2018 MTV VMA Viewers Rocked by Aerosmith, Post Malone Performance

Aerosmith might be Rock and Roll Hall of Famers, but 2018 MTV Video Music Awards viewers were initially not excited about seeing the legendary rockers close out this year’s show with rapper Post Malone. However, the group pulled off a surprisingly strong performance to end the night.

The performance kicked off with Post Malone rapping “Rockstar” with 21 Savage. This lead to Aerosmith performing “Dream On.” Then, the group surprisingly performed “Toys In The Attic.”

Post Malone and Aerosmith were expected to perform “Walk This Way,” a 43-year-old song. Aerosmith first recorded the song in 1975, then saw their career revived in 1986 when Run-D.M.C. recorded it with guitarist Joe Perry and singer Steven Tyler.

This year, Post Malone was nominated for Artist of the Year and competed against himself in the Song of the Year category. Both “Better Now” and “Rockstsar,” featuring 21 Savage, were nominated. “Rockstar” won the Song of the Year Moon Person.

Before the show, Aerosmith began earnestly promoting their upcoming Las Vegas residency at the Park Theater at MGM Park. The residency starts on April 6, 2019 and continues through July 9, 2019.

The Bad Boys from Boston started the promotional tour on the Today Show last week, before a stop at the Tonight Show. While on the Today Show, Perry said they chose to do a residency so they did not have to do a full-blown tour.

“We wanted to bring in there that we really can’t do on the road on a regular tour,” Perry said. “So we want to bring a show that still has Aerosmith and all the guts of Aerosmith but has a whole other element to it.”

The group will perform some of their biggest hits, since they do not have a new album to promote. They have not recorded a new album since 2012’s Music From Another Dimension!.

Some of the hits in the Aerosmith catalog include “Livin’ on the Edge,” “Mama Kin,” “Dream On,” “Sweet Emotion,” “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing,” “Draw The Line,” “Rag Doll,” “Love In An Elevator” and “Back In The Saddle.”

The group has won 10 MTV Video Music Awards, including Video of the Year for “Cryin,’” Best Rock Video for “Pink” and “Falling In Love (Is Hard On The Knees)” and Best Video from a Film for “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing.” Their last nominations came in 2001 for the hit single “Jaded.”

The group has also won four Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.

Photo credit: Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images for MTV