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From the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Rocks

Aerosmith

1976

Rocks
Album Summary

Rocks is the fourth studio album by American rock band Aerosmith, released in 3 May 1976. AllMusic described Rocks as having "captured Aerosmith at their most raw and rocking." Rocks was ranked number 366 on the updated Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time in 2020. It has greatly influenced many hard rock and heavy metal artists, including Guns N' Roses, Metallica, and Nirvana. The album was a commercial success, charting three singles on the Billboard Hot 100, two of which reached the Top 40 ("Back in the Saddle" and "Last Child"). The album was one of the first to ship platinum when it was released, and has since gone quadruple platinum.

Wikipedia

Rating

3.13

Votes

13182

Genres

  • Hard Rock

Reviews

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Jun 24 2021
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4

Additional notes. Add them before you vote above.

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Apr 07 2022
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4

White boys rarely get this funky, so respect these horny greasers, whose sole purpose is to rivatalise your ass cheeks with the meanest boogie oogie woogie this side of the Stones. Just 35 minutes, but they're so tight--and every lick, riff, break and bridge so lean--that these songs feel like they last forever.

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Nov 26 2022
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2

I'm listening to this hung over as a motherfucker, and all I can think of is that this is, in music archaeology terms, the missing link between heavy metal and hair metal. Last child has quite a funky bassline. Other than that - I got bored of it very quickly.

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May 14 2021
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4

3.75/5. This album rocks. It's some solid rock, I liked it.

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Jan 04 2024
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1

Aerosmith could have used a ghost song writer. The band is on fire and Steven Tyler is one of the greatest rock singers, but you expect the lyrics to be a professional firework show, but they are cap gun, at best. Also, whose idea was it to record Joe Perry's solos through two tin cans and a string? This would be best listed to while using a belt grinder, or mowing the lawn. Maybe over $5 computer speakers. Better equipment left me wanting.

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Aug 21 2021
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5

Always have a soft spot for Aerosmith. Easy to forget the amazing guitar work that's overshadowed by the charismatic vocals, but this is a solid classic rock album that hits all the right buttons for me. Might be my favorite of there's, too.

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Jan 22 2021
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3

Similar feelings to my thoughts about the Aerosmith album that I had to listen to the other day. Mostly meh guitar rock with a few standouts.

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Nov 15 2021
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5

They’re BACK in the saddle againnnnn

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Oct 14 2022
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5

Top to bottom a fantastic record. For me, it's just behind Toys in the Attic.

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Jun 24 2021
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4

Robert Demery aimant jouer le hipster et fin connaisseur de la musique, ce petit malin s'est contenté de selectionner trois albums d'Aerosmith dans sa liste, dont deux qu'absolument personne ne connait. Néammoins, les chats ne faisant pas des chiens, l'album est evidemment excellent. Le vrai problème vient d'une information qui m'a été succurée a l'oreille par mon camarade l'humble robbouder: cet album n'aura reçu qu'une note de 3.15 de la part des fans, qui ont préféré sauver Quentin Mosimann en appelant au 3640. Une preuve de plus que vous qui me lisez ne connaissez rien à la musique, retournez sacraliser l'orgue inaudible de Manzarev et autres albums moyens qui vous donnent l'impression d'avoir une culture musicale.

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Feb 07 2021
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3

Aerosmith invented Screamo, change my mind. Lots of big yelling, lots of testosterone, and lots of rock. I was taken to an Aerosmith concert when I was younger fully expecting to hate it because it was a dad band, but just like this album I was pleasantly surprised. It isn't necessarily my jam but I can see how in the 70s that this was some serious hard rock. Very entertaining but not really inspiring.

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May 25 2021
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5

Never been much of a fan of Aerosmith but this is great

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Jan 04 2024
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3

These guys know how to rock out and they have a great vocalist, but the lyrics are surface level.

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May 26 2024
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3

Probably the best Aerosmith album I've listened to and it's still mid.

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Sep 14 2020
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3

Classic mid-70s rock. Don't like it, but cant deny its effectiveness at being what it is

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Sep 10 2021
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2

This album is full of thoroughly mediocre rock music. It’s fine as the background music in a main street Nashville club. There is some good guitar work on here, but I expected more from early Aerosmith.

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Jun 28 2024
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2

Actually found this utterly forgettable… this feels like it doesn’t really deserve to be on here

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Aug 24 2021
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2

Aerosmith represent a total lack of new ideas or willingness to push boundaries

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Jun 14 2024
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1

Another boring-ass Aerosmith record.

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May 12 2022
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5

The best hard rock album of all time. AC who? Guns n what? A

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Sep 20 2024
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5

Such a cool album. I love his amazing and unique voice and music simply makes you happy, lifts you up and makes you head bang. I love it

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Jan 31 2024
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5

Bad ASS! So Fun! sometimes you hear these records an you know how they got so famous

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Nov 23 2023
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5

Upon receiving this, I uttered "... fuck." Aerosmith. The kind of band you'd like for a bit before burying them deep in the mind's recesses. Then, a bit of a thought process creeps in in regards to Rocks. It holds a sort of awed regard when it comes to the bands that came in its wake, the likes of Guns 'n' Roses and Nirvana who love this album. I had to dig in to understand why. Thirty plus minutes later and I understood why. For this thing is an unrelenting, fun ol' beast of a time. Aerosmith does not let up on Rocks and they keep you hooked, lined and sinker throughout. There are so many gems here, one would be remiss to at least discard one for the sake of doing so. Plenty in the Aerosmith fandom consider this to be their peak in creativity and, considering what came in its wake, I cannot help but agree. Rocks off!

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Nov 07 2024
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5

I think I was in the perfect mood for this - I loved it. Great rock songs, the production sounds brilliant and all the songs are pleasant. No particular standouts but not a bad thing when all the songs are solid 8s. I think a hit would bring this to a five but I'll call it a 4.5 overall

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Oct 05 2020
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5

Really enjoyed this album. Can definitely see their appeal.

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Sep 05 2024
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5

Great American hard rock album. I think I had heard maybe 4 songs off this before, Back in the Saddle of course being the most popular. Last Child is also a good one, very distinctive. Some cool bass lines throughout too. The whole album kicks ass and is a refreshing change from much mediocrity on this list, which honestly might bump it from a high 4 to a 5. Will listen again.

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Mar 13 2024
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5

The rokanrollest rokanrroll, si esque la gent pilla fama per algo. Fino fino

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May 15 2024
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5

I was shocked by this one. I've never really been an Aerosmith fan. Growing up in the 90s I heard their hits from that era. I didn't like them. I like sweet emotion but basically just wrote the band off. Imagine my surprise when I put this on and found out it rips. I loved it. I listened again to be sure. Still loved it. Crazy.

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Sep 29 2023
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5

Can’t remember if I ever listened to this the whole way through. Deep cuts like “Combination” and “Nobody’s Fault” ring a bell, so odds are I did, as a wee lad of 17, when I was more interested in the 2003 Rolling Stone greatest album list. I might agree with that magazine’s assessment, that this is the best Aerosmith album. It probably doesn’t sound as vicious as it did in 1976, but the poppy harmonies, together with bitchin guitar riffs and Tyler’s vocal stylings, are what I like about the band, in concentrated form. Even "Get the Lead Out", the weakest track imo, still rollicks along and continues the momentum. HL: “Back in the Saddle”, “Sick as a Dog”, “Last Child”, “Nobody’s Fault” September 28, 2023

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Apr 26 2024
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5

Another reminder that my "hatred" of Aerosmith for the past ~30 years was mostly a combination of their mid-'80s-and-later material and the rise of the most banal of classic rock playlists (read: every rock station in north america) that killed their most known singles in a barrage of boredom. Much like with their previous "Toys In The Attic" album, hearing e.g. "Back in the Saddle" on a drive to the grocery store is an immediate turnoff (turn...off...) but listening to this entire album again in its entirety proves that that song in particular was such a killer opener for a great album. Pretty much every song kicks ass (although I never loved "Nobody's Fault" that much) here - maybe more-so than its excellent predecessor "Toys..." - love the raw guitar sounds and the entire band is in drugged-out rock bliss with high-paced excellent hard rock that rarely if ever loses melodic direction. TL;DR: In the end all you really need from Aerosmith are "Toys in the Attic" and this one then leave the rest. Greasy 70s rock that hits - weird for me to give 5 to a band I never think I like at all but this one is essentially flawless and if this isn't a 5 and a huge influence on a million bands to follow nothing is. 9/10 5 stars.

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Aug 02 2024
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5

The sound of drug fueled rock 'n roll. The Rolling Stones had to work their way up to acting this debaucherously, it just came natural to Aerosmith. The first two songs on this album set the tone for the rest of it by really coming out swinging for the fences. I love '70s rock and they really got it right on this album.

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Jun 07 2024
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5

Grew up with Aerosmith and reckon this is one of their best albums. Band rocks hard here!

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Jun 05 2024
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5

Not a huge Aerosmith fan per se. But this album is very good and dare I say it does rock. It's the only album I will ever own by Aerosmith. It's just a masterpiece of 70's hard rock music and even some hints of early metal on tracks like the stellar Nobody's Fault.

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Apr 12 2024
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5

I must have listened to the A side of this album 1001 times back in the late 70s/80s. So yes - I like it - I like it a lot. In fact there is nothing I don’t like about this band — Aerosmith!

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Mar 22 2024
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5

I appreciate Aerosmith much more after hearing this.

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Mar 09 2024
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5

What the hell! Never thought I'd see the day I'd say that I like Aerosmith!! I should've checked this out way sooner. I actually dig Steven Tyler's voice on this album. And the production is ace. Great basswork, catchy guitars, and Joey Kramer is very underrated! Solid Rock & Roll, front to back. Standout tracks: Back In The Saddle, Last Child, Rats In The Cellar, Sick As A Dog, Nobody's Fault, Get The Lead Out, Lick And A Promise, Home Tonight. 9 out of 10

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Jan 12 2024
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5

Great rock album Standout tracks: Sick as a dog, nobody's fault

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Feb 22 2024
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5

Always loved this album. Stone cold hard rock classic!!

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Feb 24 2022
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5

A classic. Their first five albums rank up there with any of the other great bands. They should have stopped recording after Draw The Line. Everything after that fifth album was either passable or recorded just so they could cash the checks.

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Oct 19 2023
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5

Good album not many of their bigger hits and pretty short

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Aug 09 2023
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5

BEST SONGS: -Nobody's Fault -Home Tonight

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Dec 29 2023
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5

70s hard rock at its best. Despite drugs, internal struggles, and the pressure of following up the success of 'Toys in the Attic', the Boston band was unstoppable in 1976, as 'Rocks' proves

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Feb 21 2023
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5

Yes. Now we're talking. Aerosmith. And this is a good album. No massive scene stealing songs, but all of them just rock.

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Mar 16 2023
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5

"Rocks" is the fourth studio album by American rock band Aerosmith. This album is known as a highlight of their career and capturing the band at their most raw and rocking despite their heavy drug use. It is without doubt a most rocking album. At the time, it received mixed reviews but later very positive reviews. And, it was a big commercial success in the US going quadruple platinum (4,000,000 copies). The album begins with the slow, creepy guitar build-up in "Back in the Saddle" which ends in a Steven Tyler scream. A bad-ass groove. Chunky guitar. Whips, clicking spurs and galloping horses. You can't go wrong singing about cowboys and sex. The first single "Last Child" opens with a classic heavy metal acoustic guitar. It transitions to a more rockin' sound. Tyler struttin'. Great guitar solo. "Rats in the Cellar" was their answer to "Toys in the Attic." This is harder and driving. Great layered guitars by Joe Perry and Brad Whitford. It's real life as things are coming apart within the band. "Sick as a Dog" is the most straight-forward rock song on the album. Catchy vocals and guitar chorus. A deeper cut and my favorite song on the album. "Nobody's Fault" is the band's favorite song on the album. It's heavier. Gun 'N' Roses were in the room and actually were quite literally as Slash cites this album as one of his inspirations. The album ends with the ballad "Home Tonight." Piano. Lap steel guitar. Foreshadowing of what was to come a decade later? This is great album. Focused. Rocks hard. Melody hooks. Great layered guitars. A tight, tight band despite what state they might have been in. I had to listen to "Toys in the Attic" again to verify but, without question, "Rocks" is their best album and a hard rock classic.

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Nov 30 2021
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5

Awesome album. Most of the older Aerosmith stuff I know were the Greatest Hits, so the first two tracks were expectedly great (love the whinnying and clip clops in the opening of “Back in the Saddle”). The rest of the album I wasn’t so familiar with, but I loved it all! The four times I listened to it today had me digging all the songs. It’s Aerosmith. I should have been listening to this album for most of life.

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Mar 30 2023
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5

Pretty good Aerosmith album. I know a couple of tunes off this one but never heard the full thing - I think before this project the only full Aerosmith albums I'd heard were their later stuff that's basically hair metal. As it is, this more or less sounds like appetite for destruction... 10 years earlier. Some really, really cool riffs coming at me here. Holy shit, I never realised that Testament song was a cover. Fuck, it was gonna be an easy 4, but I think it's now a 5/5...

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Nov 11 2022
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5

Had expected either Toys in the Attic or Rocks or perhaps even both. The former album might be a bit stronger overall, but of course both are proper Aerosmith classics. Compare this to Pump (also in the 1001 list but just a solid rock album) and hear the difference!

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Dec 08 2022
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5

Right up my alley with great production quality

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Oct 02 2022
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5

This has been one of the more surprising listens so far. I apparently judged Aerosmith too harshly based on their later pop rock popularity, so I’ve slept on these early rock albums. After one listen, this is one of my favorite rock albums.

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Nov 13 2024
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5

So I have listened to this album before and damn do I love it. Some songs here I NEVER get tired of and could listen to them on repeat all day. Steven Tyler is one of my favorite singers in all of rock and Joe Perry is a great guitarist. This is prob more like a 4.5 star album Favorite Songs: I love this whole album but "Sick As A Dog" , "Lick And A Promise" , "Rats In The Cellar" , and "Back In The Saddle" are highlights

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Aug 14 2022
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5

Очень драйвовый, крутой альбом. Нескучный, местами мелодичный и кайфовый.

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May 01 2024
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5

"Rocks" by Aerosmith is an electrifying album that perfectly encapsulates the raw energy and swagger of 1970s rock 'n' roll. From the opening riff of "Back in the Saddle" to the closing notes of "Home Tonight," this album is a non-stop thrill ride of hard-hitting guitar riffs, infectious melodies, and Steven Tyler's unmistakable vocals. One of the standout tracks on the album is "Last Child," with its funky groove and memorable chorus. "Sick as a Dog" showcases the band's bluesy roots, while "Nobody's Fault" is a masterclass in heavy riffage and frenetic energy. What sets "Rocks" apart from other Aerosmith albums is its gritty, no-nonsense attitude. The band sounds like they're having the time of their lives, and it's impossible not to get swept up in the excitement. Whether you're a longtime fan of the band or new to their music, "Rocks" is guaranteed to leave you wanting more.

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Nov 30 2021
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5

Aerosmith! Yay! I don't know this album. (Is it just me or does the cover look cheap?) I love the build at the beginning of Back in the Saddle and there are some horse noises I've never noticed before...and some yodeling! Last Child is one of the songs that defines Aerosmith for me --- an edgy, hard-rocking blues sound where Steven Tyler gets to sing and screech. The rest of the songs are totally new to me. I do love Combination --- the lyrics have some clever rhymes and the chorus is hella catchy. When Nobody's Fault started, I had to check to see if I was still listening to Aerosmith. It's more heavy metal than blues-rock. Get the Lead Out is fun. (But why are you showing me your fist? is it to show off your new finger tattoos?) I love me a song with some na, na, na's, like Lick and a Promise. Home Tonight is a nice piano-heavy power ballad whose melody made me think of Chicago's Saturday in the Park. This was great fun!

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Dec 15 2022
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5

Very happy about this one. First Aerosmith project i’ve heard but it kept me wanting more. Packed with very solid riffs and vocals, the album doesn’t really have any downs. Will definitely check out more of their discography.

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Sep 09 2022
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5

Alright I love this album and have listened to it heaps of times. Will listen again tonight and rate. Great

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Oct 20 2021
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5

This is just a really great rock and roll album. So good.

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May 19 2022
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4

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Back in the saddle, Sick as a dog

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May 20 2022
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4

This is great stuff, never listened to this and it felt fresh

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May 12 2022
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4

There's some RIFFS on this and Tyler's vocals are ridiculous (in a good way of course). Enjoyed this a surprising amount.

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Feb 07 2021
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4

I was expecting to dislike this a lot more than I did. I have some premeditated distaste for Aerosmith, as cheesy bad rock. But I think that must come from distillations of late success band, Steven Tyler being weird, etc. this album rocked hard I loved the clear bluesy licks and rhythms. Still not a fave, but a clear step towards hard rock of the later 70s and 80s that I am more fond of. Way to prove me wrong, Aerosmith!

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Jun 04 2022
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4

Clasaic rock, great riffs great guitar. Some forgettable tracks but overall solid

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May 07 2022
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4

5/4/2022 - ALBUM #98 Today's Album: "Rocks" by Aerosmith - Yet another surprising album from the generator, I thought this album would just be what I've grown to expect from Aerosmith, which is masturbatory hair rock with obnoxious vocals and boring instrumentation, but this album is a ton of fun. Coming out in 1976, the hair rock aesthetic of this project feels much more progressive and innovative than many of the late 80s outfits that played this cliché out to death. This is the best the genre has sounded to my ears and it makes it feel intentional that this is pretty much the first album of it's genre that the generator has given me. The solo's are killer, the beats are fantastic, the production is great, and although I don't really care about the lyrics too much, the song writing here is really impressive. A lot of these tracks are full out jam sessions and I love how loose some of the song structures feel. I think Stephen Tyler's vocals here are taking way more of a backseat compared to a lot of their later work and it just makes it feel way more like a band and not just Stephen Tyler and the whatevers. I enjoy when these tracks transition into each other and although the hard rock vibe of this album never really calms down for a ballad, the songs feel pretty diverse still and most of them have a major redeeming quality about them if I begin not liking them. Overall, this album is fantastic and blew my expectations out of the water. Come for the guitar solos and stay for the killer vocals, guitar work, drum beats, basslines, and production. Listen to this one if you can handle some ROCK and if you feel like you never understood why Aerosmith is as beloved as they are. Highlights: Back In the Saddle, Last Child, Rats In The Cellar, Combination, Sick As A Dog, Nobody's Fault, Get The Lead Out, Lick And A Promise, Home Tonight Score: 8/10 The reason they're legends

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Aug 18 2021
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4

Classic Aerosmith. So much good here.

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Mar 23 2022
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4

Well, wasn't that a surprise. Aerosmith does indeed Rocks. I'll be honest, I only really knew the band from their 'MTV-years' and never really had taken the time to listen to their back catalog because of it. Something I wished I knew before I was in my 40's

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Mar 21 2022
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4

Solid album, really love the last track.

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Mar 26 2022
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4

Nothing revolutionary and album lacks real highlights but If you break it down it still remains a well done rock album

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Mar 17 2022
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4

It's been a long time since I really listened to this band, and I'm very glad I gave this album a complete and thorough listen. I was already familiar with most of these songs, but hearing each track without distraction I am reminded what a great rock band Aerosmith is, and this album is fantastic. Such rockin' energy and creativity and each musician is superb. 70s rock, classic rock, blues rock, and all that, sure, it's a super-crowded space and it was almost all I heard for years growing up in the 70s and 80s -- plus, these days I listen to a much wider variety of music -- but this album still stands out. Very impressive.

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Feb 12 2021
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4

Great album, though I would put Toys In The Attic well ahead of this one.

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Jun 20 2021
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4

This is one of the Aerosmith albums I'd never listened to before. This was pretty rocking. I liked it more than most of their recent stuff and better than their first two albums. Very short at about 30 mins so it's a quick listen. There's some tracks I'd be happy to listen to again. Nobody's Fault is a song I'd never heard before. The closing solo is good. Not the best guitar solo I've ever heard but good for them.

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Jun 02 2021
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4

Great rock and roll album! Much better than the pop-rock they produced in the 90s.

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Jun 13 2022
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4

Kinda easy to forget these guys kicked ass once upon a time

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Mar 26 2022
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4

I enjoy the mellow production especially given its a hard rock album. Guitar parts are awesome. Lacks big songs, but enjoyable for a fan of rock music.

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Mar 04 2022
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4

Classic. My best friends mom had this album and I remember being introduced to this, toys in the attic, and Lucky Lager.

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May 21 2021
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4

Aerosmith has an unmistakable sound and this album show cases it very well. Each song stands alone but contributes to the whole seamlessly. There were more than a handful of times during this album listen that made me perk up and got my attention.

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Feb 19 2022
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4

Hearing full albums & not just the singles has really added to this 1001 journey. Not every Aerosmith song is a classic, but they're pretty consistent. Lyrically, always great.

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Feb 21 2022
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4

As with their other work, it is pretty good.

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Jan 28 2022
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4

Obožavan šta rade s gitarom! Ovaj mi nije najdraži njihov, al ne mogu se zasitit tog rock-a 70-ih

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Sep 30 2021
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4

Great album but not Aerosmith’s best work

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