What Happened to Aerosmith?

Aerosmith, one of America's most enduring rock bands, embarked on what was intended to be their final major concert series, the 'Peace Out' farewell tour, in September 2023. This highly anticipated tour, celebrating over 50 years of their career, commenced with much fanfare. However, the celebratory mood was short-lived as frontman Steven Tyler sustained a significant vocal injury, including vocal cord damage and a fractured larynx, just three shows into the tour. This forced the immediate postponement of the remaining 2023 dates.

Initially, the band expressed optimism for Tyler's recovery and rescheduled the tour to resume in September 2024 and run through February 2025. However, despite months of tireless work and the best medical care, it became clear that a full recovery sufficient for the rigors of extensive touring was not possible for Tyler. Consequently, on August 2, 2024, Aerosmith made the "heartbreaking and difficult, but necessary, decision" to officially retire from the touring stage, canceling all remaining 'Peace Out' dates. This marked a significant turning point, effectively ending an era of live performances for the legendary group. Drummer Joey Kramer had already opted out of the farewell tour to focus on his family and health.

In the aftermath of the touring retirement, the individual members have pursued other ventures, while the band has also explored new avenues for their music. Bassist Tom Hamilton's new band, 'Close Enemies,' announced 2026 tour dates and a new album. Joe Perry, the band's lead guitarist, toured with The Joe Perry Project in 2025 and is scheduled to tour with Hollywood Vampires in August 2026. Crucially, the band demonstrated that their creative output was not entirely halted. In the fall of 2025, Aerosmith released 'One More Time,' a collaborative EP with English alternative artist Yungblud, marking their first new music in over a decade.

Further solidifying their legacy and engaging with fans, Aerosmith announced in January 2026 the release of an expanded 'Legendary Edition' of their 1973 self-titled debut album. This reissue, which dropped on March 20, 2026, features a new 2024 mix by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, offering their "unfiltered vision" of the original tracks. Regarding Steven Tyler's health, Joe Perry provided an update in April 2026, stating that Tyler had only recently started to feel comfortable singing again after a year-long recovery period for his vocal cords. Perry confirmed that Tyler "doesn't want to tour and he can't tour," but also hinted that the band's future is "still open" for other options beyond touring, with discussions ongoing about potential projects like a documentary. This suggests that while the roar of their stadium tours may be over, Aerosmith's presence in the music world continues through new recordings and other ventures.