| Gems | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Compilation album by | ||||
| Released | November 15, 1988 | |||
| Recorded | 1972–1982 | |||
| Genre | Hard rock, blues rock | |||
| Length | 53:26 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Producer | David Krebs, Steve Leber, Gary Lyons, Adrian Barber, Tony Bongiovi, Jack Douglas, Steven Tyler, Ray Colcord | |||
| Aerosmith compilation chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [1] |
| Christgau's Record Guide | B[2] |
Gems is a compilation album released by Aerosmithin1988 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]
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]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Rats in the Cellar" (from Rocks, 1976)) | Steven Tyler, Joe Perry | 4:06 |
| 2. | "Lick and a Promise" (from Rocks) | Tyler, Perry | 3:05 |
| 3. | "Chip Away the Stone" (previously unreleased studio version, live version released previously on Live! Bootleg, 1978) | Richard Supa | 4:01 |
| 4. | "No Surprize" (from Night in the Ruts, 1979) | Tyler, Perry | 4:26 |
| 5. | "Mama Kin" (from Aerosmith, 1973) | Tyler | 4:27 |
| 6. | "Adam's Apple" (from Toys in the Attic, 1975) | Tyler | 4:34 |
| 7. | "Nobody's Fault" (from Rocks) | Brad Whitford, Tyler | 4:18 |
| 8. | "Round and Round" (from Toys in the Attic) | Tyler, Whitford | 5:03 |
| 9. | "Critical Mass" (from Draw the Line, 1977) | Tyler, Tom Hamilton, Jack Douglas | 4:52 |
| 10. | "Lord of the Thighs" (from Get Your Wings, 1974) | Tyler | 4:14 |
| 11. | "Jailbait" (from Rock in a Hard Place, 1982) | Tyler, Jimmy Crespo | 4:39 |
| 12. | "Train Kept A-Rollin'" (from Get Your Wings) | Tiny Bradshaw, Howard Kay, Lois Mann | 5:41 |
| Chart (1988) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[7] | 39 |
| USBillboard 200[8] | 133 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[9] | Gold | 500,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
| 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[10] |
| USA | Nov 15, 1988 | Cassette | 12 | Columbia/CBS | FCT 44487 | 074644448740 | — | — | sched. for Nov 8, 1988 - delayed 1 week[11] |
| USA | Oct 25, 1990 | CD | 12 | Columbia/CBS | CK 44487 | 074644448726 | — | The Nice Price | possibly released in a "The Nice Price" Longbox[12] |
| USA | Jan 22, 1991 | Cassette | 12 | Columbia/CBS | PCT 44487 | 074644448740 02 | — | The Nice Price | approx. date[13] |
| 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[14] |
| USA | Sep 7, 1993 | Cassette | 12 | Columbia/SMEI | CT 57371 | 074645737140 | — | The Nice Price | 1993 Remaster; sched. for Aug 24, 1993 - delayed 2 weeks[15] |
| USA | Feb 1, 2008 | CD | 12 | Columbia/SMEI | CK 57371 | 886972387321 | — | — | 1993 Remaster[16] |
| USA | Feb 1, 2008 | MP3 256k | 12 | Columbia/SBME | CK 57371 | 886972387321 | — | — | 1993 Remaster; album only[16][17][18] |
| USA | Jul 1, 2009 | MP3 192k | 12 | Columbia/SME | CK 57371 | 886972387321 | — | — | 1993 Remaster; album only[19][20] |
| 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[21][22][23] |
| USA | Nov 6, 2012 | MP3 256k | 12 | Columbia/SME | 88644 37119 6 | 886443711969 | — | — | 2012 Remaster; indiv. tracks[24] |
| USA | Nov 6, 2012 | AAC 256k | 12 | Columbia/SME | 88644 37119 6 | 886443711969 | — | — | 2012 Remaster; indiv. tracks[25][26] |
| USA | Apr 23, 2014 | FLAC 96/24 | 12 | Columbia/SME | 88644 37119 6 | 886443711969 | — | — | 2012 Remaster; album only[27][28][29] |
| 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[30][31][32] |
| 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[30][31][32] |
| USA | Dec 23, 2014 | AIFF 96/24 | 12 | Columbia/SME | 88644 37119 6 | 886443711969 | — | — | 2012 Remaster; album only[33][34] |
| USA | Dec 23, 2014 | ALAC 96/24 | 12 | Columbia/SME | 88644 37119 6 | 886443711969 | — | — | 2012 Remaster; album only[33][34] |
| USA | Dec 23, 2014 | WAV 96/24 | 12 | Columbia/SME | 88644 37119 6 | 886443711969 | — | — | 2012 Remaster; album only[33][34] |
| USA | Aug 7, 2019 | AAC 256k | 12 | Columbia/SME | 88644 37119 6 | 886443711969 | — | Apple Digital Master | 2012 Remaster; indiv. tracks[35][36] |
| USA | Sep 27, 2019 | FLAC 96/24 | 12 | Columbia/SME | 88644 37119 6 | 886443711969 | — | — | 2012 Remaster; album only[37] |
