Steven Tyler Returns to the MTV VMAs After Vocal Injury and Touring Retirement
By Website Content Manager
Aerosmith’s frontman paid tribute to the late Ozzy Osbourne during the 2025 MTV VMAs.
Steven Tyler proved he’s still a rock force to be reckoned with.
At 77, the Aerosmith frontman paid tribute to the late Ozzy Osbourne during the 2025 MTV VMAs on Sunday, Sept. 7. He performed “Mama, I’m Coming Home” alongside bandmate Joe Perry, Yungblud, and guitarist Nuno Bettencourt. The track, originally released on Osbourne’s 1991 No More Tears album, remains one of his signature hits.
The tribute followed Aerosmith’s retirement from touring in August 2024, a decision made after Tyler suffered a fractured larynx onstage.
Perry later revealed that his longtime bandmate has no plans to return to the road. “I’d bet there’s still an Aerosmith show in the future—maybe as part of a documentary project,” he told Boston radio station WBUR. “But Steven doesn’t want to tour, and physically, he can’t. It’s hard.”
Despite that, Tyler has still taken the stage on select occasions. About six months after Aerosmith’s retirement announcement, he performed at his Jam for Janie Grammy Awards Viewing Party in Los Angeles, covering Extreme’s “More Than Words” and delivering classics like “Toys in the Attic” and “Dream On.”
Former Guns N’ Roses drummer Matt Sorum described the appearance as a major milestone in Tyler’s recovery. “It was a really big moment for him—he was hurt badly,” Sorum said, while emphasizing that Tyler has no interest in the demands of a full tour. “He can’t take on the pressure of a worldwide run anymore.”
Following Osbourne’s passing, Aerosmith issued a heartfelt statement: “We’re devastated by the loss of our brother in rock, Ozzy Osbourne. His voice transformed music forever. From Black Sabbath to his solo career, he redefined heavy music with heart, grit, and that untamed spirit only he had. Our love goes out to Sharon, his family, his band, and the millions of fans worldwide who felt his fire.”