Saturday, 20 September 2025

Aerosmith album by album

  



Aerosmith are an American mainstream rawk band that are much bigger in America than elsewhere in the world. I was aware of them during the 70s, but they were always a little too mainstream for my taste, and too derivative of the Stones to be interesting. During the 80s when they became more popular, Run DMC covered "Walk This Way", which I found attractive, and I later became aware of "Love In An Elevator". And I became aware that in the 90s they were doing rock ballads. I think "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" is the song I was aware of. On the whole the derivative Spinal Tap pop-rawk aspects of the band have not appealed to me, and - other than the Run DMC version of "Walk This Way" - the band's music hasn't interested me. But when looking at Wikipedia's list of  Best selling music artists, and seeing Aerosmith on the list, I thought I'd explore them a bit more, to see what I'm missing. 


Aerosmith is an American rock band formed in Boston in 1970.[1][2][3] The group consists of lead vocalist Steven Tyler, bassist Tom Hamilton, drummer Joey Kramer, and guitarists Joe Perry and Brad Whitford. Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock,[4][5] has also incorporated elements of pop rock,[6] heavy metal,[4] glam metal,[7] and rhythm and blues,[8] and has inspired many subsequent rock artists.[9] Aerosmith is sometimes referred to as "the Bad Boys from Boston"[10] and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band".[11][12][13][14] The primary songwriting team of Tyler and Perry is sometimes referred to as the "Toxic Twins".

Aerosmith is the best-selling American hard rock band of all time, having sold more than 150 million records worldwide, including over 69.5 million records in the United States.[19][20] With 25 gold, 18 platinum, and 12 multi-platinum albums, they hold the record for the most total certifications by an American group and are tied for the most multi-platinum albums by an American group. They have achieved twenty-one Top 40 hits on the US Hot 100, nine number-one Mainstream Rock hits, four Grammy Awards, six American Music Awards, and ten MTV Video Music Awards. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001, and were ranked number 57 and 30, respectively, on Rolling Stone's and VH1's lists of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.[21] In 2013, Tyler and Perry were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and in 2020, the band received the MusiCares Person of the Year award.



Specializing in raunchy, sleazy boogie and melodramatic ballads, Aerosmith were one of the biggest hard rock bands to emerge in the 1970s, shaping the sound and style of hard rock and metal in the decades to come. The Boston-based quintet found the middle ground between the menace of the Rolling Stones and the campy, sleazy flamboyance of the New York Dolls, developing a lean, dirty riff-oriented boogie that was loose and swinging and as hard as a diamond. In the meantime, they developed a prototype for power ballads with "Dream On" using a piano orchestrated with strings and distorted guitars. Aerosmith's ability to pull off both ballads and rock & roll made them extremely popular during the mid-'70s, when they had a string of gold and platinum albums. By the early '80s, the group's audience had declined as the band fell prey to drug and alcohol abuse, setting the stage for one of the most remarkable comebacks in rock history. A cleaned-up Aerosmith happily adapted to an era of MTV and corporate rock without losing their cheerfully trashy essence, giving them a series of smashes in the late '80s and '90s that helped sustain their popularity into the 2020s, when they launched a farewell tour on their 50th anniversary.


Recordings 



  
Aerosmith (1973)

Basic boogie blues and rock, but actually quite decent and attractive. They actually sound less like the Stones than I thought they would. They come across as fairly American with tones of Alice Cooper (Schools Out, 1972) and Lynyrd Skynyrd (debut album 1973).  Having said that, the Stones influence is apparent in all three bands.  

None of the songs stand out, and there's little here to encourage repeated listening or to explore the band further. Cooper and Skynyrd's albums are more attractive. But it's actually not a bad album. Better than I expected.   And I like it more with each listen. Critics like "Dream On", as they perceive it to be the first power ballad, but UK bands, especially Led Zeppelin, had been exploring heavy and light before that. Zeppelin examples: "Stairway to Heaven" (1971), "Tangerine" (1970),  "What Is And Should Never Be" (1969), "Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You" (1969). 

"Mama Kin" is a rocky little number. 


All tracks are written by Steven Tyler, except where noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Make It" 3:41
2."Somebody"Tyler, Steven Emspak3:45
3."Dream On" 4:28
4."One Way Street" 7:00
5."Mama Kin" 4:25
6."Write Me a Letter" 4:11
7."Movin' Out"Tyler, Joe Perry5:03
8."Walkin' the Dog"Rufus Thomas3:12
Total length:35:48



AllMusic: 7
Score: 5


  
Get Your Wings (1974)

I'm not liking this on first listen as much as the debut album.  But critics seem to like it more. 



Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Same Old Song and Dance"Steven Tyler, Joe Perry3:53
2."Lord of the Thighs"Tyler4:14
3."Spaced"Tyler, Perry4:21
4."Woman of the World"Tyler, Don Solomon5:49
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."S.O.S. (Too Bad)"Tyler2:51
2."Train Kept A Rollin'"Tiny Bradshaw, Howard Kay, Lois Mann5:33
3."Seasons of Wither"Tyler5:38
4."Pandora's Box"Tyler, Joey Kramer5:43



AllMusic: 9
Score: 3.5 


   
Toys in the Attic (1975)


Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Toys in the Attic"Steven Tyler, Joe Perry3:05
2."Uncle Salty"Tyler, Tom Hamilton4:10
3."Adam's Apple"Tyler4:34
4."Walk This Way"Tyler, Perry3:40
5."Big Ten Inch Record"Fred Weismantel2:16
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Sweet Emotion"Tyler, Hamilton4:34
2."No More No More"Tyler, Perry4:34
3."Round and Round"Tyler, Brad Whitford5:03
4."You See Me Crying"Tyler, Don Solomon5:12




AllMusic: 10
Score: 


Rocks (1976)

There's an AC/DC feel to the opening track. This is more rocky and earthy than some of the other Aerosmith albums, and, for me, is closer in feel to the debut. 


Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Back in the Saddle"Steven Tyler, Joe Perry4:40
2."Last Child"Tyler, Brad Whitford3:27
3."Rats in the Cellar"Tyler, Perry4:02
4."Combination"Perry3:42
Total length:15:51
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Sick as a Dog"Tyler, Tom Hamilton4:25
2."Nobody's Fault"Tyler, Whitford4:40
3."Get the Lead Out"Tyler, Perry3:42
4."Lick and a Promise"Tyler, Perry3:04
5."Home Tonight"Tyler3:15
Total length:19:06
  
  • Steven Tyler – lead vocals, keyboards, harmonica, bass guitar on "Sick as a Dog"
  • Joe Perry – lead guitar on track 3, 4, 7, 8; six-string bass on "Back in the Saddle", bass guitar on "Sick as a Dog", pedal steel guitar on "Home Tonight", percussion and outro solo on "Sick as a Dog", backing vocals, harmony vocal on "Combination"
  • Brad Whitford – lead guitars on track 1, 2, 5, 6, 9 and rhythm guitar (3, 4, 7, 8)
  • Tom Hamilton – bass guitar, rhythm guitar on "Sick as a Dog"
  • Joey Kramer – drums, percussion, backing vocals on "Home Tonight"


AllMusic: 10
Score: 4/5
    
Draw the Line (1977)




AllMusic: 7
Score: 

   
Night in the Ruts (1979)


No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."No Surprize"Steven Tyler, Joe Perry4:25
2."Chiquita"Tyler, Perry4:24
3."Remember (Walking in the Sand)" (The Shangri-Las cover)Shadow Morton4:04
4."Cheese Cake"Tyler, Perry4:15
5."Three Mile Smile"Tyler, Perry3:42
6."Reefer Head Woman" (Jazz Gillum cover)Bennett,  Gillum, Melrose4:01
7."Bone to Bone (Coney Island White Fish Boy)"Tyler, Perry2:59
8."Think About It" (The Yardbirds cover)Keith Relf, Jimmy Page, Jim McCarty3:34
9."Mia"Tyler4:14
Total length:35:41



AllMusic: 5
Score: 


Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Jailbait"Steven Tyler, Jimmy Crespo4:38
2."Lightning Strikes"Tyler, Crespo, Richard Supa4:26
3."Bitch's Brew"Tyler, Crespo4:14
4."Bolivian Ragamuffin"Tyler, Crespo3:32
5."Cry Me a River"Arthur Hamilton4:06
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."Prelude to Joanie"Tyler1:21
7."Joanie's Butterfly"Tyler, Crespo, Jack Douglas5:35
8."Rock in a Hard Place (Cheshire Cat)"Tyler, Crespo, Douglas4:46
9."Jig Is Up"Tyler, Crespo3:10
10."Push Comes to Shove"Tyler4:28
Total length:40:16


AllMusic: 3
Score: 


  
Done with Mirrors (1985)


No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Let the Music Do the Talking" (cover)Joe Perry3:48
2."My Fist Your Face"Steven Tyler, Perry4:23
3."Shame on You"Tyler3:22
4."The Reason a Dog"Tyler, Tom Hamilton4:13
5."Shela"Tyler, Brad Whitford4:25
6."Gypsy Boots"Tyler, Perry4:16
7."She's on Fire"Tyler, Perry3:47
8."The Hop"Tyler, Hamilton, Kramer, Perry, Whitford3:45
9."Darkness"Tyler3:43
Total length:35:42


AllMusic: 8
Score: 

   
Permanent Vacation (1987)

This is a simple straight ahead rocker, kinda in the style of AC/DC, though with elements of other rock bands such as Led Zeppelin and the Stones present in the mix. It's listenable and attractive, though isn't doing anything different or better than other rock bands. However it is breathless and exciting and very melodic and commercial. Contrary to the 70s image of Aerosmith as a raucous and raw band, this comes across as very slick and corporate and listenable. This is the sort of hard rock my grandmother would have liked. All too often they remind me more of Bette Midler than The Kingsmen or The Stooges.  I really like the album, but it doesn't get me in the nuts - it feels cliched and redundant and old fashioned and over-produced. But, yeah, I can certainly see why the album sold, especially to the instant gratification MTV generation.  There's some good songs on here, and "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" is great fun - a poppy, tongue-in-cheek, 80's Rolling Stones pastiche. The album has a number of popular and radio friendly songs. 



No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Heart's Done Time"
4:42
2."Magic Touch"
4:40
3."Rag Doll"
4:21
4."Simoriah"
  • Tyler
  • Perry
  • Vallance
3:22
5."Dude (Looks Like a Lady)"
  • Tyler
  • Perry
  • Child
4:23
6."St. John"Tyler4:12
7."Hangman Jury"
  • Tyler
  • Perry
  • Vallance
5:33
8."Girl Keeps Coming Apart"
  • Tyler
  • Perry
4:12
9."Angel"
  • Tyler
  • Child
5:10
10."Permanent Vacation"
4:52
11."I'm Down" (The Beatles cover)
2:20
12."The Movie"
4:00
Total length:51:47


AllMusic: 8
Score: 5

    
Pump (1989)

Powerful and hugely commercial, this captures both aspects of the band - their exciting rawk, and their melodic commercial appeal, at its peak. This is one of the best selling Aerosmith albums, and with "Love In An Elevator" contains one of their best known songs outside of the Run DMC version of "Walk This Way". 



ReleasedSeptember 12, 1989
StudioLittle Mountain Sound (Vancouver, Canada)
Genre
Length47:44
LabelGeffen
ProducerBruce Fairbairn

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Young Lust"Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Jim Vallance4:19
2."F.I.N.E.*"Tyler, Perry, Desmond Child4:08
3."Going Down/Love in an Elevator"Tyler, Perry5:38
4."Monkey on My Back"Tyler, Perry3:56
5."Water Song/Janie's Got a Gun"Tyler, Tom Hamilton5:40
6."Dulcimer Stomp/The Other Side"Tyler, Vallance, Holland, Dozier, Holland4:56
7."My Girl"Tyler, Perry3:10
8."Don't Get Mad, Get Even"Tyler, Perry4:48
9."Hoodoo/Voodoo Medicine Man"Tyler, Brad Whitford4:41
10."What It Takes" Tyler, Perry, Child6:28
Total length:47:44


AllMusic: 9
Score: 5

  
Get a Grip (1993)

This is the band's biggest seller worldwide. Perhaps as a result of a build up of expectation after the last of the 80's albums. I'm not finding the songs as good, nor the general ambiance. It feels like the band are trying hard, but have lost their edge, or whatever it was that made them a step above the average mainstream pop-rock band in the 80's. Hmm. 



ReleasedApril 20, 1993
RecordedJanuary–February, September–November 1992
Studio
Genre
Length62:06
LabelGeffen
ProducerBruce Fairbairn

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Intro"Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Jim Vallance0:24
2."Eat the Rich"Tyler, Perry, Vallance4:11
3."Get a Grip"Tyler, Perry, Vallance3:59
4."Fever"Tyler, Perry4:15
5."Livin' on the Edge"Tyler, Perry, Mark Hudson6:07
6."Flesh"Tyler, Perry, Desmond Child5:57
7."Walk On Down"Perry3:39
8."Shut Up and Dance"Tyler, Perry, Jack Blades, Tommy Shaw4:56
9."Cryin'"Tyler, Perry, Taylor Rhodes5:09
10."Gotta Love It"Tyler, Perry, Hudson5:58
11."Crazy"Tyler, Perry, Child5:14
12."Line Up"Tyler, Perry, Lenny Kravitz4:03
13."Amazing"Tyler, Richard Supa5:57
14."Boogie Man" (Instrumental)Tyler, Perry, Vallance2:17
Total length:1:02:06



AllMusic: 5
Score: 3


   
Nine Lives (1997)

A return to Columbia Records. A tired and uninspired album. It sold well across the world, and is the band's 7th bestseller, including best-of compilations. It's quite noisy with some sense of Aerosmith hard rock excitement, but at the same time it is quite muddy, predicable, and boring, with a lack of genuine fun and danger. A band going through the motions and sounding lumpen and stretched. "Pink" is OK, and is probably the best song.  At times the band a bit like Guns 'n Roses. They feel somewhat mature and grown up, with elements of widescreen country music in the mix. 


ReleasedMarch 18, 1997
RecordedSeptember–November 1996
Studio
  • Avatar, New York City
  • The Boneyard
Genre
Length62:54
LabelColumbia
Producer

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Nine Lives"Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Marti Frederiksen4:01
2."Falling in Love (Is Hard on the Knees)"Tyler, Perry, Glen Ballard3:26
3."Hole in My Soul"Tyler, Perry, Desmond Child6:10
4."Taste of India"Tyler, Perry, Ballard5:53
5."Full Circle"Tyler, Taylor Rhodes5:01
6."Something's Gotta Give"Tyler, Perry, Frederiksen3:37
7."Ain't That a Bitch"Tyler, Perry, Child5:25
8."The Farm"Tyler, Perry, Mark Hudson, Steve Dudas4:27
9."Crash"Tyler, Perry, Hudson, Dominic Miller4:26
10."Kiss Your Past Good-Bye"Tyler, Hudson4:32
11."Pink"Tyler, Richard Supa, Ballard3:55
12."Attitude Adjustment"Tyler, Perry, Frederiksen3:45
13."Fallen Angels"Tyler, Perry, Supa8:16
Total length:62:54


AllMusic: 5
Score: 3.5

   
Just Push Play (2001)


There's a sprinkle of glam and energy about this, but it's not Aerosmith at their peak, and it shows. It's like an overweight Gary Glitter pumping hard in stretched and splitting lycra, and with his makeup melting down his face. 

ReleasedMarch 5, 2001
RecordedApril–December 2000
Genre
Length
  • 48:56 (US)
  • 53:34 (International)
LabelColumbia
Producer

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Beyond Beautiful"
4:45
2."Just Push Play"
3:51
3."Jaded"
  • Tyler
  • Frederiksen
3:34
4."Fly Away from Here"
  • Frederiksen
  • Todd Chapman
5:01
5."Trip Hoppin'"
  • Tyler
  • Perry
  • Frederiksen
  • Hudson
4:27
6."Sunshine"
  • Tyler
  • Perry
  • Frederiksen
3:37
7."Under My Skin"
  • Tyler
  • Perry
  • Frederiksen
  • Hudson
3:45
8."Luv Lies"
  • Tyler
  • Perry
  • Frederiksen
  • Hudson
4:26
9."Outta Your Head"
  • Tyler
  • Perry
  • Frederiksen
3:22
10."Drop Dead Gorgeous"
  • Tyler
  • Perry
  • Hudson
3:42
11."Light Inside"
  • Tyler
  • Perry
  • Frederiksen
3:34
12."Avant Garden"
  • Tyler
  • Perry
  • Frederiksen
  • Hudson
4:52
Total length:48:56




AllMusic: 6
Score:3  


Honkin' on Bobo (2004)


Wikipedia 
AllMusic: 
Score: 


Music from Another Dimension! (2012)



Wikipedia 
AllMusic: 
Score: 







Discography 



Aerosmith (1973)
Get Your Wings (1974)
Toys in the Attic (1975)
Rocks (1976)
Draw the Line (1977)
Night in the Ruts (1979)
Rock in a Hard Place (1982)
Done with Mirrors (1985)
Permanent Vacation (1987)
Pump (1989)
Get a Grip (1993)
Nine Lives (1997)
Just Push Play (2001)
Honkin' on Bobo (2004)
Music from Another Dimension! (2012)


Links 




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