Just Push Play

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The album's visual identity was defined by a gynoid resembling Marilyn Monroe, an illustration designed by Hajime Sorayama. Interestingly, this specific artwork had previously adorned the 1985 compilation "Video Sound," which notably included no Aerosmith tracks. Behind the scenes, the recording process from April to December 2000 sparked internal friction; guitarist Joe Perry later criticized the sessions in 2010, noting that "there was never a point where all five members were in the room at the same time." He called it his least favorite record, stating it taught him "how not to make an Aerosmith record" because their major strength is playing together. Despite this tension, several unused songs emerged from these sessions, including "Ain't It True," "Easy," and "Innocent Man," while "Angel's Eye" found a new home on the 2000 film "Charlie's Angels" soundtrack.

In Their Own Story

The critical response to Just Push Play was a mix of praise for its sound and criticism regarding its maturity. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic called it their best-sounding album in a decade, describing it as "tighter, savvier, and better" than anything since 1989's Pump, though he noted it lacked memorable moments. Conversely, Darryl Stredan disliked the record so strongly he suggested the band should stop making music entirely. NME highlighted the inclusion of rap metal elements in tracks like "Outta Your Head," while Rolling Stone's David Fricke argued it was their closest approach to a "great album" since 1976's Rocks, despite weak power ballads. The record garnered three Grammy nominations in 2001: Best Rock Album, Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group for "Jaded," and Best Short Form Music Video for "Fly Away from Here." Ultimately, the band achieved a weighted average score of 65 on Metacritic based on 14 critic scores.

Reader's Guide

Fans exploring this era should note the specific variations in the track listing regarding hidden content. On the original version, a hidden track titled "Under My Skin Reprise" plays roughly 45 seconds after "Avant Garden." International editions feature this hidden track about 40 seconds after "Face," while Japanese versions place it following "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing." The album features extensive personnel contributions beyond the core five: Chelsea Tyler provided backing vocals on "Under My Skin," her father's daughter, while Liv Tyler contributed whispers to "Avant Garden." Tower of Power supplied horns for "Trip Hoppin'," and Tony Perry added scratching to the title track. Production duties were shared among Marti Frederiksen, Mark Hudson, and Mike Shipley, with strings arranged by David Campbell, except on three specific tracks where Jim Cox handled arrangements alongside his horn work.

Did You Know?

• The album cover features a gynoid by Hajime Sorayama that was originally used for the 1985 compilation 'Video Sound,' which contained no Aerosmith songs.
• Guitarist Joe Perry later stated in 2010 that Just Push Play is his least favorite album because all five members were never in the room at the same time during recording.
• The hidden track 'Under My Skin Reprise' appears at different times depending on the version: after 'Avant Garden' (original), after 'Face' (international), or after 'I Don't Want to Miss a Thing' (Japanese).
• Liv Tyler, Steven Tyler's daughter, contributed whispers to the song 'Avant Garden,' while her sister Chelsea provided backing vocals on 'Under My Skin.'
• The album was certified Platinum by the RIAA within just one month of its March 5, 2001 release.