Def Leppard Misses Hitting No. 1 For The First Time On One Chart
Def Leppard debuts “Rejoice” across multiple Billboard charts, narrowly missing reaching No. 1 for the first time on the Hard Rock Digital Song Sales ranking. HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 09: Vivian Campbell, Joe Elliott, Rick Allen, Rick Savage and Phil Collen attend Def Leppard Honored With Star On Hollywood Walk Of Fame on October 09, 2025 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
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Def Leppard kicked 2026 off with a bang by releasing a new single titled “Rejoice.” So far, the tune is not connected to any larger project, but fans of the hard rock group were clearly thrilled to hear it.
“Rejoice” becomes a smash on several Billboard charts in America, launching in notable positions thanks largely to a healthy first-week sales showing. The cut nearly brings Def Leppard to No. 1 on one tally the rockers have never ruled before, but it misses out on running the show by one frustrating position.
“Rejoice” Narrowly Misses Out on Debuting at No. 1
“Rejoice” debuts on a quartet of Billboard charts this week, and it earns its most impressive starting point on the Hard Rock Digital Song Sales list. Def Leppard brings its new tune to No. 2, thanks to just under 1,200 pure purchases, according to Luminate.
Def Leppard’s Hits on Billboard’s Hard Rock Sales Chart
Since first landing on the Hard Rock Digital Song Sales chart in June 2012, when two versions of “Pour Some Sugar on Me” hit the list, Def Leppard has racked up 18 placements on the genre-specific roster. A dozen of those cuts have climbed into the top 10.
“Rejoice” marks a new high for the band, as it’s the first Def Leppard cut to stall at No. 2. “Rejoice” beats both “Kick” and the original “Pour Some Sugar on Me,” which stalled at No. 3 in 2022 and 2018, respectively.
Def Leppard Debuts Behind Motionless in White’s New No. 1
Def Leppard is beaten to the summit on the Hard Rock Digital Song Sales chart by another new arrival. Motionless in White debuts “Afraid of the Dark” at No. 1 this week. Those two acts claim the only arrivals on the list, while previous bestsellers from Rage Against the Machine, Senses and Alice in Chains return to the roster.
American rock band Alice in Chains, USA, 1990. Left to right: guitarist Jerry Cantrell, singer Layne Staley (1967 – 2002), drummer Sean Kinney and bassist Mike Starr (1966 – 2011). (Photo by Krasner/Trebitz /Redferns)
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“Rejoice” Launches Within the Top 10 on Two Billboard Lists
“Rejoice” also debuts within the top 10 on one similarly-composed tally, the Rock Digital Song Sales chart. Def Leppard launches its latest release at No. 5. The group earns a second top 10 success, as “Rejoice” beats the No. 10 high point that “Kick” established several years ago.
Def Leppard Hits a Career High on the Digital Song Sales Chart
The hard rock band manages to set a new career-best showing on a third Billboard chart. “Rejoice” starts its time on the Digital Song Sales ranking, which is essentially the same as both the Rock Digital Song Sales and Hard Rock Digital Song Sales lists – except it is not specific to any one style – in twentieth place.
Def Leppard earns just its second hit on one of Billboard’s most competitive tallies. Back in 2021, Def Leppard sent “Photograph” to No. 40. The list only features 25 spaces these days, as the chart company shortened it due to the fact that sales are not nearly as important in the American music industry as they were only a few years back.
“Rejoice” Arrives on the Hot Hard Rock Songs Chart
There is one additional chart where “Rejoice” debuts, where it does not mark a new high for Def Leppard. On the Hot Hard Rock Songs ranking, which is a consumption-based rundown, as it blends sales, streaming, and airplay data to rank the most consumed and most-heard hard rock tracks in the U.S., “Rejoice” starts off at No. 22.
The single is the fourth appearance on the hard rock tally for Def Leppard, and it marks the third-lowest peak for the group. Only “Just Like 73,” a collaboration with Tom Morello, has stalled in a lower position, but not by much. “Just Like 73” opened at No. 23 in the summer of 2024 and then vanished. Both “Kick” and “Fire It Up” appeared in more impressive spots in mid-2022 when they hit Nos. 15 and 18, respectively.
