Pyromania | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 20 January 1983 | |||
Recorded | January–November 1982 | |||
Studio |
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Genre | ||||
Length | 44:57 | |||
Label | Vertigo | |||
Producer | Robert John "Mutt" Lange | |||
Def Leppard chronology | ||||
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Singles from Pyromania | ||||
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Audio | ||||
"Album" playlist on YouTube |
Pyromania is the third studio album by English rock band Def Leppard,released on 20 January 1983 [2] through Vertigo Records in UK and Europe and through Mercury Records in the US. The first album to feature guitarist Phil Collen who replaced founding member Pete Willis,Pyromania was produced by Robert John "Mutt" Lange. The album was a shift away from the band's traditional heavy metal roots toward a more radio-friendly sound,finding massive mainstream success. Pyromania charted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, [3] No. 4 on the Canadian RPM Album chart and No. 18 on the UK Albums Chart. [4] Selling over ten million copies in the US,it has been certified diamond by the RIAA. [5]
The album followed a relatively unconventional method of recording:the bass parts followed by guitars were recorded to a click track provided by a Linn LM-1 drum machine,with the drums being added last in the process. This gave the flexibility to re-record and re-write parts of a song as they went along in the studio. [6] [7] The album was partially recorded with original guitarist Pete Willis,whose rhythm guitar tracks appear on all songs. On 11 July 1982,Willis was fired for alcohol abuse and replaced by guitarist Phil Collen,who contributed solos and guitar parts not yet recorded by Willis. [8] "I had all the fun stuff,none of the heavy lifting..." Collen remembered. "Pete and Steve [Clark] had done these amazing rhythm guitar beds,and it was a joy to whizz around and play solos over the top... Mutt [Lange] was going,'Just have fun:be a lead guitarist,go nuts.'" [9] On the original LP release,Willis is visible in the background of the photograph of singer Joe Elliott,while Collen has his own photo as a new full-time member.
The album can be seen as a transitional one between the heavy metal sound of Leppard's first two albums and the radio-friendly direction of later releases. [10] It featured rockers such as "Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)","Stagefright" and "Die Hard the Hunter" as well as the Top 40 hits "Photograph","Rock of Ages" and "Foolin'". [11]
With its melodic hooks and heavy MTV exposure,Pyromania became a massive success,and was a major catalyst for the 1980s pop-metal movement. [12] The album sold six million copies in the US in its original release (about 100,000 copies per week for much of the year). It has since sold over ten million there and been certified diamond. [5] In 1989,it was re-released by audio fidelity company Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs as part of their Ultradisc series. [13]
"Photograph","Rock of Ages" and "Foolin'" became top 40 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US,with "Photograph" peaking at No. 13 and "Rock of Ages" at No. 16. [11] "Photograph" (6 weeks) and "Rock of Ages" (1 week) both topped the Billboard Top Rock Tracks while "Foolin'" and "Too Late for Love" made the Top 10. "Comin' Under Fire","Billy's Got a Gun" and "Action! Not Words" made the top 40 of the Top Rock Tracks chart.
In Canada,"Rock of Ages" charted highest at No. 24,while "Photograph" and "Foolin'" reached No. 32 and No. 39,respectively. At CHUM-AM in Toronto,one of Canada's largest audience Top 40 stations at the time,"Rock of Ages" never reached its Top 30 countdown;whereas 70 km away in Hamilton,at the CKOC-AM Top 40 radio station,it peaked at No. 2. It also topped the chart at many album-oriented rock stations such as Q107 in Toronto. "Rock of Ages" also charted the highest in the UK at No. 41 compared to No. 66 for "Photograph". [14]
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [12] |
Classic Rock | [15] |
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal | 7/10 [10] |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [16] |
The Great Rock Discography | 7/10 [17] |
MusicHound Rock | 3.5/5 [18] |
Rolling Stone | [19] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [20] |
Sputnikmusic | 4.5/5 [21] |
The Village Voice | C [22] |
Pyromania has received mostly positive reviews,being commonly considered,along with its follow-up, Hysteria ,one of the band's finest efforts to date,and one of "Mutt" Lange's best productions. David Fricke of Rolling Stone praised Leppard for putting "much-needed fire back on the radio",producing sophisticated music "more emotionally charged than most of the synthesized disco that passes for 'modern music'" over the airwaves;adding that the band "may not be highly original,but they mean what they play" and "Lange's artfully busy mix" easily covers up any fault. [19]
AllMusic reviewer Steve Huey stated that Pyromania was "where the band's vision coalesced and gelled into something more." He described the songs as "driven by catchy,shiny melodic hooks instead of heavy guitar riffs,although the latter do pop up once in a while",and added that "transcendent hard rock perfection on Pyromania was surprisingly successful;their reach never exceeded their grasp,which makes the album an enduring (and massively influential) classic." [12] Sputnikmusic staff reviewer,equally enthusiastic,thoroughly recommended the album,"filled with tight musicianship,infectious melodies and anthemic choruses" "to pretty much anyone... No matter what their taste in music is." [21] Ultimate Classic Rock described the album as a “set of slick,hi-fi rockers ornamented with poppy synthesizers and towering vocal harmonies”,in which Def Leppard was “laying the groundwork for their world domination and inspiring a wave of copycats." [23]
In contrast,Canadian journalist Martin Popoff considers Pyromania the beginning of Leppard's "creative degeneration" and criticizes Lange's "painstaking approach to detail" that strips the album "of its sweat and grit",making it sound "phony". [10]
"I remember meeting Phil Lynott..." recalled Joe Elliott. "We'd delivered Pyromania and,with us sharing a label with Lizzy,he'd heard it. He put his hand on my shoulder and said,'I heard your album –it's the reason I've split the band. I can't compete with that.' The crappiest backhand compliment I've ever had. I wish I had been brave enough to shove him up against the wall and say,'Well,make a better album then!' But I just said,'Oh,' and scuttled off." [24]
In 2003,the album was ranked No. 384 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. [25] In 2006,Q magazine placed the album at No. 35 in its list of "40 Best Albums of the '80s". [26] In 2015,Rolling Stone ranked Pyromania at No. 17 among the 50 Greatest Hair Metal Albums of All Time, [27] and in 2017,the same magazine listed the album at No. 52 on its list of the 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time. [28]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)" | 3:52 | |
2. | "Photograph" |
| 4:12 |
3. | "Stagefright" |
| 3:46 |
4. | "Too Late for Love" |
| 4:30 |
5. | "Die Hard the Hunter" |
| 6:17 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Foolin'" |
| 4:32 |
2. | "Rock of Ages" |
| 4:09 |
3. | "Comin' Under Fire" |
| 4:20 |
4. | "Action! Not Words" |
| 3:49 |
5. | "Billy's Got a Gun" |
| 5:56 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)" |
| 4:16 |
2. | "Rock Brigade" |
| 3:25 |
3. | "High 'n' Dry (Saturday Night)" |
| 3:22 |
4. | "Another Hit and Run" |
| 6:14 |
5. | "Billy's Got a Gun" |
| 4:43 |
6. | "Mirror Mirror (Look into My Eyes)" |
| 4:24 |
7. | "Foolin'" |
| 4:59 |
8. | "Photograph" |
| 4:03 |
9. | "Rock of Ages" |
| 4:53 |
10. | "Bringin' On the Heartbreak" |
| 4:06 |
11. | "Switch 625" | Clark | 3:23 |
12. | "Let It Go" |
| 5:56 |
13. | "Wasted" |
| 5:55 |
14. | "Stagefright" |
| 4:55 |
15. | "Travelin' Band" (featuring Brian May) | John Fogerty | 6:09 |
Chart (1983-1984) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report) [33] | 70 |
Canada Top Albums/CDs ( RPM ) [34] | 4 |
Finnish Albums (The Official Finnish Charts) [35] | 30 |
Japanese Albums (Oricon) [36] | 70 |
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) [37] | 26 |
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) [38] | 23 |
UK Albums (OCC) [39] | 18 |
US Billboard 200 [40] | 2 |
Chart (2024) | Peak position |
---|---|
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [41] | 20 |
Scottish Albums (OCC) [42] | 18 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [43] | 45 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Canada (Music Canada) [44] | 7× Platinum | 700,000^ |
France (SNEP) [45] | Gold | 100,000* |
United Kingdom (BPI) [46] | Silver | 60,000^ |
United States (RIAA) [47] | Diamond | 10,000,000^ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in Sheffield in 1976. Since 1992, the band has consisted of Rick Savage, Joe Elliott, Rick Allen (drums), Phil Collen, and Vivian Campbell. They established themselves as part of the new wave of British heavy metal of the early 1980s. Their greatest commercial success came between the early 1980s and mid–1990s.
High 'n' Dry is the second studio album by the English rock band Def Leppard, released on 6 July 1981. High 'n' Dry was Pete Willis' last full-time album with Def Leppard. It charted at No. 38 on the Billboard 200 and No. 26 on the UK Albums Chart. "High 'n' Dry ", ranked No. 33 on VH1's 40 Greatest Metal Songs. Following the success of Pyromania, the album re-entered in the US chart and reached No. 72 in 1983.
Hysteria is the fourth studio album by English rock band Def Leppard, released on 3 August 1987, by Mercury Records. The album is the follow-up to the band's 1983 breakthrough, Pyromania. Hysteria's creation took over three years and was plagued by delays, including the aftermath of drummer Rick Allen's accident that cost him his left arm on 31 December 1984. Subsequent to the album's release, Def Leppard published a book titled Animal Instinct: The Def Leppard Story, written by Rolling Stone magazine senior editor David Fricke, on the three-year recording process of Hysteria and the difficult times the band endured through the mid-1980s. Lasting 62 minutes and 32 seconds, it is the band's longest studio album to date.
Adrenalize is the fifth studio album by English rock band Def Leppard, released on 31 March 1992 through Mercury Records. It is the first album by the band recorded without guitarist Steve Clark, who died in 1991, although most songs were written and partially demoed before his death, they were re-recorded solo by Phil Collen in 1991-1992. It is the only album recorded by Def Leppard as a four-member band. Spawning seven singles, four of them – "Let's Get Rocked", "Make Love Like a Man", "Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad", and "Stand Up " – were major hits.
Slang is the sixth studio album by English rock band Def Leppard, released on 14 May 1996. The album marked a musical departure from their signature sound; it was produced by the band with Pete Woodroffe and was their first album since 1980 without involvement by Robert John "Mutt" Lange. Slang is the first album with new material to feature new guitarist Vivian Campbell. It charted at number 14 on the Billboard 200 and number 5 on the UK Albums Chart. It is also the only Def Leppard album that does not feature their recognisable font logo on the album cover, though all its singles still bore the classic logo.
Euphoria is the seventh studio album by English rock band Def Leppard, released on 8 June 1999 in the United States and on 14 June 1999 in the United Kingdom by Mercury Records. The album aimed to return to their signature sound made famous by the band in the 1980s. It was produced by the band with Pete Woodroffe. The album charted at No. 11 on the Billboard 200 and No. 11 on the UK Albums Chart. It includes the song "Promises", which hit the number one spot on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart.
X is the eighth studio album by English rock band Def Leppard, released on 30 July 2002 by Island Records in the US and sister label Mercury worldwide. Much like 1996's Slang, it featured another departure from their signature sound by moving into the pop genre. The album charted at No. 11 on The Billboard 200 and No. 14 on the UK Albums Chart. Most of the album was produced by Pete Woodroffe and the band, with remaining tracks produced by either Marti Frederiksen or Per Aldeheim and Andreas Carlsson.
Retro Active is a compilation album by the English rock band Def Leppard, released in 1993. The album features touched-up versions of B-sides and previously unreleased recordings from the band's recording sessions from 1984 to 1993. The album charted at number 9 on the Billboard 200 and No. 6 on the UK Albums Chart.
Philip Kenneth Collen is an English musician who is best known as the co-lead guitarist for the rock band Def Leppard. Collen joined the band in 1982 during the recording of the Pyromania album. Before joining Def Leppard, Collen had performed with a number of bands in the burgeoning British glam metal scene. Outside of Def Leppard, he has been involved in a number of side projects; those projects include the trio Man Raze, with which he is the lead singer and sole guitarist.
Peter Andrew Willis is a retired English guitarist, best known as a founder member of the hard rock band Def Leppard. He was with Def Leppard from 1977 to 1982, when he was fired from the band and replaced by Phil Collen. Willis’s firing was due to drinking problems.
"Bringin' On the Heartbreak" is a song by English rock band Def Leppard. A power ballad, it was the second single from their 1981 album High 'n' Dry. The song was written by three of the band's members, Steve Clark, Pete Willis and Joe Elliott.
Yeah! is the ninth studio album by English rock band Def Leppard. It is the first cover album by the band. It was originally intended to be released on 20 September 2005, but it was announced on 31 March 2006 that the album would be released on 23 May 2006. The album charted at No. 16 on the Billboard 200 and No. 52 on the UK Albums Chart.
"Pour Some Sugar on Me" is a song by the English rock band Def Leppard from their 1987 album Hysteria. It reached number 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 on 23 July 1988, behind "Hold On to the Nights" by Richard Marx. "Pour Some Sugar on Me" is considered the band's signature song, and was ranked #2 on VH1's "100 Greatest Songs of the 80s" in 2006.
"Animal" is a song recorded by English rock band Def Leppard in 1987 from the album Hysteria. It was the first single release off the album, and became the band's first Top 10 hit in their native UK, reaching No. 6 on the UK Singles Chart.
"Rock of Ages" is a song by Def Leppard from their 1983 album Pyromania. When issued as a single in the United States, the song reached #16 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and #19 on the Cash Box Top 100. It also hit #1 on the Top Tracks Rock chart.
"Photograph" is a song by the British hard rock band Def Leppard that was produced by Robert John "Mutt" Lange. The track served as the lead single from the band's third studio album, which was titled Pyromania and came out in 1983. Although it has frequently been described as being a tribute to the entertainer Marilyn Monroe, the group's lead vocalist, Joe Elliott, has described the song as broadly about "something you can't ever get your hands on".
"Too Late for Love" is a 1983 power ballad by English band Def Leppard from their Diamond album Pyromania. When released as a single, it reached #9 on the Mainstream Rock charts.
"Let it Go" is a 1981 song by English rock band Def Leppard from their multi-platinum album High 'n' Dry. It was one of two singles from the album, and reached number 34 on the US Mainstream Rock charts. It was originally titled "When the Rain Falls" with different lyrics as played at New Theatre in Oxford in 1980.
Viva! Hysteria is a double live album by the English rock band Def Leppard released on the 22 October 2013. The album was recorded on 29 and 30 March 2013 during the band's residency of the same name at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.