Def Leppard's 'Rock of Ages' Crowned
Def Leppard's "Rock of Ages" has been officially anointed the "Greatest Hair Metal Anthem of All Time", reflecting both the band's legacy and the lasting party spirit of the era. The song's selection underscores the enduring popularity of hair metal classics among both longtime fans and new listeners.
- The song's title was inspired when lead singer Joe Elliott found a hymn book in the recording studio and saw the words "Rock of Ages." The memorable, German-sounding opening line, "Gunter glieben glauchen globen," is actually meaningless gibberish ad-libbed by producer Robert "Mutt" Lange to replace a standard "one, two, three, four" count-in. - "Rock of Ages" was the second single from the band's 1983 breakthrough album, *Pyromania*. The song reached #16 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and #1 on the Top Tracks Rock chart in the United States. - The album *Pyromania* was a massive commercial success, selling over 10 million copies in the U.S. and earning a Diamond certification from the RIAA. Its success is credited as a major catalyst for the 1980s pop-metal movement. - A lyrical snippet in the song, "It's better to burn out than to fade away," is a direct reference to Neil Young's 1979 song "My My, Hey Hey (Out Of The Blue)." - The music video, filmed in London, featured former co-manager Peter Mensch dressed as a monk and was directed by David Mallet. It became a staple on the then-fledgling MTV, which was crucial in propelling the band and the hair metal genre to mainstream popularity. - Def Leppard is one of only five rock bands to have two original studio albums sell over 10 million copies each in the US, with both *Pyromania* and 1987's *Hysteria* achieving Diamond status. - The band, which formed in Sheffield, England, in 1977, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019. The current lineup has remained unchanged since 1992.
