Red Hot Chili Peppers Stadium Arcadium released

Stadium Arcadium Red Hot Chili Peppers

Released: May 9, 2006 Peak: 12 US, 12 UK, 12 CN, 13 AU Sales (in millions): 2.0 US, 0.68 UK, 7.0 world (includes US + UK) Genre: alternative rock/funk

Tracks, Disc 1: Song Title (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to charts. Dani California (4/4/06, 6 BB, 24 RR, 5 A40, 1 AA, 1 AR, 1 MR, 2 UK, 1 CN, 8 AU, 21 DF) RT Snow (Hey Oh) (6/3/06, 22 BB, 21 A40, 3 A40, 3 AR, 1 MR, 18 UK, 28 DF) RT Charlie Stadium Arcadium Hump De Bump (4/7/07, 27 AR, 8 MR, 41 UK, 33 DF) She’s Only 18 Slow Cheetah Torture Me Strip My Mind Especially in Michigan Warlocks C’mon Girl Wet Sand Hey Tracks, Disc 2: Desecration Smile (2/12/07, 27 UK) Tell Me Baby (7/8/06, 50 BB, 22 A40, 27 AA, 8 AR, 1 MR, 16 UK, 28 DF) RT Hard to Concentrate (1 DF) 21st Century She Looks to Me Readymade If Make You Feel Better Animal Bar So Much I Storm in a Teacup We Believe Turn It Again Death of a Martian Total Running Time: 122:19 The Players: Anthony Kiedes (vocals) Michael “Flea” Balzay (bass/trumpet/piano/backing vocals) Chad Smith (drums, percussion) John Frusciante (guitar/keyboards/backing vocals)

Rating: 4.018 out of 5.00 (average of 29 ratings) Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Album: “Indulgence has long been a way of life for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, yet they resisted the siren’s call of the double album until 2006’s Stadium Arcadium. Sure, 1991’s breakthrough Blood Sugar Sex Magik was as long as a classic double LP, but such distinctions mattered little in the era when vinyl gave way to CD, and they matter less now, as the CD gradually gives way to digital-only releases. In fact, like how Blood Sugar was the tipping point when the LPs ceded ground to CDs, Stadium Arcadium could be seen as the point when albums were seen as a collection of digital playlists.” AMG “As good as much of this is, there is a little bit of monotony here” AMG as the Peppers churn out “alternately spacey and sunny pop, ballads, and the occasional funk workout that used to be the Chili Peppers’ signature but now functions as a way to break up the monotony.” AMG “As a lyricist Anthony Kiedis just isn’t that deep or clever enough to provide cohesive themes for an album of this length; he tackles no new themes here, nor does he provide new insight to familiar topics.” AMG “He does display a greater versatility as a vocalist, cutting back on the hambone rapping that used to be his signature and crooning throughout the bulk of this album, usually on key.” AMG “That said, he still has enough goofy tics to undercut his attempts at sincerity, and he tends to be a bit of a liability to the band as a whole; with a different singer, who could help shape and deliver these songs, this album might not seem as formless and gormless.” AMG The music is also “given a flat, colorless production that has become the signature of Rick Rubin as of late. Rubin may be able to create the right atmosphere for Flea and John Frusciante to run wild creatively – an opportunity that they seize here, which is indeed a pleasure to hear – but he does nothing to encourage them to brighten the finished recording up with some different textures, or even a greater variety of guitar tones.” AMG The Peppers’ songs are “working variations on their signature themes, and they haven’t found a way to make these variations either transcendent or new.” AMG “Dani California, the clearest single here, [is] the one thing that truly grabs attention upon first listen and worms its way into your subconscious, where it just won’t let go, as so much of Anthony Kiedis’ catchiest melodies do.” AMG “As such, the bare-bone production combined with the relentless march of songs gives Stadium Arcadium the undeniable feel of wading through the demos for a promising project instead of a sprawling statement of purpose.” AMG “Call it the rock version of Peter Jackson’s King Kong: there’s something pretty great and lean buried beneath the excess, but it’s so indulgent, it’s a work that only a fanboy could truly love.” AMG

Resources and Related Links: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Red Hot Chili Peppers AMG All Music Guide review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine Other Related DMDB Pages: First posted 3/29/2008; last updated 11/16/2023.

 

Red Hot Chili Peppers “Dani California” released

Dani California Red Hot Chili Peppers

Writer(s): Flea, John Frusciante, Anthony Kiedis, Chad Smith (see lyrics here) Released: April 4, 2006 First Charted: April 22, 2006 Peak: 6 BB, 24 RR, 5 A40, 11 AA, 112 AR, 114 MR, 2 UK, 12 CN, 8 AU, 11 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 5.0 US, 1.2 UK, 7.34 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 0.40 radio, 423.01 video, 964.50 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: The Red Hot Chili Peppers formed in 1982 in Los Angeles. Only singer Anthony Kiedis and bassist Flea have been consistent members since the beginning. They had a similar trajectory as contemporaries like U2, R.E.M., INXS, The Cure, and Depeche Mode in that they built an audience at college radio initially and graduated to monstrous mainsteam success by the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. The Peppers had their greatest success in 1991 with their top-five, multi-platinum album Blood Sugar Sex Magik and its #2 hit “Under the Bridge.” The group’s next four albums followed suit, all reaching the top five on the album chart and selling at least two million copies. 2006’s Stadium Arcadium found the group topping the album chart for the first time. The album’s lead single, “Dani California,” gave the group their third trip inside the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was their ninth chart topper on the alternative rock chart. It was only the second song (after R.E.M.’s “What’s the Frequency, Kenneth?”) to debut at #1 on that chart. WK The song relays the story of Dani, a poor girl born in Mississippi who moved to California, “became a mother and lived a hard, fast, unsettled life,” WK killed in the badlands by a North Dakota policeman. Kiedis said the character was “a composite of all the women with whom he has had relationships.” WK While unnamed at the time, the character of Dani firs appeared in the group’s 1999 song “Californication.” She was mentioned as “Dani the girl” in 2002’s “By the Way.” WK Dan Gaffney and Jared Morris, radio talk show hosts in Delaware, asserted that “Dani California” plagiarized the 1993 hit “Mary Jane’s Last Dance” by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. While there was some similarity, Petty himself said, “I seriously doubt that there is any negative intent there. And a lot of rock & roll songs sound alike.” WK “Dani California” won two Grammys – for Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. Resources: WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 1/25/2026.

Red Hot Chili Peppers By the Way released

By the Way Red Hot Chili Peppers

Released: July 9, 2002 Peak: 2 US, 15 UK, 11 CN, 14 AU Sales (in millions): 2.0 US, 1.95 UK, 11.2 world (includes US and UK) Genre: alternative rock

Tracks: Song Title (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to charts. By the Way (6/10/02, 34 BB, 1 AR, 1 MR, 2 UK, 13 DF) GH, RT Universally Speaking (6/1/03, 27 UK) GH This Is the Place Dosed (5/19/03, 13 MR, 22 DF) Don’t Forget Me The Zephyr Song (8/17/02, 49 BB, 16 A40, 1 AA, 14 AR, 6 MR, 11 UK, 28 DF) RT Can’t Stop (12/28/02, 57 BA, 15 AR, 1 MR, 22 UK, 25 DF) RT I Could Die for You Midnight Throw Away Your Television Cabron Tear On Mercury Minor Thing Warm Tape Venice Queen The Players: Anthony Kiedes (vocals) Michael “Flea” Balzay (bass/trumpet/piano/backing vocals) Chad Smith (drums, percussion) John Frusciante (guitar/keyboards/backing vocals)

Rating: 3.998 out of 5.00 (average of 21 ratings) Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Album: “The Red Hot Chili Peppers’ eighth studio album finds the California foursome exploring the more melodic freeways of harmony and texture, contrasting the gritty, funky side streets of their early days. Luckily, with this more sophisticated sound, the Peppers have not sacrificed any of their trademark energy or passions for life, universal love, and (of course) lust. Although they recorded the spiky Abbey Road EP in 1988, this album actually sounds a lot closer to the Beatles' Abbey Road, with a little of Pet Sounds and elements of Phil Spector's lushest arrangements all distilled through the band's well-traveled funk-pop stylings.” AMG “Harmony vocals and string arrangements have replaced some of the aggressive slap bass that the group was initially recognized for, but fans of both the gentle and the fierce Chili Peppers styles will embrace the title track and first single, By the Way. In fact, this song on its own could almost be a brief history of everything the Red Hot Chili Peppers have recorded: fiery Hollywood funk, gentle harmonies, a little bit of singing about girls, a little bit of hanging out in the streets in the summertime, some rapid-fire raps from Anthony Kiedis, some aggro basslines from Flea — the song plays like a three-and-a-half-minute audio version of Behind the Music.” AMG “Overall, the album leans more toward the melodic end of their oeuvre, but they have grown into this kinder, gentler mode organically, progressively working toward this groove little by little, album by album. What once were snapshots of a spastic punk-funk lifestyle have grown into fully realized short stories of introspection and Californication. Though the pace of the album falters at times (particularly in the verses; the choruses are all pretty spectacular), it is refreshing to see that as the four Chili Peppers continue to grow older and more sure of themselves, their composition and performing skills are maturing along with them.” AMG

Resources and Related Links: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Red Hot Chili Peppers AMG All Music Guide review by Zac Johnson Other Related DMDB Pages: First posted 3/28/2008; last updated 11/16/2023.

Red Hot Chili Peppers Californication released

Californication Red Hot Chili Peppers

Released: June 8, 1999 Peak: 3 US, 5 UK, 2 CN, 11 AU Sales (in millions): 5.35 US, 0.9 UK, 15.5 world (includes US + UK) Genre: alternative rock/funk

Tracks: Song Title (Writers) [time] (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to charts. Around the World (8/23/99, 16 AR, 7 MR, 35 UK, 30 DF) Parallel Universe (12/1/99, 37 MR) Scar Tissue (5/25/99, 9 BB, 11 GR, 10 RR, 11 A40, 2 AA, 1 AR, 1 MR, 12 DF) Otherside (1/1/00, 14 BB, 23 GR, 25 RR, 11 A40, 12 AA, 2 AR, 1 MR, 33 UK, 18 DF) Get on Top Californication (6/17/00, 69 BB, 30 GR, 31 RR, 28 A40, 17 AA, 1 AR, 1 MR, 16 UK, 12 DF) Easily Porcelain Emit Remmus I Like Dirt This Velvet Glove Savior Purple Stain Right on Time (2/3/03, --) Road Trippin’ (12/11/00, 30 UK, 26 DF) Total Running Time: 56:24 The Players: Anthony Kiedes (vocals) Michael “Flea” Balzay (bass/trumpet/piano/backing vocals) Chad Smith (drums, percussion) John Frusciante (guitar/keyboards/backing vocals)

Rating: 3.981 out of 5.00 (average of 19 ratings) Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Album: “Many figured that the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ days as undisputed alternative kings were numbered after their lackluster 1995 release One Hot Minute, but like the great phoenix rising from the ashes, this legendary and influential outfit returned back to greatness with 1999’s Californication.” GP “An obvious reason for their rebirth is the reappearance of guitarist John Frusciante (replacing Dave Navarro), who left the Peppers in 1992 and disappeared into a haze of hard drugs before cleaning up and returning to the fold in 1998. Frusciante was a main reason for such past band classics as 1989’s Mother's Milk and 1991’s Blood Sugar Sex Magik, and proves once and for all to be the quintessential RHCP guitarist. Anthony Kiedis’ vocals have improved dramatically as well, while the rhythm section of bassist Flea and drummer Chad Smith remains one of rock’s best.” GP “The quartet’s trademark punk-funk can be sampled on such tracks as Around the World, I Like Dirt, and Parallel Universe, but the more pop-oriented material proves to be a pleasant surprise — Scar Tissue, Otherside, Easily, and Purple Stain all contain strong melodies and instantly memorable choruses. And like their 1992 introspective hit ‘Under the Bridge,’ there are even a few mellow moments – Porcelain, Road Trippin’, and the title track. With the instrumentalists’ interplay at an all-time telepathic high and Kiedis peaking as a vocalist, Californication is a bona fide Chili Peppers classic.” GP

Resources and Related Links: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Red Hot Chili Peppers GP Greg Prato, All Music Guide Other Related DMDB Pages: First posted 3/5/2011; last updated 11/16/2023.

Red Hot Chili Peppers chart with “Under the Bridge”

Under the Bridge Red Hot Chili Peppers

Writer(s): Anthony Kiedis, Flea, John Frusciante, Chad Smith (see lyrics here) First Charted: February 15, 1992 Peak: 2 US, 11 CB, 13 GR, 12 RR, 2 AR, 6 MR, 13 UK, 3 CN, 14 AU, 2 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, 0.4 UK, 1.47 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 1.0 radio, 253.8 video, 1154.30 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Prior to this song, the Red Hot Chili Peppers built a following with four albums in the 1980s, but largely amongst the alternative rock crowd. They’d reached the top 20 of that chart four times, but never reached the top 40 of the pop chart. Their only previous song to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 was “Give It Away” (#73), the first single from Blood Sugar Sex Magik. As Rolling Stone’s David Fricke said, the song “unexpectedly drop-kicked the band into the Top 10.” WK Lead singer Anthony Kiedis wrote the song about the “loneliness and despondency” WK he’d experienced from heroin and cocaine addiction roughly three years earlier. WK He commented that instead of appreciating the love of his then-girlfriend, actress Ione Skye, he “was downtown with fucking gangsters shooting speedballs under a bridge.” WK It was initially a poem he thought was “too emotional and did not fit the Chili Peppers’ style.” WK However, producer Rick Rubin saw the band as more than “a funk band with rapping” SF and convinced Kiedis to share the song with the band. “Under the Bridge” became the second single from the Magik album after Warners Bros. Record representatives saw the Peppers in concert. Kiedis missed his cue to start singing and the audience jumped in. He apologizied to the record company people afterward, but they said, “Are you kidding me? When every single kid at the show sings a song, that’s our next single.” WK The song has been called “a seminal component of the alternative rock movement of the early and mid-1990s.” WK Journalist Jeff Apter called it “the bona fide, across-all-formats radio hit that the band had been working towards for seven years.” WK All Music Guide’s Amy Hanson called it “an integral part of the 1990s alterna-landscape.” WK Resources: SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 1/24/2021; last updated 7/14/2023.