Pump

After reinventing themselves with 1987’s multiplatinum Permanent Vacation, Aerosmith solidified their comeback with 1989’s Pump. Perhaps spurred on by collaboration with songwriting pro Desmond Child — who brought the band its biggest-ever hit in “Dude (Looks Like A Lady)” — Joe Perry and Steven Tyler restore their songwriting partnership with a newfound confidence and focus. “F.I.N.E.” and “Love in an Elevator” blend the band’s mid-‘70s strut with the big hooks of ‘80s arena rock, while “Janie’s Got a Gun” is a Tom Hamilton-Steve Tyler collaboration that became one of the band’s most unusual and enduring songs. On the lighter side, “What It Takes” is a sequel to “Angel” from Permanent Vacation, and begins a tradition of sentimental power ballads that would carry the band’s career well into the ‘90s. Although Permanent Vacation heralded Aerosmith’s reinvention, it was Pump that solidified their relevance. This is the album that proved an old band could learn new tricks, and find new fans without sacrificing their old ones.