To paraphrase a lyric from Def Leppard’s 1999 Euphoria album: They’re back in your face like they’ve never been away!
But does that truly apply to Def Leppard’s album Diamond Star Halos? And does the record really hit you — paraphrasing again — like a runaway Mack and a Union Jack?
A major deep dive awaits as we properly explore (and critique) Diamond Star Halos‘ offerings, revisit The Stadium Tour and its Summer Stadium Tour follow-up, and examine the overall state of Def Leppard in the 2020s.
Ready to Kick things into gear and Fire It Up? Because I Got Something To Say! Actually, I have a lot to say — so get comfortable.
I Said Welcome To My Show! Umm… Never Mind.
My, how things can change, yet still seem so familiar.
In 2020, Def Leppard was about to embark on a stadium tour (aka “The Stadium Tour”) — an event hyped as the pairing of Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe, with Poison and Joan Jett & The Blackhearts as supporting acts.
The tour not only promised a lucrative payoff for the bands but also offered a nostalgic marketing hook for concertgoers.
One of its bombastic selling points was that it marked Mötley Crüe’s return to touring — notably after signing an infamous “cessation of touring agreement” that assured Crüe fans the band’s “final tour” less than four years earlier had been, in fact, a true farewell.
Mötley Crüe’s Nikki Sixx emphasized how binding the “contract” was to Rolling Stone magazine at the time:
“Legally, we can’t play again. The only loophole is if all four band members agreed to do it, we could override our own contract. But we know that will never happen. There are people in this band who will refuse to ever do it again, and you’re talking to one of them. There is no amount of money that would ever make me do it again because I have such pride in how we’re ending it.”
An argument can be made about whether Def Leppard should have co-headlined The Stadium Tour, and whether it was fair that the band was set to earn substantially less per show than Mötley Crüe (allegedly half, according to internet reports). But that’s neither here nor there: come June 2020, The Stadium Tour was happening!
Until it wasn’t.
The Covid pandemic affected so many industries, and concert tours were certainly not exempt. It was clearly only a matter of time until The Stadium Tour would inevitably be postponed, even though the official announcement came a mere few weeks before the tour was slated to begin.
Got The Time, Gotta Chance, Gonna Make… A New Album
While unfortunate, the postponement of The Stadium Tour is arguably one of the best things to have happened to Def Leppard in recent times — specifically, the band and its brand.
Annual touring had become the norm, and their setlists and stage shows had started to feel a little too familiar, thus making special events like their Las Vegas residencies all the more unique in terms of shaking up their typical concert routine.
Even with The Stadium Tour postponed for not one but two years, the consequences ultimately (and unintentionally) worked out in the band’s best interest. Not financially, of course, since touring had become the bread and butter of the band’s source of income for decades, but creatively.
The two-year tour delay provided the band with a major break, ample time to have an extended life off the road, and an opportunity to recharge and refresh. Whether they liked it or not, Def Leppard was forced to step away from the limelight and reassess what projects to focus on.
Back in the ’80s and ’90s, Def Leppard would virtually go into hiding to work on a new studio album. Only when ready would they end their hiatus and return to the public eye. The band’s reappearance would be an event in and of itself, and it signified that a newsworthy reveal awaited: the announcement of a new album, the mark-your-calendars premiere date of the all-important first single chosen to launch it, and, subsequently, the unveiling of a tour constructed to support the release.
Remember the massive Hysteria tour? Adrenalize‘s extensive “7-Day Weekend” tour? The Slang and Euphoria tours? Those are just some examples where an album release was paired up with its respective tour. This was long before a Def Leppard tour became more of a freestanding event in its own right, where new music was complementary (albeit secondary) to their shows, and more or less what had become the norm over the years.
In short, synching up a new Def Leppard album release with a major tour to support it was a distant memory.
Until it wasn’t.
The Stadium Tour postponement, while definitely not the norm, brought about familiar memories of years past. As the band worked on a number of projects to remain top of mind with fans during their unexpected pandemic break — e.g., remastering and re-releasing older songs and albums from their catalog, launching an online “vault” of memorabilia (among other things) in a wise move to celebrate and further monetize their brand — they were also quietly working on the creation of their Diamond Star Halos album.
And, presto, like a flashback to the “good old days,” Def Leppard finally returned from semi-seclusion to announce a new album and its lead single, along with a major tour — conveniently already in place à la The Stadium Tour — to help support it. (If only there were Tower Records or Musicland stores still around to host some Diamond Star Halos midnight release events, the old-school process would practically come full circle!)
Def Leppard: Diamond Star Halos
Early in March 2022, Def Leppard’s social media team began their promotional teasers, with messages that initially seemed to randomly capitalize the letters “D,” “S,” and “H” in their posts, while also cryptically including diamond, star, and halo emojis.
Soon enough, their repeated use, as well as other teasers courtesy of tarot card posts, which directed fans to a newly created microsite (DiamondStarHalos.com) to hear personal “readings” from each band member, made it rather obvious a new album announcement was imminent.
On March 17, suspicions were confirmed as the new album was revealed to the masses over two months before its May 27th street date along with the release of “Kick,” the album’s first “single.” (As discussed in previous album spotlights, the word “single” doesn’t quite mean what it used to; “promotional track” might be more fitting.)
Comprised of 15 tracks, Diamond Star Halos had been perfectly (and ultimately intentionally) timed by Def Leppard to coincide with the re-emergence of the delayed Stadium Tour, even though the album had long been completed during their multi-year pandemic break.
Similar to when MTV was in its heyday, a world premiere date for the “Kick” music video was announced…except this time YouTube was hosting the event.
The video gave off a slight “Animal” music video vibe — with a carnival setting replacing the traveling circus — while also echoing the band’s iconic “Rocket” video through its glimpses of numerous television monitors on set.
While it was an improvement over previous Def Leppard videos like “Let’s Go” and “Dangerous,” which suffered from distracting and unnecessary sci-fi storylines, the “Kick” music video — blending a Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome aesthetic with a touch of Dick Tracy — underwhelms with its non-descript black-and-white jump cuts and heavy mood lighting.
(See the write-ups for “Pour Some Sugar On Me” and “Tonight” for examples of how the band’s music videos can complement or detract from a song.)
Following it up with a behind-the-scenes vlog and a blooper reel, “Kick” — and, ultimately, Diamond Star Halos — stayed top of mind with fans, even with the album’s street date still two months away.
About a month after the release of “Kick,” the band made a smart, if slightly unconventional, move by releasing another promotional track: “Take What You Want.”
It was an opportunity to showcase yet another side of Diamond Star Halos, clearly aimed at a specific segment of the band’s fanbase: those who had been craving Def Leppard’s music with a hard(er) rock edge.
“Take What You Want” carried a “Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)” vibe, complete with an opening scream from Joe Elliott that recalled “Run Riot.” Its primary goal was to reawaken and reinvigorate vintage Def Leppard memories, and for that purpose, a straightforward lyric video — i.e., no band footage, just visuals of the words — was deemed sufficient.
With nearly a month still to go before the album’s release, the band (and their record label) had plenty of time to line up press coverage and promotional opportunities — from print and online outlets to TV appearances.
And with just a week to go, a third promotional track, “Fire It Up,” was released to further boost excitement.
Again, all this still before the album’s release.
Imagine if, prior to Hysteria‘s U.S. release, “Women,” “Animal,” and “Hysteria” had all been released as singles within such a tight window. Or if, before Adrenalize hit the streets, “Let’s Get Rocked,” “Make Love Like A Man,” and “Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad” had already made their rounds on radio. It would have been a powerhouse setup ahead of either album’s release — but it also underscores how drastically promotional strategies have shifted with the times.
Decades ago, a Def Leppard single typically took about ten weeks, give or take, to reach its peak on the Billboard charts before sliding downward — which would trigger the release of a follow-up single to take its place.
During the late ’80s, blockbuster singles like “Pour Some Sugar On Me” and “Love Bites” did the heavy lifting, promoting the Hysteria album and tour for months on end. The goal was to keep that momentum going, with each single enjoying a long chart life thanks to heavy radio airplay and strong sales.
Clearly, that’s just not how things work now.
Nowadays, the chart lifespan of a “single” is much shorter — consequently, so is its impact. As a result, releasing three songs with the most commercial potential upfront from Diamond Star Halos was not only beneficial but also strategically important.
It was also in Def Leppard’s best interest — and most advantageous from a sales and marketing perspective — to release Diamond Star Halos prior to the launch of The Stadium Tour, which was unquestionably going to generate enormous press simply because it was finally happening. And that’s exactly what they did, coordinating awareness of the new album and tour to complement each other.
It worked out splendidly, resulting in Def Leppard achieving a Top 10 debut on the Billboard 200 U.S. albums chart, landing at #10 with approximately 34,000 units sold. (The album also reached #1 on Billboard‘s niche Hard Rock chart.)
Some Thoughts, Questions & Observations About Diamond Star Halos (Caution!)
While this write-up could easily end here, there is still so much more to dissect and explore.
New Def Leppard music being released is undoubtedly exciting, but that doesn’t mean a more critical look at certain aspects of Diamond Star Halos isn’t warranted — or at least worth exploring.
Proceed with caution, though, as there may be a few opinions ahead that some Def Leppard fans won’t agree with.
YEAH! Diamond Star Halos!
From a glam rock fan’s perspective, having Def Leppard name their album Diamond Star Halos is certainly amusing. But whether that title truly reflects the 15 tracks that make up the album as a whole does seem a bit of a stretch.
That being said, in hindsight, Def Leppard’s 2006 covers album Yeah! would have been more appropriately titled “Diamond Star Halos,” while “Yeah!” could have worked just as well as the title for what became the Diamond Star Halos release. And while we’re at it, “Kick” would have made a great bonus track on the Yeah! covers album — obviously, if the song had existed at the time!
Admittedly, this is simply nitpicking.
Phil Up With “Kick”
Upon hearing “Kick” for the very first time, two thoughts quickly came to mind.
The first was being reminded of Def Leppard’s song “Perfect Girl,” which was an alternate take of the X album’s song “Gravity.”
But it goes beyond that.
While “Kick” effortlessly channels glam rock and T. Rex vibes — handclap effects and all — a case can be made that, musically, the overall sound of its catchy chorus feels just a bit off, sounding, for lack of a better term, very “Phil.”
This brings us back to “Perfect Girl,” which features a similar, unmistakable Phil-driven vocal in its chorus. (It’s not a coincidence that “Perfect Girl” was given the full title “Perfect Girl (Phil Collen’s Demo)” when it was included in Def Leppard’s Rarities From The Vault release.) It’s fitting: Phil’s voice dominates its chorus, and the same can arguably be said about “Kick.”
Even without seeing the songwriting credits, it was immediately clear to me upon first listen of the chorus that “Kick” was a “Phil song.” (And to confirm, Phil wrote the song with an outside songwriter and brought it to Def Leppard for consideration.)
As has been done many times before, songs created outside of Def Leppard become “Leppard-ized,” but “Kick” — like “Perfect Girl” — sounds more like it has been “Phil-ized” musically. (Maybe “Collen-ized” is a better word?)
Aside from Joe Elliott’s lead vocal, “Kick” clearly carries more of a Phil flavor and vibe than a typical Def Leppard song. Frankly, the same could be said about the “Fire It Up” chorus, which, perhaps not coincidentally, was also a song written by Phil and an outside songwriter.
Does that mean there’s something wrong with either song? No — but it’s noticeable.
Guitar! Drums?
Another element that prominently stood out about “Kick” was the song’s programmed drums.
Recording the album during the pandemic lockdown undoubtedly changed the band’s recording process (and contributions — more on that in a moment), but it was noteworthy to see the album’s liner notes specifically credit “Drum Programming” by co-producer Ronan McHugh on every single one of Diamond Star Halos‘ tracks.
Drum programming in and of itself isn’t groundbreaking or surprising, but there wasn’t such a specific credit repeatedly highlighted, for instance, on the band’s previous self-titled Def Leppard album. Calling out the drum programming this time around may not necessarily imply a major change, yet — especially after hearing a song like “Kick” — it reinforces just how much more prominent the programmed drums were this time around.
Vivian Puts The Fast in Belfast, But…
The notion of a brand new Def Leppard album had been teased for years, mainly because band members were often asked about it in interviews. There had been plenty of hints along the way that new song ideas were brewing and would eventually come to fruition.
In 2018, Vivian Campbell confirmed that new material was ready whenever the time came to begin working on an album:
“We’re always writing songs … We would have plenty of ideas to get started on.” — Vivian Campbell, Blabbermouth.net
And in 2020:
“Of course there will be a new record – I don’t know when, but we certainly have time to write, so maybe it will be sooner rather than later.” — Vivian Campbell, Metal Talk
Yet, despite these statements, Vivian has no writing credits whatsoever on Diamond Star Halos.
Asked specifically about it in an interview after the album was announced, he explained:
“I just wasn’t prepared for the record, to be honest, but I don’t think it’s a bad record as a result. I mean, the songs are great. There’s 15 of them and it covers a lot of different musical spectrums. I think we’re good. So having said that, I do feel bad because I, you know, I feel like I just wasn’t prepared. I didn’t do my homework.” — Vivian Campbell, Rock Pages / Loudwire
Recording Diamond Star Halos remotely surely had its challenges, but it remains puzzling — especially after years of saying he (and the band) were “always writing songs” and had “plenty of ideas to get started on” — that Vivian made no songwriting contributions whatsoever.
It’s difficult to reconcile earlier quotes with later explanations.
Hypothetically, if Joe Elliott or Rick Savage “just wasn’t prepared” (to use Vivian’s exact words) for a new album, would the project still have proceeded to completion (and release)?
I’m happy to take Vivian at his word. If working remotely created insurmountable obstacles, that’s understandable. Still, optically, something seems off — particularly because Vivian remained active during the band’s pandemic hiatus, performing live dates with Last In Line and participating in car racing events.
Phil Collen was asked about the album’s remote recording approach in an interview — one might expect that to lead into a discussion of both positives and negatives about the process, including Vivian’s situation and contribution limitations.
On the contrary, Phil called the process “the best thing we ever did,” adding:
“When we did it this way, it was like, everyone’s doing their own part, everyone’s doing their best… Everyone’s a big boy, they can tune their own guitars, they can sing in tune, they can get it right, and then you send your best to Ronan McHugh — our producer in Dublin.” — Phil Collen, Loudwire
In another interview he added:
“We definitely don’t want to go back to whatever that standard way was that we did before. This is so much better.”
— Phil Collen, Music Connection
No mention was made of Vivian’s challenges — not that there had to be — but the contrast between Vivian’s perspective and Phil’s enthusiasm is striking.
During an interview with RollingStone.com about the album’s release, Joe Elliott proclaimed, “This is the most focused, enjoyable album that we’ve ever made.”
To be clear, there’s no insinuation of a conflict or issue, but it’s noteworthy that the messaging to the public about Vivian’s songwriting absence doesn’t align well. If anything, it could have been explained more clearly.
This may very well relate to the next point.
Diamond…Star…Halos…Joe…Phil.
In the months leading up to Diamond Star Halos‘ release, there was a wave of pre-release press. But make no mistake — it was no coincidence that most of the high-profile coverage was handled by Joe Elliott and Phil Collen.
Why? Well, here’s a breakdown of who wrote each song on the Diamond Star Halos album:
| “Take What You Want” | Joe Elliott, Rick Savage |
| “Kick” | Dave Bassett, Phil Collen |
| “Fire It Up” | Collen, Sam Hollander |
| “This Guitar” | C. J. Vanston, Collen |
| “SOS Emergency” | Elliott, Collen |
| “Liquid Dust” | Collen |
| “U Rok Mi” | Collen |
| “Goodbye for Good This Time” | Elliott |
| “All We Need” | Elliott, Collen |
| “Open Your Eyes” | Elliott, Collen |
| “Gimme a Kiss” | Elliott, Collen |
| “Angels (Can’t Help You Now)” | Elliott |
| “Lifeless” | Elliott, Collen |
| “Unbreakable” | Elliott |
| “From Here to Eternity” | Savage |
Diamond Star Halos takes a bifurcated songwriting approach similar to 2008’s Songs From The Sparkle Lounge, but this time the Elliott/Collen writing credits are far more dominant.
In fairness, some of Def Leppard’s most notable post-Hysteria tracks weren’t written by the entire band (excluding Rick Allen, who typically does not contribute to the songwriting).
Here are some examples:
Vault track “When Love & Hate Collide” was written by Joe Elliott and Rick Savage. Euphoria track “Promises” was written by Phil Collen and Robert John “Mutt” Lange. Several Slang tracks were solely written by Joe Elliott and Phil Collen — including “Slang,” “Blood Runs Cold,” “Where Does Love Go When It Dies,” and “Deliver Me.” Songs From The Sparkle Lounge standouts “C’mon C’mon” and “Love” were written by Rick Savage. On the self-titled Def Leppard album, “Let’s Go” was written by Rick Savage and Joe Elliott, while Joe was the sole writer of “We Belong.”
On a side note, Vivian Campbell wasn’t able to contribute much to the Def Leppard album due to his cancer treatments, but he did co-write one song, “Wings Of An Angel.”
These are just a few instances, but they can generally be viewed as one-offs. By contrast, Diamond Star Halos carries a distinctly different creative dynamic.
Contemplate these admittedly unfair rhetorical questions: How different would Diamond Star Halos have been if Mutt Lange had been involved in the project? What if Steve Clark — had he been alive — or Pete Willis had contributed to the album? Would Diamond Star Halos, as it is, have been the end result? These are unfair questions, and ones that truly cannot be answered. But what if you were asked to envision a Def Leppard album primarily crafted by Joe Elliott and Phil Collen, and what it might sound like? You wouldn’t have to ponder for long — because you already have the answer: Diamond Star Halos.
Joe and Phil unmistakably steered Diamond Star Halos from conception to completion. Hence, it was only natural for them to lead the majority of the press in championing the release. (The same press approach will hold true for future releases “Just Like 73” — written by Joe, Phil, and Dave Bassett, who also co-wrote “Kick” with Phil — as well as “Rejoice,” yet another song written by Joe and Phil.)
Diamond Star Halos Songs
Never have I been reminded of so many other songs when listening to a Def Leppard album.
We’ve already touched on “Kick” and its “Perfect Girl” aura, but haven’t even gotten into referencing some of the other songs it brings to mind — from “I Hate Myself For Loving You” by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts to hints of KISS’ “Lick It Up” to Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Achy Breaky Heart” come chorus time.
“Take What You Want” piles on elements of “Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)” with a sprinkle of “Run Riot,” and at times gives off a “Lady Strange” vibe — plus a nod to the song “On Through the Night,” whose “All you want to hear is the audience applause” lyric fits neatly when “Take What You Want” eases into its slower tempo later in the track. Moreover, the song features a huge, driving guitar riff that’s reminiscent of Metallica’s “Enter Sandman.”
Here are a few more examples:
“Fire It Up”: You can sing along to the song’s main verse with lyrics from Guns ‘N’ Roses’ “Paradise City” (Just an urchin livin’ under the street, I’m a…), the Beastie Boys’ “No Sleep Till Brooklyn” (Foot on the pedal, never ever full metal. Engine running hotter than a boiling kettle…), or even the “Macarena” — make up your own “Macarena” lyrics for your amusement. While it may remind some of Def Leppard’s song “Slang,” the main verse vocals mirror the lower-register delivery Joe Elliott showcases on “Armageddon It,” though at a faster pace.
“From Here to Eternity”: Unmistakably a Rick Savage song — which is a compliment — but it’s hard not to hear shades of other Savage-penned classics like “Kings Of The World” and “Love.”
“Open Your Eyes”: Feels like a descendant of Def Leppard’s “Pearl of Euphoria,” with a touch of “Paper Sun.”
And so on. (More to come below.)
While the tracks comprising Diamond Star Halos are solid compositions — and the album has captivating moments that can easily be woven into the fabric of Def Leppard’s pantheon of music — an argument can also be made that some songs leave the listener wanting more. That, of course, can be debated as either a positive or a negative.
Some songs hook you effectively at first but fall just short in their choruses. A more powerful, melodic payoff — essentially, a chorus with greater gravitas — could have made a major difference in leaving a stronger lasting impression.
One example is the song “Unbreakable.” It features an excellent setup, beginning with its “I Wanna Be Your Hero”-ish guitar intro, and crackles with energy. But the chorus — “Unbreakable, unshakeable, unbreakable, unshakeable” — doesn’t quite do enough justice to everything that precedes it. The song is solid overall, yet it’s one of several instances where a track falls short of greatness — or, more specifically, of achieving Def Leppard-caliber, hook-filled enormity.
The same can be said about mid-tempo rockers “SOS Emergency” (which, by the way, is quite “Hallucinate”-like from Songs From The Sparkle Lounge and includes an ample dose of “Whoa-ohs” that could’ve been borrowed directly from Def Leppard’s 1999 hit “Promises“) as well as “All We Need,” which could be considered a distant cousin of the song “Hysteria” — much like Euphoria‘s “Guilty” was.
On a related note, the track “U Rok Mi” and its “You rock me! Come on and rock me!” chorus might conjure up memories of Def Leppard’s “Make Love Like A Man,” with its matter-of-fact, overly simplified “I’m a man. That’s what I am” lyrics.
Moments like these make you wonder how much bigger and more satisfying a few of these songs could have been with just an extra spark in their chorus.
Is It Really Out Of Touch, Out Of Reach?
The subjective opinions above can easily — and understandably — be dismissed as such. But I’m repeatedly reminded of a quote by none other than Phil Collen about the song “Hysteria,” arguably one of the band’s most beloved tracks, and how he and Rick Savage initially constructed the song and its chorus, thinking it was complete. That is, until producer Mutt Lange and his critical hit-making instincts intervened, ultimately transforming the song into a timeless classic.
Here’s Phil’s quote explaining it:
“It started off, we were in Dublin and Rick Savage started playing this tune, so I immediately started singing, ‘Out of touch, out of reach.’ That was literally the first thing that came out of my mouth. He said that was cool and he goes, [singing] ‘I got to know tonight,’ this whole other section. We glued it together and we got very excited… We sat down and were playing acoustic guitar, singing over the demo, and we thought that was going to be the chorus. And Mutt Lange said, ‘Okay, that’s a great verse, a great bridge. Now we need the chorus.’ Uh, okay. [Laughs]” — Phil Collen, Songfacts
Phil made a similar comment about another classic Def Leppard song, “Animal.”
“I had done this demo and it was okay and there was a song in there we just couldn’t quite get. It was something that was okay, and again going back to Mutt Lange, the genius of him, he said, ‘Yeah, this is okay but this can be great.’ That’s always his thing. ‘Yeah, it can be alright and it can be an okay song but we want to make it great.’ And I think we achieved that.” — Phil Collen, Songfacts
So just imagine if the chorus to the song “Hysteria” ended up being “I’ve got to know tonight, if you’re alone tonight. Can’t stop this feelin’, can’t stop this fire,” and that was it — no “I get hysterical, hysteria, oh can you feel it” chorus anywhere in sight. “Hysteria” would likely still be considered a very good song. But would it be regarded as iconic without that chorus differentiator, even decades after its release? You be the judge.
The same point applies not only to some of the aforementioned Diamond Star Halos tracks — like “Kick,” “SOS Emergency,” “Unbreakable,” and “All We Need” — but also to other late-era Def Leppard songs such as “C’mon C’mon,” “Dangerous,” and “You’re So Beautiful.” The ingredients were there for classic, anthemic songs in the making; it was only a question of whether all the flavors in the mix (no pun intended) would be unleashed come chorus time. In these instances, they can really leave a listener yearning for more.
These are just some examples that remind you how fine — and crucial — the line can be between a good Def Leppard song and a great one.
NOTE: An extended version of this chapter, which also takes a closer look at Def Leppard in the 2020s — and the band’s brand popularity and monetization strategies) — is exclusively available in the NEW SECOND EDITION of the book, “I GOT SOMETHING TO SAY! (Collections, Recollections & Personal Reflections About Def Leppard).” Read more about it here!
Def Leppard’s Best Album Since…
Diamond Star Halos might prompt some fans to recall the days of the late ’80s and early ’90s — after the Hysteria tour ended and the album finally ended its run on the charts, there was a lot of anticipation for the next Def Leppard album.
Putting aside the challenges of the grunge movement and the tragic death of Steve Clark, Def Leppard returned in 1992 after their long hiatus with Adrenalize. The band was back with new music, and as far as some were concerned at that time, Def Leppard had done it again: Adrenalize was on par with, if not — gasp! — better than Hysteria!
Or was it?
There is a reason I’m bringing this up: over the first few months after Diamond Star Halos‘ announcement and release, numerous album references and comparisons emerged, ranging from it being Def Leppard’s best album since Euphoria… no, make that Adrenalize… wait, it’s Hysteria. Some proclamations even went further back to High ‘n’ Dry.
I have no reason to doubt anyone’s opinion, but it’s worth mentioning that those comparisons tend to shift over time.
But don’t take my word for it. The band members do an outstanding job hyping up a Def Leppard project. They know what it takes to promote and market it — and excite the fan base. (This is a genuine compliment.)
When Adrenalize was released, it was inevitably promoted as Def Leppard’s latest and greatest. Many years later, though, Joe Elliott admitted that his opinion on whether he even likes (or dislikes) the album often changes “depending on which way the wind is blowing.” Rick Savage candidly revealed his thoughts on Adrenalize in 2015’s Classic Rock Presents Def Leppard Fanpack, saying “We tried to outdo Hysteria, which was a mistake… It really doesn’t cut it for me.”
In 1999, Euphoria was touted and marketed as the final piece of the band’s trilogy of big production releases (tossing Adrenalize aside), and given a sacred place alongside juggernauts Pyromania and Hysteria. Decades later, Joe Elliott has become more dismissive of Euphoria, politely (his word) referring to it as “patchy.”
When Def Leppard released their 2015 self-titled album, Phil Collen declared in an interview with Songfacts that it was “the best album we’ve done since Hysteria,” adding, “the process was brilliant” (statements quite similar to those he also made about Diamond Star Halos).
Views change once you get past the initial excitement and anticipation — that is, the all-important promotional window — around a new album release.
So does Diamond Star Halos really rank up there with some of the greatest work Def Leppard has ever released? And which Def Leppard album does Diamond Star Halos really best pair with — is it one of the band’s earlier releases or one of their more recent ones? We’ll get back to that in just a moment.
Prior to its release, Joe Elliott referred to Diamond Star Halos as a “career-defining album.” History will ultimately determine whether that is the case. And while hearing new music from the band can indeed be thrilling, it’s debatable whether an album primarily driven by only two of its band members (and includes outside songwriters) truly defines Def Leppard’s career.
One can make the case that Diamond Star Halos is no more career-defining than Def Leppard’s previous self-titled Def Leppard release, which is arguably most comparable to Diamond Star Halos. It can also be labeled as the band’s “pandemic album,” which is fair. That doesn’t lessen its reception or overall quality, though; Classic Rock magazine’s writers named it the best album of 2022.
Even if it isn’t career-defining, a more appropriate description might be that Diamond Star Halos represents how far Def Leppard has come, epitomizes where the band is currently in its illustrious career, and more or less represents Def Leppard during a unique time in the early 2020s.
To further the point, while the band’s last couple of studio album releases have had seven-year gaps between them, the band was already talking about working on new music and potentially another new Def Leppard album to follow up Diamond Star Halos merely months after its release.
The Stadium Tour & Beyond
This brings us full circle, back to the original Stadium Tour.
With a Top 10 album, a refreshed and revitalized Def Leppard returned to touring in 2022 with a new album (i.e., material) at the ready.
The band initially included four new Diamond Star Halos tracks in their Stadium Tour 2022 setlist. “Take What You Want” was practically a given to be their concert opener, considering it was the track — and not lead single “Kick” — they first performed when promoting the album on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
The band took a slight risk including so much new material, especially on a tour they had previously said would compress the length of their show and focus mostly on hits.
“We’re not going to be digging into deep tracks, album cuts, and obscure B-sides like we tended to do when we did the Vegas residencies.” — Joe Elliott, RollingStone.com, 2019
There were times in the past when songs like “Tonight” and “Four Letter Word” were played live, but they were strategically inserted to promote their respective new albums. Another example is “Let’s Go” from the Def Leppard album. These are songs that have their moments in the spotlight, but drop out of regular setlist rotation or never return at all over time.
With that in mind, having four Diamond Star Halos songs in the original, compressed Stadium Tour setlist wasn’t likely to last long. Unsurprisingly, soon after the tour’s 2022 launch, “Fire It Up” was replaced with “Let It Go.” (“Excitable” was swapped out for “Promises,” too.)
The band also included Diamond Star Halos track “This Guitar” in their setlist, aiming to tap into its crossover appeal with country audiences — similar to when “Nine Lives” (featuring Tim McGraw) briefly gained traction, or when the band performed with Taylor Swift on the country-pop crossover series CMT Crossroads.
It will be interesting to see which, if any, Diamond Star Halos songs remain in setlists beyond The Stadium Tour (and Summer Stadium Tour), i.e., once they are no longer Def Leppard’s latest offerings. (Update: The band did indeed remove all Diamond Star Halos tracks from their 2026 Las Vegas residency setlist at Caesars Palace. While a point can be made that the residency’s setlist focused on their hits, it still included more recent tracks, “Rejoice” and “Just Like 73,” which further reinforces that new songs will get short-term setlist inclusion primarily for promotional purposes and then be rotated out.)
Diamond Star Halos — Final Thoughts
After an unexpected but beneficial break from touring, a rejuvenated Def Leppard returned to the public spotlight with a welcome gift: Diamond Star Halos, an album offering a little something for nearly every type of Def Leppard fan to feast upon, thanks to its wide range of musical styles.
Not every song may appeal to fans with distinct tastes (particularly those who prefer the band’s earlier eras), but there is a diverse menu of songs to pick from. So go ahead — take what you want, take what you need, take anything that you please from Diamond Star Halos… just save some for me.
