Greatest Hits

The first definitive collection of Aerosmith's early hard rock anthems.

Greatest Hits, later re-released as Greatest Hits 1973–1988, is the first greatest hits compilation album by American hard rock band Aerosmith. Released by Columbia Records on November 11, 1980, it marked a significant milestone in the band's catalog. Although originally scheduled for October 24, 1980, the release was delayed to that November date. The official Aerosmith website lists the release month as October 1980, but the actual shipment occurred later. This collection remains the group's highest RIAA certified album in the United States, reaching 12× Platinum certification in 2021.

Quick Facts

Artist

Aerosmith

Released

November 11, 1980

Genre

Hard rock, blues rock

Label

Columbia

Producer

Adrian Barber
Jack Douglas
Ray Colcord
Aerosmith
George Martin
Gary Lyons

Lore & Background

The production of this compilation involved significant editing to fit radio formats and track lengths. The single version of "Same Old Song and Dance" was used, trimmed by almost a full minute. It notably featured an alternate lyric: "You shady lookin' loser, you played with my gun," replacing the original line about cocaine found on Get Your Wings. "Sweet Emotion" also utilized its single version, which begins immediately with the first chorus, omitting the famous talk box intro and replacing the coda with a repeating chorus that fades out. "Kings and Queens" saw its intro and other sections cut down, while "Walk This Way" was edited to chant the first chorus only once instead of twice. Despite these changes, the remaining tracks were kept intact.

Reader's Guide

Listeners should be aware that the tracklist differs between regions and versions due to the editing choices. The 1980 US version contains ten tracks with specific alterations: "Same Old Song and Dance" is shorter with different lyrics, "Sweet Emotion" lacks its talk box intro, "Kings and Queens" misses its opening, and "Walk This Way" has a reduced chorus count. Personnel credits for the original album include Steven Tyler on lead vocals and harmonica, Joe Perry on guitars (except "Lightning Strikes"), Brad Whitford on guitar, Tom Hamilton on bass, and Joey Kramer on drums. Additional musicians like Michael Brecker and Randy Brecker contributed horns to specific tracks. The production team featured Jack Douglas, Adrian Barber, George Martin, and Ray Colcord.

Track listing

Side one

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1	Dream On (from Aerosmith, 1973)	Steven Tyler	4:24
2	Same Old Song and Dance (Single version) (from Get Your Wings, 1974)	Tyler, Joe Perry	3:02
3	Sweet Emotion (Single version) (from Toys in the Attic, 1975)	Tyler, Tom Hamilton	3:12
4	Walk This Way (Slightly edited version) (from Toys in the Attic)	Tyler, Perry	3:30
5	Last Child (from Rocks, 1976)	Tyler, Brad Whitford	3:26

Side two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1	Back in the Saddle (from Rocks)	Tyler, Perry	4:39
2	Draw the Line (from Draw the Line, 1977)	Tyler, Perry	3:21
3	Kings and Queens (Single version) (from Draw the Line)	Tyler, Whitford, Hamilton, Joey Kramer, Jack Douglas	3:46
4	Come Together (from Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band: The Original Soundtrack, 1978)	John Lennon, Paul McCartney	3:44
5	Remember (Walking in the Sand) (from Night in the Ruts, 1979)	George Morton	4:03
Total length			37:32

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1	Dream On		4:26
2	Mama Kin (from Aerosmith)	Tyler	4:27
3	Same Old Song and Dance		3:03
4	Seasons of Wither (from Get Your Wings)	Tyler	4:57
5	Sweet Emotion		3:13
6	Walk This Way		3:32
7	Big Ten Inch Record (from Toys in the Attic)	Fred Weismantel	2:15
8	Last Child		3:27
9	Back in the Saddle		4:41
10	Draw the Line		3:23
11	Kings and Queens		3:49
12	Come Together	Lennon–McCartney	3:45
13	Remember (Walking in the Sand)		4:05
14	Lightning Strikes (from Rock in a Hard Place, 1982)	Richard Supa	4:28
15	Chip Away the Stone (from Gems, 1988)	Supa	4:01
16	Sweet Emotion (David Thoener remix - from Pandora's Box Single, 1991; original version from Toys in the Attic)	Tyler, Hamilton	4:36
17	One Way Street (Live) (from Made in America, 1997/2001; original version from Aerosmith)	Tyler	6:40
Total length			68:40