36 Years Ago DEF LEPPARD's HYSTERIA/PYROMANIA Go 7x Platinum In USA
Pyromania/Hysteria
Def Leppard became the first band to sell seven million copies of two back to back albums with Hysteria and Pyromania in the USA on this day in 1988.
The band's fourth studio album 'Hysteria' was released on 3rd August 1987 and had 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.
It had been certified for 5 million sales in July 1988 and then 6 million in August off the back of the 'PSSOM' single.
'Pyromania' was also certified for seven million sales on the same day.
This put Def Leppard in the position of being the first musical act in history to have back to back albums sell this many copies in the USA alone.
The awards for this were presented to the band after the last show of the 'Hysteria' world tour at the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, WA on 27th October.
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Hysteria/Pyromania Album - USA Certifications
- 27th September 1988 - 7x Platinum - (7 Million Album Sales)
Tacoma, WA 27th October 1988 'Hystoric Leppard' - Band Interview Quotes
It's the last night of the Def Leppard tour and backstage in the Tacoma Dome dressing room, a whole host of people have gathered to pay their respects to the band and help them bid farewell to the road and to the fourteen months and don't-even-ask how many miles they have put into it.
Everybody is drinking and chatting idly and nobody notices at first when Joe, Rick, Steve, Sav and Phil begin to gather in one corner of the room, and the man from the record company gets up with a giant, double-sided platinum plaque in his hands and tries to make his speech.
"... to Def Leppard, for being the...er... first band to have...er...two...er septuple platinum albums back to back..."
Suddenly the hubbub of chatter ceases and the room falls momentarily silent. "I don't think they heard you properly, mate." says vocalist Joe Elliott grinning.
The man from the record company mops up the trickle of sweat from his forehead, gulps, and tries again.
"I'd like to...ah..."
When he gets to the part about being the first band in history to sell seven million copies of two albums back to back, the whole room comes in on the 'IN HISTORY' part and at last it seems like we've got a party on our hands here!.
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- Def Leppard - Hysteria Album Page
- Def Leppard - Pyromania Album Page
- Previous News - 26th September 2024
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