On Sept. 2, 2025, a number of social posts claimed singer Steven Tyler of Aerosmith had cut his hair. The posts, which included images of the purported haircut, spread on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and advertisement-filled websites. We also received numerous requests from readers seeking to confirm that the singer had indeed cut off his signature locks.
One post stated:
Boston — Legendary Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler, known for his signature flowing locks, shocked fans by impulsively chopping off his iconic hair. According to an insider, Tyler said he was "tired of being an old-school rockstar" and wanted to usher in a new era.
But the transformation didn't go as planned. The new hairstyle reportedly "didn't suit him" and even made him look "a decade older." After seeing his reflection, Tyler was said to be "completely speechless" and canceled an important photoshoot.
(Facebook page Wash & Run)
The Wash & Run Facebook group also posted a link to a story repeating the same information that led to an advertisement-filled article. Another similar article was titled "AEROSMITH Legend Steven Tyler's Haircut Stuns Fans: 'He Looks a Decade Older.'"
However, the claim was false.
We found no available evidence on news outlets that Tyler had cut his hair. Had this actually happened, the news would be widely reported on music and entertainment news pages as well as Aerosmith's social media accounts and website.
We looked through Tyler's verified social media accounts and found no recent posts that could prove he cut his hair. Footage of Tyler from eight weeks earlier also showed he had the same long hair. Furthermore, the story contradicts itself: If Tyler had been embarrassed by his short hair and "completely speechless" to the extent that he canceled a photoshoot, he would not be standing on stage as the images suggested.
We also ran the images through artificial-intelligence detection tools and found they were AI-generated. A Google reverse-image search of the images brought up no authentic source, instead directing us to more Facebook and Instagram posts, including from a Facebook page called Rock Revival 60s-90s.
In 2024, Aerosmith announced they would be retiring from touring because of a vocal injury Tyler suffered. Tyler did perform at a charity concert in July 2025 where his hair and vocals were on full display.
On Sept. 7, Tyler appeared at the MTV Video Music Awards where he performed in a tribute to late Black Sabbath singer Ozzy Osbourne. He still had his long hair.
We have previously reported on how the Rock Revival 60s-90s Facebook page displayed numerous additional posts about Tyler and Aerosmith containing fictional stories and/or AI-generated images. These tales all resembled glurge, which Dictionary.com defines as "stories, often sent by email, that are supposed to be true and uplifting, but which are often fabricated and sentimental."
For further reading, Snopes reported on another false story in which Tyler invited an elderly woman onstage to sing at a concert.