Def Leppard

Def Leppard emerged from Sheffield in 1977, transforming from scrappy new wave of British heavy metal hopefuls into stadium rock architects who redefined the commercial possibilities of hard rock. Their 1983 album Pyromania sold over ten million copies, but 1987's Hysteria became their masterwork: a meticulously layered, digitally precise monument to pop-metal ambition that spent two years on the charts and spawned seven singles. Producer Mutt Lange sculpted their sound into something almost inhuman in its perfection, stacking harmonies and guitar tracks until the songs resembled gleaming chrome rather than sweaty leather.

The band's resilience became part of their mythology. Drummer Rick Allen lost his left arm in 1984 yet continued performing with a custom electronic kit, embodying a peculiar fusion of human determination and mechanical augmentation that mirrored their studio aesthetic. Critics often dismissed their formula as calculated, yet their influence on 1980s rock culture remains undeniable. They sold over 100 million records worldwide, translating British working-class grit into glossy American arena spectacle, proving that heavy metal could embrace both power ballads and pristine production without apologising for either impulse.