Greatest Red Hot Chili Peppers Albums

BSSM has the perfect mix of the mad funk energy and vitality of the early Chili's and the more melodic side of the band's personality.
One of the greatest albums of all time. Has it all. It's 74 minutes long and even the B sides they couldn't fit on are amazing. It's revolutionary "artistically heightened" music, coming from a place of infinite creativity, where the band where at the time.
John finds himself as the ultimate Chili Pepper's guitarist on this album.
Endlessly listenable

How is this not #1? Listen to the variety of sounds and voyages this album covers. Anthony great notes in "Under The Bridge", and rapped away in "If you have to ask" John is brilliant in this, not to mention Chad and Flea go so well in here. Watch the Funky Monks documentary and your opinion will change.

While Californication is a close second, the crown belongs to Blood Sugar Sex Magik. Arguably a sublimely creative and yet incredibly palpable album crossing various genres successfully, yet retaining the core Chili Pepper sound. Brilliant is an understatement.

This is their masterpiece... Fleas bass lines and groove here is truly remarkable whil Frusciante's guitar works here reminded he is the best and only guitarist for Red hot, every song is nice, that's what a great album is, each song is created, blended, studied by the band, this is the magnum opus album of RHCP

Californication was not only a comeback album, but also a transitional album. Never before has the world seen a piece of work with such musical versatility, mixing the rock riffs and rapping from Kiedis of the Blood Sugar Sex Magik and Mother's Milk days with the beautiful melodious songs of By the Way, to make an amazingly all-around beautiful album.

Incredible album. I am a huge fan of the Chili Peppers. I love all of their albums so much. It was hard to vote as to which was the best album. But I had to choose Californication! From Around the World, Parallel Universe, Scar Tissue, Californication, and This Velvet Glove, this album had the best of the best from the Chili Peppers.

Oh man, this was a tough one... I couldn't choose between this and Stadium Arcadium... But I really did have to choose this one, mainly because it was the peak of John Frusciante's genius. This album was what made me LOVE the Red hot Chili peppers. Great Album... 9/10

Just ahead of SA for me. I really like this album (and SA for that matter) because there wasnt a single song I didn't enjoy. while BSSM and By The Way had 1, maybe 2 songs I wasnt crazy about, this album is just especially fantastic. my favorite RHCP song, Otherside, is on this album, as well as my other favorites Scar Tissue, Californication, Parallel Universe, Porcelain, Around the World, and Road Trippin'.

Too many ding this album for being long on run time. Couldn't disagree more. That's like the emperor chastening Mozart for using too many notes, and when critics suggest the Chilis should've scrunched Stadium into one super-album, I'm like, ok, now please tell me which 14 songs you'd cut, 'cause I can't think of one. For my money, this and BSSM are the top 2 RHCP albums, hands down, and in no particular order. The only legit critique is that it doesn't really break new ground, but in fairness, what ground haven't the Chili's with their eclectic wealth of influences already covered? Psychedelic string quartet? No thanks. I'll take classic Chilis any day, as an album doesn't necessarily have to innovate to be epic. Love this album!

The recording quality and guitar work by John Frusciante on this is par none. He finds a wonderful balance here, whereas I feel like he was overly minimalist for some tracks in earlier albums. Snow is simple complexity. It is elegant and finessed. Can't find the words to describe how wonderfully Snow and Dani California communicate pure emotion and love.

So hard to decide but Stadium has to be my favorite RHCP Album! 2 discs, both would make an excellent album by them self. Combine to create one fantastic Dual disc release. There are so many amazing tracks beyond the obvious that got radio play. Readymade, If, Make You Feel Better, Animal Bar, Storm in a Tea Cup, Slow Cheetah, Warlocks, Wet Sand, Hey... the list goes on and on.

This album is a cohesive journey through the sounds of RHCP, and musically it is a masterpiece. One of the best double albums post-2000 you'll ever hear. It is truly John Frusciante's mangum opus, and the album sees each member doing some of the most sophisticated work they've ever done. A must listen, and somehow underrated as it pertains to the RHCP discography.

YES. This is the best modern RHCP album, in my opinion. My favorite songs on this album are probably the title track, Can't Stop, Throw Away Your Television and Venice Queen. The title track is infectious and funky, like with a lot of their songs, Can't Stop is one of the most psychedelic songs they ever did, Throw Away Your Television does count as well, and the ending track, Venice Queen is just so BEAUTIFUL. It starts off like a slow ballad, but halfway through, it kicks off with some ass-kicking production. Best ending track in a RHCP album, in my opinion as well. This is the Pokemon Black and White of their discography. Point taken.

This is the only RHCP album with not only no duds nor filler, but with one key trait: every song is a highlight. If you listen to Minor Thing, it can give you so much feelings, and it's so wild and swiftful- a great song. That's my least favorite on the album. I think that shows how great it is. My favorites are 'Dosed', 'Midnight', and 'I Could Die For You'. And some say that it laques the funk aspect that BSSM brought to the mix, but they're wrong. Songs like 'By The Way', 'Throw Away Your Television', 'Minor Thing', even 'Can't Stop' more subtlety, it's not gone. Also, this is the most experimental album they've released. 'Universally Speaking' and 'Warm Tape' are psychedelic masterpieces, 'This Is The Place' and 'Don't Forget Me' showed a bleaker sound the band could offer with going full metal, 'Tear' shows the band experimenting with unique instrumentation, 'Cabron' showcases different percussion sounds. And perhaps the most energetic song in the bands catalog, 'On Mercury' ...more

I like this one and BSSM equally, but this one doesn't get enough credit. There are no duds, none. Every song is great. My personal favorites are I Could Die For You, Midnight, Warm Tape, Venice Queen, Universally Speaking, Dosed, Can't Stop, Tear, This Is The Place, Don't Forget Me, The Zephyr Song, Throw Away Your Television, By The Way, Cab*on, On Mercury, Minor Thing, and uh... oh wait that's all of them. That just shows how great it is.

It is just the perfect album. Frusciante's riffs are just magical and blinding while Kiedis' vocals are more powerful than ever. Some songs are soft and beautiful (Dosed, The Zephyr Song) while others keep the funky aspects that that they are so well known for (Can't Stop, On Mercury). This album is just the pinnacle of their catalog. The perfect blend.

The Greatest. No reason to hate it, just because the guitarist was not John Frusciante. All songs 'except "Pea" are great, there is nothing to say.

People should stop overlooking this album just because its not frusciante. So much diversity and every song is good.

Certainly their most underrated album to date; certainly not their best album to date.

Dave Navarro is so superior to Frusciante. He should have stayed in the band.

Every RHCP album is different and that's what makes them a very unique and interesting band. I love all of them, but this is probably their best: it's got the ass kicking bass (Johnny kick a hole in the sky), the pounding drums (Higher Ground), heavy riffs (Good time boys), melodic guitar playing (Pretty little ditty), funky grooves (Subway to venus), Anthony's characteristic vocal style and sexual lyrics as usual.
And if you have the remastered, you get 2 awesome instrumentals, 2 live songs and 2 extended versions. What else can you ask for?

This is my number one for one simple reason... GOOD BOYS! I love this song and the rest of it is as great as well. This starts the chili peppers finding that perfect cross between 90s music and funk that would later be on BSSM. Even though they are both great, something about this album (guitar solos) make it my favorite

The best Red Hot chili peppers album. Funky metal, metalish funk, whatever you want to call it this was the Red hot chili peppers. They had a sound they never had before and never duplicated ever again on this album

So much energy is displayed on this album. Contains some of the band's best funk material. Excellent riffing and the bass is at its finest.

Monarchy of Roses; Brendan's Death Song; The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie; Look Around; and, of course, every other wonderful song on this surprisingly magnificent record. I don't know if I would call this their best, but it might just be my personal favorite: it's one of their freshest and energetic albums, hearkening back to the melody and soft beauty of 'By The Way' while also incorporating the minimalistic rock fervor of 'Blood Sugar Sex Magik', and a fair amount of boundary-pushing experimentalism works its way into the mix.

Essentially, this is a fantastic effort from a veteran rock band, proving that one of music's most creative, original, and successful bands is still in tip-top shape and creating truly great art.

This is a surprisingly excellent album, more than I actually thought it would be, especially with John Frusciante's second and now permanent departure. However, just like how Frusciante changed and, in my opinion, vastly improved the sound since Hillel Slovak's death, Josh Klinghoffer's positive influences can already be heard and, amazingly, admired on this album. While he's not technically "better" than Frusciante (I love Frusciante's complex, layered guitar playing), he is reinventing the RHCP sound with cleaner, sharper riffs, in his own way, evolving the band while still sounding fresh, yet comfortably familiar. If this is the beginning of a "new band" as Chad Smith calls it, then I'm really looking forward to what comes next.

Very impressive album considering the absence of John Fruciante. If you pick up this album expecting it to be like their other albums you will be disappointed because in this album we see the Red hot chilli peppers attempting to mould into the more mainstream rock genre and they do it effectively. This album seems to have a more emphasis on flea and catchy bass lines (hence the album art) and less emphasis on guitar (unlike the previous albums). This might be because the rest of the band may not be completely comfortable with Josh Klinghoffer as of yet and sadly we aren't also sadly having not many opportunities to properly head him however what there is of Josh is brilliant. I agree with Chad Smith that this is the start of a 'new band' and although this isn't their best album it is still my favourite.

I vote this one, because it's the one that definitely should be higher. What an awesome album, and underrated! From Monarchy of Roses to Dance, Dance, Dance, it's awesome, again a funky album, which is the original sound of the peppers, but with a softer By the way's vibe that makes it the third best RHCP album.
My list would be like this:

1. Blood Sugar Sex Magik
2. Stadium Arcadium
3. I'm With you
4. Mother's Milk
5. By the way
6. The uplift Mofo party plan
7. One hot minute
8. Freaky Styley
9. Californication
10. The getaway
11. RHCP

This album is pure musical genius, so raw and volatile. It just oozes recklessness and total disregard for following trends. Addictive hooks and bass lines, its hard not to hold this album on repeat. Its just pure gold.

This album is amazing. It's so funky and energetic. It also has some of the most enjoyable material by the band. Killer cuts: Fight Like a Brave, Behind the Sun, and Backwoods.

This is my second favorite, behind Mother's Milk but seriously, why the hell are people thinking that One Hot Minute is better than this?

A truly energetic and enjoyable album. Very consistent unlike most RHCP albums. Every song has a unique quality to it. Plus Hillel Slovak is a musical genius.

Second album with Josh Klinghoffer on board and it's a beauty. I enjoyed the input Klinghoffer had whilst Frusciante was absent from the band. Some great tracks here which I feel so many fans have over looked due to Frusciante not being present. If you haven't checked it out then please do.

Not the best but certainly up there, their new vibe is more balanced here. The Getaway and Encore are great laid back songs, We Turn Red is an awesome funky song that's chorus is really one of their best. The Hunter is a cool psychedlic track and the lead single, Dark Necessities will be greatly remembered with Under The Bridge, Aeroplane, Californication, Can't Stop and Dani California.

Josh work on The Getaway was amazing, this and the asmospherical vibe of the album, with amazing riffs, Flea's magic, surprisingly good lyrics from most of the songs from anthony, not meaningless at least and as always Chad keeping all this together. There's not a song that I disliked, amazing work from a band that's still amazing on this days.

I love it, Go robot it's something I never heard before, the Getaway style and bass riff is the highlight of the album and of course The Hunter sounds like the soundtrack of a movie. It's amazing. Nice come back!

This is a thousand times better than freaky styley, god damn. Freaky styley is their worst album by 300 miles, this one is just ok?

11. Freaky Styley (1/5)
10. The red hot chili peppers (3/5)
9. The getaway (3/5)
8. One hot minute (3.2/5)
7. I'm with you (wish it was higher) (4/5)
6. Mothers milk (4/5)
5. By the way (4/5)
4. Stadium Arcadium (4.2/5)
3. The uplift mofo party plan (4.5/5)
2. Californication (5/5)
1. Blood sex sugar magik (5/5)

Amazing album. Sure, its not the best but there are some great songs on there like 'True Men don't Kill Coyotes' and 'Why don't You Love Me'

Pure energy in the form of rocked out funk. Whoever doesn't appreciate this isn't a true fan.

Their only good album. Prove me wrong.

I'm so glad they didn't make this after Stadium Arcadium, so many overrated songs like Dani California would have dominated the tracklist and knocked absolute classics off the album. Simply an amazing LP. Who cares if it's a compilation album?

This features a range of songs from all the bands' albums. From under the bridge (blood sugar sex magik) to by the way (by the way). It also features songs not found on any other album by RHCP such as soul to squeeze. A song such as soul to squeeze is another masterpiece by the band. From Flea's base bouncing the song along and Frusciante complementing Anthony's vocals it's no surprise it was very successful. It is the summary of the band that is chilli peppers and only the best songs. My whole teenage life is this album.

Good Album But I Bielieve is not really an album, its more than a do-over. They also should have waited for stadium arcadium.

After a 6 year gap between the previous release, the Chilis return with an amazing new album with John Frusciante back on board. Some amazing songs to hear on here. This band is loving being back together again and their love for music and each other shines through.

With John back on board, the band sound like they are again having fun after being away for afew years. The tracks grow on you each time you listen to them, my favourite track is forever changing. Can't believe they have been going for almost 40 years... there's still so much magic left in their tank.

Amazing new album. Almost 40 years into their career and they still have the magic.

Surprisingly good album

All the songs played here are played with such passion and the perfect variety

Unlimited Love did not leave my car CD player for over 6 months, I love that album so much and it only got replaced by the 2nd Chili Peppers record of 2022 Return Of the Dream Canteen. Yet another album packed with beautiful, amazing, fun and emotional songs. Been playing it solid ever since.

Its for me the best because it is very relevant to my life right now,