Just Push Play

The album's cover, which was designed by Hajime Sorayama, features a gynoid resembling Marilyn Monroe.[3] The illustration had already been used for the cover of a compilation album of various artists hits called Video Sound, released in 1985, and which did not include any Aerosmith songs.[4]

Several songs were recorded for the album that went unused. "Ain't It True", "Easy", "Innocent Man", "I Love You Down", and "Sweet Due" can be linked as originating from these sessions. "Angel's Eye" was used for the soundtrack to "Charlie's Angels." "Face" and "Won't Let You Down" were issued as bonus tracks on later pressings of the album. These songs are listed in copyright repertories. The track "Do You Wonder" was supposedly recorded for this album, as well.

In 2010, guitarist Joe Perry revealed his distaste for the album:

I don't think we've made a decent album in years. Just Push Play is my least favorite. When we recorded it there was never a point where all five members were in the room at the same time and Aerosmith's major strength is playing together. It was a learning experience for me: it showed me how not to make an Aerosmith record.[5]

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	65/100[6]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[7]
Blender	[8]
Canoe.ca	unfavorable[9]
Entertainment Weekly	B[10]
NME	6/10[11]
Robert Christgau	[12]
Rolling Stone	[13]

Metacritic gave the album 65 out of 100 based on 14 generally favorable reviews.[6] For his review of Just Push Play for Allmusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine said that it was their best album since Pump in 1989, but he criticized them "for not acting their age" and said the album was not much compared to Pump and Permanent Vacation. He compared their production name, "The Boneyard Boys", to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards' production name, "The Glimmer Twins."[7] Ben Mitchell of Blender magazine said the album was better than Nine Lives by a little bit and feels the album was not with the times and was rather poor.[8]

Darryl Stredan strongly disliked the album, to the point that he considered it proof that Aerosmith should stop making new music.[9] Chris Willman of Entertainment Weekly called the album "good but not great".[10] NME said that most of the album is not new, but the album was Aerosmith's first album to feature rap metal with songs like "Just Push Play" and "Outta Your Head".[11] David Fricke of Rolling Stone said that Just Push Play was the closest Aerosmith had come to a "great album" since Rocks, despite the "weak spots" of the album's power ballads.[13] Robert Christgau picked out the album's lead single, "Jaded", as a choice cut.[12]

The album was nominated for three Grammy Awards in 2001 including Best Rock Album (Just Push Play), Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group (Jaded), and Best Short Form Music Video (Fly away from here).[14]

Just Push Play debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, selling over 240,000 copies in its first week.[15]

NB: On the original version, roughly 45 seconds after "Avant Garden" a hidden track entitled "Under My Skin Reprise" plays for about one minute. On the international version, the track is roughly 40 seconds after "Face" and on the Japanese version after "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing".

Aerosmith

• Steven Tyler – lead vocals, piano, squeezebox, harmonica, percussion, additional guitar and drums, conga, backing vocals on "Drop Dead Gorgeous", mixing, production
• Joe Perry – guitar, slide guitar, pedal steel guitar, hurdy-gurdy, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Drop Dead Gorgeous," mixing, production
• Brad Whitford – guitar
• Tom Hamilton – bass guitar, fretless bass
• Joey Kramer – drums

Additional musicians

• Jim Cox – piano on "Fly Away From Here"
• Paul Santo – keyboards Kurzweil on "Fly Away from Here", Hammond organ on "Avant Garden"
• Tower of Power – horns on "Trip Hoppin'"
• Dan Higgins – clarinet, saxophone on "Trip Hoppin'"
• Chelsea Tyler – backing vocals on "Under My Skin"
• Paul Caruso – loop programming on "Drop Dead Gorgeous"
• Liv Tyler – whispers on "Avant Garden"
• Tony Perry – scratching on "Just Push Play"

Production

• Marti Frederiksen – production, mixing, recording
• Mark Hudson – production, mixing
• Mike Shipley – mixing
• Richard Chycki – recording
• Paul Caruso – engineering at the Boneyard
• Paul Santo – engineering at the Bryer Patch
• Bryan Carrigan – additional engineering
• David Campbell – strings arrangements, except on "Sunshine", "Luv Lies", and "Avant Garden"
• Jim Cox – string arrangements on "Sunshine", "Luv Lies", and "Avant Garden", horns arrangements
• Alan Sides – engineering on strings
• Scott Gordon – engineering on horns and strings
• George Marino – mastering
• John Kalodner – John Kalodner
• Lesie Langlo – artist and repertoire coordination
• Kevin Reagan – art direction, design
• Matthew Lindauer – design
• Mark Seliger – photography
• Hajime Sorayama – illustrations

Aerosmith recorded Just Push Play from April to December 2000 at:[2]

• The Boneyard & The Bryer Patch
• Long View Farms Studio, North Brookfield, Massachusetts
• Ocean Way Studios, Los Angeles
• Sound Techniques
• Village Recorders, Los Angeles
• Pearl White Studios
• Whatinthewhatthe? Studios
• The Studio in the Sunset Marquis, West Hollywood, California

• Furniss, Matters (2012). Aerosmith: Uncensored on the Record. Warwickshire, UK: Coda Books. ISBN 978-1781580141.