Aerosmith Albums

If you are a lover of classic rock, your music collection isn’t complete unless you have Aerosmith albums among the titles. Hailing from Boston, Massachusetts, Aerosmith helped shape some of today’s rock music with their brand of blues-heavy rock. They laid the groundwork for bands such as Motley Crue and Guns N’ Roses. Here are a few definitive Aerosmith albums that belong in any serious classic rock lover’s library.

1. “Aerosmith”(1973) The first in a long line of Aerosmith albums, this self-titled debut contains classics like “Mama Kin” and “Walkin’ the Dog.” From the outset, Joe Perry’s guitar playing is laced with cocky swagger, tearing through blues riffs with assured precision. The cool, strutting vocals of Steven Tyler dance and sway through the driving rhythms of songs like “Make It” and “One Way Street.” Of all the Aerosmith albums to own, this is a must.
2. “Toys in the Attic” (1975) The third of the Aerosmith albums was the one that catapulted the band into super stardom. With heavy, Zeppelin-esque riffs, tracks like “Toys in the Attic” and “Adam’s Apple” show a maturation in Aerosmith’s songwriting. Songs like the fun-strutting “Walk This Way” and the smooth groove of “Sweet Emotion” enjoyed commercial success and were re-released on other Aerosmith albums.
3. “Permanent Vacation” (1987) This album marks the second coming of Aerosmith. In 1982, Joe Perry left the band and the music suffered, noticeably. He returned in 1985, and “Permanent Vacation” is evidence that Aerosmith had returned to claim the top of the rock and roll charts. Songs like “Dude Looks Like a Lady," “Rag Doll” and “Angel” helped to revitalize the band’s popularity in the late eighties.
4. “Pump” (1989) Of all the Aerosmith albums released, “Pump” contains some of the more commercially popular singles in the band’s history. “Love in an Elevator” is the classic Aerosmith rock and swagger track. Songs like “Janie’s Got a Gun” and “The Other Side” have a cinematic feel to their arrangements. “What It Takes” is a heart wrenching ballad, finding Steven Tyler in prime voice.
5. “Get a Grip” (1993) This was the first of the Aerosmith albums to reach number one on the Billboard charts. “Living on the Edge” and “Eat the Rich” were the first singles. The songs show little evidence that Aerosmith had any intention of slowing down after twenty years. The tracks “Crying,” “Amazing” and “Crazy” became anthems of the music video generation, and cemented the band’s status as one of the greats in classic rock.