Aerosmith is an American
rock band, sometimes referred to as "the Bad Boys from Boston"
[5] and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band."
[6][7][8][9] Their style, which is rooted in
blues-based
hard rock,
[10][11] has come to also incorporate elements of
pop,
[12] heavy metal,
[10] and
rhythm and blues,
[13] and has inspired many subsequent rock artists.
[14] The band was formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1970. Guitarist
Joe Perry and bassist
Tom Hamilton, originally in a band together called the Jam Band, met up with vocalist/harmonica player
Steven Tyler, drummer
Joey Kramer, and guitarist
Ray Tabano, and formed Aerosmith. In 1971, Tabano was replaced by
Brad Whitford, and the band began developing a following in Boston.
They were signed to
Columbia Records in 1972, and released a string of gold and platinum albums, beginning with their 1973
eponymous debut album, followed by their 1974 album
Get Your Wings. In 1975, the band broke into the mainstream with the album
Toys in the Attic, and their 1976 follow-up
Rocks cemented their status as hard rock superstars.
[15] Two additional albums followed in 1977 and 1979. The band's first five albums have since attained multi-platinum status. Throughout the 1970s, the band toured extensively and charted a dozen Hot 100 singles. By the end of the decade, they were among the most popular hard rock bands in the world and developed a loyal following of fans, often referred to as the "
Blue Army".
[16] However,
drug addiction and internal conflict took their toll on the band, which resulted in the departures of Perry and Whitford in 1979 and 1981, respectively; they were replaced by
Jimmy Crespoand
Rick Dufay.
[11] The band did not fare well between 1980 and 1984, releasing the album
Rock in a Hard Place, which went gold but failed to match their previous successes.
Perry and Whitford returned in 1984 and the band signed a new deal with
Geffen Records. After
a comeback tour, the band recorded
Done with Mirrors (1985), which won some critical praise but failed to come close to commercial expectations. It was not until the band's collaboration with rap group
Run–D.M.C. in 1986, and the 1987 multi-platinum release
Permanent Vacation, that they regained the level of popularity they had experienced in the 1970s.
[17] In the late 1980s and 1990s, the band scored several hits and won numerous awards for music from the multi-platinum albums
Pump (1989),
Get a Grip (1993), and
Nine Lives (1997), and embarked on their most extensive concert tours to date. The band also became a pop culture phenomenon with popular music videos and notable appearances in television, film, and video games. Their comeback has been described as one of the most remarkable and spectacular in rock 'n' roll history.
[10][11] Additional albums followed in 2001, 2004, and 2012. Since 2001, the band has toured every year except 2008. After 45 years of performing, the band continues to tour and record music.
Aerosmith is
the best-selling American rock band of all time, having sold more than 150 million records worldwide, including over 70 million albums in the United States alone.
[18][19] With 25 gold albums, 18 platinum albums, and 12 multi-platinum albums, they hold the record for the most
gold albums by an American group, the most total certifications by an American group, and are tied for the most
multi-platinum albums by an American group. The band has scored 21
Top 40 hits on the
Billboard 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 included among both
Rolling Stone's and VH1's lists of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.
[20] In 2013, the band's principal songwriters, Tyler and Perry, were inducted into the
Songwriters Hall of Fame.
