"Vault: Def Leppard Greatest Hits (1980–1995)" is the first greatest hits album and the second compilation by English hard rock band Def Leppard. Released in the UK on October 23, 1995, by Mercury Records, it followed with a North American release on October 31. The album achieved significant commercial success, earning gold certifications in four countries, platinum in three, and multi-platinum in two. In the US, it is certified 5× platinum by the RIAA and surpassed five million sales by June 2011. The album won Metal Edge magazine's 1995 Readers' Choice Award for "Best Hits or Compilation Album."
The collection includes one newly recorded song, "When Love & Hate Collide," which was released as a single on October 2, 1995. The track listing varied by region, but none of the releases featured songs from the band's debut album, On Through the Night.
To promote Vault, Def Leppard performed acoustic shows across three continents on the same day: in Tangiers, Morocco; London, UK; and Vancouver, Canada, achieving a feat that made the Guinness Book of World Records.
The album includes original versions of songs, with some exceptions. The version of "Pour Some Sugar on Me" is the video edit, featuring an extended intro, while "Rocket" is the single edit, running about two and a half minutes shorter than the album version. "Bringin' on the Heartbreak" fades out earlier than in the original High 'n' Dry version.
The album's art direction and design were handled by Exquisite Corpse, with photography by Cynthia Levine and Ross Halfin. Most editions feature an image of a vault, while a limited edition two-disc version showcases a green eye with a vault inside. The CD liner notes include a three-page summary of the band's history by Peter Mensch and, although not included in the North American release, feature a note from the band discussing their upcoming album, Slang.
