thrashers are making records. I hate this so much.

Intro was kinda corny lyrically but sonically the whole album is amazing The vocalist kinda sounded like the guy from ac/dc but I might be tripping lol Cool album for an energy boost, great riffs and drums, but lyrically there isn't much to analyze I liked "Photograph" and "Billy's got a gun" the most

It was alright some big hits, but felt like a lot of filler.

I tried

It’s a perfectly solid hair metal album, I can absolutely see why it made an impact and all that. I just don’t rate hair metal so, apart from Photograph and Foolin’ that I knew from before and have misguided attachment to, it isn’t really something that makes an impact on me. Production could do with being more dynamic but I get it, they have to make it sound good on everything so everyone loves it on their radios or w/e, just doesn’t help it make any more impact.

Released in 1983, Def Leppard's *Pyromania* is a landmark album that stands as a pivotal moment in rock history. It's a record that brilliantly bridges the gap between the raw energy of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal and the radio-friendly, stadium-filling sound that would define mainstream rock for the rest of the decade. More than just a collection of hit songs, *Pyromania* was a meticulously crafted piece of art that would influence a generation. ### 🔥 The Core of the Fire: Music, Production, and Themes **Music and Production: A "Wall of Melodic Mayhem"** The music on *Pyromania* represents a conscious and deliberate evolution from the band's earlier, rawer sound. The intention, as bassist Rick Savage put it, was to create a "wall of melodic mayhem" . The foundation was still undeniably hard rock, with chugging riffs and driving rhythms, but these were now augmented by layers of multi-tracked guitars and vocal harmonies . The architect of this sonic transformation was legendary producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange, who returned after *High 'n' Dry*. Lange's production is the album's defining feature. He employed a studio-as-an-instrument approach that was meticulous, and at times, grueling; the band went six figures into debt during the year-long process of recording, writing, and mixing . The result was a "buffed-to-a-sheen" sound that was the antithesis of a live, spontaneous recording. Lange even earned co-writing credits by helping structure the songs, effectively becoming a "sixth member" of the band . The production featured pioneering use of studio technology. Synthesizers and effects, often associated with pop and new wave acts of the time, were cleverly woven into the rock fabric to add texture and atmosphere . This polished, layered sound catapulted the album to a #2 spot on the Billboard charts (kept from the top only by Michael Jackson's *Thriller*) and, with over 10 million copies sold in the U.S., earned it a Diamond certification . **Lyrics and Themes: The Adrenaline of Youth** The lyrical content of *Pyromania* is a potent mix of classic rock 'n' roll themes, tailor-made for the MTV generation. The primary topics are the thrills of rock music itself and the fervor of romance and sex . Songs are driven by catchy, shiny melodic hooks that prioritize memorability . This focus on melody and a radio-friendly sound was a key part of the album's broad appeal, attracting not just the traditional male, heavy metal fanbase but also a large female audience . The album's themes, combined with the youthful energy of the band members (all in their early 20s), helped make them MTV darlings almost overnight . ### 🏆 Pros and Cons: A Critical Look **Strengths** * **Impeccable Production:** The sound is a masterpiece of studio craft, setting a new benchmark for melodic hard rock. Every element is perfectly placed . * **Incredible Songwriting:** The album is packed with now-iconic tracks. From the punchy opener "Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)" to the anthemic singles "Photograph," "Rock of Ages," and "Foolin'," the quality is consistently high . * **Massive Influence:** *Pyromania* was a catalyst for the pop-metal movement of the 1980s, paving the way for the success of bands like Bon Jovi, Guns N' Roses, and Poison . * **Instrumental Performances:** The interplay between guitarists Steve Clark and Phil Collen, Rick Allen's powerful drumming, and Joe Elliott's soaring vocals are all at their peak. Collen's slick, influential solo on "Photograph" is a standout moment . **Potential Drawbacks** * **Over-Production:** The studio polish is a double-edged sword. For some, particularly fans of the band's NWOBHM roots, the sound can feel too slick and calculated, sanding off the raw, energetic edge of earlier works . * **Selling Out:** The album's transparent ambition for mainstream success can be viewed by some purists as a cynical sell-out. While undeniably successful, it marked a definitive shift away from a grittier, more "authentic" metal sound to a more commercial, pop-oriented one . ### 💎 A Final Verdict *Pyromania* is a monumental and near-perfect hard rock album. It achieved its goal of global domination through a combination of expert songwriting, stellar performances, and a groundbreaking production style. Its influence on the sound of '80s rock is undeniable. For every band that tried to replicate the formula and failed, Def Leppard succeeded brilliantly, creating an album that is over-produced, over-polished, and absolutely brilliant from beginning to end . It's an essential listen for any fan of rock music.

Kick ass! I listened to this so much back in '83 that I wore the track listing off the tape from flipping it over. The first 4 Leppard albums are untouchable and absolute classics of the genre.

This is the first ever thing I got on vinyl, I still have a sense of nostalgia for it but yeah there's definitely filler here

Listen I really don't like metal as a genre. But I am also very open minded when it comes to expanding my music tastes, so when my first metal album of the challenge comes in, I accept it and I'm giving it a try with all the good faith in the world But damn this is bad !! I hate this guy's voice, so close to being a parody, and a bad one at that ! These lyrics genuinly want to not touch this genre ever again, with these "yeah bring the rock on" or "if you body is ready" nonsense I wanna say that at least the music is well produced, but it also sounds so clean... too clean even. The kind of metal you would hear in an Iron Man movie if they didn't have the budget for the rights to the "Iron Man" song lmao Yeah this is not good, thank god it's "only" 45 minutes. I'll be waiting for the next metal album with angst... wait what there's a second one from them in the list??? ps : the cover goes hard as fuck at least, as corny as the music but in a good way

This is mid rock and roll. Familiar comfortable but not very good. On straight presentation it deserves a 2; plus 1 for nostalgia sake. Made me feel all the feels of 6th grade today. 3/5

Me enteré aquí que Pretty Fly samplea una canción de este gente. Me gustó en general el album, un buen heavy metal. Divertido

This is the quintessential 80's hard rock album. It's cheesy, it's fun, there is a reason why acts like Skank Banger and Steel Panther still draw crowds today. The guitar work literally spawned a subgenre and is still imitated today. I think you have to give credit where it's due and this is a classic.

As far as radio friendly somewhat hard rock goes this is a masterpiece. That being said I just don't see this ever being a genre that can earn 5 stars.

Prefer Hysteria. This is the prototype for it. 3

Falling somewhere between The Sweet and Iron Maiden, this is more Cartoon Metal than Hair Metal. Kind of good fun and they sold a lot of albums and posters to 16 year olds. The next album, Hysteria, was where they really took off, bowever.

ehhh mid

I was never a fan of this band, but I had no idea how cheesy Def Leppard was until this listen. And it hits you in the face like a brick of Velveeta right out of the gate: rock, rock till you drop! Rock, rock never stop! Woof. That's a rough opener. It's got their breakout hit, Photograph, and zero substance as one would expect from pop-hair-metal. When it can fairly be said that bands like Ratt, Poison, and Cinderella have more musical and artistic depth than your band, your band sucks. This is a 2* album. I have discovered another crime committed by the author/editors: Weezer (The Blue Album) from Weezer is not on the list. Pyromania should get the boot to be replaced by Weezer (The Blue Album), which is a no-brainer 5*.

Now that's what I call Classic Rock, easy breezy listening

Hysteria better.

Ya know. As classic rock goes. It isn't the worst.

Amo el rock ochentero, su estética, su política, me encanta; Deff Leppard es definitivamente emblemática en ese aspecto histórico ya que Hysteria es un himno ochentero. El álbum me parece genial: Rock Of Ages, Too Late For Love y Foolin'

For any realistic look at what I generally like and follow and do not, Def Leppard should NOT be a band I like, let alone kind of love! But here we are, and this album is one I have liked since it came out and have not grown tired of. Classic hair band 80's rock-n-roll and away we go! I think there must be something extra here that I can't quite define. The lyrics are okay, good instrumentals, decent vocals (actually really good harmonies!) so it must be the package deal. Whatever it is or may be, this is truly a corker of an album and just worth a listen on all counts.

Fuckin' grade A predecessor to heavy metal. Which, however, means it's just 'ok'.

On a scale of black sabbath to steel panther, how much can you be a parody of your own shtick? It is dumb fun yes but all things that make hair metal good have been done better by other bands. This voice was done better by ac/dc, drums were beter on Judas Priest and the guitar work greatly surpassed by Van Halen. This kind of music is what would spur a counterculture in rock music to rise up and dethrone this corpo metal.

Might be their best album ever.

Typical 80s music. Kind of cringe but also some good melodic moments. Very hard to judge because it’s not bad but too much 80s.

Dit is echt van die zwaar overdreven, veel te strakke broeken hair metal. Soms best prima, maar na 2 nummers weet ik wel al: een heel album is gewoon te lang hier van. De zang is overdreven, in de hoek van AC/DC en de muziek is snel, maar toch ook nog een beetje poppy ofzo? Ik denk dat het komt doordat de productie echt super slick is. Dan voelt de muziek al snel wat meer pop ondanks de scheurende gitaren. Maar jezus, wat een zit is dit zeg. Ik ben nu al rock n roll moe en ik ben pas op nummer 5 van de 10. Het is niet slecht perse, het is gewoon zo ontzettend nietszeggend. Ik kan me gewoon niet echt voorstellen dat iemand boven de 14 dit echt goed vind en dan een heel album lang... Bizar eigenlijk, dat deze gasten een heel album hebben kunnen vullen met het zelfde nummer en dat er dan ook nog eens blijkbaar genoeg variatie in zat dat men dit als invloedrijk zag. Heb sterk het idee dat ik dit allemaal al eens heb gehoord, maar dat kan mijn beperkte hairglammetal kennis zijn. Ben in elk geval blij dat ik nu richting het einde van het album ga, want wat een lange zit was dit. Klote om te zien dat er nog een Def Leppard album op de lijst staat, wie weet proberen ze dan eens iets nieuws..? FAVO: Stagefright

Great rock album but not quite perfect in my book.

I lowkey dont know what the genre is but it made me feel like a cool ninties dad who now works in banking at a paper firm

No fav song

Nah. Did not last

Tuff ahh album

There are a few tracks on this album that I can get into, but songs like Rock of Ages take me right the fuck out. Album art goes hard.

It was okay. Kinda cliche

Love this. Took me back to 6-7 grade. Roller rinks. Only one bad song (last one). Really enjoyed listening to whole thing. Saw them live in Vegas this year and it was a really fun concert. Steve Clark died too young.

it's the rock music that followed the greatest rock era...

I’ve never really taken Def Leppard seriously. Beyond respecting the band for sticking with their drummer after he lost an arm, their music has always felt like the kind of polished arena rock that never quite connected with me. Listening to Pyromania, I can hear why it was such a massive album, but I also found myself wondering if I was missing something. Outside of “Photograph,” which is a deserved classic, the first half mostly blends together into a parade of pop-metal clichés and interchangeable riffs. Songs like “Stagefright,” “Too Late for Love,” and “Die Hard the Hunter” never really left an impression. The second half is stronger, with “Rock of Ages” delivering a genuinely catchy anthem and “Comin’ Under Fire” hinting at something closer to the hard rock I enjoy. “Billy’s Got a Gun” has an interesting structure too, even if it overstays its welcome. The real star of the album might be producer Mutt Lange. The production is huge, polished, and influential. In fact, I think that influence is part of why Pyromania doesn’t land as hard for me today. This album laid the blueprint for countless ’80s pop-metal bands, and after decades of hearing those ideas copied and recycled, a first listen in 2026 feels less groundbreaking and more familiar. It’s a solid album, but not one I see myself returning to often. That said, I’m still curious to hear where they took the formula on Hysteria. 3.5/10

If you're like me, you will go through a realization on this journey that you actually know(and love) more Def Leppard songs than you thought you did. It's hysterical how many bangers are packed on this album. It's fun 1980s Hair Metal music, and it's better if you shout the lyrics. This is the perfect party album to blare at a Saturday night house party in June. Who's down to join me? Favorite Track: "Too Late For Love".

4/10

Im sorry to my local boys but I do not like this.

Not mind blowing as far as subject matters goes, but some super fun songs on here and everything is performed very crisp and tight. A couple iconic performances on here shine through some of the more standard hair metal fare, these guys are clearly at their best when they’re ripping and having a good time doing it. A couple deeper cut tracks on here just blend together a bit too much for it to be a must listen for me.

These dudes have a hard-on for rock and roll! Call that cock and roll. Hahaha. Anyway, this is just endless 104.3 core - in one ear, out the other.

If you like Def Leppard you’ll love this. It’s practically the blueprint for the band. Not terrible but pretty much cookie cutter hair rock. 3

Such a fun sound and frankly that’s all it takes

Rating: 2.5/5 Playlist track: Photograph Date listened: 11/06/26 Listen when: - Too metal-ly for me unfortunately but can appreciate the attempt to make it more consumable for the masses. But attempt it remains.

So much more dynamic of an album than I expected. This could be a good working-in-the-shop album. No individual song caught me, but as a whole it's a great listen.

Def Leppard (and almost all hair metal) is stupid music for stupid people. BUT stupid people certainly have more fun and this music IS fun!

I could've sworn that I got this album already (never mind, that was Hysteria!) I guess this was when Def Leppard really started to lean into the hair metal sound that was all over the place in the 80's. Melodic hooks and vocal harmonies galore, it's hard not to have fun here (if you'll allow it). I don't think the overall body of work is as memorable as say, Hysteria from a few years later, but "Photograph" and "Rock of Ages" are both very much worth the price of admission at least.

Njae

Good strong British metal from Sheffield. Had to vote high or risk being branded a snowflake.

A bit naff

A bit dated but it is a fun album for sure

Not particularly remarkable

Now that’s what I call hair metal

I thought maybe they deserved 1 album on this list. This wasn't that album.

Day 299 Just big dumb rock and I quite enjoy that sometimes Highlights Rock of Ages Action not words Billy’s got a gun

Fairly samey , hmmm

It as good as the other one of theirs we had but still a few good moments

The production takes centre stage here and completely smothers any resemblance of a good song. This is an album that I loved back in the day but it seems very cringe now. A couple of high points save things some what.

It’s just nowhere near as fun as the follow up is it. Lacking any really catchy songs or the over the top production which made them them.

I wasn’t exactly familiar with Def Leppard, but they reminded me a bit of KISS, so I was pleasantly surprised. And I was also surprised by the intro to ‘Rock of Ages’ and the explanation behind it 😁 Three stars…

I've never been a fan of Def Leppard. They always seemed to stand apart from their contemporaries in the NWOBHM and not just because of their focus on aiming for success in USA - I actually quite liked "Hello America" from their debut. They all seem like really nice guys and I really respect how they stood by drummer Rick Allen when he lost his arm. With the benefit of time, and hearing interviews and seeing projects in which the likes of Joe Elliott have beed involved, I can hear the influence of Mott the Hoople and Thin Lizzy but I just can't warm to their music. I love what Mutt Lange did on AC/DC's Highway to Hell and Back In Black albums but here his production is one of the major turn-offs. The guitars sound big but the drums, possibly mixed with drum machines, are drenched in reverb, the vocals, especially the backing vocals, in chorus, the whole sound layered and over-polished. "Photograph" is fairly catchy and "Rock of Ages" is memorable as possibly the best/worst of the vapid 'rock 'n' roll' lyrics. None of the other songs hang in the memory for long. Yes, it was hugely successful in their target market but the list of hugely successful rock/metal bands in the US wouldn't suggest a particularly discerning audience. Glossy pop-metal, good for a gym listen once in a while, but no more than that.

Good album and turning point for Leppard

After 1984 this felt meh.

This is pure 80's cheesy hard-rock. Very dated. Only for die-hard fans of the genre or former long-haired men who are now balding from the front.

Buena banda, me sorprendió el nivel de rock, buen material saqué de acá.

Some bangers with Photograph, Foolin' and Rock of Ages

Pyromania is right, because I wanna throw this thing in the fire

Quite a generic sound 80s rock album to me, not bad but nothing blew my socks off.

It's not total dog shit, but I will just never get this band.

Is there a bad song on this album? No. Is there a better 80s rock band? I’ll wait.

It's pretty energetic stuff, but it was pretty cliched even by 1983s standards.

Ok

I guess I really like Def Leppard. Not ashamed!

kjedelig og repetitivt

1001 albums to hear before you turn into a Rock! Rock! 116# Yeah it's quite rocky, but I wouldn't know if they didn't mention it.. like 312 times. Other than that... it's rocking Has that 80s drums and synths which if not done in a great production it sounds dated. Photograph is cool but also sounds dated as .. a rock. I was aware of Def Leppard.. like that they were a rock band and stuff.. but yeah this was more melodic choruses than what I was expecting. I want to photograph actually, cause i want to buy a digital camera just to take photographs of stuff or people, minus 10 points.

Honestly just dad rock -- if I hear this in a radio station, it's an instant skip. The voice is annoying, and every song sounds the same. 2*

Nice hard rock sounds like AC/DC nothing new

Surprised how good this was, actually. A solid lineup of songs that have stood the test of time.

Glossy hard rock and arena metal built from towering guitar layers, synthetic textures, thunderous drums, and soaring vocals hits like watching fireworks explode inside a sports car commercial—ridiculous, oversized, and almost impossibly catchy. The album transforms raw rock energy into pure mass-market spectacle without losing its momentum or sense of fun. Its relentless polish occasionally borders on mechanical, but the hooks are too huge to ignore.

O que estraga são os vocais. Voz chata demais. O resto é ok, são canções pesadas mas legais. O estilo de produção e de instrumentalização é bem característico do seu período de criação, mas eu gosto disso. Gosto dessas bateria que parecem ter sido gravadas de outra sala totalmente separada do resto dos instrumentos. Mas é, os vocais machucam muito minha impressão do disco. 2.5

Fun and upbeat

Veldig mye bedre enn jeg har trodd! 80talls puddel uten tvil, men mye mørkere chordprogressions og mindre poppete enn jeg trodde! Liker det godt!

I can hear a lot of the guitar influences in the 90’s bands I like e.g. smashing pumpkins, offspring, maybe blink. Not a huge fan of the synthesized chorus voice harmonies…seems too digitized or…something. Really like the guitars and seem to be really good recording quality. 2.5 stars

god this just sucks so bad. just ugliness everywhere

I forgot how much I can enjoy heavy metal

Good album

My kind of dad rock album. Just great rock anthems and idgaf if it’s cheesy or dated it’s still awesome. Photograph is my fav song of the album. Too Late For Love and Foolin’ (my fav first listen) were my other highlights

Great album with several very popular classic songs. I remember listening to this when I was young and thought it was super heavy and really rocked. Listening to it now, it seems really tame and more like pop rock. It still sounds good but I have heard it many times and a local radio station that I used to listen to played the hit songs every day so it's not something I need to hear again. Nice to give the whole album a listen again though.

2.5*

Decent

Kova levy taas Def Leppardilta, se aikasemmin tällä listalla levy tais olla parempi. Kovaa menoa ja hyviä kappaleita tälläkin. Jämäkkää ja isoa stadion rokkia. Parhaat: Too Late For Love, Photograph

I'm rating this five stars, even though I think Hysteria should be a higher-rated album. Like, Hysteria is 10 stars. Pyromania is 9 stars. Anyway, five certifiable hits.

Listened twice because it was forgettable, to my ears

Pyromania is where Def Leopard started their rise that would peak with Hysteria. Lots of radio hits here.

As part of the NWoBHM, Def Leppard's 3rd album ushers in the era of stadium rock and hair metal. Polished in the studio, metal edges bugged out, the album brought Def Leppard mainstream success near the top of the charts. Sounds good for what it is.

I regret not giving the other Def Leppard album on this list a lower score

Oh fuck. I was so sure this was going to be a 5. I was absolutely the prime age when this came out - 13, all hopped up on MTV and hormones. I found “Photograph” to be the most achingly romantic song I’d ever heard. “Rock of Ages” with its vaguely medieval gobbedly gook at the opening and of course the iconic video, spoke to me of mysticism and danger. “Pyromania” was just a head-banging epic, also dangerously suggesting that thrilling diversion. I am so sorry to find that this record is not a thing of perfection, but so stupid and hackneyed it’s barely endurable. Oh man is it lame. I give it up to the producer who made all these into earworms with irresistible hooks and whoever fashioned Def Leppard into a safely defanged and video-ready version of much more genuine heavy metal. The saving grace for me is “Foolin’,” still a rocker, and one I’ve been singing for days.

I had low expectations for the lyrics, and still got disappointed! This will probably be my dumbest 5-star rating (so far), but it's just that the music is as fun as it is stupid lol.

A solid rock record but nothing revolutionary. I like the opening 2 songs and rock of ages was a banger but I felt myself drifting off with other songs. Wouldn’t be against more Def Leppard but won’t be back to this very often

Iets te glammy voor mij

Heerlijk rock album.

Album cover en titel moet insinueren dat je je vast moet houden, want het wordt vuurwerk. De helft van de nummers spreekt over rock and roll. Wat je krijgt is commerciële sell-out pop. Het is geen mega slecht album maar het mist volledig authenticiteit en diepgang. Wel een beetje kenmerkend voor hair en glam metal. Maar dan nog is dit uitermate oninteressant.

Cock rock hair metal. Two stars

Genuinely absurd to me that "Photograph" is such a legendary, great song that defines its parent genre but the rest of this album comes across as awkward and off-putting. I respect this album for its importance but I always preferred Bon Jovi in terms of this stuff. 10/10 album cover though, I've always loved it since I was 13. I would've worn that on a shirt back then.

I’m not immune to Mutt’s mix of pop melodies and hard rock and the gang vocal effects, but the hard rock filler here is just...so boilerplate. I love Photograph and the similar title song on Hysteria, but Stagefright is the only thing here that comes close. Rock! Rock! starts off on a promising note and then immediately goes to their safe place, which worked at the time.

This album starts with its worst track, the AC/DC ripoff "Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop). After that, it is a nearly-perfect Pop Metal record. Somehow, the follow-up album, "Hysteria", is even better. On that basis, this is a four and one-half star album. Then add one half-star for the iconic cover artwork.

We already had Hysteria. This is redundant.

Man, I was very impressed by the first track. And Photograph is an all-time great song. But after those first two tracks, I just felt like I was listening to the same song over and over. And those songs weren’t all that interesting. I came in knowing (and loving) Photograph and knowing Rock of Ages. But was pretty unimpressed with everything else except Rock Rock Rock. To be fair, I’m not a big Def Leppard fan to begin with

Classic NWOBM. Good stuff.

This is too dull, and same sounding. I kept thinking of a thousands different bands in terms of sound, and the lyrics are cliché to an absurd degree.

music brought to you by a guy who sounds like dr rockso the rock and roll clown

meh

Like fine

Holds up so well.

Very typical 80s rock, a bit fun. 5/10

Like it 3/5

I could copy / paste my other Def Leppard review I think! This kind of music is fun if you just try not to think about it too much. Just enjoy the riffs and the choruses and switch off your mind :)

Def Leppard – Pyromania (1983) On Day 137, I found the perfect antidote to my last listen. This album is a triumphant example of how pop and rock can blend when the technical chemistry is this tight. The energy in both the vocals and the instruments was immense, and for the first time in a while, everything felt like it hit with "immaculate" precision. "Photograph" was the absolute standout, but "Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)," "Rock of Ages," and "Comin' Under Fire" all brought that high-velocity power I was looking for. It’s a great project and a masterclass in stadium production. A definitive 5/5.

Fun, silly hair metal. One of the defining rock albums of the 80s, with a million imitators. While I don't love this sound, it does make me very nostalgic, and it gets points just for that. It makes me want to drive a boxy old Chevy around and headbang.

80s rock in all its splendor

Meh

This is 100% not my cup of tea.

It's okay. Neither bad nor good

I was shocked at how good this record is on first full listen. A lot of strong guitar work, especially with regard to chord progressions and hooks, not to mention melodies and solos. The vocals are another huge standout, especially with range and intensity; having prior knowledge of their follow up, Hysteria, this listen surprised me with its sharper edges.

Def straight up stole American glam rock and watered it down worse. But Photograph is always gonna be an iconic banger. Not intolerable, but i don't like it.

Heard of them. Not a big fan but an OK album.

fun hardrock album with big glamrock influences, no standout songs anymore however

There was absolutely nothing even remotely appealing about this. Just straight hair rock. I thought there might be some sentimental song i remember from the 80s, but nope, that was only for Hysteria. Not even remotely going to listen to this again. 2 stars

Decent.

Liked it more than I thought I would

p504. 1983. 2 stars. Inexplicably popular generic 80s stadium rock with no standout tunes. This is what you get if you splice the DNA of AC/DC and Bon Jovi. Nothing here that hasn't been done bigger and better by the Aussies.

Photograph is pretty great

Pretty much exactly as one would expect a Def Leppard album to be Standout songs: Photograph Die Hard the Hunter

My favorite Leppard hits are on this album. Overall just a good time to put on and bop your head to.

How I feel about cheesy 80s rock totally depends on my mood. On this occasion I started off really into it, but got a bit fed up of it by the end of the album.

Only good thing kid rock ever said was Def Leppard sucks. The first half is decent but it falls pretty hard in the second half.

Cool

FAVS (top 3): photograph, too late for love, die hard the hunter mençoes honrosas: rock! rock! (till you drop), stagefright, rock of ages, billy's got a gun gene muito bom bem classiquinho mas bem bom de ouvir!! passou rapidinho os 45 min e eu amo mt isso, roquenrou bb!!!!!! nota final: 4/5

Yeah. Not for me. This may show my ignorance, but this sounds like generic heavy metal you'd hear played in the background in a movie.

Solid Aerosmith style rock with a bit of Boston special effects. Still holds up. 4/5

Det som e tilfredsstillanes med album som det her e jo at dem høres ut akkurat sånn som æ tenke at album som det her kommer til å høres ut, og av og til e det en sang eller to der æ har hørt før, eller en sample æ ikke visste va en sample og litt sånt, og det e passe stas. Men det gjør jo ikke særlig inntrykk fra eller til.

Aww this is an amazing album, I absolutely love it and how much fun it is to listen to!

Surprisingly good.

Very accessible pop rock which is hard to dislike- easy to get into and fairly predictable which makes the listening expereince quite pleasant. I dont really have anything particularly bad to say about this album and I thoroughly enjoyed it but it doesn't stand out to me in particular.

Really been debating between a 4 and a 5 and although I love this, I don't think it's quite deserving of the very top marks. However, this really is in essence everything I love about 80s music rolled into one. Glam metal is lowkey best music genre icl.

Does what it says on the tin. No notes.

Photograph!!!

Surprisingly good! I had no idea how many Def Leppard songs I knew and liked

amazing when it came out. Not really my style but an inspiration worth listening to

Insanely good albumn..it does feel repetitive sometimes..but the vibes are greatt

A very fun album that I don't think is as good as Hysteria, but it still is a great sunny day or pick-me-up album. I'd give it 3.5 stars but will round up, as I do think there is a lot more substance here than what most people gave them credit for, especially during the 90's when all hair metal was immediately deemed worthless.

Virgin music snob: “Hair metal is cringe” “Arena rock sucks” “Nirvana killed hair metal” Chad Def Leppard enjoyer: “This shit rocks” “Guitar solo go brrrrr” “F-f-f-foolin”

First listen to that, loved it.

Dripping with cheese and hairspray. If we can have popcorn blockbusters then why not popcorn metal?? This fucks, front to back. If you like this, check out Ninja Sex Party and Bang Camaro.

I really don't care for this style of music. I tried to listen to this album but I kept fast-forwarding tracks after I couldn't take anymore.

I mean, yea the band had two absolute smash hit albums in the 80s, but both are wank, so we really only needed one album to appear. Think of the many, many, much better artists who didn't get a single entry. To their credit, one of the songs (forgotten the name already) is an underrated power ballad, and some of them have decent riffs...only for the resulting songs to be balls.

I cant believe I got this the day after Bon Jovi... I used to listen to a lot of hair metal and Glam Metal in high school, but I have since grew out of it and can't stand most if it anymore. The singles are good (at best), but the rest of the songs are pretty bad or boring. I guess the correct adjective is dumb. Rock, Rick, Til You Drop is one of the dumbest songs I have ever heard. Same thing goes for Die Hard The Hunter. Low 3.

Not as bad as I thought it was going to be. For heavy rock it was fine. 3/5

Don't like def leppard

Some classics on here🔥

Cheese and glam… but also a little nostalgia. Not the worst of the 80s arena rock but not that great either. This bubblegum “hard” rock music and its ilk didn’t appeal to me then and I still think it sucks.

Although I rather enjoyed the vocals on this record, I personally just could not get in to it. My listen made it feel as if every song was meddling together. It feels like an album I will eventually give a second chance to but as of right now I can not muster much praise for it.

First concert live will be a number one forever!

Hair metal that is fun to listen to

Just not for me.

Dope

A curious album. The good songs I think are really good, some of which seem to be pretty underrated too which is unfortunate. There are no really bad songs, but the mid songs seem to come from a place of them trying too hard to make a rock anthem and they end up lacking the heart of the better tracks. It's still good overall, but could have used a little more care. 3.4/5

As if I didn't listen to this one a couple hundred times in my youth.

I was a big Def Leppard fan when I was a kid growing up and discovering music. So as far as I am concerned. The first four albums are absolute classics. Pyromania, was one of the best albums of 1983, and probably one of the greatest rock albums of all time. Not a bad track on this record, I can still listen to it anytime, and know all the words. Today, I am enjoying the Half-Speed Master Vinyl! Damn this still sounds awesome!

Kind of liked maybe 2 songs. 2.51

1.5

Why have I never noticed the similarity b/w Def Leppard and AC/DC vocals? High school nostalgia, but I don’t need to revisit this one too often.

I really don't like this band, really don't like this album. There's some nice guitar work here and there, and it's got a strong arena rock sound, though things like the drum sounds sound so compressed and dull. I have to give it a 2 because 1 would imply that there is zero appeal which I don't feel. Is Photograph a decent pop rock song for its time? Sure. But as an album this has no business being here.

Great, as always! ★★★★★

Debí haberle dado la oportunidad a Def Lepard desde hace tiempo, que gran álbum

hmmm

I've never liked Def Leppard, so when Pyromania popped up, I put it off for later. I have to admit that despite sounding like self-parody, there's some decent melody in a few songs. Others are too cheesy for it to matter. The hits, "Photograph", "Foolin'", and "Rock of Ages" are at least inoffensive. I'll also have to hand it to Mutt Lange, whose production is kind of incredible. Pyromania is what it is. It introduced some version of metal to the masses, and unfortunately that was Def Leppard. How dumb the music is vs how great the record sounds.

I listened to half of it. Certified Home Depot Radio Dad Rock album that I don't care much for tbh sry. They do have some ear worms which is why they're so popular but not for me. 35-40/100

It took a lot of hairspray to make this record.

Sure it might have had a big influence, for hair metal and whatnot. It is so screamingly mediocre, I never want to hear it again. 2/5

Generic, annoying arena rock slop. This type of music is good in exactly one situation and it's literally in the name of the genre, I can't even begin to fathom why anyone would ever think to themselves "you know what I really fancy doing today? I'm going to listen to a full Def Leppard album from start to finish." It just isn't that kind of music, and we need to stop pretending it is.

The very first cassette I asked my parents to buy me, sometime in the summer of 1983. That summer I was going to a summer day camp and I vividly remember being on a bus for a field trip and seeing an older kid (he was probably like 15 at the time, but he seemed like an adult to me, lol) wearing a sleeveless black shirt with the Pyromania logo on it and it was the coolest thing I had ever seen. I don't remember how I even knew that it was a band or an album, but somehow I put that together and asked my dad on a Friday night to buy the cassette at a record store. I have no idea what I was expecting to hear when I pressed play, but it did not disappoint. I had grown up listening to my parents' music (mostly Beatles, some Eagles and Paul Simon that I recall) but this was the first music I ever loved that was MINE. It was a profound milestone in my musical (and general) development. And the timing was nearly perfect as I started listening to this album around the same time we got MTV and the videos for the singles off Pyromania greatly enhanced my falling in love with the music. Listening to "Photograph" right now takes me back there. I listened to this album fairly recently and was surprised at how well it holds up. I'm sure there was at least a little nostalgia involved, but these songs are well-crafted and the production (which I know was already legendary in its time) was fantastic. I fell out of love with Def Leppard later on - hard - and really didn't like any of their later music that was much more popular than this album, but I adored this and also High and Dry, which I purchased from Columbia House. P.S. - Listening today, it is striking how much Joe Elliott's vocals in "Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)" sound like Tom Keifer of Cinderella.

Just ok, never was a fan and this go around isn't no different, fun rock to drive to and that's about it to my ears

Enjoyed it more than I figured I would but the entire album in a single sitting is an endurance test. 3.5

There's a kind of guy who likes rock music because it's "bad ass" and "bitchin" but if you ever asked him to articulate beyond these masculine 80s buzzwords, he would probably get flustered and call you gay. That guy loves shit like Def Leppard and KISS.

Jättemycket 80-tal och redan när första tonen i första låten spelas vet man att det är Def Leppard. Lite tryggt ändå. Jag tycker albumet är helt ok, ingen låt förutom Photograph som står ut för mig. Jag lärde mig dock att Offspring snott inledningen till Rock of Ages till sin låt Pretty Fly (For a White Guy). Jag hade ingen aning om att Def Leppard var först på den bollen.