The 2005 double-disc set
Rock of Ages: The Definitive Collection
is the second
Def Leppard
compilation to be released in the U.S. The first,
Vault: Def Leppard Greatest Hits
, appeared ten years earlier, and while the band was active in the decade separating the two albums, charting fairly consistently, it didn't have any major hits during that time, so the chief appeal of
Rock of Ages
versus
Vault
is that it covers more ground.
had 15 songs.
has 35, including all of the songs on
. Actually, the first disc of
functions as an expanded version of that earlier comp, adding two cuts. The second disc skips around their career, wisely concentrating on their early-'80s albums, which were somewhat under-represented on
, and adding a new song for good measure (a cover of
Badfinger
's
"No Matter What,"
which is from their "forthcoming covers album"). While this may be too much
for some casual fans -- for those listeners, the 2004 import-only collection
Best of Def Leppard
is a good choice, since it expands on
-- it nevertheless is the best overview of the group's career yet assembled, since it has not only the hits, but the sleek, glammy
pop-metal
that earned them the reputation as one of the biggest and best bands of the '80s. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine