Studio Album · No. 9
Permanent Vacation Songwriting Credits by Aerosmith
Produced by Bruce Fairbairn · Engineered by Mike Fraser, Bob Rock, Ken Lomas
Holds writing credit on 11 of 12 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 11 / 12 documented
Scored across the 12 tracks with documented writers, by whether Aerosmith carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 12 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
Permanent Vacation marks the point where Aerosmith handed the keys to professional songwriters to engineer their comeback. Steven Tyler and Joe Perry still drove the band, but the two biggest hits came through outside hands: Desmond Child co-wrote both 'Dude (Looks Like a Lady)' and 'Angel' with Tyler, and Jim Vallance contributed to four tracks including 'Rag Doll' and 'Hangman Jury,' with Holly Knight also credited on 'Rag Doll.' The honest read is that the album's chart breakthrough was built on hired craft as much as on the original five members, a sound that producer Bruce Fairbairn polished into radio-ready form.
Aerosmith's ninth studio album, released August 18, 1987. The commercial comeback that reversed the band's decline, and the first Aerosmith album to bring in professional hitmakers as co-writers. Jim Vallance, Desmond Child, and Holly Knight all contribute, resulting in a polished commercial sound that contrasted sharply with the raw albums of the 1970s. 'Dude (Looks Like a Lady)' and 'Angel' (both Child co-writes) became their biggest hits in years. 'Rag Doll' (co-written with Vallance and Knight) and 'Heart's Done Time' (Perry-Child) complete the hit singles. The album includes a Beatles cover ('I'm Down') and a brief all-band instrumental ('The Movie'). The album peaked at number 11 on the Billboard 200 and went 5x platinum in the US.