24 Years Ago DEF LEPPARD's HYSTERIA Album Certified 12x Platinum In USA

Wednesday, 17th August 2022

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Def Leppard 1987

Def Leppard's classic Hysteria album was certified as 12 times platinum in the USA on this day in 1998.

The band's fourth studio album was released on 3rd August 1987 and took 49 weeks to reach the top spot in the country.

It replaced Van Halen's 'OU812' at the top of the US charts on 23rd July 1988.

It would go on to spend 6 weeks at number one (including a 3 week stint in September) and 133 weeks in total on the chart.

Just ahead of reaching the top spot it was certified for 5 million sales on 13th July 1988.

The album was at Number 2 in the same week.

The album was certified 9x Platinum by January 1989 and by August 1998 had reached over 12 million sales in the USA.

Curiously, and quite amazingly, it has not yet reached 13x platinum status in the 22 years since.

It had received its first awards in October 1987, going Gold and Platinum on the same day.

The band had mentioned in their 'Euphoria' album interview in 1999 that they had sold over 600,000 back catalogue albums in 1998.

This accounts for the album getting its first award since December 1993 when it went 11x Platinum.

By comparison Bon Jovi's biggest selling album 'Slippery When Wet' reached 12 x Platinum in October 1995 and has also not been awarded again since.

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Hysteria 1987.

Hysteria Album - USA Certification

Read the full 'Hysteria' album release story in the Lep History section.

This section includes all major historical events and releases.

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