Aerosmith is an American rock band formed in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1970. Built around singer Steven Tyler, guitarists Joe Perry and Brad Whitford, bassist Tom Hamilton, and drummer Joey Kramer, the group became one of the most commercially successful and enduring hard rock acts in American music. Their music combines blues-based guitar riffs, heavy rock rhythms, swaggering vocals, and power ballads, while their image helped define the theatrical side of 1970s rock.
The band's original lineup took shape when Tyler, Perry, and Hamilton began playing together, with Kramer joining on drums and Ray Tabano initially serving as second guitarist. Brad Whitford replaced Tabano in 1971, establishing the classic lineup. After developing a following in Boston clubs, Aerosmith signed with Columbia Records and released their self-titled debut album in 1973. The record introduced the band's rough-edged sound and included "Dream On," a dramatic ballad written by Tyler. Though the song was not initially a major hit, a later reissue helped make it one of Aerosmith's signature recordings.
Aerosmith's breakthrough came with their third album, *Toys in the Attic* (1975). The record mixed hard rock with blues, funk, and pop instincts, producing enduring tracks such as "Sweet Emotion" and "Walk This Way." Its successor, *Rocks* (1976), was even more direct and aggressive, and became an important influence on later hard rock and heavy metal musicians. Albums including *Get Your Wings*, *Draw the Line*, and *Night in the Ruts* established the band as a major touring attraction, but the pressures of constant work, internal tensions, and substance abuse affected both the music and the lineup.
Perry left the band in 1979 and Whitford departed in 1981. Their absences marked a difficult period that included the album *Rock in a Hard Place* (1982), recorded without either guitarist. Both eventually returned, and Aerosmith began a major career revival after addressing their drug and alcohol problems. The band's collaboration with hip-hop group Run-DMC on a new version of "Walk This Way" in 1986 introduced Aerosmith to a younger audience and became a landmark meeting of rock and rap.
The comeback continued with *Permanent Vacation* (1987) and *Pump* (1989). Songs such as "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)," "Love in an Elevator," and "Janie's Got a Gun" restored the band's commercial momentum, while their highly produced music videos became a major part of their renewed visibility on MTV. David Fincher directed the video for "Janie's Got a Gun," while Marty Callner directed several of the band's best-known later videos.
In the 1990s, *Get a Grip* produced major hits including "Livin' on the Edge," "Cryin'," "Amazing," and "Crazy." The band also reached the top of the singles chart with "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing," recorded for the film *Armageddon* in 1998. Aerosmith continued releasing albums and touring through the 2000s, including the blues-oriented *Honkin' on Bobo* (2004) and *Music from Another Dimension!* (2012).
Aerosmith was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001 and has received four Grammy Awards. In August 2024, the band announced that it was retiring from touring after Steven Tyler suffered a vocal injury that prevented a full recovery. The group nevertheless remained active as a recording entity, releasing the collaborative EP *One More Time* with Yungblud in November 2025. Across more than five decades, Aerosmith's influence rests on their ability to connect blues-rooted rock with arena spectacle, radio ballads, music-video culture, and successive generations of listeners.