X (Def Leppard album)

X

US cover
Studio album by Def Leppard
Released 30 July 2002
Studio Joe's Garage in Dublin, Ireland
Polar Studios in Stockholm, Sweden
Rumbo Studios in Los Angeles, California, USA
Genre Hard rock,[1] Heavy metal[1]
Length 47:09
Label Island (US)
Bludgeon Riffola/Mercury (UK & Europe)
Producer Pete Woodroffe and Def Leppard
Per Aldeheim and Andreas Carlsson
Marti Frederiksen
Def Leppard chronology

Euphoria
(1999)
X
(2002)
Best of Def Leppard
(2004)
Singles from X
  1. "Now"
    Released: 5 August 2002
  2. "Four Letter Word"
    Released: 23 November 2002
  3. "Long, Long Way to Go"
    Released: 14 April 2003
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic link
Rolling Stone link
NME link

X (pronounced ten) is the eighth studio album by English rock band Def Leppard, released in 2002 by Island Records. Much like 1996's Slang, it featured another departure from their signature sound by moving into the pop genre. The album charted at No. 11 on The Billboard 200[2] and No. 14 on the UK Albums Chart.[3] Most of the album was produced by Pete Woodroffe and the band, with remaining tracks produced by either Marti Frederiksen or Per Aldeheim and Andreas Carlsson. This is the first Def Leppard album in which drummer Rick Allen actively took part in song-writing. On all of the band's prior albums, he is only credited with helping co-write 3 tracks. On this album alone, he co-wrote 11.

The album features the Roman numeral 'X', recognising it as their tenth album release, although the album is in fact only their eighth collection of all-new studio material. The other two albums released by the band prior to the release of X, Retro Active and Vault, were a rerecording of B-sides and rarities and a greatest hits set respectively.

The album peaked at number 11 on the Billboard 200, but did not sell to the standards of their previous releases and failed to earn any RIAA certifications. Nothing from this album had been performed live by the band since the conclusion of its supporting tour until the 'Rock of Ages' tour of 2012 during which the opening track "Now" was performed acoustically.

For a short time after the album was released, Def Leppard's website Defleppard.com featured a free mp3 download of the song "Perfect Girl" this was in fact a very early version of the track "Gravity"

Track listing

No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "Now"  Marti Frederiksen, Phil Collen, Joe Elliott, Vivian Campbell, Rick Savage, Rick Allen 3:58
2. "Unbelievable"  Per Aldeheim, Andreas Carlsson, Max Martin 3:58
3. "You're So Beautiful"  Frederiksen, Collen, Elliott, Campbell, Savage, Allen 3:31
4. "Everyday"  Frederiksen, Collen, Elliott, Campbell, Savage, Allen 3:08
5. "Long, Long Way to Go"  Wayne Hector, Steve Robson 4:38
6. "Four Letter Word"  Collen, Elliott, Campbell, Savage, Allen 3:07
7. "Torn to Shreds"  Collen, Savage, Elliott, Campbell, Allen 2:56
8. "Love Don't Lie"  Elliott, Collen, Campbell, Savage, Allen 4:46
9. "Gravity"  Collen, Elliott, Pete Woodroffe, Campbell, Savage, Allen 2:33
10. "Cry"  Collen, Elliott, Campbell, Savage, Allen 3:17
11. "Girl Like You"  Campbell, Collen, Elliott, Savage, Allen 2:49
12. "Let Me Be the One"  Elliott, Campbell, Collen, Savage, Allen 3:29
13. "Scar"  Collen, Elliott, Campbell, Savage, Woodroffe, Allen 4:59
Bonus tracks
No. TitleWriter(s) Length
14. "Kiss the Day"  Savage, Collen, Elliott, Campbell, Allen 4:27
15. "Long, Long Way to Go" (acoustic)Hector, Robson 4:43
16. "10 X Bigger than Love"  Elliott, Collen, Campbell, Savage, Allen 3:57
17. "Gimme A Job"  Elliott, Collen, Campbell, Savage, Allen 3:17
18. "Perfect Girl" (Demo, early version of "Gravity")Collen, Elliott, Woodroffe, Campbell, Savage, Allen 2:41

Personnel

Additional personnel

Production

Charts

Album

Year Chart Peak
position
2002 US Billboard 200 11

Singles

Year Single Chart Peak
position
2002 "Now" US Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks 26
2002 "Now" US Billboard Adult Top 40 40
2002 "Now" Nielsen SoundScan Canadian Singles Chart 29
2002 "Four Letter Word" US Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks 30

References

Footnotes
Other