"Nine Lives" is the 12th studio album by American rock band Aerosmith. Released in 1997, it marked a return to Columbia Records after their time at Geffen Records. The album peaked at number one on the Billboard 200 and spawned three significant singles: "Falling in Love (Is Hard on the Knees)", "Hole in My Soul", and "Pink". "Nine Lives" was met with a mixed response critically, which attributed to the band's effort to return to their blues-based rock roots from their more pop-influenced previous albums.
The creation of the album was marred with trouble from the very beginning. The band had problems with their managers, they fired their longtime producer and had to find a replacement, there were internal qualms, and lead singer, Steven Tyler, had a severe ligament injury during the recording process. However, they were able to overcome these difficulties and complete the album.
Despite all challenges, "Nine Lives" achieved double-platinum status and garnered Aerosmith their first Grammy for the single "Pink". The album's cover art, which features a cat dancing on a human hand, is inspired from a Hindu painting, reflecting the Eastern influence in some of the album tracks.
