Top 10 Best Red Hot Chili Peppers Albums

We love them all, but which is your all-time favorite album from the Red Hot Chili Peppers?
The Top Ten
1 Blood Sugar Sex Magik

Should be second because they included Under the Bridge and Give It Away on the tracklist, and besides, One Hot Minute is a lot better anyway. But this is a total 10/10.

Even if there are more bland, overplayed songs like the singles, it makes up for it with songs like Sir Psycho Sexy, Funky Monks, The Power of Equality, If You Have to Ask, Mellowship Slinky in B Major, Apache Rose Peacock, and still more. Great one.

BSSM has the perfect mix of the mad funk energy and vitality of the early Chilis and the more melodic side of the band's personality. One of the greatest albums of all time. It 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 was at the time.

John finds himself as the ultimate Chili Peppers guitarist on this album. Endlessly listenable.

2 Californication

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 for 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.

3 Stadium Arcadium

Too many ding this album for being long on runtime. Couldn't disagree more. That's like the emperor chastening Mozart for using too many notes. When critics suggest the Chilis should've scrunched Stadium into one super-album, I'm like, okay, now please tell me which 14 songs you'd cut because 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 Chilis, 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!

4 By the Way

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.

5 One Hot Minute

Best. Hands down. Blood Sugar is amazing, really. But One Hot Minute is something special. John Frusciante is my favorite everything ever, but Dave Navarro did something great with this. Not to mention Anthony and Flea were at the height of their powers. Here are the best songs:

1. Transcending
2. Falling Into Grace
3. Shallow Be Thy Game
4. Walkabout
5. Coffee Shop

And they're all top 20 RHCP songs! Not to mention the outtakes like Bob and Let's Make Evil rock. Definitely a forgotten gem that's worth a listen.

(By the way, there isn't a bad song on the album. And every other RHCP outing has a few or more!)

6 Mother's Milk

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?

7 I'm With You

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 most 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.' Additionally, 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.

8 The Uplift Mofo Party Plan

This album is pure musical genius, so raw and volatile. It just oozes recklessness and total disregard for following trends.

With addictive hooks and bass lines, it's hard not to hold this album on repeat. It's 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 do people think that One Hot Minute is better than this?

9 The Getaway

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 whose chorus is really one of their best. The Hunter is a cool psychedelic track, and the lead single, Dark Necessities, will be greatly remembered with Under the Bridge, Aeroplane, Californication, Can't Stop, and Dani California.

Josh's work on The Getaway was amazing. This, and the atmospheric 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 these days.

10 Freaky Styley

Pure classic! If you want to have the best improvisations of everything in your suitcase, then this is it!

The Brothers Cup is an amazing song, as is Yertle the Turtle. An often overlooked album because it is the funkiest of any RHCP album by far.

One of the most underrated gems of the early Chili Peppers catalog.

From "Yertle the Turtle" to "If You Want Me to Stay," it just makes it a perfect album.

The Contenders
11 The Red Hot Chili Peppers

I think this is one of their worst, but it's so damn fun to listen to old-school Peppers. A surreal and interesting experience.

Still way better than I'm With You.

Amazing album. Sure, it's 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.

12 Unlimited Love

With John back on board, the band sounds like they are having fun again after being away for a few years. The tracks grow on you each time you listen to them.

My favorite track is forever changing. I can't believe they have been going for almost 40 years. There's still so much magic left in their tank.

After a six-year gap between the previous release, the Chilis return with an amazing new album with John Frusciante back on board.

There are some amazing songs to hear on here. This band loves being back together again, and their love for music and each other shines through.

13 Return of the Dream Canteen

In contention with Stadium Arcadium for a place in my top five, but really, I think this album has it all. Not a bad song, not even My Cigarette.

Also, I've found out recently that not a lot of people actually love Bella. Is this true?

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 second Chili Peppers record of 2022, Return of the Dream Canteen.

Yet another album packed with beautiful, amazing, fun, and emotional songs. I've been playing it solid ever since.

14 I'm With You Sessions

The B-sides are actually amazing. I think they are better than the "I'm With You" album. The lyrics and actual sound are amazing and powerful.

15 Out in L.A.
16 The Plasma Shaft
17 The Abbey Road E.P.
18 2011 Live EP
19 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Covers EP
20 Sock-Cess
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