Aerosmith emerged in 1969 from the merger of the bands Chain Reaction (which included vocalist Steven Tyler ) and Jam Band (featuring guitarist Joe Perry and bassist Tom Hamilton ). Initially, guitarist Ray Tabano and drummer Joey Kramer Brad Whitford joined in place of Tabano. Thus, Aerosmith was born.
After a few shows on the local Boston scene, Aerosmith had already caught the attention of record labels. In 1972, the band released their first album, *Aerosmith *, which included classics like "Dream On" and "Mama Kin". However, the album had limited success, with its biggest hit reaching number 59 on the charts. In 1974, after a tour, the band released their second album, * Get Your Wings *, but it was only with their next release, *Toys in the Attic*, that Aerosmith achieved international success. This album featured the single "Sweet Emotion" and led to comparisons between the band and Led Zeppelin and the Rolling Stones .
Aerosmith continued to rise to fame with their next two albums, Rocks (1976) and Draw The Line (1977), but Perry and Tyler's drug abuse became notorious in the media. During the tour that followed the releases, Joe Perry quit the band after a backstage fight. Aerosmith finished work on an album that was already in progress with guitarist Jimmy Crespo . Night in the Ruts was released in 1979.
During the recording of a new album in 1981, Brad Whitford quit. The band hired Rick Dufay and released Rock in a Hard Place in 1982. After a performance in Boston in 1984, Perry and Whitford decided to reunite the band, and Aerosmith returned to its classic lineup. In 1985, they released Done with Mirrors , a commercial success, but one that didn't produce any radio hits.
Permanent Vacation , released in '87, marked the band's return to success. Released after Steven Tyler's rehabilitation, the album featured hits like "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)," "Rag Doll," and "Angel." The following album, Pump (1989), continued to build the band's success, featuring "What It Takes" and "Janie's Got a Gun," which earned the band a Grammy.
After a brief hiatus, in 1993, Aerosmith released Get A Grip , featuring the singles "Livin' on The Edge," "Cryin'," and "Crazy." In 1994, they released a greatest hits album, Big Ones , and in 1997, they released Nine Lives , which included the single "Pink." In 1998, the band released their first number-one single, "I Don't Want to Miss A Thing," as the soundtrack for the film Armageddon . The song even earned them an Oscar nomination in 1999.
In 2001, the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame , shortly after the release of Just Push Play . In 2004, the band released Honkin' on Bobo and until 2009 released compilation albums. In 2009, after an accident on stage, Steven Tyler broke his shoulder and had to have stitches in his head. The accident deteriorated relations within the band, and rumors surfaced that Aerosmith was looking for a new vocalist. Tyler returned to rehabilitation clinics, and the band released their sixteenth album, Music From Another Dimension!, in 2012.
Aerosmith is the American rock band that has sold the most albums in history, with 66 million albums sold in the United States alone. The band has won four Grammys and holds the record for albums that have earned gold and platinum certifications.
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