10 Best Aerosmith Songs To Turn Up To Eleven

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In our opinion, Aerosmith may be the greatest American rock band of all time. Formed in 1970 in Boston, Massachusetts, the classic lineup features Steven Tyler on vocals, Joe Perry and Brad Whitford on guitars, Tom Hamilton on bass, and Joey Kramer on drums. Aerosmith has released 15 studio albums, beginning with its self-titled debut in 1973, and has sold more than 150 million albums worldwide. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001 and has won four Grammy Awards.

Aerosmith’s comeback in the mid-1980s remains one of rock’s great success stories, with the Run-D.M.C. collaboration on “Walk This Way” helping set the stage for Permanent Vacation, Pump, and Get a Grip. The band retired from the touring stage in 2024 after Steven Tyler’s vocal injury, but Aerosmith returned with new music in 2025 through the collaborative One More Time EP with Yungblud. Our favorite Aerosmith songs have always been pretty much from their earlier albums in the 1970s, although plenty of later material deserves more attention. So, in our opinion, here are 10 Aerosmith songs that always deserve to be turned up to 11!!!!!

# 10 – Rag Doll – Permanent Vacation

The swagger and energy of “Rag Doll” captures the unabashed spirit of Aerosmith’s late-1980s resurgence. Featured on the 1987 album Permanent Vacation, the song blended the band’s gritty rock roots with the polished production that drove their comeback. Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Holly Knight, and Jim Vallance share the songwriting credit. In an exclusive interview with ClassicRockHistory.com, Vallance described how the song developed from an early draft called “Rag Time” into the brass-charged finished track. “Rag Doll” peaked at number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remains one of the band’s most recognizable songs from that era.

# 9 – Toys In The Attic – Toys In The Attic

The title track from Aerosmith’s 1975 album Toys in the Attic is an adrenaline-pumping blast of the band’s early hard-rock sound. Steven Tyler and Joe Perry wrote the song, which was recorded at the Record Plant in New York City. Jack Douglas produced the track and the album. Joey Kramer’s frantic drumming, Tom Hamilton’s bass, and the band’s guitar attack push the song forward at breakneck speed. Steven Tyler’s vocal performance captures the manic energy that helped make this album a turning point in Aerosmith’s career.

# 8 – Let The Music Do The Talking – Done with Mirrors

“Let The Music Do The Talking” is a blazing statement from Aerosmith’s 1985 reunion album Done with Mirrors. Joe Perry originally wrote and recorded the song as the title track of The Joe Perry Project’s 1980 debut album. Aerosmith re-recorded it after Perry and Brad Whitford returned to the band, with Steven Tyler contributing revised lyrics and melody. The album was recorded in Berkeley, California, with Ted Templeman producing. Perry’s hard-driving guitar work and Tyler’s swagger make the Aerosmith version sound like a band eager to reclaim its place in rock and roll.

# 7 – Mama Kin – Aerosmith

“Mama Kin” is one of the explosive early tracks from Aerosmith’s 1973 self-titled debut album. Steven Tyler wrote the song, which was recorded at Intermedia Studios in Boston with Adrian Barber producing. The recording features Tyler, Joe Perry, Brad Whitford, Tom Hamilton, and Joey Kramer already developing the sound that would define the band. “Mama Kin” became a long-running live favorite and remains one of the strongest links to Aerosmith’s raw beginnings. For younger Aerosmith fans this is a deep track; for us old timers, we know this one really well.

# 6 – Chip Away The Stone – Live! Bootleg

“Chip Away the Stone” is one of those Aerosmith songs that has always deserved more attention. Written by longtime collaborator Richie Supa, it was released as a single in 1978 and also appeared on Live! Bootleg. The live album version was recorded at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium on April 8, 1978, while a studio version was recorded later that year. Joe Perry and Brad Whitford’s guitars, Steven Tyler’s vocal, and the Hamilton-Kramer rhythm section give the song its irresistible rock and roll drive. The Live! Bootleg performance captures exactly why Aerosmith earned its reputation as one of America’s great live rock bands.

# 5 – Draw The Line – Draw The Line

“Draw the Line” is the ferocious title track from Aerosmith’s fifth studio album, released in 1977. Steven Tyler and Joe Perry wrote the song during a period when the band’s success and internal chaos were both reaching extraordinary levels. The album sessions took place at the Cenacle in Armonk, New York, and at the Record Plant in New York City, with Jack Douglas producing. Perry’s slashing guitar and Tyler’s increasingly unhinged vocal make the track sound like Aerosmith pushing itself to the edge. “Draw the Line” reached number 42 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a lasting concert favorite.

# 4 – Nobody’s Fault – Rocks

“Nobody’s Fault” is one of the heaviest and most powerful songs on Aerosmith’s 1976 album Rocks. Steven Tyler and Brad Whitford wrote the track, with Whitford delivering one of the defining guitar performances of his career. The Rocks sessions took place at the Wherehouse in Waltham, Massachusetts, and the Record Plant in New York City, with Jack Douglas producing. Tyler’s dramatic vocal and the band’s crushing rhythm section give the song a darker edge than many of Aerosmith’s better-known hits. Although it was never released as a single, “Nobody’s Fault” has become one of the most respected deep tracks in the band’s catalog.

# 3 – Train Kept A-Rollin’ – Get Your Wings

“Train Kept A-Rollin'” began as a 1951 jump blues song written by Tiny Bradshaw, Lois Mann, and Howard Kay. Aerosmith transformed it on the 1974 album Get Your Wings, building on the hard-rock approach that The Yardbirds had brought to the song in the 1960s. The album was recorded at the Record Plant in New York City, with Jack Douglas and Ray Colcord credited as producers. Session guitarists Steve Hunter and Dick Wagner contributed lead guitar to the track, adding even more fire to the arrangement. Aerosmith made the song a permanent part of its live identity, and it still sounds like one of the great examples of the band’s early power.

# 2 – Sweet Emotion – Toys In The Attic

“Sweet Emotion” is one of the cornerstone recordings in Aerosmith’s catalog and one of the songs that pushed the band into national prominence. Steven Tyler and Tom Hamilton wrote the track, which was recorded at the Record Plant in New York City with Jack Douglas producing. Hamilton’s bass line establishes the hypnotic opening while Joe Perry’s talk box gives the introduction its unmistakable sound. Released as a single in May 1975, “Sweet Emotion” reached number 36 on the Billboard Hot 100. The combination of groove, attitude, and studio experimentation helped turn Toys in the Attic into the album that changed Aerosmith’s career.

# 1 – Back In The Saddle – Rocks

“Back in the Saddle” is one of Aerosmith’s most iconic tracks and the perfect opening statement for the 1976 album Rocks. Steven Tyler and Joe Perry wrote the song, and Jack Douglas produced the recording during sessions at the Wherehouse and the Record Plant. Perry created the song’s galloping central riff on a Fender Bass VI, giving the track its deep and menacing attack. Tyler’s vocal performance and the band’s pounding rhythm section turn the song into a full-force declaration of swagger and confidence. Released as a single in 1977, “Back in the Saddle” reached number 38 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became one of Aerosmith’s enduring live anthems.

Aerosmith is one of our favorite bands on ClassicRockHistory.com. So, of course, we have written about them many times. Check out these other Aerosmith articles that we have published on the site.