<P> Def Leppard 's debut album , On Through the Night , was released on 14 March 1980 . Although the album hit the Top 15 in the UK , many early fans were turned off by the perception that the band was trying too hard to appeal to American audiences by recording songs such as `` Hello America '' and touring more in the US ( supporting Pat Travers , AC / DC , and Ted Nugent ) . A performance at the Reading Festival in August was marred when audience members expressed their displeasure by pelting the band with beer cans and bottles filled with urine . This incident was partially blamed on a cover story in Sounds music newspaper by the journalist Geoff Barton entitled `` Has the Leppard changed its spots ? '' accusing the band of selling out to the American market . In a documentary on the band recorded for BBC 2 , Barton recalls feelings of guilt over the story and having a `` stand - up row '' with the band 's manager , Mensch , backstage at the show . In the documentary series Metal Evolution , Joe Elliott says that the media had exaggerated the event and all bands on the day had experienced the ' abuse ' from the crowd . </P>
<P> Def Leppard 's debut album , On Through the Night , was released on 14 March 1980 . Although the album hit the Top 15 in the UK , many early fans were turned off by the perception that the band was trying too hard to appeal to American audiences by recording songs such as `` Hello America '' and touring more in the US ( supporting Pat Travers , AC / DC , and Ted Nugent ) . A performance at the Reading Festival in August was marred when audience members expressed their displeasure by pelting the band with beer cans and bottles filled with urine . This incident was partially blamed on a cover story in Sounds music newspaper by the journalist Geoff Barton entitled `` Has the Leppard changed its spots ? '' accusing the band of selling out to the American market . In a documentary on the band recorded for BBC 2 , Barton recalls feelings of guilt over the story and having a `` stand - up row '' with the band 's manager , Mensch , backstage at the show . In the documentary series Metal Evolution , Joe Elliott says that the media had exaggerated the event and all bands on the day had experienced the ' abuse ' from the crowd . </P>
when did def leppard release their first album
when did def leppard release their first album
14 March 1980
14 March 1980