Aerosmith

Aerosmith is an American hard rock band formed in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1970. The group’s core lineup features lead singer Steven Tyler, bassist Tom Hamilton, drummer Joey Kramer, and guitarists Joe Perry and Brad Whitford. Ray Tabano is also part of the band’s history, and the line-up changes include Whitford replacing Tabano in 1971 after the band forms from earlier connections between Perry, Hamilton, Tyler, Kramer and Tabano.

Style and songwriting

The band’s sound is rooted in blues-based hard rock and also draws on pop rock, heavy metal, glam metal and rhythm and blues. Their work is also associated with aor, arena rock, blues rock, classic rock and glam metal. Tyler and Perry form the group’s main songwriting partnership and are often called the Toxic Twins.

Albums and major singles

Aerosmith releases its debut album, Aerosmith, in 1973, followed by Get Your Wings in 1974. The band reaches wider commercial success with Toys in the Attic in 1975 and Rocks in 1976, and continues through the late 1970s with Draw the Line and Night in the Ruts. Singles from this period include “Sweet Emotion,” “Dream On” and “Walk This Way.”

After Perry leaves in 1979 and Whitford in 1981, Aerosmith releases Rock in a Hard Place in 1982 without matching earlier commercial success. Perry and Whitford return in 1984, leading to the comeback album Done with Mirrors in 1985. The band then regains broad popularity with its 1986 remake of “Walk This Way” with Run-D.M.C. and the multi-platinum Permanent Vacation in 1987. Later releases include Pump in 1989, Get a Grip in 1993, and Nine Lives in 1997, with hit singles such as “Dude (Looks Like a Lady),” “Angel,” “Rag Doll,” “Love in an Elevator,” “Janie’s Got a Gun,” “What It Takes,” “Livin’ on the Edge,” “Cryin’” and “Crazy.”

The band’s later albums include Just Push Play in 2001, which features “Jaded,” the blues cover album Honkin’ on Bobo in 2004, and Music from Another Dimension! in 2012. “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing,” from the Armageddon soundtrack, becomes the band’s first number-one hit in 1998.

Recognition and wider reach

Aerosmith is one of the best-selling American rock bands, with estimated worldwide sales of more than 150 million records, including over 69 million in the United States. Its catalogue includes 25 gold, 18 platinum and 12 multi-platinum albums, giving it the highest total number of certifications for an American band. The group reaches 21 Top 40 hits on the US Billboard Hot 100 and nine number-one songs on the Mainstream Rock chart.

The band receives four Grammy Awards, six American Music Awards and ten MTV Video Music Awards. It is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001, while Tyler and Perry enter the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2013. Aerosmith also receives the MusiCares Person of the Year award in 2020.

Other projects and appearances

Aerosmith becomes known for high-profile music videos and for appearances in film, television and video games. In 1999, the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith opens at Walt Disney World. The band also releases Guitar Hero: Aerosmith in 2008, described as one of the best-selling band-themed video games. Between 2019 and 2022, the group plays a Las Vegas residency, with a pause during the COVID-19 pandemic.

After Tyler’s vocal injury during the third show of the farewell tour in 2023, Aerosmith stops touring in 2024, although occasional one-off performances continue and new recordings remain possible.