Wikipedia

Gems (Aerosmith album)

Gems is a compilation album released by Aerosmith in 1988 under the label Columbia. It was the first compilation of studio material since 1980's Greatest Hits. Concentrating mainly on heavier material than the radio-friendly singles output on Greatest Hits, the album is noted for the inclusion of the 1978 studio version of "Chip Away The Stone" – previously released as a single from 1978's Live! Bootleg, only a live rendition of the song was released at the time. Originally scheduled for release on November 8, 1988,[3][4] the album was delayed one week and issued on November 15, 1988.[5]

Gems
Compilation album by
Aerosmith
ReleasedNovember 15, 1988
Recorded1972–1982
GenreHard rock, blues rock
Length53:26
LabelColumbia
ProducerDavid Krebs, Steve Leber, Gary Lyons, Adrian Barber, Tony Bongiovi, Jack Douglas, Steven Tyler, Ray Colcord
Aerosmith compilation chronology
Greatest Hits
(1980)		 Gems
(1988)		 Pandora's Box
(1991)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllmusicStarStarStarStarHalf star[1]
Christgau's Record GuideB[2]

In 1993 the CD & Cassette Tape were reissued as part of the Aerosmith Remasters Series and Digitally Remastered From 20 Bit Digital Master Tape Transfers.

In 2007 The album was released by Sony BMG as part of their 'Collections' series entitled 'Greatest Hits' and reissued the following year by Sony in their 'Steel Box' series.[6]

Track listing

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No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Rats in the Cellar" (from Rocks, 1976)Steven Tyler, Joe Perry4:06
2."Lick and a Promise" (from Rocks)Tyler, Perry3:05
3."Chip Away the Stone" (previously unreleased studio version, live version released previously on Live! Bootleg, 1978)Richard Supa4:01
4."No Surprize" (from Night in the Ruts, 1979)Tyler, Perry4:26
5."Mama Kin" (from Aerosmith, 1973)Tyler4:27
6."Adam's Apple" (from Toys in the Attic, 1975)Tyler4:34
7."Nobody's Fault" (from Rocks)Brad Whitford, Tyler4:18
8."Round and Round" (from Toys in the Attic)Tyler, Whitford5:03
9."Critical Mass" (from Draw the Line, 1977)Tyler, Tom Hamilton, Jack Douglas4:52
10."Lord of the Thighs" (from Get Your Wings, 1974)Tyler4:14
11."Jailbait" (from Rock in a Hard Place, 1982)Tyler, Jimmy Crespo4:39
12."Train Kept A-Rollin'" (from Get Your Wings)Tiny Bradshaw, Howard Kay, Lois Mann5:41

Personnel

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Aerosmith
Additional musicians
  • Jimmy Crespo – lead guitar on "Jailbait"
  • Rick Dufay – rhythm guitar on "Jailbait"
  • David Woodford – Saxophone
  • Richard Supa – Piano
  • Scott Cushnie – Piano
  • Mark Radice - Piano on "Chip Away The Stone"
  • Uncredited guitarist on some songs.
Production
  • David Krebs – Executive Producer
  • Steve Leber – Executive Producer
  • Gary Lyons – Producer
  • Adrian Barber – Producer
  • Tony Bongiovi – Producer
  • Jack Douglas – Producer
  • Ray Colcord – Producer
  • Don DeVito – Digital Producer
  • John Ingrassia – Project Administrator
  • James Diener – Project Director
  • Mark Wilder – Assembly, Engineer, Digital Mastering
  • Keith Garde – Creative Supervision
  • Caroline Greyshock – Photography
  • Jimmy Ienner Jr. – Photography
  • Darren S. Winston – Creative Consultant
  • Joel Zimmerman – Art Supervisor
  • Lisa Sparagano – Design
  • Ken Fredette – Design
  • Vic Anesini – Digital Mastering

Chart positions

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Chart (1988) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[7] 148
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[8] 39
US Billboard 200[9]133

Certification

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Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[10] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

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Region Date Format Tracks Label Catalog # Barcode Edition Series Notes
USA Nov 15, 1988 LP 12 Columbia/CBS FC 44487 074644448719 — — sched. for Nov 8, 1988 - delayed 1 week[5]
USA Nov 15, 1988 CD 12 Columbia/CBS CK 44487 074644448726 — — sched. for Nov 8, 1988 - delayed 1 week[11]
USA Nov 15, 1988 Cassette 12 Columbia/CBS FCT 44487 074644448740 — — sched. for Nov 8, 1988 - delayed 1 week[12]
USA Oct 25, 1990 CD 12 Columbia/CBS CK 44487 074644448726 — The Nice Price possibly released in a "The Nice Price" Longbox[13]
USA Jan 22, 1991 Cassette 12 Columbia/CBS PCT 44487 074644448740 02 — The Nice Price approx. date[14]
USA Sep 7, 1993 CD 12 Columbia/SMEI CK 57371 074645737126 Special Limited Collector's Edition The Nice Price 1993 Remaster; sched. for Aug 24, 1993 - delayed 2 weeks[15]
USA Sep 7, 1993 Cassette 12 Columbia/SMEI CT 57371 074645737140 — The Nice Price 1993 Remaster; sched. for Aug 24, 1993 - delayed 2 weeks[16]
USA Feb 1, 2008 CD 12 Columbia/SMEI CK 57371 886972387321 — — 1993 Remaster[17]
USA Feb 1, 2008 MP3 256k 12 Columbia/SBME CK 57371 886972387321 — — 1993 Remaster; album only[17][18][19]
USA Jul 1, 2009 MP3 192k 12 Columbia/SME CK 57371 886972387321 — — 1993 Remaster; album only[20][21]
USA Oct 6, 2009 MP3 320k 12 Columbia/SME CK 57371 886972387321 — — 1993 Remaster; indiv. tracks; approx. date; issued between Oct 6 - Nov 28, 2009[22][23][24]
USA Nov 6, 2012 MP3 256k 12 Columbia/SME 88644 37119 6 886443711969 — — 2012 Remaster; indiv. tracks[25]
USA Nov 6, 2012 AAC 256k 12 Columbia/SME 88644 37119 6 886443711969 — — 2012 Remaster; indiv. tracks[26][27]
USA Apr 23, 2014 FLAC 96/24 12 Columbia/SME 88644 37119 6 886443711969 — — 2012 Remaster; album only[28][29][30]
USA Dec 2014 MP3 320k + AAC 320k 12 Columbia/SME CK 57371 886972387321 — — 1993 Remaster; indiv. tracks; approx. date; issued between Dec 11 - 17, 2014[31][32][33]
USA Dec 2014 FLAC 44.1/16 12 Columbia/SME CK 57371 886972387321 — — 1993 Remaster; indiv. tracks; approx. date; issued between Dec 11 - 17, 2014[31][32][33]
USA Dec 23, 2014 AIFF 96/24 12 Columbia/SME 88644 37119 6 886443711969 — — 2012 Remaster; album only[34][35]
USA Dec 23, 2014 ALAC 96/24 12 Columbia/SME 88644 37119 6 886443711969 — — 2012 Remaster; album only[34][35]
USA Dec 23, 2014 WAV 96/24 12 Columbia/SME 88644 37119 6 886443711969 — — 2012 Remaster; album only[34][35]
USA Aug 7, 2019 AAC 256k 12 Columbia/SME 88644 37119 6 886443711969 — Apple Digital Master 2012 Remaster; indiv. tracks[36][37]
USA Sep 27, 2019 FLAC 96/24 12 Columbia/SME 88644 37119 6 886443711969 — — 2012 Remaster; album only[38]

References

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  1. ↑ https://www.allmusic.com/album/r181
  2. ↑ Christgau, Robert (1990). "A". Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s. Pantheon Books. ISBN 0-679-73015-X. Retrieved August 16, 2020 – via robertchristgau.com.
  3. ↑ Rock On the Net
  4. ↑ "Aerosmith: Gems". RIAA.
  5. 1 2 Billboard: November 12, 1988, page 26
  6. ↑ "Greatest Hits [Steel Box Collection] - Aerosmith | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  7. ↑ "Aerosmith ARIA chart history (1988 to 2025)". ARIA. Retrieved April 18, 2026 – via Imgur.com. N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart.
  8. ↑ Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Aerosmith". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 10.
  9. ↑ "Aerosmith Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
  10. ↑ "American album certifications – Aerosmith – Gems". Recording Industry Association of America.
  11. ↑ "Gems". Amazon.
  12. ↑ "Gems". Amazon.
  13. ↑ "Gems". Zia Records.
  14. ↑ Based on the Classics Live "PCT" 1991 release and the Schwann Catalog
  15. ↑ "Gems Reissued, Remastered". Amazon. 1993.
  16. ↑ "Gems Lmtd Ed./Remastered". Zia Records.
  17. 1 2 "Gems". Armadillo Music.
  18. ↑ "Gems". Internet Archive: Wayback Machine. Archived from the original on February 7, 2008.
  19. ↑ "Gems [LIMITED EDITION] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED]". Internet Archive: Wayback Machine. Archived from the original on February 4, 2008. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
  20. ↑ Masnick, Mike (July 2, 2009). "Even More eMusic Features Disabled?". techdirt.
  21. ↑ "Gems". Internet Archive: Wayback Machine. Archived from the original on July 6, 2009.
  22. ↑ "7digital Launches In North America, With LA Head". socalTECH.com. October 6, 2009.
  23. ↑ "Aerosmith". Internet Archive: Wayback Machine. Archived from the original on November 28, 2009.
  24. ↑ "Gems". Internet Archive: Wayback Machine. Archived from the original on March 11, 2010.
  25. ↑ "Gems". Amazon. ASIN B07VRNF5TZ.
  26. ↑ "iTunes Preview: Aerosmith". Internet Archive: Wayback Machine. Archived from the original on April 28, 2014.
  27. ↑ "Gems". Internet Archive: Wayback Machine. Archived from the original on December 23, 2015.
  28. ↑ "New DSD downloads from Acoustic Sounds - Superhirez.com". Steve Hoffman Music Forums.
  29. ↑ "Gems". Internet Archive: Wayback Machine. Archived from the original on July 20, 2014.
  30. ↑ "Gems". 7DIGITAL UNITED STATES. November 6, 2012.
  31. 1 2 "Gems". 7Digital.[permanent dead link]
  32. 1 2 "Tom Waits: Latest Releases". Internet Archive: Wayback Machine. Archived from the original on December 11, 2014.
  33. 1 2 "7DIGITAL UNITED STATES". Internet Archive: Wayback Machine. Archived from the original on December 17, 2014.
  34. 1 2 3 "Gems". Internet Archive: Wayback Machine. Archived from the original on January 5, 2015.
  35. 1 2 3 Search: 886443711969
  36. ↑ "Gems". Apple Music.[permanent dead link]
  37. ↑ "Apple rebrands its best-sounding music as 'Apple Digital Masters'". The Verge. August 7, 2019.
  38. ↑ "Gems". Acoustic Sounds.
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