Skip to main content

TL;DR:

  • An Aerosmith hit was written by a famous professional songwriter.
  • The tune was No. 1 in the United States for four weeks.
  • The tune appeared on one of the band’s successful albums.
Aerosmith with a blue background
Aerosmith | Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

Some classic rock bands only had one No. 1 single. For example, only one Aerosmith hit reached No. 1. Afterward, members of the group were shocked to learn they’d never had a No. 1 single before.

‘I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing’ wasn’t written by members of the band

Joe Perry is the lead guitarist of Aerosmith. In his 2014 book Rocks: My Life In and Out of Aerosmith, he said he’s a fan of the band’s power ballad “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing.” Notably, professional songwriter Diane Warren wrote “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” with no help from the band.

Perry discussed spending time with Steven Tyler after the release of “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing.” “The two of us were walking through the fields of Trow Hill,” he said. “It was another one of those good times when we could relieve the pressures of the practical world by simply escaping to the woods. It was also an opportunity to shoot off a little steam — literally.”

How Aerosmith’s Joe Perry and Steven Tyler reacted to the success of the song

Perry and Tyler received some big news. “In his new six-wheeler amphibious hunting vehicle, Steven drove us to a safe place, the side of a remote hill, for some target practice,” he added. “That’s when his phone rang. The smile on his face said it was good news. ‘I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing’ just went to No. 1,’ he told me after hanging up.” This happened in 1998, 28 years after the band formed in 1970.

This surprised Perry. “‘They’re saying it’s our first No. 1 pop hit,'” Tyler said. “‘In all these years,’ I said, ‘we’ve never had a real No. 1 pop hit?’ ‘I guess not.’ Surprised, we were happy as hell and, in celebration, ripped through a couple of magazines.”

Related

How Barbra Streisand’s Love Life Inspired Aerosmith’s Only No. 1 Hit

Aerosmith had several top 10 hits before ‘I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing’

The rockers’ surprise makes a little more sense in context. While they never topped the charts before, they had released other singles that reached the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. These songs included “Dream On,” “Janie’s Got a Gun,” “Walk This Way,” “What It Takes,” “Love in an Elevator,” and others.

“I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” topped the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks, remaining on the chart for 20 weeks. The tune appeared on the compilation album O, Yeah! Ultimate Aerosmith Hits. The album reached No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and stayed on the chart for 32 weeks. “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” inspired a cover by country singer Mark Chesnutt which became popular in its own right.

“I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” became a huge hit and its success surprised members of the band. 

Best in Entertainment