# Gems (Aerosmith album)

Professional ratings :
| Review scores ||
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic | |
| Christgau's Record Guide | B |
Gems is a compilation album released by Aerosmith in 1988 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, the album was delayed one week and issued on November 15, 1988.
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.

## Personnel
### Aerosmith

* Steven Tyler – lead vocals, harmonica, piano, producer
* Tom Hamilton – bass
* Joey Kramer – drums, percussion
* Joe Perry – lead and rhythm guitar, backing vocals
* Brad Whitford – rhythm and lead guitar

### Additional musicians

* Jimmy Crespo – lead guitar on "Jailbait"
* Rick Dufay – rhythm guitar on "Jailbait"
* David Woodford – Saxophone
* Richard Supa – Piano
* Scott Cushnie – Piano
* Mark Radice - Piano on "Chip Away The Stone"
* Uncredited guitarist on some songs.

### Production

* David Krebs – Executive Producer
* Steve Leber – Executive Producer
* Gary Lyons – Producer
* Adrian Barber – Producer
* Tony Bongiovi – Producer
* Jack Douglas – Producer
* Ray Colcord – Producer
* Don DeVito – Digital Producer
* John Ingrassia – Project Administrator
* James Diener – Project Director
* Mark Wilder – Assembly, Engineer, Digital Mastering
* Keith Garde – Creative Supervision
* Caroline Greyshock – Photography
* Jimmy Ienner Jr. – Photography
* Darren S. Winston – Creative Consultant
* Joel Zimmerman – Art Supervisor
* Lisa Sparagano – Design
* Ken Fredette – Design
* Vic Anesini – Digital Mastering

## Chart positions

| Chart (1988) | Peak position |
| Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista) | 39 |
| US Billboard 200 | 133 |

## Certification

| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
| United States (RIAA) | Gold | 500,000$^^$ |
| $^^$ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |||

## Release history

| 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 |
| USA | Nov 15, 1988 | CD | 12 | Columbia/CBS | CK 44487 | 074644448726 | — | — | sched. for Nov 8, 1988 - delayed 1 week |
| USA | Nov 15, 1988 | Cassette | 12 | Columbia/CBS | FCT 44487 | 074644448740 | — | — | sched. for Nov 8, 1988 - delayed 1 week |
| USA | Oct 25, 1990 | CD | 12 | Columbia/CBS | CK 44487 | 074644448726 | — | The Nice Price | possibly released in a "The Nice Price" Longbox |
| USA | Jan 22, 1991 | Cassette | 12 | Columbia/CBS | PCT 44487 | 074644448740 02 | — | The Nice Price | approx. date |
| 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 |
| USA | Sep 7, 1993 | Cassette | 12 | Columbia/SMEI | CT 57371 | 074645737140 | — | The Nice Price | 1993 Remaster; sched. for Aug 24, 1993 - delayed 2 weeks |
| USA | Feb 1, 2008 | CD | 12 | Columbia/SMEI | CK 57371 | 886972387321 | — | — | 1993 Remaster |
| USA | Feb 1, 2008 | MP3 256k | 12 | Columbia/SBME | CK 57371 | 886972387321 | — | — | 1993 Remaster; album only |
| USA | Jul 1, 2009 | MP3 192k | 12 | Columbia/SME | CK 57371 | 886972387321 | — | — | 1993 Remaster; album only |
| 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 |
| USA | Nov 6, 2012 | MP3 256k | 12 | Columbia/SME | 88644 37119 6 | 886443711969 | — | — | 2012 Remaster; indiv. tracks |
| USA | Nov 6, 2012 | AAC 256k | 12 | Columbia/SME | 88644 37119 6 | 886443711969 | — | — | 2012 Remaster; indiv. tracks |
| USA | Apr 23, 2014 | FLAC 96/24 | 12 | Columbia/SME | 88644 37119 6 | 886443711969 | — | — | 2012 Remaster; album only |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| USA | Dec 23, 2014 | AIFF 96/24 | 12 | Columbia/SME | 88644 37119 6 | 886443711969 | — | — | 2012 Remaster; album only |
| USA | Dec 23, 2014 | ALAC 96/24 | 12 | Columbia/SME | 88644 37119 6 | 886443711969 | — | — | 2012 Remaster; album only |
| USA | Dec 23, 2014 | WAV 96/24 | 12 | Columbia/SME | 88644 37119 6 | 886443711969 | — | — | 2012 Remaster; album only |
| USA | Aug 7, 2019 | AAC 256k | 12 | Columbia/SME | 88644 37119 6 | 886443711969 | — | Apple Digital Master | 2012 Remaster; indiv. tracks |
| USA | Sep 27, 2019 | FLAC 96/24 | 12 | Columbia/SME | 88644 37119 6 | 886443711969 | — | — | 2012 Remaster; album only |