Permanent Vacation
Aerosmith's biggest success in a decade, selling over five million copies in the U.S.
Permanent Vacation is the ninth studio album by American rock band Aerosmith, released by Geffen Records on August 25, 1987. This record marks the band's decisive shift to a pop-metal sound they maintained through 1993's Get a Grip. Although Done with Mirrors was intended as their comeback, Permanent Vacation is widely considered their true resurgence, serving as the first truly popular album since their reunion. The production process recruited outside songwriters who had previously penned commercial hits for Bon Jovi, Heart, and Starship, a strategy suggested by executive John Kalodner. He also pushed the band to collaborate with producer Bruce Fairbairn, who stayed with them for two subsequent albums. Distinguished as the first Aerosmith album promoted heavily via music video airplay on MTV, it spawned major Top 20 hits: "Rag Doll", "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)", and "Angel".
- Artist
- Aerosmith
- Release Date
- August 25, 1987
- Label
- Geffen Records
- Producer
- Bruce Fairbairn
- US Sales
- Over five million copies
- UK Certifications
- Silver (60,000 units) in July 1989; Gold (100,000 units) in March 1990
- Hit Singles
- "Rag Doll", "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)", "Angel"
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
The album's creation was driven by executive John Kalodner, who suggested recruiting external songwriters with proven hits for acts like Bon Jovi, Heart, and Starship. He also insisted on producer Bruce Fairbairn, initiating a partnership that would last for two more albums. This era defined the band's sonic identity; while Done with Mirrors was meant to signal their return, Permanent Vacation solidified it as their true comeback. The strategy paid off immediately, becoming the band's biggest success in ten years. MTV played a pivotal role, providing heavy airplay that propelled "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)", "Angel", and "Rag Doll" into the Top 20. In the UK, the album achieved historic status for the group, earning Silver certification (60,000 units) in July 1989 and Gold certification (100,000 units) by March 1990.
In Their Own Story
Reception was a mix of praise and critique. Deborah Frost of Rolling Stone called the move to hire "last year's hitmakers" one of the band's dumbest career decisions, noting they changed themes for Eighties radio. However, she conceded that despite heavy songs like "Dude", "Heart's Done Time", and "Girl Keeps Coming Apart" lacking the hooks of their finest moments, the band had never sounded better or more charged. Robert Christgau gave it a C+, claiming they were "running out of gas again already". Conversely, Dave Reynolds from Metal Forces magazine hailed it as "a shit hot album and one I'm gonna play the hell out of". Retrospectively, AllMusic noted that while songwriting was mostly stellar, Fairbairn's overwrought production featuring exaggerated sleekness typical of mid-'80s pop-metal meant some elements haven't aged well.
Reader's Guide
Loudwire ranked Permanent Vacation as Aerosmith's 6th best album, acknowledging its lavish '80s production has dated but affirming it ranks among the greatest musical comebacks of all time. They also placed it at No. 4 on their 2017 list of the "10 Best Hard Rock Albums of 1987". Martin Popoff described the record as "blatantly commercial", rating it four-fifths brilliant or good and one-fifth middling or bad, specifically citing "Angel" as a career low. Loudersound included it in their list of the 20 best albums from 1987, calling it a "collection of sublime pop-metal". The band's lineup for this era featured Steven Tyler on lead vocals, piano, and harmonica; Joe Perry and Brad Whitford on guitar; Tom Hamilton on bass; and Joey Kramer on drums.
Did You Know?
- This was the first Aerosmith album to be promoted by heavy music video airplay on MTV.
- John Kalodner suggested recruiting outside songwriters who had written hits for Bon Jovi, Heart, and Starship.
- The album achieved Silver certification in July 1989 and Gold certification in March 1990 in the UK.
- "Angel" was cited by Martin Popoff as a career low despite the album's overall success.
- A VHS titled Permanent Vacation 3x5 was released in 1988 containing promotional videos and behind-the-scenes footage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Permanent Vacation?
It serves as the ninth studio album by Aerosmith and was issued by Geffen Records on August 25, 1987. This record marks the band's decisive shift to a pop-metal sound they maintained through the early nineties.
Why is Permanent Vacation important?
Although Done with Mirrors preceded it, this release is widely considered their true resurgence and first truly popular album since their reunion. It successfully revitalized their career during a pivotal moment in rock history.
Who produced the album?
Bruce Fairbairn served as the producer for the project to help shape its new direction. Executive John Kalodner also influenced the process by suggesting the recruitment of outside songwriters who had penned commercial hits elsewhere.
How did Permanent Vacation perform commercially?
It became Aerosmith's biggest success in a decade, selling over five million copies within the U.S. market. The record also reached Gold certification status in the UK by March 1990.
What defines the album's sound?
The production process utilized outside songwriters to create a polished pop-metal aesthetic distinct from their earlier work. This strategy helped maintain a consistent style that lasted until the release of Get a Grip in 1993.
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