Aerosmith Albums Ranked
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as “the Bad Boys from Boston” and “America’s Greatest Rock and Roll Band” Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop rock, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many subsequent rock artists. Here are their top albums of all time ranked.
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15. Music from Another Dimension (2012)
“I have been a fan of this band for some time and have the majority of their albums, couldn’t wait for this one to be released, but after listening to it I was terribly disappointed. It seemed to me like it was rushed and the majority of songs were not up to the standard one would expect from this band. After all the publicity generated before this album was released you would think it was going to be something special well it wasn’t. If these guys recorded another album in the future I certainly would not be rushing to the music store to buy it.”
14. Just Push Play (2001)
“Aerosmith has certainly evolved quite a bit when they first came on the scene in the early seventies. The early Aerosmith was noted for ear grabbing guitar riffs, raunchy vocals, and a loud sound. Where the raunchiness is certainly front and center, the guitar playing is buried too much beneath the supporting string arrangement. Gosh let Joe and Barry crank up their amps and play. None the less, the songs for the most part are very catchy. Beyond Beautiful, Outta Your Head, and Fly Away From Here have some very catchy hooks. And I love the scratching effect on the title track and the atmosphere on Drop Dead Goregous. Aerosmith shows the willingness to continue to experiment. This has made them a great success in the changing popular music world. Therefore, Just Push Play and Enjoy!”
13. Honkin’ on Bobo (2004)
“Superbly assembled twelve track CD from Aerosmith’s personal tribute of their choice of the most influential (and most important) blues performers of all time. At first, I assumed this was a live CD, but it’s probably just as well that it’s not. Nonetheless, production is top notch here. Tunes here that I could barely get enough of are the Bo Diddley staple, the [always] foot-stomper “Road Runner”, “Shame Shame Shame”, “Baby, Please Don’t Go”, Willie Dixon’s “I’m Ready” and “Stop Messin’ Around”. Has been rarely out of my CD player since I got it. Essential.”
12. Rock in a Hard Place (1982)
“I’ve always been a big fan of Aerosmith, I cut my rock n roll teeth on “Toys In The Attic”. I was a sophomore in college when this album was released. I had high hopes, even though Joe Perry had dropped out of the group. I’m not sure if it was just the music scene at the tyme (Disco-Punk-New Wave) or what, but nothing off this album ever saw the light of day in the Dallas/Ft. Worth AOR radio stations. I do recall being a little disappointed on my first couple of listens, other than “Lightning Strikes”, it just didn’t live up to “Toys In The Attic” or “Rocks”. I did listen to this album many tymes, I think I kept thinking it was either going to grow on me or just get better. Well, it has, I’ve rediscovered it recently and I find that I’m liking every cut on the album better than I did thirty years ago. I’m still going to say that “Toys”, “Rocks”, “Get Your Wings”, “Permanent Vacation”, “Get A Grip” are all better albums, but this isn’t a dud unless you compare it to some of those “best rock albums ever”…and that is really not a fair comparison.”
11. Done With Mirrors (1985)
“Another great album. I had actually forgotten about this album. Had it when it was new. Loved it. Just recently I heard someone say “Let the music do the talking”. I said to myself “I’ve heard those words before. Where?” It took a couple of days but it hit me and I bought the album again. I still like it. The Hop is a real blaster. LTMDTT starts the album off and Darkness winds it down. The tempo and dynamics go up and down in the middle. The album has lots of lyrics that stick with you too, even if they take awhile to resurface. “The reason a dog has so many friends, ’cause he wags his tail instead of his tongue.” Well, those are words to live by aren’t they?”
10. Nine Lives (1997)
“I’ve always felt like this album didn’t get the credit it deserves. All of the songs are very catchy and I think the entire band allow their creative juices to flow more freely on this one. Each song has its own identity. I give both the original album a 5-star rating as well as the vinyl release of it.
In regards to the vinyl edition. This is a great deal! The sound quality is great and you get the added bonus of having the additional songs that weren’t on the original album release. Give this one a few listens as it will grow on you. I still will even go as far as to say it’s as good or better as much of their older work.”
9. Night in the Ruts (1979)
“By the time Aerosmith’s sixth studio release was issued, 1979’s Night in the Ruts, guitarist Joe Perry had finally left the band after years of drug-fueled bickering with singer Steven Tyler. Most of the tracks were completed before Perry’s departure, with replacement Jimmy Crespo filling the few empty spaces. And while the band looks back upon this period as hazy and frustrating, Night in the Ruts is a surprisingly coherent and inspired album. Although it’s not up to par with such classics as Toys in the Attic or Rocks, it was definitely leaner and more focused than their last studio release, Draw the Line .The only lowlight is a weak cover of the Shangri-Las’ “Remember (Walking in the Sand),” which was inexplicably issued as a single and included on 1980’s Greatest Hits. While the album performed respectfully on the charts, the ensuing tour did little to boost sales — it was marred with canceled dates and lackluster performances brought on by Tyler’s substance abuse.”
8. Draw the Line (1977)
“One or two formulaic clunkers on here (Get It Up, Critical Mass), and one just to fill in time (Milk Cow Blues), but in general a terrific rocking album and the end of Aerosmith Phase 1. Is it just me who hates the sleeve artwork? It actually put me off getting the album for a long while!”
7. Permanent Vacation (1987)
“Let me state my bias right away by saying this was already one of my favorite Aerosmith albums before I purchased this on vinyl; Rocks and Get Your Wings are probably my two favorites from the early Columbia years, but this is definitely my favorite of the Geffen years. I’ve had this album on cassette and CD, but this sounds better than every format I’ve heard it on. Since getting into vinyl this is still one of the records I revisit the most frequently.”
6. Aerosmith (1973)
“Raw, loud and energetic. That is how I would describe Aerosmith’s debut album. Not a bad track in the bunch.
This contains the very first “Power Ballad”…yes, I’m talking about “Dream On”…a song that I never get tired of to this day. (According to Steven Tyler, in his autobiography, Joe Perry hated the song at first!)
I recently listened to Steven Tyler’s audio book version of “Does The Noise In My Head Bother You.” In it, he states that people have asked him why his voice sounded so different on the first album. His reply? Nerves. It was the first time the first time the band had recorded at a major studio and Steven was nervous about recording his vocals. That, he said, is why he sounded like Kermit The Frog on those songs. “Kermit Tyler.” Lol!
I think that’s why I love this album so much. It has a rawness and, yes, an innocence to it. Plus, it’s a great album to listen to as loud as possible!
5. Get A Grip (1993)
“I used to say harsh things about this album but now I think it’s good… really… REALLY GOOD! Sure I say it’s not as good as Rocks but a good chunk of the songs are awesome. My favorites were Get A Grip, Livin’ On The Edge, and Flesh. The white vinyl looks great, it’s very high quality not only in vinyl build but in sound as well. If you love this album but you don’t have it on vinyl, make sure you get this white copy before it goes away and people sell it for a high price.”
4. Pump (1989)
“This is one of Aerosmith’s finest offerings. It’s predecessor, Permanent Vacation, was a solid album and full of fun, but Pump is a punch in the nuts. Great Aerosmith grooves yet a slightly darker offering than Permanent Vacation. “Love in an Elevator,” “Janie’s Got a Gun,” Monkey on My Back,” and “Voodoo (Medicine Man)” are real standouts. This is a fan must-have.”
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3. Get Your Wings (1974)
“This album? Just wow. Great Rock ‘N Roll, right from the get-go. What a fantastic collection of songs. And this was the band’s sophomore record? Makes me want to kick myself for waiting so long. (The same goes for “Toys” and “Rocks” btw.) This band is SO much more than just the FM and MTV staples. Looks like “Draw the Line” is next on my Aerosmith list.”
2. Rocks (1976)
“This is Aerosmith’s magnum opus heavy. Where “Toys” was an upbeat and pop-sensible hard rock album, Rocks was a dive into the heavy Proto-Metal realm with Rompy Boogies, Gritty Rockers, Sludgy Grinders, Heavy Hitters and even a Pseudo glam ballad. This was America’s Greatest Hard Rock band at both a pinnacle and the verge of collapse. Combination is the the most underrated Aerosmith song. It is so rich with musical textures and tempo changes it leaves you thinking…is this a progressive band? …or did they just take a bunch of ideas and put slap them together and wire it together with incredible guitar and bass riffs. In any case it is just masterful. This is the album I would listen to as a kid and dream of being a rock musician.”
1. Toys in the Attic (1975)
“I could not stand the fact that a band as big as Aerosmith would resort to mind-numbingly droll efforts such as ‘Don’t Want To Miss A Thing’. I want songs about women, partying and drinking – and chase the same pursuits while listening to said music. This is one of those albums. It’s not flat-out hardcore rock, it’s a music of a certain time and generation when new-wave synth and Madonna were soon to become all that everyone talked about. It’s kind of slinky and mellow (Sweet Emotion), but groove-laden and ballsy enough to keep the die-hards of the era impressed too (Walk This Way). A good starter for Aerosmith rock fans, not Aerosmith pop fans.”
