Is Tim right about Hysteria? Or is Martin right? Does Hysteria deserve a 0 out of 10? Let us know! Tim's Vinyl Confessions: ua-cam.com/users/TimsVinylCo... Support us on Patreon or Ko-Fi: www.patreon.com/contrarians ko-fi.com/thecontrarians
Hysteria sums up the 80's vibe on an exit walking out..if it was their last album, they dropped the mic 🎤 leaving...it's a great album,I'm a fan from the first albums
Martin was actually being kind in his review. Hysteria is dreadful. I have all the respect in the world for the band by sticking by Rick Allen. It is seriously one of the most heart-warming examples of loyalty in music history. But Hysteria is the aural equivalent of Lysol. It is anti-septic and sounds like it was made by robots. It's an absolutely terrible album.
Count me in for Hysteria. Def Leppard was North America's house band for the summer of 1988. Perhaps I am a simple layperson, filled with nostalgia, but it's a great album. I like the production and though I realize some will say "i've heard those songs a million times", overplay is not the band's fault. Regarding the lyrics, I've always thought they were like Aerosmith and enjoyed the rhythms of wordplay.
I was never a fan, but you gotta respect them for literally waiting for the drummers recovery. Any popular band could have easily left him behind for someone new without skipping a beat.
Because of my age, “Rocket” was the first Def Leppard song I ever heard, on Top of the Pops in the UK in 1987. I was eight years old. I immediately spent pocket money on a cassette of Hysteria. I loved it at the time. I totally see it in a different context now, its very much a record of its time- but I heard it before the Def Leppard albums that preceded it and its one of the records that got me into rock and metal more generally. That’s why, although I understand Martin’s viewpoint, I can’t trash it as I have an early connection with it.
Popoff is the man! Really knows his stuff...that was an enjoyable, interesting episode...Pyromania was great back in the day...great Steve Clarke riffing....some good stuff on Hysteria.
11:47 Another big part of that video was seeing Rick Allen on drums... (I can't remember the earlier videos). His journey after the accident was huge... a one-armed drummer was simply unbelievable (even with new technique, equipment, etc).
Cool show again! I have to say from the start - Hysteria is among my top rock albums of all time. I got into Def Leppard with Hysteria and it is still my favorite Leppard album. I'll never forget the moment I put the needle on the turntable and heard "Women" for the first time. The album has a special place in my heart. It is an album with no weak song. "Pour some" is a bit overplayed, I don't have to hear it again, but essentially it is a good groovy song. The album is definitely not a heavy metal album and it never was, but it is a perfect rock album. You have the riffs, melodic hooks, the groove and the ballad. A metal fan had to be disappointed by it, no question. I like the early albums too, but my personal memories are with Hysteria and it is the personal aspect that makes it special.
I don't even know where to start because I don't hate 'Hysteria,' I'm just sick of everyone (music critics, casual fans, and even the band) saying that it's the best thing Def Leppard ever did. I haven't seen them in concert yet, but I've seen a lot of their concert videos on UA-cam and I hate that a majority of their setlist includes songs from 'Hysteria.' That setlist could be filled with stuff from 'High 'n' Dry,' 'Pyromania,' 'On Through the Night,' 'Adrenalize,' and even some tracks from their later albums. In my opinion, 'Pyromania' is Def Leppard's perfect album (even though 'Adrenalize' is my favorite album by the band).
@@thecontrarians2438 It's weird, yeah? I thought I was one of the few individuals who wasn't crazy about it. And I got into hard rock/heavy metal around 2018-2019. If I'm already sick of 'Hysteria' after like two-three years, I can't imagine how annoying it must be for people that have heard this album for over 30 years.
Great video. I got Hysteria in 1987 along with Whitesnake and AFD that also came out the same year. I was a freshman in high school. Those 3 albums were huge for me. I listened to them more than anything else for years especially Whitesnake. With Hysteria, I’ve gone back and forth over the years as far as that album vs Pyromania. I’ve landed on Pyromania being by favorite Def Leppard album with Hysteria coming in close second. I do want to defend Hysteria on one front. Often in articles or on UA-cam I hear people say Hysteria sounds “dated” or that it “doesn’t hold up” but I don’t think that’s fair because of course…it came out in 1987!
Great video. Hysteria is a rare case where I can totally see both sides of the argument. It was one of the first full albums as I ever heard (as a 10 year old in 1988), and growing up in Sheffield, it meant something. Even the metal-hating Michael Jackson kids at my primary school liked it (because it didn’t really count as heavy metal, according to them)… which conveniently leads to the other side of the argument. As I gradually became more musically literate, it became an album that epitomized 1980s over-production and my former liking of it easy to laugh-off as childhood innocence. Now, comfortably growing old and not caring so much, I can once again really enjoy the album. Though their prior three albums have the edge in terms of authenticity, Hysteria will always remain my “go-to” Def Leppard album.
1st time watching your channel. I admit I have not heard the later albums by Def Leppard but I love all their early stuff and just for person reasons, Hysteria is my favorite, but the previous albums are all awesome too. Thanks and keep smiling 🤘🙂
Great episode Tim and Martin ! I think the b sides for the singles are excellent and if they were switched for some of the songs on Hysteria it would have made for an even better album. My ranking 1. Pyromania 2. High n Dry 3. Retroactive 4. On Through The Night 5. Slang 6. Hysteria . 7. Euphoria 8. Adrenalize 9. Yeah 10. Sparkle Lounge 11. X 12. Def Leppard . Chez
Im one of the old school fans at 58, and to me its 1)High and dry. No brainer 2) on through the night. 3) pyromania . I didnt hate Hysteria when it came out. I owned it. But to me , thats where they started selling out. High and Dry came out in my senior year and we loved it and played it to death. Classic album from a great rock year, 1981
I got the Hysteria album when I was 9 after liking the songs Armageddon It and Rocket and that album started my journey of all things hard rock and metal. I later got their first three albums and enjoy those more but I still enjoy listening to Hysteria, lots of great songwriting on it and I can see why its many people's favorite.
I can understand as a Contrarian on both sides of this debate, was a really good back and forth. I will say MTV beat the piss out of the 'Hysteria' album into your brain with really cheese music videos, so much as a kid coming home from school and turning on the MTV, all it was was Pour Some Sugar on Me, Armaggedonit, Armaggedonit, Armaggedonit, Armaggedonit...c'mon Steve at the 3:00PM, 3:30PM and 4:00PM, 4:30 time slots. Shit got old real quick with them. Aerosmith too...force fed down your throat I got so disgusted with them I handed the remote control over to my younger siblings and said you can deal with this bullshit from now on.
I saw Def Leppard live at Withernsea Pavillion, East Yorkshire, England, on 22nd February 1980, almost 3 weeks before the release of their first album, 'On Through The Night'. To me, Def Leppard were at their best when Steve Clark was alive, they went downhill after Steve passed away 🎸🎶 My album ratings are:- 1. High 'n' Dry. 2. Pyromania. 3. On Through The Night. 4. Hysteria.
I am in Tim's camp on this one - Hysteria is the best. The meticulous nature of the production is special - the whole thing sounds like it was engineered on a spaceship. You can tweak the equalizer ever so slightly and get a different sizzle and feeling. Because Ric was using electronic drums and developed a totally unique drum sound, I think it caused Mutt to re-imagine the way the guitars, bass and vocals were tracked, performed and arranged to create a unique experience - even when comparing to other Mutt works. The album has a different vibe from all of it's contemporaries and anything done since. I can see how NWOBHM and metal purists would dislike this album though - it's a whole different style of craftsmanship - it loses the raw rough and tumble of hard rock and metal. But that was kind of the point of Mutt and Def - they wanted to something ... contrarian!
Fantastic Contrarian debate for a huge Leppard fan! I got into this band by way of MTV during Pyromania, and for me, it and High and Dry are the apex for me. From Adrenalize on, there are great TRACKS, but I was just burned out on the overplay of Hysteria. I think that Pyromania was the first high production of the remains of the old band sound, and that's why it remains a favorite.
Hysteria was the album that got me into Def Leppard because of the singles being played on the radio. I liked those songs. Bought the album. I then also bought Adrenalize. And then I stopped. To this day, those are the only Def Leppard albums I own. Why? Because I got very tired of the thick production. Actually, I didn't buy many albums from any band in the 1980s because I hated the 80s production; the wall of sound recording, the drums that were so loud and processed that they ceased to sound like drums at all. Many of these 80s bands sounded great live, but their album production stopped me from buying any studio recordings. So while I do own 2 Def Leppard albums, I haven't actually played them in over 30 years. When I want to rock, I'll play some Thin Lizzy, UFO, Motorhead or Rush instead. Where I my ears can easily pick out any instrument from the recording and follow that instrument all the way through.
This album holds a special place in my heart, I was 15 when it came out and I played the crap out of it. Although, I tend to like High n Dry and Pyromania much better now days. Martin, what wrong with Bryan Adams? I adore "Waking Up the Neighbours", also produced by Mutt Lange.
I found them at High N Dry, so that’s always my #1, followed by On Through The Night, then Pyromania. Saw the Hysteria tour, which was fantastic! But the album doesn’t trip my trigger. I left them behind after that.
I've been meaning to check out The Contrarians for a long time, so here I am. I was 16 years old in 1987 when "Hysteria" came out, so I'll defend portions of Hysteria by using the old proverb, "Ignorance is Bliss." I simply didn't have the musical acumen at age 16 to really understand why an album should be dragged through the mud. The main problem with this album back in 1987/88 was, you couldn't escape it. Whether it be due to MTV, Top 40 radio or the local rock station, you were inundated with all seven singles. When that wasn't happening, I would usually be in a car of a friend of mine named Craig, who for all intents and purposes, never removed Hysteria from the tape deck our junior year. There were songs I liked, such as "Women", "Rocket", "Gods of War", "Don't Shoot Shotgun", "Love and Affection" and to a degree the title track. Just based off those number of selections, one would think that should be enough. The problem is with the other songs, which are loathsome! The other songs, such as "Animal", "Love Bites", "Armageddon It", "Excitable" and the huge turd which is "Pour Some Sugar on Me" make me try to be an apologist for "Hysteria." It's feast or fathom on "Hysteria" and even the songs I like, are in many ways undefendable. I was a prisoner of the moment, which was another problem. I wanted to like the songs which I hated. I wanted to be wrong about this new direction Def Leppard was taking, but I couldn't. I wanted to be like my friends Chris or Paul, who after listening to the first single "Women", jumped off the hype machine which was Def Leppard. I felt guilty, like I was turning my back on a good friend. "Pyromania" for all intents and purposes was THE album which got me into hard rock/heavy metal back in 1983. I owed Def Leppard and that album a ton of gratitude and that is the reason I won't trash this album. Nostalgia is also a big factor. Though 1987/88 were two of the most trying years during my teens, I can't deny the importance of those pivotal years. I will say this, had I gotten into Thrash Metal prior to 1986, I most likely would have thrown my Def Leppard "Hysteria" album in the trash after the first listen. Back in 1987, I needed that balance in my musical life, where I devoured the Thrash Metal scene, listened to other metal acts (who weren't as fast or heavy), as I started to ween myself off pop music (which was getting agonizingly worse). "Hysteria" is one of the most interesting albums to talk about, because it definitely deserves both criticism and praise. Def Leppard album Rankings 12. X 11. Yeah!! 10. Songs From the Sparkle Lounge 09. Def Leppard 08. Slang 07. Adrenalize 06. Euphoria 05. Hysteria 04. Retro Active 03. On Through the Night 02. High 'N Dry 01. Pyromania One other tidbit. If the four songs on Retro Active ("Desert Song", "Fractured Love", "Ring of Fire", "I Wanna Be Your Hero") from the Hysteria sessions would have been on "Hysteria", and songs such as "Pour", "Love", "Animal" and "Excitable" been eliminated, I think "Hysteria" would have been almost on par with Pyromania. I know "Desert Song" didn't have lyrics at that time, but the substance of that song is in the guitars.
Great Contrarian debate. I have to confess that I really enjoy DL. They’re a similar age to me & I’ve followed their career pretty much from the beginning. 1st saw them support AC/DC at Hammersmith Odeon in ‘79 & saw them at small concerts on the On Through The Night Tour. 1st record of their’s I bought was the single Wasted. I’ve seen them loads of time & they’ve been great every time. I have every regular album release & I enjoy them all (yes, even X). They’re fun. They seem to be genuinely down to Earth guys. A band of brothers. Pyromania is my favourite album by them. Funnily enough I didn’t like Hysteria much at the time, other than Animal. But it’s grown on me over years & I now like it a lot. I’m also really proud of how they conquered the States in a way that unfortunately UFO, Lizzy & Quo didn’t. As I say, fun band.
I came in on OTTN so I watched this band progress and find their identity on Pyromania. Hysteria is their Pinnacle. my top five... 5. Adrenalize / Retro-active (combined & edited would've made a good record) 4. Hysteria 3. Pyromania 2. High n' Dry 1. On Through The Night
Great video Tim and Martin! Def Leppard are one of my favourite bands of all time, and I really like both the early heavy stuff and the poppier stuff. Hysteria is a top 3-4 album of theirs for me, Pour Some Sugar on Me and I Wanna Touch U from Adrenalise are guilty pleasure favourites. My favourite album is Pyromania, and I'd probably rank High N Dry 2nd. I actually really enjoy Def Leppard's last 2 albums, especially Songs From the Sparkle Lounge. Come Undone is one of my absolute favourite Def Leppard Songs.
I already started disagreeing with Martin as soon as he said the debut Def Leppard album is better than the first Iron Maiden album and it only went downhill from there
I agree with Tim. Hysteria was special in the sense that it opened the door for many people to get into metal. Yes the album was perfectly overproduced, but no one cared at the time, it sounded fresh and heavy for its time. The In The Round In Your Face concert VHS/DVD release, showed you how good the band was live at the time.
"Pyromania" is my favorite Def Leppard album, but I love "Hysteria" as well. It's a part of the soundtrack of my childhood, hearing those songs on MTV. I even like the deep cuts too. It's such a fun, celebratory album. It's pop at its best, and a perfect specimen of what we call Pop Metal. And, those songs sound great when the band plays them live.
i was 11 when Pyromania came out, honestly i was a clueless dorky kid at the time with no cool siblings or parents or anything and honestly i had JUST discovered music and that was because of Michael Jacksons THRILLER. so my best friend was always listening to Pyromania and i thought it was ok at the time but like i said i was into Thriller and i was also weirdly into The Stray Cats and golden oldies type music, i still LOVE first wave rock and roll and R&B. a few years later when Hysteria came out i was 15 about to turn 16 and i had discovered metal by that time, and about a month after i turned 16 Def Leppard came through town on the Hysteria tour and that was my first concert EVER and still the best show i have ever been to. and before that school year even ended i discovered the Thrash Metal scene and EVERYTHING before was lame to me after that for the next few years. but years later and after years of hearing many people trash Hysteria as the sell out album or whatever, i LOVE that album and really its the only Def Leppard album i ever actually dig out.
My journey with Def Leppard was falling hard for them when Pyromania was released (due to older brothers) and going back to get the first 2 albums and loving those as well. When Hysteria came out in summer of 1987 (was 14 at the time), I bought it day 1 and was slackjawed with how amazing it was. My memory is just always loving it, I didn't recall others finally coming around to it when it took a year to become the monster hit it was but it was always a hit in my mind. To me, Hysteria is one of the best albums ever, definitely Top 5 rock albums ever made, not because it was popular but I love every moment on this album and it still holds up today almost 35 years later. Only the last couple of years did I know this album was divisive with fans and it's really hard to wrap my head around why but I guess I kinda understand, even if I completely disagree. I wasn't a fan of the sharp change to their pop style but I do enjoy their other albums (Slang is really great) and was even very pleased with their last album. Their still one of the great bands but I think they could've been even bigger if they had continued their heavier tones, they would have took on Metallica's spot at the peak of the hard rock mountain. There's a reason Adrenalize was a dip down and Metallica shot up, the public's appetite for harder edge music was evident and Def Leppard never wanted to embrace that side of their skills again.
Hysteria is definitely not my favorite Def Leppard album, I'm the OLD SCHOOL FAN... lol, but I was into it when it came out. I still spin it and feel good about it as it brings back great memories of a great time. Their last decent album imo.
I'm sure others have already said this, but Rick Allen actually lost his arm before Hysteria was released. I saw Def Leppard on the Hysteria tour. It was amazing to see Rick drumming with one arm and I commend the band for not leaving him in the dust. Personally, I think On Through the Night and Pyromania are their best albums with High and Dry coming in third and Hysteria fourth. I'm not going to deny Hysteria got a bit commercial for my liking, but there are some decent tracks on it though. That said, Pyromania is just brilliant. Great production. Rockin' songs.
Yes, the production was totally over the top and a shock to the ears expecting something else, at the time. But the songs are all great and therefore turned into big hits. At the time, bands like Journey and Boston were all the rage, so they fitted in nicely. My favourite on the album is Excitable, which doesn't get played live because of all those other hits on Hysteria. My only gripe with DL is that they keep playing all those hits live over and over again, and we never get to hear any of the other songs.
Great show guys! I was like 12 or 13 when it came out in '87, I went into junior high that year, I can remember it being played at school dances, almost the whole album got played at those dances, a lot of Bon Jovi too, Slippery When Wet & New Jersey in '88... anyway, it's a great album but I much prefer Pyromania and the first two records. Have a good one fellas! \m/ \m/
As soon as I saw the title, I knew it was Tim championing for Hysteria,lol. The reality is they were a different band in '87 than they were in '81. If you got into DL in '87 (like Tim) you don't even know yet who DL was previously. Personally, I don't think the album is a zero, but I will say it was the most disappointing album of my high school years, as I loved the first three. It also sold a ton of records, so I'm not sure how contrarian this pick really is.
Excellent show and very interesting pick. When I first picked up Hysteria the week it came out, it puzzled me. This was not the Def Leppard that I knew and loved. Sonically, it was a quantum leap forward much like Dr. Dre's album, The Chronic, would be in 1992 for rap music. However, most of the songs on Hysteria seemed so different from what they did before. But before long, the hooks grabbed me and I was in. I believe that this is the first album that took advantage of the longer time of the CD format and that was musically successful. This longer time would result in more rock albums containing a lot of filler down the road but the six big hits on Hysteria are so memorable and catchy to this day and "Run Riot" and "Gods of War" were great deep cuts. I always felt that the closer "Love and Affection" could have been a massive hit too. "Don't Shoot Shotgun" and "Excitable" are the only tracks that don't grab you and they're not too bad. My favorite Def Leppard album has been High 'n' Dry since the mid-80's and Pyromania is right behind it. Hysteria is different but still very good. And as Martin as indicated, these songs rock a lot harder live.
Good topic. On Through the Night I think is a great first album. Really good songs and you can just tell they are on their way to being a big band. Other than the fact that you can tell they are young it just seems to me that the production is lacking a little too. High and Dry the production was better and you can tell that they grew as a band. Both albums show that they are definitely a rock band. Pyromania they grew even more and songs are still rocking but you can see that They are beginning to head a little more mainstream. At this time music videos where becoming the thing and seems like a lot of bands wanted to make music to be seen not just heard. Instead of bands playing their music and have the fans come to them it was like they were changing their style a little to please the masses. Hard to blame these bands because this is their job and we all want to make more money at our jobs and playing a catchy tune that gets played over and over gets more people to notice you. Hysteria I believe has some decent songs on there but sounds over produced and really poppy.A lot of the album just seems a little too much electronic to me. I guess that’s how I’d put it. Just a lot of effects. Adrenalize they lost the effects and the record sounds a little harder and not as poppy as Hysteria. Now I could be one way out there on this one but I do like the album Slang. Now the song Slang is kinda poppy sounding but the rest of it I think leans more toward rock. Yes there are a couple ballad type songs on there but the still sound good. As well as a couple slower songs but still have a kinda heavy groove to them Truth, Turn to Dust , Work it Out. Pearl of Euphoria I think is an interesting song. I do like this album even though it’s not as heavy rocking and fast like their first to albums it still has a harder rock feel to me than say Hysteria. Now to be honest the rest of their catalog I haven’t listened to that much. Other than a song or 2 here and there, they just aren’t that memorable to me. Now all that being said, I have seen them live 4 times. Twice back in the early years and twice in these later years and I will say they put on one hell of a show. Always tell people that they are a really good band to go see. Never disappointed. Well there is my take. Love the early stuff, the middle is ok, the later I could care less. But if they came to town tomorrow I would go see them. By the way Martin dig listening to you on Sea of Tranquility also.
Iron Maiden and Judas Priest are actually pretty different. Imo, Def Leppard, “Hysteria” on, are more similar to Bon Jovi (during a certain period) than Priest and Maiden have ever been similar. It is interesting to hear different backgrounds and perspectives on music. I happen to side with Martin on this point, though it’s gotta be a 6-7 on production and guitar alone.
I was 4 when I saw the music video for Let's Get Rocked in 1992. I've been hooked ever since. I think there is a correlation regarding your preferred output by the band when you first got into the bands music. I enjoy all of their output because my first experience with them was with Adrenalize. If you were a heavy metal fan who got into them with their first two albums you were definitely going to have an inherit bias against the direction the band was going in.
Have been a fan from the start. I still find something to like on all their albums. They have always been a Pop / Rock band, and there is nothing wrong with that. Personal fav...High N Dry. BTW Tim...Judas Priest and Iron Maiden are nothing alike apart from being Heavy Metal bands.
Hysteria was the first album of theirs I got into, Adrenalized, Retro Active and Vault (minus that version of "Rocket") but then again I never claimed to be an expert
I greeted “Pyromania” as a freshman in high school-wore the needle out on my turntable. I essentially ignored “Hysteria,” hearing nothing I could really grab onto. I continued with my Priest and Maiden obsessions and later, introduced myself to “On Through the Night” and “High and Dry.”. Great albums, better than “Pyromania” imo. Love the first three albums, couldn’t care less for anything after (though I should listen to all of it eventually).
I feel like it’s become the cool thing to say you hate hysteria. To me, it’s almost perfect. Minus don’t shoot shotgun. Just a stupid song. But I respect everyone’s opinion. Great episode!!! Cheers
Martin is right, hysteria does suck, i used to love this band, as the years go by i can't listen to this band anymore, just can't stand any of there music.
No matter what anyone says its an amazing album that changed music and was amazingly popular . It may not be to everyone's taste but what album is?This albums main dislike comes from the "It ain't heavy i don't like it "crowd , those music experts. The same that love screaming , High n dry, Creatures of the night, Motley crue 94 etc are all masterpieces,Yet no one bought em! Far too many reasons why too. I dare say Hysteria sold more in a week then those 3 put together? The " i only like the 1st 2 albums" crew, if they kept goin like that they wld have ended up like Saxon. Hysteria from start to finish songwriting is perfect. The only band in history to have 2 consecutive diamond albums? It still gets played today on the radio, reissues continue. Its a masterpiece if you like it or not.
I think hysteria is one of the best albums of the 80s. Yea it’s a bit saccharin and overproduced but so was most of the 80s in general. Which most people seemed to like at the time. And Def Leppard did it best. Catchy songs galore on the album. It’s an album that defined that late-80s era. I thought “Animal” was extremely good, unlike the reviewer in the video.
On through the night for me. Pure NWOBHM bliss. Both closing tracks of sides A and B are epic, timeless with amazing ( twin) guitar heaven. High n dry because they showed they were nr 1 as a hard rock band ( not Metal any more). Pyromania was the beginning of the end, but has its strong moments ( foolin’ and Billy’s got a gun).
Thank you, Tim, I’m right there with you. After 34 years, even though my die hard musical allegiances have shifted slightly, Hysteria remains my single desert island album. It’s sheer brilliance, musically, production wise and I always meant to create the singles collage 🤙🏼
When I heard that Martin had given this album zero I burst out laughing. I couldn't even imagine that any album deserved such a low rank. Anyway I personally love Hysteria, I don't mind that it's a pop album at all. If pop music is made professionally and properly I don't have any problems with it. I can worship good music of different styles. And Hysteria in my opinion is one of the greatest pop/rock albums of all time. The songs are catchy and memorable, melodies and harmonies are all over the place, the production is outstanding. Everything is perfect about this record, it's a masterpiece in the realm of mainstream music.
How the hell did they still go gold through the 90s!?! Ugh. EDIT: I'd rather listen to Bryan Adams "Waking Up The Neighbors" which is basically a lost DF album from that era.
Hysteria was very of its time, so inevitably it sounds pretty dated as an overall production now, and IMO has done for a while. However, I still put on and enjoy Rocket and Gods of War from time to time, and there are several other pretty decent songs that I still like. I heard Pyromania after Hysteria, and that’s a pretty decent album too - actually a bit less dated even though it’s 3 or 4 years older. Since there’s been barely a single mention of it, perhaps the real contrarian choice would be Slang. At the time it felt to me like a necessary change of sound for them, and Work It Out is still probably my favourite songs of theirs. I also like Pearl of Euphoria (a really good slow burner), as well as Slang, Breathe a Sigh, and the first 2 tracks in particular. Slang may not be an all time great but it’s the DL album I’m most likely to listen to these days. It felt pretty fresh to me when it came out, and I think it’s aged much better than any of their others - sadly under-appreciated and well worth a listen.
Hysteria for me, Women and Rocket hooked me in instantly. I’ve loved just about all of their stuff since too. Hysteria selling the most and being the most popular DL record actually confirms it’s nothing by absolute GREATNESS.
For me, Pyromania will always be #1. Also, I actually like On Through the Night a little more than High and Dry. It's interesting that the song On Through the Night appears on High and Dry rather than being the title track to the debut. Though I like some songs from Hysteria, the album is largely the reason I lost interest in the band. I agree that the production on Pyromania is stellar. Just perfect.
I was ten when Pyromania was released. It was huge and Def Leppard were considered rock gods. In 1987, I started high school and the two albums everyone in my circle had were Kick and Hysteria. Def Leppard again were considered rock gods and Pour Some Sugar On Me was everyone's favorite. Now, everyone wants to crap on it. Why?! I own Pyromania and Hysteria and I like them both. Some people have said Hysteria is a girly album but, I knew many guys who had this album and loved it. I think, in some part, it's cool to hate on what's popular. Def Leppard was popular and sometimes people like to tear you down. My question is If it sucks so much, why did it sell twelve million copies and over half the songs were top 40 hits?! Whatever, opinions are like a**holes. Everyone has one.
I rather like the song Hysteria. I am completely indifferent to the entire rest of the album. I don't hate any of it, because none of it is interesting enough to be hated.
I probably would not start the argument with Bon Jovi being your favorite band. I think the same thing that happened to them might be happening to Ghost; too much focus on production and anthems. "Pour Some Sugar On Me" aka strippers national anthem. If you like early Def Lep try Heavy Pettin's first two albums.
when it came out i liked it...not like previous albums but i understood why it came to be for multiple reasons, but it wasn't something i reached for when i want to hear DL. as the yeas go on i really only like 3-4 songs and still don't reach for it. i wish the 4 studio b-sides were on the album instead, then it would be more enjoyable imo.
Me and my friend argue over it.He loves it.I call it stripper metal.I love the 0, MP gave it.😀For what it is,they achieved what they were striving for.I'd give it a 3,but what do I know.I just love their first 3,especially High 'n Dry.
Was never a fan of the whole "Hair Metal" thing but I do have a greatest hits...Not of Def Leppard but of the whole genre and it's really hard to get through that in one listen.
Leppard is best On Through the Night to Pyromania, Hysteria to Retroactive is likable as well as Euphoria I can't say those are bad albums to that point . After that I fell off.
I really like Hysteria, those are my teenage years, i was 14 when it came out but i discovered Def Leppard with the previous album i was 11 and it's my all-time favorite, Pyromania, i love every single songs on this one. My ranking would be 1- Pyromania 2- High 'N' Dry 3- Hysteria 4- On Through The Night 5- Adrenalize
Hysteria was exciting AT FIRST, but the album bored me on first playthrough. EV-ER-Y song sounded the same! It's why I say Nickleback (and most dance or pop) gives me the 'Def Leppard affect'. A friend was in hospital and we watched the Hysteria concert VHS. THAT made me keep the LP because the show was great
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Hysteria sums up the 80's vibe on an exit walking out..if it was their last album, they dropped the mic 🎤 leaving...it's a great album,I'm a fan from the first albums
High and Dry
Tim is spot on.
As an audiophile Hysteria is a sonic treat. Just an amazing production. 0/10 is just ridiculous, Martin. As a rocker I have to go with High 'n' Dry.
Martin was actually being kind in his review. Hysteria is dreadful. I have all the respect in the world for the band by sticking by Rick Allen. It is seriously one of the most heart-warming examples of loyalty in music history. But Hysteria is the aural equivalent of Lysol. It is anti-septic and sounds like it was made by robots. It's an absolutely terrible album.
I was one of the lucky people. I had a meet and greet Def Leppard before Hysteria concert. Tesla was the supporting band.
Count me in for Hysteria. Def Leppard was North America's house band for the summer of 1988. Perhaps I am a simple layperson, filled with nostalgia, but it's a great album. I like the production and though I realize some will say "i've heard those songs a million times", overplay is not the band's fault. Regarding the lyrics, I've always thought they were like Aerosmith and enjoyed the rhythms of wordplay.
Hysteria is on my top list!!! Great f'n album!!!
I was never a fan, but you gotta respect them for literally waiting for the drummers recovery. Any popular band could have easily left him behind for someone new without skipping a beat.
*skipping a drumbeat. (Okay, that was bad, I know............................)
@@davidl570 haha
Because of my age, “Rocket” was the first Def Leppard song I ever heard, on Top of the Pops in the UK in 1987. I was eight years old. I immediately spent pocket money on a cassette of Hysteria. I loved it at the time.
I totally see it in a different context now, its very much a record of its time- but I heard it before the Def Leppard albums that preceded it and its one of the records that got me into rock and metal more generally. That’s why, although I understand Martin’s viewpoint, I can’t trash it as I have an early connection with it.
no denying its a massive album and its enormous appeal!
I’m probably a minority on this, once PETE Willis was gone, I was gone with them. He was their “ secret weapon “ IMO.
Steve Clark
Pete's dismisal was certainly the start of their decline, and what a swift decline it was.
Agree 100%. they did not rock after he left.
After the secret weapon was gone, they sold millions of more records
@@jake6887 .......................aaaannd some of those records weren't really that good, just the same. (I DO like Hysteria though!).
i disowned the band after hearing this album. pour some sugar on me is a wretched song!
I believe Moby Grape did that in the sixties every song on the album was a single
Moby Grape actually put out 5 singles from their debut album at the same time. Fantastic album but that move did not help them.
Popoff is the man! Really knows his stuff...that was an enjoyable, interesting episode...Pyromania was great back in the day...great Steve Clarke riffing....some good stuff on Hysteria.
11:47 Another big part of that video was seeing Rick Allen on drums... (I can't remember the earlier videos). His journey after the accident was huge... a one-armed drummer was simply unbelievable (even with new technique, equipment, etc).
Cool show again! I have to say from the start - Hysteria is among my top rock albums of all time.
I got into Def Leppard with Hysteria and it is still my favorite Leppard album. I'll never forget the moment I put the needle on the turntable and heard "Women" for the first time. The album has a special place in my heart. It is an album with no weak song. "Pour some" is a bit overplayed, I don't have to hear it again, but essentially it is a good groovy song. The album is definitely not a heavy metal album and it never was, but it is a perfect rock album. You have the riffs, melodic hooks, the groove and the ballad. A metal fan had to be disappointed by it, no question. I like the early albums too, but my personal memories are with Hysteria and it is the personal aspect that makes it special.
I don't even know where to start because I don't hate 'Hysteria,' I'm just sick of everyone (music critics, casual fans, and even the band) saying that it's the best thing Def Leppard ever did. I haven't seen them in concert yet, but I've seen a lot of their concert videos on UA-cam and I hate that a majority of their setlist includes songs from 'Hysteria.' That setlist could be filled with stuff from 'High 'n' Dry,' 'Pyromania,' 'On Through the Night,' 'Adrenalize,' and even some tracks from their later albums. In my opinion, 'Pyromania' is Def Leppard's perfect album (even though 'Adrenalize' is my favorite album by the band).
interesting how big the divide is, its a multi platinum selling album, yet i see so many comments of people who outright hate it!
@@thecontrarians2438 It's weird, yeah? I thought I was one of the few individuals who wasn't crazy about it. And I got into hard rock/heavy metal around 2018-2019. If I'm already sick of 'Hysteria' after like two-three years, I can't imagine how annoying it must be for people that have heard this album for over 30 years.
I remember seeing them as teenagers right at the beginning and I have to say I was disappointed they became a tame corporate rock band.
Great video. I got Hysteria in 1987 along with Whitesnake and AFD that also came out the same year. I was a freshman in high school. Those 3 albums were huge for me. I listened to them more than anything else for years especially Whitesnake. With Hysteria, I’ve gone back and forth over the years as far as that album vs Pyromania. I’ve landed on Pyromania being by favorite Def Leppard album with Hysteria coming in close second. I do want to defend Hysteria on one front. Often in articles or on UA-cam I hear people say Hysteria sounds “dated” or that it “doesn’t hold up” but I don’t think that’s fair because of course…it came out in 1987!
Great video. Hysteria is a rare case where I can totally see both sides of the argument. It was one of the first full albums as I ever heard (as a 10 year old in 1988), and growing up in Sheffield, it meant something. Even the metal-hating Michael Jackson kids at my primary school liked it (because it didn’t really count as heavy metal, according to them)… which conveniently leads to the other side of the argument. As I gradually became more musically literate, it became an album that epitomized 1980s over-production and my former liking of it easy to laugh-off as childhood innocence. Now, comfortably growing old and not caring so much, I can once again really enjoy the album. Though their prior three albums have the edge in terms of authenticity, Hysteria will always remain my “go-to” Def Leppard album.
1st time watching your channel. I admit I have not heard the later albums by Def Leppard but I love all their early stuff and just for person reasons, Hysteria is my favorite, but the previous albums are all awesome too. Thanks and keep smiling 🤘🙂
Great episode Tim and Martin ! I think the b sides for the singles are excellent and if they were switched for some of the songs on Hysteria it would have made for an even better album. My ranking 1. Pyromania 2. High n Dry 3. Retroactive 4. On Through The Night 5. Slang 6. Hysteria . 7. Euphoria 8. Adrenalize 9. Yeah 10. Sparkle Lounge 11. X 12. Def Leppard . Chez
Im one of the old school fans at 58, and to me its 1)High and dry. No brainer 2) on through the night. 3) pyromania . I didnt hate Hysteria when it came out. I owned it. But to me , thats where they started selling out. High and Dry came out in my senior year and we loved it and played it to death. Classic album from a great rock year, 1981
Is writing songs they think are great songs selling out? Selling out is a media term to create a narrative
I got the Hysteria album when I was 9 after liking the songs Armageddon It and Rocket and that album started my journey of all things hard rock and metal. I later got their first three albums and enjoy those more but I still enjoy listening to Hysteria, lots of great songwriting on it and I can see why its many people's favorite.
1) High 'n' Dry 2) Pyromania 3) On Through The Night 4) Hysteria. I still like Hysteria quite a lot, but after that they were never interesting again.
Favorite album ever?? Doesn't get more contrarian than that.
TIM! I just noticed you have the EP!!! NICE!!!
I can understand as a Contrarian on both sides of this debate, was a really good back and forth. I will say MTV beat the piss out of the 'Hysteria' album into your brain with really cheese music videos, so much as a kid coming home from school and turning on the MTV, all it was was Pour Some Sugar on Me, Armaggedonit, Armaggedonit, Armaggedonit, Armaggedonit...c'mon Steve at the 3:00PM, 3:30PM and 4:00PM, 4:30 time slots. Shit got old real quick with them.
Aerosmith too...force fed down your throat
I got so disgusted with them I handed the remote control over to my younger siblings and said you can deal with this bullshit from now on.
I like “Photograph” way more than “Rock of Ages.”. “Bringin on the Heartbreak” is another fav of mine.
I saw Def Leppard live at Withernsea Pavillion, East Yorkshire, England, on 22nd February 1980, almost 3 weeks before the release of their first album, 'On Through The Night'. To me, Def Leppard were at their best when Steve Clark was alive, they went downhill after Steve passed away 🎸🎶
My album ratings are:-
1. High 'n' Dry.
2. Pyromania.
3. On Through The Night.
4. Hysteria.
I am in Tim's camp on this one - Hysteria is the best. The meticulous nature of the production is special - the whole thing sounds like it was engineered on a spaceship. You can tweak the equalizer ever so slightly and get a different sizzle and feeling. Because Ric was using electronic drums and developed a totally unique drum sound, I think it caused Mutt to re-imagine the way the guitars, bass and vocals were tracked, performed and arranged to create a unique experience - even when comparing to other Mutt works. The album has a different vibe from all of it's contemporaries and anything done since. I can see how NWOBHM and metal purists would dislike this album though - it's a whole different style of craftsmanship - it loses the raw rough and tumble of hard rock and metal. But that was kind of the point of Mutt and Def - they wanted to something ... contrarian!
I remember when Def Leppard opened for Pat Travers in 1980.
Fantastic Contrarian debate for a huge Leppard fan! I got into this band by way of MTV during Pyromania, and for me, it and High and Dry are the apex for me. From Adrenalize on, there are great TRACKS, but I was just burned out on the overplay of Hysteria. I think that Pyromania was the first high production of the remains of the old band sound, and that's why it remains a favorite.
Hysteria was the album that got me into Def Leppard because of the singles being played on the radio. I liked those songs. Bought the album. I then also bought Adrenalize. And then I stopped. To this day, those are the only Def Leppard albums I own. Why? Because I got very tired of the thick production. Actually, I didn't buy many albums from any band in the 1980s because I hated the 80s production; the wall of sound recording, the drums that were so loud and processed that they ceased to sound like drums at all. Many of these 80s bands sounded great live, but their album production stopped me from buying any studio recordings. So while I do own 2 Def Leppard albums, I haven't actually played them in over 30 years. When I want to rock, I'll play some Thin Lizzy, UFO, Motorhead or Rush instead. Where I my ears can easily pick out any instrument from the recording and follow that instrument all the way through.
This album holds a special place in my heart, I was 15 when it came out and I played the crap out of it. Although, I tend to like High n Dry and Pyromania much better now days. Martin, what wrong with Bryan Adams? I adore "Waking Up the Neighbours", also produced by Mutt Lange.
I found them at High N Dry, so that’s always my #1, followed by On Through The Night, then Pyromania. Saw the Hysteria tour, which was fantastic! But the album doesn’t trip my trigger. I left them behind after that.
Great debate! I agree with aspects of both arguments. My favorite Leppard era is pre-Hysteria but I won't deny that album's considerable charms.
I've been meaning to check out The Contrarians for a long time, so here I am. I was 16 years old in 1987 when "Hysteria" came out, so I'll defend portions of Hysteria by using the old proverb, "Ignorance is Bliss." I simply didn't have the musical acumen at age 16 to really understand why an album should be dragged through the mud. The main problem with this album back in 1987/88 was, you couldn't escape it. Whether it be due to MTV, Top 40 radio or the local rock station, you were inundated with all seven singles. When that wasn't happening, I would usually be in a car of a friend of mine named Craig, who for all intents and purposes, never removed Hysteria from the tape deck our junior year. There were songs I liked, such as "Women", "Rocket", "Gods of War", "Don't Shoot Shotgun", "Love and Affection" and to a degree the title track. Just based off those number of selections, one would think that should be enough. The problem is with the other songs, which are loathsome! The other songs, such as "Animal", "Love Bites", "Armageddon It", "Excitable" and the huge turd which is "Pour Some Sugar on Me" make me try to be an apologist for "Hysteria." It's feast or fathom on "Hysteria" and even the songs I like, are in many ways undefendable.
I was a prisoner of the moment, which was another problem. I wanted to like the songs which I hated. I wanted to be wrong about this new direction Def Leppard was taking, but I couldn't. I wanted to be like my friends Chris or Paul, who after listening to the first single "Women", jumped off the hype machine which was Def Leppard. I felt guilty, like I was turning my back on a good friend. "Pyromania" for all intents and purposes was THE album which got me into hard rock/heavy metal back in 1983. I owed Def Leppard and that album a ton of gratitude and that is the reason I won't trash this album. Nostalgia is also a big factor. Though 1987/88 were two of the most trying years during my teens, I can't deny the importance of those pivotal years. I will say this, had I gotten into Thrash Metal prior to 1986, I most likely would have thrown my Def Leppard "Hysteria" album in the trash after the first listen. Back in 1987, I needed that balance in my musical life, where I devoured the Thrash Metal scene, listened to other metal acts (who weren't as fast or heavy), as I started to ween myself off pop music (which was getting agonizingly worse). "Hysteria" is one of the most interesting albums to talk about, because it definitely deserves both criticism and praise.
Def Leppard album Rankings
12. X
11. Yeah!!
10. Songs From the Sparkle Lounge
09. Def Leppard
08. Slang
07. Adrenalize
06. Euphoria
05. Hysteria
04. Retro Active
03. On Through the Night
02. High 'N Dry
01. Pyromania
One other tidbit. If the four songs on Retro Active ("Desert Song", "Fractured Love", "Ring of Fire", "I Wanna Be Your Hero") from the Hysteria sessions would have been on "Hysteria", and songs such as "Pour", "Love", "Animal" and "Excitable" been eliminated, I think "Hysteria" would have been almost on par with Pyromania. I know "Desert Song" didn't have lyrics at that time, but the substance of that song is in the guitars.
Great Contrarian debate. I have to confess that I really enjoy DL. They’re a similar age to me & I’ve followed their career pretty much from the beginning. 1st saw them support AC/DC at Hammersmith Odeon in ‘79 & saw them at small concerts on the On Through The Night Tour. 1st record of their’s I bought was the single Wasted. I’ve seen them loads of time & they’ve been great every time. I have every regular album release & I enjoy them all (yes, even X). They’re fun. They seem to be genuinely down to Earth guys. A band of brothers. Pyromania is my favourite album by them. Funnily enough I didn’t like Hysteria much at the time, other than Animal. But it’s grown on me over years & I now like it a lot. I’m also really proud of how they conquered the States in a way that unfortunately UFO, Lizzy & Quo didn’t. As I say, fun band.
Martin's review of Hysteria in his '80s book is one of the best and funniest reviews I've ever seen.
I came in on OTTN so I watched this band progress and find their identity on Pyromania. Hysteria is their Pinnacle.
my top five...
5. Adrenalize / Retro-active (combined & edited would've made a good record)
4. Hysteria
3. Pyromania
2. High n' Dry
1. On Through The Night
Great video Tim and Martin! Def Leppard are one of my favourite bands of all time, and I really like both the early heavy stuff and the poppier stuff. Hysteria is a top 3-4 album of theirs for me, Pour Some Sugar on Me and I Wanna Touch U from Adrenalise are guilty pleasure favourites. My favourite album is Pyromania, and I'd probably rank High N Dry 2nd. I actually really enjoy Def Leppard's last 2 albums, especially Songs From the Sparkle Lounge. Come Undone is one of my absolute favourite Def Leppard Songs.
I still think On Through The Night was the best album they ever made, and the rest don't even come close.
Agreed!
I already started disagreeing with Martin as soon as he said the debut Def Leppard album is better than the first Iron Maiden album and it only went downhill from there
I’d take Phantom of the Opera alone over the entire Leppard discography. The first three are decent
@@joshuacottton6985 I like the album but yeah, Iron Maiden is the better album and better band
Despite the production, I think the first Maiden album is one of the greatest records ever. Extremely consistent. I don't skip a song.
The first Maiden Album was a game-changer.That is a complete other League than Def Leppard.
Di'anno rules.
Wow Tim!!! I wish I had Riff Kills Man!!!
I agree with Tim. Hysteria was special in the sense that it opened the door for many people to get into metal. Yes the album was perfectly overproduced, but no one cared at the time, it sounded fresh and heavy for its time. The In The Round In Your Face concert VHS/DVD release, showed you how good the band was live at the time.
"Pyromania" is my favorite Def Leppard album, but I love "Hysteria" as well. It's a part of the soundtrack of my childhood, hearing those songs on MTV. I even like the deep cuts too. It's such a fun, celebratory album. It's pop at its best, and a perfect specimen of what we call Pop Metal. And, those songs sound great when the band plays them live.
i was 11 when Pyromania came out, honestly i was a clueless dorky kid at the time with no cool siblings or parents or anything and honestly i had JUST discovered music and that was because of Michael Jacksons THRILLER. so my best friend was always listening to Pyromania and i thought it was ok at the time but like i said i was into Thriller and i was also weirdly into The Stray Cats and golden oldies type music, i still LOVE first wave rock and roll and R&B. a few years later when Hysteria came out i was 15 about to turn 16 and i had discovered metal by that time, and about a month after i turned 16 Def Leppard came through town on the Hysteria tour and that was my first concert EVER and still the best show i have ever been to. and before that school year even ended i discovered the Thrash Metal scene and EVERYTHING before was lame to me after that for the next few years. but years later and after years of hearing many people trash Hysteria as the sell out album or whatever, i LOVE that album and really its the only Def Leppard album i ever actually dig out.
My journey with Def Leppard was falling hard for them when Pyromania was released (due to older brothers) and going back to get the first 2 albums and loving those as well. When Hysteria came out in summer of 1987 (was 14 at the time), I bought it day 1 and was slackjawed with how amazing it was. My memory is just always loving it, I didn't recall others finally coming around to it when it took a year to become the monster hit it was but it was always a hit in my mind. To me, Hysteria is one of the best albums ever, definitely Top 5 rock albums ever made, not because it was popular but I love every moment on this album and it still holds up today almost 35 years later. Only the last couple of years did I know this album was divisive with fans and it's really hard to wrap my head around why but I guess I kinda understand, even if I completely disagree.
I wasn't a fan of the sharp change to their pop style but I do enjoy their other albums (Slang is really great) and was even very pleased with their last album. Their still one of the great bands but I think they could've been even bigger if they had continued their heavier tones, they would have took on Metallica's spot at the peak of the hard rock mountain. There's a reason Adrenalize was a dip down and Metallica shot up, the public's appetite for harder edge music was evident and Def Leppard never wanted to embrace that side of their skills again.
Hysteria is hands down one of the greatest (rock/metal) albums of all time.
Hysteria is definitely not my favorite Def Leppard album, I'm the OLD SCHOOL FAN... lol, but I was into it when it came out. I still spin it and feel good about it as it brings
back great memories of a great time. Their last decent album imo.
The Willis years is ALL that matters to me! 🔥💯🙌 Wayyyy to much polish and glam beyond there!
I'm sure others have already said this, but Rick Allen actually lost his arm before Hysteria was released. I saw Def Leppard on the Hysteria tour. It was amazing to see Rick drumming with one arm and I commend the band for not leaving him in the dust.
Personally, I think On Through the Night and Pyromania are their best albums with High and Dry coming in third and Hysteria fourth. I'm not going to deny Hysteria got a bit commercial for my liking, but there are some decent tracks on it though. That said, Pyromania is just brilliant. Great production. Rockin' songs.
Since Hysteria, the band just went into pop and hair metal, and probably the industry has changed lots since the 90s started.
Yes, the production was totally over the top and a shock to the ears expecting something else, at the time. But the songs are all great and therefore turned into big hits. At the time, bands like Journey and Boston were all the rage, so they fitted in nicely. My favourite on the album is Excitable, which doesn't get played live because of all those other hits on Hysteria.
My only gripe with DL is that they keep playing all those hits live over and over again, and we never get to hear any of the other songs.
I really like Slang.
High and dry is raw heavy as f''k
Joe's voice is awesome on this classic
Great show guys! I was like 12 or 13 when it came out in '87, I went into junior high that year, I can remember it being played at school dances, almost the whole album got played at those dances, a lot of Bon Jovi too, Slippery When Wet & New Jersey in '88... anyway, it's a great album but I much prefer Pyromania and the first two records. Have a good one fellas! \m/ \m/
As soon as I saw the title, I knew it was Tim championing for Hysteria,lol. The reality is they were a different band in '87 than they were in '81. If you got into DL in '87 (like Tim) you don't even know yet who DL was previously. Personally, I don't think the album is a zero, but I will say it was the most disappointing album of my high school years, as I loved the first three. It also sold a ton of records, so I'm not sure how contrarian this pick really is.
Hysteria is my #4 fav Lep album
Excellent show and very interesting pick. When I first picked up Hysteria the week it came out, it puzzled me. This was not the Def Leppard that I knew and loved. Sonically, it was a quantum leap forward much like Dr. Dre's album, The Chronic, would be in 1992 for rap music. However, most of the songs on Hysteria seemed so different from what they did before. But before long, the hooks grabbed me and I was in. I believe that this is the first album that took advantage of the longer time of the CD format and that was musically successful. This longer time would result in more rock albums containing a lot of filler down the road but the six big hits on Hysteria are so memorable and catchy to this day and "Run Riot" and "Gods of War" were great deep cuts. I always felt that the closer "Love and Affection" could have been a massive hit too. "Don't Shoot Shotgun" and "Excitable" are the only tracks that don't grab you and they're not too bad. My favorite Def Leppard album has been High 'n' Dry since the mid-80's and Pyromania is right behind it. Hysteria is different but still very good. And as Martin as indicated, these songs rock a lot harder live.
Good topic. On Through the Night I think is a great first album. Really good songs and you can just tell they are on their way to being a big band. Other than the fact that you can tell they are young it just seems to me that the production is lacking a little too. High and Dry the production was better and you can tell that they grew as a band. Both albums show that they are definitely a rock band. Pyromania they grew even more and songs are still rocking but you can see that They are beginning to head a little more mainstream. At this time music videos where becoming the thing and seems like a lot of bands wanted to make music to be seen not just heard. Instead of bands playing their music and have the fans come to them it was like they were changing their style a little to please the masses. Hard to blame these bands because this is their job and we all want to make more money at our jobs and playing a catchy tune that gets played over and over gets more people to notice you. Hysteria I believe has some decent songs on there but sounds over produced and really poppy.A lot of the album just seems a little too much electronic to me. I guess that’s how I’d put it. Just a lot of effects. Adrenalize they lost the effects and the record sounds a little harder and not as poppy as Hysteria. Now I could be one way out there on this one but I do like the album Slang. Now the song Slang is kinda poppy sounding but the rest of it I think leans more toward rock. Yes there are a couple ballad type songs on there but the still sound good. As well as a couple slower songs but still have a kinda heavy groove to them Truth, Turn to Dust , Work it Out. Pearl of Euphoria I think is an interesting song. I do like this album even though it’s not as heavy rocking and fast like their first to albums it still has a harder rock feel to me than say Hysteria. Now to be honest the rest of their catalog I haven’t listened to that much. Other than a song or 2 here and there, they just aren’t that memorable to me. Now all that being said, I have seen them live 4 times. Twice back in the early years and twice in these later years and I will say they put on one hell of a show. Always tell people that they are a really good band to go see. Never disappointed. Well there is my take. Love the early stuff, the middle is ok, the later I could care less. But if they came to town tomorrow I would go see them. By the way Martin dig listening to you on Sea of Tranquility also.
Iron Maiden and Judas Priest are actually pretty different. Imo, Def Leppard, “Hysteria” on, are more similar to Bon Jovi (during a certain period) than Priest and Maiden have ever been similar.
It is interesting to hear different backgrounds and perspectives on music. I happen to side with Martin on this point, though it’s gotta be a 6-7 on production and guitar alone.
I'm pretty sure Pour Some Sugar On Me is being played in a strip club somewhere on the planet at any random hour of every day since its release.
I was 4 when I saw the music video for Let's Get Rocked in 1992. I've been hooked ever since. I think there is a correlation regarding your preferred output by the band when you first got into the bands music. I enjoy all of their output because my first experience with them was with Adrenalize. If you were a heavy metal fan who got into them with their first two albums you were definitely going to have an inherit bias against the direction the band was going in.
Have been a fan from the start. I still find something to like on all their albums. They have always been a Pop / Rock band, and there is nothing wrong with that. Personal fav...High N Dry.
BTW Tim...Judas Priest and Iron Maiden are nothing alike apart from being Heavy Metal bands.
Hysteria was the first album of theirs I got into, Adrenalized, Retro Active and Vault (minus that version of "Rocket") but then again I never claimed to be an expert
Yeah! , the covers album, is surprisingly good.
The album Hysteria, got me into the band, love it to this day, but I just don't play it as much as High N Dry, easily their best
I greeted “Pyromania” as a freshman in high school-wore the needle out on my turntable. I essentially ignored “Hysteria,” hearing nothing I could really grab onto. I continued with my Priest and Maiden obsessions and later, introduced myself to “On Through the Night” and “High and Dry.”. Great albums, better than “Pyromania” imo. Love the first three albums, couldn’t care less for anything after (though I should listen to all of it eventually).
It's different from their earlier work, but still great in my opinion.
I feel like it’s become the cool thing to say you hate hysteria. To me, it’s almost perfect. Minus don’t shoot shotgun. Just a stupid song. But I respect everyone’s opinion. Great episode!!! Cheers
Martin is right, hysteria does suck, i used to love this band, as the years go by i can't listen to this band anymore, just can't stand any of there music.
No matter what anyone says its an amazing album that changed music and was amazingly popular . It may not be to everyone's taste but what album is?This albums main dislike comes from the "It ain't heavy i don't like it "crowd , those music experts. The same that love screaming , High n dry, Creatures of the night, Motley crue 94 etc are all masterpieces,Yet no one bought em! Far too many reasons why too. I dare say Hysteria sold more in a week then those 3 put together? The " i only like the 1st 2 albums" crew, if they kept goin like that they wld have ended up like Saxon. Hysteria from start to finish songwriting is perfect. The only band in history to have 2 consecutive diamond albums? It still gets played today on the radio, reissues continue. Its a masterpiece if you like it or not.
I think hysteria is one of the best albums of the 80s. Yea it’s a bit saccharin and overproduced but so was most of the 80s in general. Which most people seemed to like at the time. And Def Leppard did it best. Catchy songs galore on the album. It’s an album that defined that late-80s era. I thought “Animal” was extremely good, unlike the reviewer in the video.
The Steve Clark era was the best and in the circle in your face best concert ever.
On through the night for me. Pure NWOBHM bliss. Both closing tracks of sides A and B are epic, timeless with amazing ( twin) guitar heaven. High n dry because they showed they were nr 1 as a hard rock band ( not Metal any more). Pyromania was the beginning of the end, but has its strong moments ( foolin’ and Billy’s got a gun).
I think the last self titled “Def Leppard” album is pretty damn good!
Thank you, Tim, I’m right there with you. After 34 years, even though my die hard musical allegiances have shifted slightly, Hysteria remains my single desert island album. It’s sheer brilliance, musically, production wise and I always meant to create the singles collage 🤙🏼
Enjoyed this. I was highly disappointed with Hysteria when it first was released. I’ve grown to like it more over the years. Tim, LOVE the 8-Tracks!!
Maybe do an Episode on the Numbers , that were, and still on Today, all of their bank deposit slips.
haha good point! I wish i could write a hit record like pour some sugar!
I love Hysteria - More then 60 % music is great . I remember they compared with GNR and "Appetite " .
the band was never the same after Steve Clark died..he was a soul player and played from the heart and they lost that when he died
When I heard that Martin had given this album zero I burst out laughing. I couldn't even imagine that any album deserved such a low rank. Anyway I personally love Hysteria, I don't mind that it's a pop album at all. If pop music is made professionally and properly I don't have any problems with it. I can worship good music of different styles. And Hysteria in my opinion is one of the greatest pop/rock albums of all time. The songs are catchy and memorable, melodies and harmonies are all over the place, the production is outstanding. Everything is perfect about this record, it's a masterpiece in the realm of mainstream music.
On Through the Night will always be their best. Good kick ass NWOBH. Such a shame they sold out and put out trash after Pyromania
You're such a badass.
How the hell did they still go gold through the 90s!?! Ugh.
EDIT: I'd rather listen to Bryan Adams "Waking Up The Neighbors" which is basically a lost DF album from that era.
Hysteria was very of its time, so inevitably it sounds pretty dated as an overall production now, and IMO has done for a while. However, I still put on and enjoy Rocket and Gods of War from time to time, and there are several other pretty decent songs that I still like.
I heard Pyromania after Hysteria, and that’s a pretty decent album too - actually a bit less dated even though it’s 3 or 4 years older.
Since there’s been barely a single mention of it, perhaps the real contrarian choice would be Slang. At the time it felt to me like a necessary change of sound for them, and Work It Out is still probably my favourite songs of theirs. I also like Pearl of Euphoria (a really good slow burner), as well as Slang, Breathe a Sigh, and the first 2 tracks in particular.
Slang may not be an all time great but it’s the DL album I’m most likely to listen to these days. It felt pretty fresh to me when it came out, and I think it’s aged much better than any of their others - sadly under-appreciated and well worth a listen.
Hysteria for me, Women and Rocket hooked me in instantly. I’ve loved just about all of their stuff since too. Hysteria selling the most and being the most popular DL record actually confirms it’s nothing by absolute GREATNESS.
The Hysteria CD was my 1st CD as that formate had just started.It was great follow up to Pyromania.In my opinion I liked Pyromania better 🎸🎸
For me, Pyromania will always be #1. Also, I actually like On Through the Night a little more than High and Dry. It's interesting that the song On Through the Night appears on High and Dry rather than being the title track to the debut. Though I like some songs from Hysteria, the album is largely the reason I lost interest in the band.
I agree that the production on Pyromania is stellar. Just perfect.
I was ten when Pyromania was released. It was huge and Def Leppard were considered rock gods. In 1987, I started high school and the two albums everyone in my circle had were Kick and Hysteria. Def Leppard again were considered rock gods and Pour Some Sugar On Me was everyone's favorite. Now, everyone wants to crap on it. Why?!
I own Pyromania and Hysteria and I like them both. Some people have said Hysteria is a girly album but, I knew many guys who had this album and loved it. I think, in some part, it's cool to hate on what's popular. Def Leppard was popular and sometimes people like to tear you down. My question is If it sucks so much, why did it sell twelve million copies and over half the songs were top 40 hits?! Whatever, opinions are like a**holes. Everyone has one.
I accept that Hysteria was a huge seller. But I'm with Martin all the way on this. "High n Dry" for me.
I rather like the song Hysteria. I am completely indifferent to the entire rest of the album. I don't hate any of it, because none of it is interesting enough to be hated.
I probably would not start the argument with Bon Jovi being your favorite band.
I think the same thing that happened to them might be happening to Ghost; too much focus on production
and anthems. "Pour Some Sugar On Me" aka strippers national anthem.
If you like early Def Lep try Heavy Pettin's first two albums.
when it came out i liked it...not like previous albums but i understood why it came to be for multiple reasons, but it wasn't something i reached for when i want to hear DL. as the yeas go on i really only like 3-4 songs and still don't reach for it. i wish the 4 studio b-sides were on the album instead, then it would be more enjoyable imo.
Me and my friend argue over it.He loves it.I call it stripper metal.I love the 0, MP gave it.😀For what it is,they achieved what they were striving for.I'd give it a 3,but what do I know.I just love their first 3,especially High 'n Dry.
Was never a fan of the whole "Hair Metal" thing but I do have a greatest hits...Not of Def Leppard but of the whole genre and it's really hard to get through that in one listen.
Paper Sun - Best Leppard song.
Leppard is best On Through the Night to Pyromania, Hysteria to Retroactive is likable as well as Euphoria I can't say those are bad albums to that point . After that I fell off.
I really like Hysteria, those are my teenage years, i was 14 when it came out but i discovered Def Leppard with the previous album i was 11 and it's my all-time favorite, Pyromania, i love every single songs on this one. My ranking would be 1- Pyromania 2- High 'N' Dry 3- Hysteria 4- On Through The Night 5- Adrenalize
I like Hysteria.Way overplayed though.But their first three albums are the best.When I listen to Hysteria now it's the live version which is heavier.
Hysteria was exciting AT FIRST, but the album bored me on first playthrough. EV-ER-Y song sounded the same! It's why I say Nickleback (and most dance or pop) gives me the 'Def Leppard affect'.
A friend was in hospital and we watched the Hysteria concert VHS. THAT made me keep the LP because the show was great
It’s a nostalgic album for me....but ya, as I got older, it paled against the 1st three
I don’t know what this guy is talking about. It’s a great album. Every song is good. Love And Affection 🤘
LOL@Bryan Adam-ness. Pretty sure Mutt made Bryan copy them, not vice versa.