Aerosmith's Greatest Hits

• Artist: Aerosmith
• Rating:
• Release Date: 1980 10
• Total Time: 37:15
• Type: Compilation (best of)
• Genre: Rock

Review

Aerosmith's Greatest Hits remains one of the most popular and enduring best-of collections by any rock band, selling nearly ten million copies in the U.S. alone since its release. But when it was issued in 1980, the band had just about reached its nadir. With original guitarist Joe Perry gone (and Brad Whitford soon to follow), Aerosmith had turned into a directionless, time-consuming ghost of its former self. Since there would be a three-year gap between 1979's Night in the Ruts and 1982's Rock in a Hard Place, Greatest Hits was assembled, more or less, to fill the void and buy the band some time. With the album clocking in at only 37 and a half minutes, many Aerosmith classics are not included, such as what many consider the band's quintessential track, their cover of "Train Kept a Rollin'." The only poor selection is the forgettable "Remember (Walking in the Sand)," but nine out of ten are bona fide classics -- "Dream On," "Same Old Song and Dance," "Sweet Emotion," "Walk this Way," "Last Child," "Back in the Saddle," and "Draw the Line." Also featured is their venomous cover of the Beatles' "Come Together," previously only available as a single and on the soundtrack to the 1978 movie Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. For the casual fan, Greatest Hits will do the job, as well as its sister album, 1988's Gems. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Dream On	Steven Tyler	Aerosmith	(4:27)
Same Old Song and Dance	Joe Perry, Steven Tyler	Aerosmith	(3:05)
Sweet Emotion	Tom Hamilton, Steven Tyler	Aerosmith	(3:15)
Walk This Way	Joe Perry, Steven Tyler	Aerosmith	(3:33)
Last Child	Steven Tyler, Brad Whitford	Aerosmith	(3:28)
Back in the Saddle	Joe Perry, Steven Tyler	Aerosmith	(4:42)
Draw the Line	Joe Perry, Steven Tyler	Aerosmith	(3:23)
Kings and Queens	Tom Hamilton, Jack Douglas, Joey Kramer, Steven Tyler, Brad Whitford	Aerosmith	(3:49)
Come Together	John Lennon, Paul McCartney	Aerosmith	(3:46)
Remember (Walking in the Sand)	Shadow Morton	Aerosmith	(4:04)

Credits

Aerosmith (Arranger), Aerosmith (Producer), Aerosmith (Main Performer), George Martin (Producer), Adrian Barber (Producer), Ray Colcord (Producer), Don DeVito (Producer), Jack Douglas (Arranger), Jack Douglas (Producer), Bob Ezrin (Executive Producer), Jimmy Ienner, Jr. (Photography), Gary Lyons (Producer), Steven Tyler (Bass), Steven Tyler (Harmonica), Steven Tyler (Percussion), Steven Tyler (Keyboards), John Berg (Design), Janet Perr (Cover Art Concept), Janet Perr (Cover Art), Joel Zimmerman (Art Supervisor), Vic Anesini (Digital Mastering), David Krebs (Director), David Krebs (Direction), Steve Leber (Director), Steve Leber (Direction), Lisa Sparagano (Package Design), Ken Fredette (Package Design), Adam Barber (Producer), Darren S. Winston (Creative Consultant), Keith Garde (Creative Supervision), John Ingrassia (Project Administrator), James Diener (Project Director), Steve Aprea (Creative Supervision)