I Don't Want To Miss A Thing
by Aerosmith

Album: Armageddon: The Album (1998)
Charted: 4 1
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This love song of extreme devotion was written for the movie Armageddon, which stars Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler's daughter, Liv Tyler. U2 were originally asked to perform this song for the movie - the idea for Aerosmith performing it came only after Liv was cast.
  • A grand production featuring a 52-piece orchestra, "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" was by far Aerosmith's biggest hit on the US Hot 100, and their only chart-topper. It was #1 US for four weeks in September 1998, becoming one of the most popular songs of the year.

    The song got a huge bump from its placing in Armageddon, which worldwide was the top-grossing film of 1998.
  • Diane Warren wrote this song, which is about treasuring every moment spent with another person. Some other hit songs Warren wrote include "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" by Starship, "If I Could Turn Back Time" by Cher, "When I See You Smile" by Bad English, and "I'd Lie For You (And That's The Truth)" by Meat Loaf.
  • Diane Warren found inspiration for this song after hearing about an interview where James Brolin said that when his wife Barbra Streisand was away, he missed her even when he was sleeping. When she set out to write a song for Armageddon, she thought this was a good sentiment to express, since the film deals with the impending destruction of all on Earth.
  • This song extended Aerosmith's remarkable comeback as one of the hottest rock bands of the '90s. They were huge in the '70s with hits like "Dream On" and "Walk This Way." But drug problems plagued the band, and they had a run of down years starting in the late '70s that lasted until their 1987 comeback album, Permanent Vacation.

    Their 1993 album Get a Grip contains four hit singles that also did very well on MTV. With a new generation of fans discovering the group's back catalogue, they were as popular as ever, selling out shows worldwide. Their follow-up album, Nine Lives, was a struggle to make and wasn't released until 1997. It was far less popular, with none of its singles cracking the Top 25. Aerosmith could still fill stadiums, but had to come off the road in April 1998 when Steven Tyler tore his ACL in a microphone stand mishap during a show in Anchorage.

    The band was on the wane and facing the possibility of empty seats when they resumed their tour at the end of the summer, but this song revived their fortunes. The tour resumed on September 9, when "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" was the #1 song in America. The Nine Lives album title proved prescient, as once again they became one of the most popular rockers in the land, still cranking out hits while their contemporaries like The Rolling Stones were forced to lean on their legacies to sell tickets.
  • The Armageddon soundtrack, bolstered by this song, went to #1 in the US. It contains three other Aerosmith songs: "Sweet Emotion," their cover of "Come Together," and a new song called "What Kind of Love Are You On," which they had recorded for their Nine Lives album but didn't make the cut.
  • Even this song's writer, Diane Warren, found it a little treacly. She told Performing Songwriter: "Some of the lyrics, like 'I can stay awake just to hear you breathing,' I'd be like, 'No, don't do that. Don't watch me breathe. I won't be able to sleep. Go do something else.' It's so funny, because part of me would never want someone to say that to me, but then again, I write it."
  • Giving his thoughts on having a cover song become Aerosmith's biggest hit, guitarist Joe Perry explained to Classic Rock magazine in 2002: "At the time, we just didn't have the time to settle down and do it. We were out on the road, so they brought us in to see the movie and said 'here's the song, this is where it fits into the movie, you can do it if you want.' So we were in the studio within the next three days cutting it. And yeah, we do wish that we'd had a little more time, so that we could have had a shot at writing it, but it was perfect timing. The song was great, people loved it, and I don't think people care that much who wrote it."
  • When Diane Warren wrote this song, she thought someone like Celine Dion would be singing it. She was surprised when the artist turned out to be Aerosmith, but it ended up working out quite well. "I remember being at the Sunset Marquis Hotel, and sitting at the piano with him and teaching him the song and just having chills all over my body as I heard the song come to life with his voice and knowing what it was going to be," she told Performing Songwriter about working with Steven Tyler on the song. "It was an amazing experience. I'd written with Aerosmith before, and they'd never done the songs we wrote."
  • The country singer Mark Chesnutt covered "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" later in 1998, making it the title track of his eighth album. In February 1999, his version topped the Country chart and climbed to #17 on the Hot 100, five months after Aerosmith hit the top spot with the original.
  • You'll notice that Steven Tyler is surprisingly stationary in the video. That's because it was shot after his knee injury, and he was wearing an awkward brace that restricted his movement. The video's director, Francis Lawrence, used a lot of close-up shots to compensate.
  • Aerosmith performed a snippet of this at the halftime show of the 2001 Super Bowl, before going into "Walk This Way" along with N'Sync, Britney Spears, Mary J. Blige, and Nelly.
  • "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" proved popular with kids; it won the 1999 Nickelodeon Teen Choice Award for Love Song of the Year.
  • In a 2008 survey conducted by the cable music channel Magic TV, this was voted by its UK viewers as the nation's favorite love song.
  • British heavyweight boxer Tyson Fury celebrated his upset victory on November 28, 2015 over Ukraine's Wladimir Klitschko in Dusseldorf, Germany with some in-ring karaoke. "I promised everybody I'd sing a song after this fight," Fury said. "So this is to my UK fans, my Irish fans, my American fans and my new German fans; and most of all, this is a dedication to me wife." The newly crowned heavyweight champion then proceeded to belt out this song.

    Considering he just went 12 rounds, it wasn't a bad rendition. Joe Perry was impressed. "I thought it was great!," he told Vanyaland. "To belt it out like that… talk about being in shape. My hat's off to him; and to sing to his wife... he's a class act!"
  • The song earned an Oscar nomination for Best Original song but lost to "When You Believe" from The Prince of Egypt. It was Diane Warren's fifth nomination in that category, and her fifth loss. Looking back, it was probably her best shot: The song was a hit, the movie was a hit, and the artist recording it was huge. Warren earning a nomination and then losing became almost a ritual, but there always seemed to be a more prominent movie with a more prominent song. For instance, her 2021 nomination, "Somehow You Do" by Reba McEntire from the movie Four Good Days, stood little chance against "No Time To Die" by Billie Eilish from the James Bond movie of the same name.

Comments: 79

  • Jp from ChicagoThe producer, Matt Serletic, clearly hadn't worked with a large orchestra before or he never would have allowed the triangle to be so discordant at the song's end. I can't bear to listen to this song because the triangle part is so disruptive; it ruins the whole song.
  • Tmc from AzCan anyone give a link to the Folgers coffee commercial that the beginning notes of the song was borrowed from?
  • Spencer from Virginia BeachKrishen I get that you're depressed and like metal but that's a pretty hardcore dis
  • Katie from Estado De MexicoI actually sing this song to my baby... Because honestly, I would not stay awake to hear my husband breathing or snoring for the matter. But I definitely check on my baby's breathing... Plus, baby hugs are so sweet that I wish they lasted forever! Ironically the heartbeat of my baby relaxes me so much.that most of the time I fall asleep by his side. Art...Music has no boundaries...
  • Danny Boy from JacksonvilleA classic song from Aerosmith and or the toxic twins. Liv is a drop dead lady as well.
  • Josh from Tumwater WaLove this song
  • Jennifur Sunjust discovered this song by a young man named Fil in the UK. he goes by Wings Of Pegasus. such a pretty song
  • Lauz from MaI supposedly got a silver ring from Steven Tyler for the song for the movie Armageddon that he received. Is it true and real? It supposedly went to space and back. I don't believe it.
  • Mr. Bill from Los AngelesUh... Armageddon was not the top grossing movie of 1998, Saving Private Ryan was. $216,540,909 vs $201,578,102. [In the US, that's true, but Armageddon was tops worldwide. We changed the fact to reflect that. -editor]
  • Martin from Nairobi,kenyaReminds me of my best friend and wife...love you unconditionally bae!
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyActually, it was the ninth record to debut #1 on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart:
    Michael Jackson's "You Are Not Alone" (1995)
    Mariah Carey's "Fantasy" (1995)
    Whitney Houston' "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" (1995)
    Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men's "One Sweet Day" (1995)
    Puff Daddy & Faith Evans' I'll Be Missing You" (1997)
    Mariah Carey’s "Honey" (1997)
    Elton John's "Candle in the Wind" (1997)
    Céline Dion's "My Heart Will Go On" (1998)
  • Krishen from Mount Laurel, NjAt first, reading comments that are positive about this song make me laugh. At some point, though, after the fiftieth "This song makes me cry, it changed my life!!!!", I really feel sick. It's just another sign of how little taste there is in popular culture anymore. This is among the most inane pieces of drivel I've heard in my life. I'll listen to Lou Reed's "Metal Machine Music" a couple of times in a row before I'd be willing to sit through "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing". It most certainly is a sell-out (I'm talking to you, Homer) -- it panders to the lowest common denominator with its cheap pathos, and it's melodically dull and shallow. Songs like "God Only Knows", "Yesterday" or "#9 Dream", where actual effort and emotions were put into the writing, rightfully pull tears from the eyes. “Don’t…” is cheap, tossed together by that hack Diane Warren to make money off of people who will gobble anything “romantic” up – it’s just worthless. What’s truly sad is that Aerosmith used to make GOOD ballads, like “Seasons of Wither” and “You See Me Crying” – granted, once the ‘80s came around they trashed just about all of their credibility for the sake of the hair metal and AOR crazes, but at least some of their rockers were still entertaining. This kind of garbage is enough to make me think more fondly of “Cryin’” and “Crazy”…ugh
  • Cyberpope from Richmond, CanadaThis is the first song ever to have debuted at #1
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyWas nominated for Best Song at the 1998 Academy Awards {Lost to "When You Believe" from the movie "The Prince of Egypt"}!!!
  • Mark from Kitakyushu,They "sold out"? What should they have done instead?
  • Hannah from Gustavus, OhThis song is in Blades of Glory (AWESOME movie!)...They skate to it, and later Will Ferrel's character drunk-dials Jimmy (the other skater) and sings into the phone, "I don't wanna close my eyes, I don't wanna fall asleep 'cause I miss you Jimmy, and I don't wanna miss a thing."
  • Cody from Andover, MeThis is the best song i have ever heard. This song is a bout me and my girlfriend. I Love u babe.
  • Laurice from Aurora, CoI watched Armageddon for the first time the other day. Great movie....fits me. The song however i immediately thought of the first day i got to wake up next to my guy and watch him sleep. He looked so peaceful. And I have loved him since I was 14. Hard to believe i know but he was my first real bf and we just got back together 5 years later.
  • Derek from Shrewsbury, Mai agree with homer just because this song isnt fast paste and crazzy doesnt meen its not aa good song in case you havent noticed dream on is alot slower and easier to play
  • Homer from Springfield, KyP.S.Stop saying it's a sellout already!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh I see. Every wonderful song with a great message and even better music that millions of people love, that makes it a sellout. That makes perfect sense.
  • Homer from Springfield, KyI'd heard so much about this song that I finally listened to it. It changed my life. period.
  • Josh from Los Angeles,i was listening to this song when my dog Princess died. i was heart broken, but this song will always connect me to her no matter what.
  • Theresa from Murfreesboro, TnI never cared for this song. It's just another Diane Warren drippy ballad. Aerosmith is a better band than this song.
  • Tom from Robesonia, PaPeople say it's a sell out but they didn't write the lyrics or the music. They performed it in their style and made it theirs.
  • Mike from Port Charlotte, Flthis song is me and my fiance's favorite song
  • Nathan Ritz from Marengo , Inthis is without a dought the best song ever made, it reminds me of the girl i love, she dont know because its really hard to tell her but i love this song every time i hear this song i almost start to cry, just thinking about the girl i love, i dought any of you know who she is but i can try, its savannah rogers, she goes to paoli indiana,
  • Jonathan from Paoli, InThis song reminds me of a girl i turned down. She always talked of me always thought of me and when it came time for morp she didnt want to dance with me. Weeks later she dies of leukemia. Every time i see the movie every time i hear the song, everytime i play guitar hero i think of the one girl.
  • Jason from Southlake, TxThis is one great song this totally introduced Aerosmith to a whole new generation. Hope they make another number 1 soon.
  • Sarah from New Castle, Pai love this song its beautiful for rock
  • Josh from Toronto, -So true about U2, definitely their kind of song, but wow, Aerosmith, just perfect.
  • Cameron from Austin, TxI think U2 would have been better for this song, It would've fit in there cataloge better. but aerosmith nailed it. I was suprised that they could make such a beatuiful
  • April from Winder, GaAwww i Love this song! Its so great :)

    Its one of those songs you belt out in your car at a red light,
    while it blasts thru your speakers,
    and everyones watchin you, but you dont care,
    cuz you Know theyre singin along with you lmao
  • Melissa from Lorton, VaI like this song, but its not my favorite. They've done tons of songs I love. But I love anything these guys do b/c I'm so freaking in love with them!!
  • Jesy from Mission Bc Canada, Bci love this song it makesme cry when i hear it and last kiss by pearljam. Aerosmith roks!!
  • Dan from Winthrop, MaAgree total sellout!
  • Camille from Toronto, OhA passionate favorite of mine from Aerosmith. Steven Tyler nails this to the max. When I first heard it, the lyrics reminded me of a country song. Then, surprisingly, I heard Mark Chestnut's version, which is nice, but Aerosmith's reigns supreme. Steven Tyler puts the necessary passion into it that brings out the best of the emotional content. The song was nominated for an Oscar for best song for the movie "Armageddon". Shoulda won it! Was beaten out by "When You Believe" from the movie "Prince of Egypt". Anyone even remember that song? Not me! But I'll always remember Aerosmith singing this at the Academy Awards & Steven Tyler's wailing and singing his heart out blew me away. Rock on Dude!
  • Scott from Boston, MaI love the song and the movie. Definitely one of the best love songs ever. Aerosmith was great in the 70s, sold out in the 80s a bit and made a comeback in the 90s w/ "Cryin" and then this. "Armageddon" is one of my favorite movies ever. I would like to say, however, that this would never be mine and my girlfriends' "song" simply because I think 90% of couple aged 18-25 use this as their "song". Plenty of other great love songs to choose from.
  • Sam from London, EnglandI much prefer Mark Chesnuts country version, it just suits the mood of the song so much better, and it's more about the feeling and meaning of the song than trying to hit high notes.
  • Liquid Len from Ottawa, CanadaIt's not an absolutely horrid song musically but the extreme, extreme dopiness of the lyrics ruins whatever charm it might have had, for me. Now that I find out it was originally a country song, that explains a lot.

    "And anyone who thinks they sold out by doing this song are wrong."
    Actually their sellout was "Dude looks like a ladeh! Dude looks like a ladeh!" But oddly, selling out was their best career move - they're one of the few bands that became more popular AFTER the sellout. In the 80s, bands like Kiss and Aerosmith were even more derided than they were in the 70s, and you couldn't give a vintage minimoog away.
  • Ash from Griffith, Australiai love this song! its me n mi boyfriends song! it just makes me wanna cry n so does the movie.
  • Ariana from Haverstraw, NyMy boyfriend have this as "our song" because he loves Aerosmith and when he first showed me this song and it was over I looked at him and knew every word was true.
  • Laura from Hurt, Vagoing back to talking about Kody. He was my world. i hate that he is gone but it is what it is. I loved him and I always will. i just wish i could have 1 more day with him. the song makes me cry {alot}. see i have this little crush on someone but never like i loved/ love Kody. Dakota Woods. he shall never be forgoton because of this song.
  • Laura from Hurt, Vamy friend Kody Woods just died on st.patricks day,2007. I loved him and always will. the way this song connects to me is I don't want to have to miss him. but i do. for any girls{or boys} out there like me it is like a feeling of NEVER waking up.
  • Dee from Northfield, IlBut you still have to admit that it was their most successful. You cannot deny that fact. Actually, wasn't this song listed in the Guinness Book of World Records one year?
  • Dee from Northfield, IlBut you still have to admit that is was their most successful. You cannot dany that fact. Actually, wasn't this song listed in the Guinness Book of World Records one year?
  • Hilary from Grayson, LaThis was a great song...but in my opinion, it wasn't one of Aerosmith's greatest songs...at all. Don't get me wrong. It's beautiful and touching, but it's not the best one ever.
  • Brandon from Peoria, IlYou mentioned "Remember Me?" That song is freakin awesome and it gets NO play. Anyways I like Aerosmith, and this is possibly my favorite song by them. I was getting bored of the "same old song and dance" from the Boys from Boston. This opened up a new genre for them...the orchestra was amazing and the massive crescendo was outstanding. Who can scream like Steven Tyler AND make it musical? NOONE!!! Excellent song.
  • Jt from Tullahoma, TnThis song has almost nothing to do with the movie. I mean, hell, is anybody listening to the lyrics? The song is good, but I heard that the Journey song "Remember Me" was supposed to be played as the ending theme, but they went with this. Remember Me actually had something to do with the movie in my opinion. But other than that, good song. Nice.
  • Dale from Redditch, Englandi loved the movie but i especially love this song because its mine and my boyfriend song
  • Kayla from Clarkton, Ncthis song is so good it makes me want 2 cry!
  • Gordon from Lake Havasu City, AzFirst of all, Aerosmith is my main band and this is a great song. So full of feeling of emotion. And anyone who thinks they sold out by doing this song are wrong. Ever wonser what happened to mostother bands from the 70's? They probably refused to change with the times and are back playing in casinos and bars where they started and limping through lame reunion tours. Meanwhile, Aerosmith continues to pack stadiums and fly through sold-out tours around the world to this day. So before we use terms lie "sell-out", consider the facts and reconsider your opinions.
  • Chris from Darwen, Englandone of the best songs in the world... and film where ace as well
  • Stacey from Nowra, Australiathis song is going to be at my wedding i love it so much and i so cry every time i watch that movie also i think its hot that a guy isn't afraid to show his emotions
  • Chloe from ManchesterI love this song it's my favourte nd I'm not really in2 rock but this song iz gr8!! xx
  • Craig from Guildford, EnglandI love this song. First time I heard it, it made me cry. I think the only other song that could come close to this would be Forever Love by X-Japan
  • Smi from Dorset, EnglandClassic Rock magazine voted this the number 1 power ballad of all time.
  • Dave from Brisbane, AustraliaJust because a band isnt known for something, dosent mean they cant do it, I think Aerosmith nailed this to the wall, its a great song, and by doing this they increased thier fan base and attracted a whole new audience, I loved the movie too.
  • Marilynn from Winchester, VaI love this song. My mom and I had to deal with my sister going into foster care,and my mom said this song reminded her of her daughter.
  • Suki from N/a, Inthis song is just so beatiful...my second fav Aerosmith song next to DreaM On.
  • Whitney from Sallisaw, OkI love this song and if i ever get married it will be played at my wedding!
  • Michael from Melbourne, AustraliaOne word. Sellout.
  • Matt from Millbrae, CaThis was called the #2 power ballad of all time behind november rain.
  • Jammie from Deckerville, MiThis is a great song. I love it.
  • Lee from Essex, Englandi cant begin to explain the way this song makes me feel. reminds me of the time i was with my first, and only true love, the happiest period of my life and the saddest. thank you aerosmith. this song will never die . x.
  • Charlie from Thomaston, Cti think this is one of the greatest and most beutifull peices of poetry i have ever heard, it would have been cool if Aerosmith actually wrote it!
  • Laura from Melbourne, Australiathis is my favourite love song at the moment, but i change my mind quite often so this probably doesn't mean anything, ha ha
  • Natalie from Perth, AustraliaWhen i first heard this song (i was about 11) i hated it soooo much, but now that im a bit older i love it heaps. Whenever i hear it my eyes always tear up and i cry. It's a beautiful song.
  • Dave from Cardiff, WalesTom from Trowbridge - I think B*Witched were at No.1 in the UK with "To You I Belong" when this peaked at No.4! Matthew from New York - whether they sold out or not, the fact remains that Aerosmith looked to be close to the end of the road until this song propelled them back into the charts worldwide. What's so bad about it doing well commercially. That it alerted a whole new generation to the band has surely done them more good than harm?
  • Rhett from Melbourne, Australiayou cant knock this song, it was one of the songs on the 90's
  • Tyler from Tallahassee, FlJust to say,,
    Aerosmith wasn't orgianlly in mind to do the song,
    In fact U2 at one point was suggested to make this but they reafused. The suggestion for Aerosmith to prefrom it came when Liv Tyler signed on to the movie, Steven Tyler test vocaled the song and he loved it, so they signed on to it.
  • Tom from Trowbridge, EnglandFurthermore, does anyone know what was UK #1 when this was released? I bet it was somenthing really crap!
  • Ninny from Riverside, CaJust to let you all know that "Don't want to miss a thing" was actually a country song. One that touched a lot of peoples hearts. y


    I know suprising something so pretty could come from that
  • Tom from Trowbridge, EnglandSo, Matthew, would you have liked this song if it had flopped? Just cos a rock song does well automatically means the band's a sellout? Well, whatever!
  • Edgar from Laredo, TxA really great slow rock and roll song.
  • Joanna from Aberdeen, ScotlandThis is the funniest appalling movie I've seen for some time - at the scene where she is talking to 'daddy' and he dies, and the screen goes blank, the audience, in Islington, London, to a man, howled with derision and laughter. Looking at the comments above make me laugh now - it's obvious we're on different sides of the movie-watching spectrum, guys and gals. Loved the song. And the thing with the biscuit, travelling down Liv's tummy - 'how many people in the world are doing this right now?' he asked. NONE, pal. Risible. I like the song. That's the best thing about the movie... *smiles wickedly*
  • Matthew from New York, NyIn my opinion, this is the worst Aerosmith song of all time. They sold out on this one!
  • Chelsea from Wetaskiwin, CanadaI love this movie and song! Even thinking that someone would do that for the world is amazing!
  • Darrell from Chicago, Ilabout the video; what the L was tyler wearing?
  • Erica from West Hills, Cathis song and movie make me cry!!!
see more comments

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