Def Leppard Sparkles on Top of Charts
May 7, 2008

When the times change, popular bands often find themselves unexpectedly on the outside of the industry looking up to the charts at a new crop of emerging artists with a completely new sound. In some cases, time is a death rattle for certain bands while others are able to adapt and continue through various decades. In the case of Def Leppard, one of the most popular hard rockin’ bands of the 1980s and early 90s, it’s been a hard fought journey back to the top of the charts. Despite the winds of change, Def Leppard continued to make music and regularly tour to stay in the public eye and now their efforts have finally paid off.

On Tuesday, Def Leppard released their 14th studio album "Songs from the Sparkle Lounge" and it only took less than 24 hours for the release to debut at #5 on the Top 200 Billboard chart, the first chart-topping album since Def Leppard’s hugely successful "Adrenalize" back in 1992. It didn’t hurt that the band’s first single "Nine Lives" featuring country star Tim McGraw has been sitting atop the Classic Rock Chart at #1 for the past three weeks and has been getting a ton of radio play on the North American airwaves. Given their newfound success, Def Leppard also announced a new round of North American tour dates that will see the band take to stages this coming August.

For more on the Def Leppard’s latest success and tour dates, check out info from the official release we received from their publicists earlier today.

"Recorded last year during month-long stints at lead singer Joe Elliott’s Dublin studio, the album’s title refers to a backstage area called 'The Sparkle Lounge' on Def Leppard’s 2006 tour where the band would go to write songs. In addition to the album’s hit single 'Nine Lives,' other standout tracks on the album include 'C'mon C'mon,' which will be the album’s next single, 'Go,' reminiscent of the band’s classic track 'Rocket' in its power and aggressive tribal beat; 'Love,' an emotive and moving epic song; and the anthemic 'Tomorrow,' a song written by guitarist Collen about the death of his father.

Songs From The Sparkle Lounge includes a limited edition custom PIKCARD®, which unlocks the Def Leppard online "Vault' (named after the band's best-selling greatest-hits CD). Inside the 'Vault,' Def Leppard fans have exclusive access to a variety of content, contests and memorabilia, featuring highlights such as personal photos from the road, registration to the band's fan club, entry into an exclusive contest to win backstage passes and VIP access the next time Def Leppard comes to the winner's town, new album lyrics - handwritten by Joe Elliott- and a personal message from the band.

In addition to the album, Def Leppard have partnered with Activision Inc.'s (Nasdaq: ATVI) Guitar Hero® III: Legends of Rock on an epic three-song track pack that gave fans an exclusive opportunity to sample the band's #1 new radio single, 'Nine Lives,' before their upcoming studio album hit stores. The track pack became available starting April 24th and also features live versions of 'Photograph' and 'Rock of Ages,' two of Def Leppard's most beloved chart-toppers from their multi-platinum Pyromania album.

Def Leppard have also announced new US tour dates that will kick off this August. The dates include cities that the band postponed recently due to an upper respiratory tract infection affecting the band’s lead singer, Joe Elliott. New Def Leppard tour dates include:

With more than 65 million albums sold worldwide and two prestigious Diamond Awards to their credit, Def Leppard--Joe Elliott (vocals), Vivian Campbell (guitar), Phil Collen (guitar), Rick "Sav" Savage (bass) and Rick Allen (drums) - continues to be one of the most important forces in rock music. Over the course of their career, the band has produced a series of classic groundbreaking albums that set the sound for generations of music fans and artists. The group’s spectacular live shows, filled with powerful melodic rock anthems, have become synonymous with their name and are an institution in the touring industry as they continue to sell out arenas worldwide."

For more information on Def Leppard, "Songs From The Sparkle Lounge," and upcoming tour news, please visit the band’s web site at www.defleppard.com