Slabs of two commercial Al–Mg alloys were hot rolled on a laboratory mill. A wide range of processing parameters was used in the experimental design and the effect of those parameters on the annealing kinetics was established. The effects of each parameter are described by simple empirical relationships. The recrystallization time required for a given volume fraction recrystallized was found to decrease with increasing total hot strain and with decreasing initial grain size. The recrystallization time also decreased with increasing temperature compensated strain rate. The annealing temperature also has a profound effect. Empirical relationships incorporating all the process variables are presented, and it is shown that the alloy AA 5056 recrystallizes more readily than does alloy AA 5083. It is concluded that this observation arises because of the larger volume fraction of precipitates present in the homogenized 5083 alloy.MST/357