The Back-Burner: Aerosmith Outtakes & Demos

It has been a year of unexpected twists for Aerosmith fans. What started as scattered solo appearances and charity jams has turned into something much bigger: a brand-new collaboration with YUNGBLUD, Aerosmith’s first studio music in more than a decade, and strong signs of an EP that could serve as the band’s final bow. Here’s how the story has unfolded so far.

Aerosmith × YUNGBLUD: Full 2025 Timeline (Confirmed & Inferred)

Aug 2024 — Jack Douglas hint
Producer Jack Douglas suggested Aerosmith still had recording work to be done, fueling speculation the band might return to the studio despite their “farewell” framing.

Feb 2025 — Tom Hamilton active again
Tom appeared at the annual Janie’s Fund Jam in Los Angeles, his first public musical involvement of the year, suggesting he was still plugged into the Aerosmith orbit.

Apr 30, 2025 — Steven & Joe reunite
Steven Tyler and Joe Perry performed together at the Janie’s Fund San Francisco benefit, their first time on stage together since 2023. For many, it marked the point where management discussions restarted.

May 2025 — Management visibility & YUNGBLUD crossover
On May 8 Aerosmith celebrated “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing” surpassing one billion Spotify streams, and on May 22 they posted with an NBA cup activation, both signs of renewed branding and management activity. Around this time YUNGBLUD posted he was in the studio with “rock legends,” and the very next day Steven Tyler appeared in Dom’s promo for the Idols “Blood” vinyl. Soon after, Steven was spotted at one of Dom’s warm-up shows, Dom teased he’d locked an “icon” for Bludfest 2026 — clearly Steven — and photos surfaced of Steven, Dom, and Lenny Kravitz together.

Joe Perry later revealed that it was around this period he invited YUNGBLUD to Sarasota: “A year ago, I got a call that YUNGBLUD wanted to come to Sarasota to work with me and write some songs and said, ‘Hell yeah, this guy’s got the juice.’ After four days in the studio, I called Steven and told him, ‘You have to hear this guy YUNGBLUD, he’s the real deal.’ Fast forward to May, and we’re in the studio with Steven recording new music.”

Jul 5, 2025 — Ozzy’s final show (Birmingham)
Steven Tyler, YUNGBLUD, and Nuno Bettencourt all performed at Ozzy Osbourne’s farewell in Birmingham, with a clip showing Steven watching Dom’s set side-stage going viral after.

Jul–Aug 2025 — Joe Perry Project tour (with Brad)
The Joe Perry Project toured across July and August with Brad Whitford on board, keeping both members musically active even while Aerosmith remained “retired.” This was covered in AerosmithBackBurner’s reunion speculation.

Oct 3, 2025 — Close Enemies schedule
Tom Hamilton’s band Close Enemies had planned to release an album on this date, and further singles and live shows to follow soon after, but everything was delayed. The timing strongly suggests Tom cleared his calendar to participate in the Aerosmith × YUNGBLUD project.

Sep 5, 2025 — VMAs tribute announced
MTV confirmed an Ozzy Osbourne tribute performance featuring Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, YUNGBLUD, and Nuno Bettencourt.

Sep 7, 2025 — VMAs tribute performance, New York
YUNGBLUD opened with “Crazy Train” and “Changes” with Bettencourt before duetting with Steven on “Mama, I’m Coming Home” with Joe Perry on guitar. It was the first major public stage link of Aerosmith × YUNGBLUD.

Sep 13–14, 2025 — Social media teasers
Aerosmith and YUNGBLUD posted “We got a secret,” Aerosmith changed their profile picture to a skull motif, and Instagram ads began urging fans to sign up for “something coming.”

Sep 15, 2025 — “My Only Angel” preview released
Aerosmith’s first new studio song preview in more than a decade arrived under Capitol/Queen of Denial, Inc., credited to Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Dominic Harrison, and producer Matt Schwartz.

Sep 16, 2025 — Media pick-up
Forbes speculated on bigger plans for Aerosmith as the band’s official tagline changed to “One More Time.”

Sep 17, 2025 — EP teased, Dom IG Live confirmation
Aerosmith posted a reel showing a vinyl titled One More Time, while Dom shared sheet music with dual credits, all but confirming a multi-song release, including “Problems“.
In a fan-circulated IG Live, Dom confirmed the project has five songs and admitted he paused part two of his own album to focus entirely on the collaboration.
Steven Tyler joined the Joe Perry Project onstage at the Hollywood Bowl, with Brad Whitford already in the band, reuniting three-fifths of Aerosmith live for the first time since 2023. Steven stopped the show to hint at the “secret” collab, just one day before the single dropped.

Sep 18, 2025 — Official audio launch

Sep 19, 2025 — Visualizer video launch, Boston live premiere
Aerosmith and Yungblud‘s “My Only Angel” visualizer video was launched to YouTube. Later that evening YUNGBLUD debuted “My Only Angel” with a full band in Boston, saluting Aerosmith’s hometown roots and giving fans the song’s first live performance.

Speculation & Expectations

The writing credits on “My Only Angel” give us the clearest hint of where this project is heading. With Steven Tyler and Joe Perry at the core, Dominic Harrison (YUNGBLUD) adding his alternative flair, and producer Matt Schwartz tying it all together, the ingredients point to a polished hybrid — Aerosmith’s melodic grit and riffs crossed with YUNGBLUD’s pop-punk urgency. The teaser clip already showed a mix of styles: Steven’s vocals present, guitars with modern FX, and a drum sound some fans compared to Joey Kramer’s early-2000s loop experiments. It’s not quite old Aerosmith, not quite YUNGBLUD alone, but something in between.

Reaction online has been a blend of curiosity and excitement. Some long-timers are cautious about Aerosmith being a co-credit rather than the sole banner, while others see it as the perfect way to keep the band culturally alive and relevant to younger audiences. The fact that it’s billed as Aerosmith × YUNGBLUD instead of a guest appearance suggests this is being treated as part of the official Aerosmith catalogue.

The reel showing a vinyl titled One More Time has been taken as proof of a five-song EP, which YUNGBLUD himself confirmed in a livestream. It feels very likely that recording took place in the summer, when Steven and Joe were both in Florida, with Tom Hamilton’s Close Enemies schedule being pushed back at the same time. Whether Brad or Tom also tracked parts remains unconfirmed, but the timing lines up. The presence of Lenny Kravitz in those early photos still leaves room for speculation about a guest cameo.

As for the future, the VMAs performance may have been just a warm-up. Surprise appearances at YUNGBLUD’s shows later this year seem probable, both as promotion and as rehearsal for a bigger moment. The branding of One More Time almost screams “farewell,” and fans are already whispering about one last official Aerosmith show to close the circle. With Dom having teased an “icon” for Bludfest 2026, the odds look strong that Aerosmith, in some formation, will take that stage — marking their final bow with a new generation watching.