Aerosmith Retires From Touring, Citing Steven Tyler’s Vocal Damage

Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler’s voice has been permanently damaged by a vocal cord injury last year and the band will no longer tour, the band announced via Instagram on Aug. 2. The remainder of its “Peace Out: The Farewell Tour,” which had been on hold since Tyler sustained the injury in September, is canceled.

The iconic Boston-based band behind hits like “Dream On,” “Sweet Emotion,” “Love in an Elevator” and more posted the announcement late in the afternoon Friday, and also provided an update on Tyler’s condition. 

“He has spent months tirelessly working on getting his voice to where it was before his injury. We’ve seen him struggling despite having the best medical team by his side. Sadly, it is clear, that a full recovery from his vocal injury is not possible,” the statement said. “We have made a heartbreaking and difficult, but necessary, decision — as a band of brothers — to retire from the touring stage.”

Aerosmith was three shows into its tour with The Black Crowes in support when Tyler suffered vocal cord damage during its sold-out Sept. 9, 2023 stop at UBS Arena in Belmont Park, New York. Despite hopes Tyler could quickly recover, the postponements stretched into April 2024, when the band announced the tour’s resumption would take place in September, after more than a year. 

Tyler said in an Instagram statement in September that the injury caused bleeding but that he hoped the band would be back after postponing a few shows.

The April 10 announcement included rescheduled dates as well as three new shows. The 40-date Live Nation-produced run was to include stops at Knoxville’s Thompson-Boling Arena, Cincinnati’s Heritage Bank Arena, Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, SAP Center in San Jose, Kia Forum near Los Angeles, Chicago’s United Center and Madison Square Garden in New York. The tour was to wrap up at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York, on Feb. 26, 2025.

Aerosmith formed in 1970 with the consolidation of Tyler’s band Chain Reaction, and guitarist Joe Perry’s outfit, “Joe Perry’s Jam Band” and, after finalizing a lineup and signing to Colombia Records in 1972 with the help of new managers David Krebs and Steve Leber, released its debut, Aerosmith, which contained the track “Dream On,” in 1973.

The band broke out internationally with Toys In The Attic in 1975. An immediate smash, the album featured singles “Sweet Emotion”, which became the band’s first Top 40 hit, followed by a  successful re-release of “Dream On” which hit No. 6, becoming their best charting single of the 1970s. “Walk This Way”, re-released in 1976, reached the Top 10 in early 1977. 

“Walk This Way” would be released yet again – this time as a collaboration led by hip-hop legends Run DMC – in 1986, becoming an international hit, reaching No. 4 on the Billboard charts and helping to revitalize Aerosmith’s career after the band’s 1979 substance-assisted implosion. Attempted reunions over the next few years either underperformed or failed, owing to continued drug use in particular by Tyler and Perry, who by then had been dubbed “The Toxic Twins” in the media. 

But in the mid-1980s, the entire band underwent drug rehab and launched a successful comeback in Permanent Vacation in 1987, with singles “Dude (Looks Like A Lady),” “Angel” and “Rag Doll” and reaching the Top 20 of Billboard’s Top 100. Pump would follow in 1990.

The Pollstar Era spans Aerosmith’s post-resurrection career, which includes a smattering of a dozen shows during the 1980s. From 1982 through the last date played on the “Peace Out” tour, Aerosmith performed about 1,000 shows, moving 13,919,097 tickets and grossing $663,180,510. 

Aerosmith’s late-career success is a testament to sobriety, second chances, the power of music and the passion for performing live. 

And the band seemed to be more popular than ever. The three “Peace Out” tour dates Aerosmith got in the books, at UBS Arena, PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh and Wells Fargo Arena in Philadelphia, earned nearly $12.4 million, averaging nearly 18,000 tickets sold per show. Since making its comeback, Aerosmith hasn’t looked back, touring major market arenas, amphitheaters, stadiums and major festivals steadily ever since. 

Aerosmith is a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and a four-time Grammy winning band. In addition to Tyler and Perry, its members are Brad Whitford, Tom Hamilton and Joey Kramer.

“It was 1970 when a spark of inspiration became Aerosmith,” the band wrote in its post to fans. “Thanks to you, our Blue Army, that spark caught flame and has been burning for over five decades. Some of you have been with us since the beginning and all of you are the reason we made rock ‘n’ roll history. 

“It has been the honor of our lives to have our music become part of yours.  In every club, on every massive tour and at moments grand and private you have given us a place in the soundtrack of your lives. 

“We’ve always wanted to blow your mind when performing.  As you know, Steven’s voice is an instrument like no other. … We are grateful beyond words for everyone who was pumped to get on the road with us one last time. Grateful to our expert crew, our incredible team and the thousands of talented people who’ve made our historic runs possible. A final thank you to you – the best fans on planet Earth.  Play our music loud, now and always.  Dream On. You’ve made our dreams come true.

Those who purchased tickets through Ticketmaster will be automatically refunded. Those who purchased via third-party resale sites are advised to contact the point of purchase for more details.