Aerosmith retires from touring due to Steven Tyler’s vocal injury

After postponing their "Peace Out" farewell tour last year, Aerosmith said Friday that it had made the "heartbreaking" but "necessary decision" to retire from touring.

Frontman and lead singer Steven Tyler suffered a vocal cord injury last year, requiring the Boston-based band to pause its tour.

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Aerosmith, which formed in 1970, made the announcement on social media.

"We've always wanted to blow your mind when performing. As you know, Steven's voice is an instrument like no other. He has spent months tirelessly working on getting his voice to where it was before his injury," the band wrote. "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. We have made a heartbreaking and difficult, but necessary decision — as a band of brothers — to retire from the touring stage."

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The band said anyone who had bought tickets through Ticketmaster will be fully refunded, and they ask anyone who purchased them via third-party sites to reach out to those organizations for more details.

"It has been the honor of our lives to have our music become part of yours," Aerosmith wrote. "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."

"A final thank you to you — the best fans on planet Earth," the band continued. "Play our music loud, now and always. Dream On. You've made our dreams come true."

It was 1970 when a spark of inspiration became Aerosmith. 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… pic.twitter.com/og43Q8Lwbt
— Aerosmith (@Aerosmith) August 2, 2024

Local music historian Donna Halper, who has followed the Boston music scene for decades, tells NBC10 Boston that Aerosmith never lost touch with their roots.

"Yes they were able to find what the next thing was. But they were always faithful to being Aerosmith. You knew who they were. You knew what they did. And they have done it consistently since 1970. That's an amazing record," she said.

Halper says longevity is the band’s legacy, evolving as music changed but staying true to their core values.