Aerosmith’s 20 best songs, from wicked to freakin’ awesome

By Steve Newton

Clearly, the ’70s stuff was best.

20. “Make It” (Aerosmith, 1973)

19. “Let the Music Do the Talking” (Done With Mirrors, 1985)

18. “Mama Kin” (Aerosmith, 1973)

17. “S.O.S. (Too Bad)” (Get Your Wings, 1974)

16. “Sick as a Dog” (Rocks, 1976)

15. “My Fist Your Face” (Done With Mirrors, 1985)

14. “Sight for Sore Eyes” (Draw the Line, 1977)

13. “Lightning Strikes” (Rock in a Hard Place, 1982)

12. “Spaced” (Get Your Wings, 1974)

11. “Bitches Brew” (Rock in a Hard Place, 1982)

10. “Lick and a Promise” (Rocks, 1976)

9. “The Hand That Feeds” (Draw the Line, 1977)

8. “Magic Touch” (Permanent Vacation, 1987)

7. “Dream On” (Aerosmith, 1973)

6. “Seasons of Wither” (Get Your Wings, 1974)

5. “No More No More” (Toys in the Attic, 1975)

4. “Same Old Song and Dance” (Get Your Wings, 1974)

3. “Sweet Emotion” (Toys in the Attic, 1975)

2. “Back in the Saddle” (Rocks, 1976)

1. “Draw the Line” (Draw the Line, 1977)

To hear the audio of my interviews with Aerosmith’s Tom Hamilton from 1983 and Joe Perry from 1987 subscribe to my Patreon page, where you can eavesdrop on over 200 of my uncut, one-on-one conversations with:

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David Lindley, 2002
Marty Friedman of Megadeth, 1991
John Hiatt, 2010
Nancy Wilson of Heart, 2006
Jeff Golub, 1989
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Todd Rundgren, 2006
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Matthew Sweet, 1995
Jim McCarty of the Yardbirds, 2003
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Steve Hackett from Genesis, 1993
Grace Potter, 2008
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Don Wilson of the Ventures, 1997
Gordie Johnson of Big Sugar, 1998
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Albert Lee, 1986
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Robert Cray, 1996
Tony Carey, 1984
Ian Hunter, 1988
Kate Bush, 1985
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Jeff Healey, 1988
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Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi, 1993
Colin Linden, 1993
Kenny Wayne Shepherd, 1995
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Bob Rock, 1992
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Jason Bonham, 1989
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Edgar Winter, 2005
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Randy Hansen, 2001
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Davy Knowles of Back Door Slam, 2007
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Vernon Reid of Living Colour, 1988
Brad Delp of Boston, 1988
Zakk Wylde of Pride & Glory, 1994
John Sykes of Blue Murder, 1989
Alice Cooper, 1986
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John Doe, 1990
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Myles Goodwyn of April Wine, 2001
John Mellencamp, 1999
Mike Campbell of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, 1999
Kenny Aronoff, 1999
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Randy Bachman, 2001
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Stevie Salas, 1990
J.J. Cale, 2009
Joe Bonamassa, 2011
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Eric Johnson, 2001
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David Lee Roth, 1994
Allan Holdsworth, 1983
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Steve Vai, 1990
Tony Iommi of Heaven and Hell, 2007
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Stevie Ray Vaughan, 1990
Rick Richards of the Georgia Satellites, 1988
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Steve Morse, 1991
Slash of Guns N’ Roses, 1994
Brian May from Queen, 1993
Dickey Betts of the Allman Brothers, 1991
Jake E. Lee of Badlands, 1992
Rickey Medlocke of Lynyrd Skynyrd, 1997
John Fogerty, 1997
Joe Perry of Aerosmith, 1987
Rick Derringer, 1999
Robin Trower, 1990
Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, 1994
Mick Ronson, 1988
Geddy Lee of Rush, 2002
Buck Dharma of Blue Oyster Cult, 1997
Michael Schenker, 1992
Vince Neil of Motley Crue, 1991
Vinnie Paul of Pantera, 1992
Joan Jett, 1992
Steve Harris of Iron Maiden, 1988
Sebastian Bach of Skid Row, 1989
Rob Halford of Judas Priest, 1984
Bill Henderson of Chilliwack, 1999
Paul Rodgers, 1997
R.L. Burnside, 1999
Guthrie Govan of the Aristocrats, 2015
Mick Mars of Mötley Crüe, 1985
Carlos Santana, 2011
Walter Trout, 2003
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Rob Hirst of Midnight Oil, 2001
Tommy Aldridge, 2001
Donald “Duck” Dunn, 1985
Mark Farner of Grand Funk, 1991
Chris Robinson of Black Crowes, 1990
Jennifer Batten, 2002
Mike Fraser, 2014
Leo Kottke, 2002
Lemmy Kilmister of Motorhead, 2002
David Gogo, 1991
Booker T. Jones, 2016
Link Wray, 1997
James Reyne from Australian Crawl, 1988
Mike Rutherford of Genesis, 1983
Buddy Guy, 1991
Country Dick Montana of the Beat Farmers, 1990
Mike Cooley of the Drive-By Truckers, 2016
Gary Rossington of Lynyrd Skynyrd, 1986
Lindsay Mitchell of Prism, 1988
Buddy Miles, 2001
Eddie Money, 1988
Tom Hamilton of Aerosmith, 1983
Gaye Delorme, 1990
Dave Murray of Iron Maiden, 1984
Graham Bonnet of Alcatrazz, 1984
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Doc Neeson of Angel City, 1985
Rik Emmett of Triumph, 1985
Sonny Landreth, 2016
Tosin Abasi of Animals as Leaders, 2016
Jeff Beck, 2001
Albert King, 1990
Johnny Ramone of the Ramones, 1992
Peter Frampton, 1987
Otis Rush, 1997
Gord Downie of the Tragically Hip, 1989
Leslie West of Mountain, 2002
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Greg Lake of ELP, 1992
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Warren Zevon, 1992
Tal Wilkenfeld, 2016
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Danny Gatton, 1993
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….with hundreds more to come