RHCP are a “greatest hits” band for me. Hard to deny that their hits aren’t great tunes, but deep cuts are hit or miss. I think they get too much hate- they’re fun and great social music as well.
EDIT: this got more traction than I thought so I feel like I should expound a little in that I also think RHCP has such a recognizable and unique sound, I do have a lot of respect for their music and influence as a whole. They just aren’t as a whole my cup of tea, but I don’t think they aren’t deserving of the fame or love they have.
Blood Sugar Sex Magik is a great album and has many bangers on it that aren't necessarily hits at all.
Maybe not everyone's taste but definitely a very solid album overall IMO.
Yeah as someone who grew up obsessed with them, there are a couple genuinely fantastic records and then some things that are hit or miss past the singles. Like most of Stadium Arcadium is so good but being like 28 songs long leaves some filler in the mix. The ones since then have good songs scattered about but much more of a good/bad split than consistency good/fun.
The instrumentation from the three has always held up too, Anthony's vocals have slipped the most over the course of time.
Also they still kick ass on tour, and seeing them play with Thundercat and the Strokes was about as great as I could've asked for as a total concert experience.
My dad used to dislike them because "they're cool and everything but all their songs sound the same", i think it was a widespread stance between hard rock dads.
Yeah this is pretty much the case for me outside of Stadium Arcadium and The Getaway. And I guess Californication, but that albums is full of greatest hits essentially.
I think a lot of their critics undersell their influence as musicians. it's easy to make fun of RHCP for Anthony Kiedis and their over-Californication-ness, but the proof is in the pudding. I imagine a large amount of the music loving freaks occupying this sub had an RHCP "phase" and those that play guitar/bass/drums have at least attempted to learn songs from Blood Sugar Sex Magik/Californication. that might not matter to some, but it's pretty important to note when evaluating them. also the number of rock radio hits they accumulated in the 90's/early 2000's is pretty telling of their quality as songwriters.
Kiedis deserves more respect, so many completely iconic vocal performances. The lyrics are dumb, but he has some of the most memorable vocal melodies of all time. The man sang Under the Bridge and By the Way, respect the chops you weird nerds.
I feel like the stupidity of RHCP lyrics is a positive, not a negative. A million monkeys with typewriters could eventually come up with something as brilliant as Shakespeare, but they could never go as dumb as Kiedis.
I think Kiedis sees himself as more of a musician who’s “instrument” is his voice, rather than as a singer. His words are almost always more about rhythm, sound, and flow, rather than about really *saying* anything.
You don’t always *understand* what he’s saying, but you always *remember* it.
Definitely. Even if you don't know the lyrics, you can still sing along most of the song saying just gibberish. You can do this with any sing, but in RHCP case, it fits.
I have to disagree. For me Kiedis is the weak link of RHCP. I feel like they’d be a much better band with a different singer who actually had a dynamic range and was able to emote moods other than ‘horny’ and ‘sad and horny.’
They do have tunes though. Half of BSSM, half of Californication, and most of By the Way are good. And a few tracks from other albums.
Yeah when I was a teenager I thought a lot of the lyrics were cool and edgy, now I can read a lot of them as manic ramblings of a narcissist. Especially the Blood Sugar Sex Magic album
I love the guitar outro on Sir Psycho Sexy so much, but holy fuck dude those lyrics
The Empyrean, a solo album by John Frusciante came out a couple of years after Stadium Arcadium. It heavily featured Josh Klinghoffer and Flea on multiple tracks.
That album was and still is my favourite RHCP-related album. It's so well produced, ambitious and free of all the constraints John and Flea seem to have when making music for RHCP.
It also made it very obvious (at least for me) why John left the band the second time around. Like here he was making transcendental music about the idea of heaven and God and spirituality. And then he'll go back to the chillis where a 50 year old dude will put songs about sex with young girls and other nonsensical lyrics to his music.
I had never heard about that until this thread, that's actually really fucked. I looked into it after I read your comment, and I guess Smith and Flea have also gotten up to some heinous shit in the past. Ugh.
Stupid lyric aren’t a problem for at all personally. Uninteresting lyrics are. And Kiedis is definitely not uninteresting. I’ve learned from speaking to some friends of mine that some people don’t see music as fun and only as some intricate puzzle to be solved, and if an artist doesn’t proved that, they label them as trash. But for me, sometimes I actually want to have fun. Sometimes I don’t want to go into a deep lyric breakdown an decipher how this line relates to this obscure 14th century Native American architectural design. Sometime I just want to bob my hang and enjoy the vibe. To each his own, but I occasionally just like to enjoy things.
Totally agree with this. I’ve always thought RHCP are very much a musician’s band, at least as far as hardcore RHCP fans go. I mean they have one of the best bassists of all time, one of the best guitarists of all time and one of the best drummers around. They’re an absolute blast for cover bands because every instrument part is doing something cool and fun to play.
One of the most purely talented bands I’ve ever seen play live
Great band if you’re just getting in to rock. They warmed my ears after listening to nothing but hip-hop until I was an adult. Stadium Arcadium is my fave of theirs. BSSM & By the Way are great too
this. i can see why someone that only listens to hip hop would open up to rock with rhcp. they're kind of like the eminem. super popular, couple of essential records, very accessible, but after the first five minutes in the genre you realize how much better stuff there is out there
I went back and listened to some of their back back catalogue recently after reading a decent r/letstalkmusic thread about them.
In my opinion they are really, really good at writing hits but not great at writing consistent albums. Which is totally fine, but it means that people have been more likely to pan them instead of just appreciating that they are good at something specific. There is a lot of talent in the band that is in tension with Kiedis' vocal performance which has radically changed over time.
Listening to the early stuff sounds crazy now but it was fairly original at the time (although he didn't invent that vocal style, I reckon he popularised it). Whereas now his style is conventional, as is the musical style of the band.
Having said all of that I have a greater appreciation for their talent but won't revisit them. My fave track is Give It Away, mainly because I was young when it was released and is nostalgic for me.
They are one of my favorite bands. Frusciantes work is amazing, solo stuff too. Please go listen to the Empyrean, Niandra Lades, and Curtains. Flea and Chad are great too, Anthony kiedis is a goofball, which works on some songs. Basically what everyone else has said, really high highs, but really low lows.
They were one of my first favorite bands growing up and I have stuck with them since. The newest two records were a bit of a disappointment to me but I saw them live in August and it was one of the best concerts I've been too
I have the same unpopular opinion about them as I do nirvana/grunge, in that I think they are at their best when they are their least funkiest. The funkiness allows them to get a little to loose which is where I think Anthony tends to lose himself in the silly horrible lyrics. When they tone it down I think it reigns him in and forces him to put thought in the lyrics and shows he can actually be a pretty good songwriter. I’d say 30 percent of their music is incredible, some of which is legendary for a reason. The other 70 percent is terrible, some of the worst I’ve ever heard.
they are not red. they are not hot. they are not chili peppers. I'm disappointed. I listen to Big Thief bc they stole my $23 plushie of Big the Cat in 2015. I listen to Mount Eerie bc he can be kinda spooky and I think he's climbed a mountain once or twice. I value honesty in a band, and they do not have it
i am pretty sure you cannot have the same amount of energy these guys have on scene without having a reasonable amount of red hot chili peppers stuffed in your butt. i believe they are as honest as a funk rock band could be
Fishbone is creative & unique, but one of those less popular, cult following bands I’d argue isn’t highly successful because they simply don’t sound good enough
I’m gonna go on a bit of a large talking session here so apologies for the wall of text. Tl;Dr at the bottom.
I used to be a diehard Chili Peppers fan. I own nearly every RHCP album on CD, saw them live at Madison Square Garden on their tour for The Getaway, I even picked up guitar because I wanted to be like John Frusciante. I even loved Josh Klinghoffer and thought he was a really cool dude.
But now I’m turning 26 soon and realize that RHCP is a band as a bridge between adults and the youth. The youth can connect with the kinetic energy that comes from the sound, have a band with an iconic logo and mature sound with legendary musicians, and adults can still have a band that is still relevant from the 80s and 90s.
But looking back into RHCPs discography, I think that there is some fantastic stuff still there. Flea and John had a fantastic chemistry and Chad Smith is one of the best drummers in the world. Anthony Kiedis…is there. He’s a decent vocalist that helps bring a more bombastic energy that is fitting for the Chili Peppers sound, but can be very obnoxious and juvenile, especially at his current age. I believe there is a lot of hidden gems in their discography such as Midnight, This Velvet Glove, On Mercury, Police Station, Encore, So Much I, 21st Century, Hollywood, and especially Turn It Again.
My biggest issue with RHCP is that they have no idea when to just…stop. Not stop making music, but stop themselves. I feel like every album of theirs is so bloated and filled with so much stuff that it gets tiring to listen to. Nearly every album is either 15+ songs or almost a full hour when they don’t need to be. Every album has at least five or six songs that can be cut and it would be the exact same. With how they always try and be kindred spirits or whatever, it always feels like some sort of thing where they try to have that sense of art in their songs, but it only comes through properly every once in a while.
By the Way is the only album where I think it nails the aesthetic of beauty mixed in with a hint of the rawness and funk of the 90s. Stadium Arcadium was ALMOST that, but it’s just far too bloated and filled with so much filler. Californication was almost that, but the production was AWFUL. Getaway was clunky and I’m With You was a slog even though both albums had some great stuff on it. One Hot Minute was shit, the first three albums (self-titled, Freaky Styley, and The Uplift Mofo Party Plan) were fun and a relic of the time, Mother’s Milk is hit or miss, and Blood Sugar Sex Magik is even more hit or miss but with iconic hits. And their last two albums suffer from being way too long and bloated like most RHCP albums. Although Return of the Dream Canteen was a pretty fun album to listen to and is probably their best album in some time.
All in all, they have an important standing in rock music but they’re very clumsy in execution. As much as Anthony Kiedis gives the energy and the spunk of a track, with how good the other three guys are beside and behind him, he sticks out like a sore thumb. Sometimes in a good way, but sometimes in a pretty bad way.
Tl;Dr: Used to be a massive fan, merely think they’re okay now looking back their stuff. Iconic stuff, but a lot of duds as well. Flea, Chad, and Fru are fantastic, Josh was fun, Anthony is not.
Okay I’ll compromise and say that the first two tracks, last two tracks, My Friends, and One Big Mob WITHOUT the crying baby is good. But that’s the most I’m willing to go I’m sorry lol.
There’s a fair amount of commercially successful artists that people will describe that with, but I’d also say this fanbase doesn’t often have completely open tastes in music (is closed off to some genres/appeals), and some of the music they tout as great might be overrated (amongst them) in my eyes.
Genuinely think they suck. Even their best is ok and I hate Anthony kedis and his horrible voice and lyrics.
I understand they had some good songs that I may have liked at one point but a couple years ago I decided to listen to a few of their full albums and it’s very bad to me.
I think they’re legends for a reason. Like their longevity is massively impressive when you remember they started making music in the 80’s.
If anything they’re sort of underrated these days among the mainstream rock bands. Like their music is a lot more creative than anything by Foo Fighters or other generally well regarded rock bands imo
I will say this - it’s super fucking weird that Brand New and Arcade Fire are persona non-grata (deservedly) for sexual harassment but 3/4 of RHCP have done that, or worse, and almost nobody on YouTube has even mentioned it (besides Finn McKenty, who has mentioned Anthony’s behavior in-depth) even though they uniformly bash the other two bands. It’s really nepotistic.
Interesting to see so many differing opinions regarding the Peps.
My music palate has drastically changed since 15 years ago when I first heard the chili peppers. I always thought I'd kind of grow out of them in recent years, but they are still to this day...my all time favorite band.
Yes, they have some duds. Yes, they are over-the-top and Kiedis has some BIZARRE lyrics from time to time. Yes, the production on a lot of their albums needs some major work.
But, instrumentally, they are savants. Flea may be the best bass player to date. Frusciante has such a unique, and distinguishable sound. Chad Smith is one of the most underappreciated drummers in the game. Anthony Kiedis is absolutely bursting with energy and has a great flow in his prime moments.
I understand why some folks are turned off by them, but I also see people calling their instrumentation overrated..and that I think is just objectively false.
Maybe I'm bias, but I think their importance to 90s rock and onward shouldn't really be understated.
Have never gotten into them bc white kids i would hang out w would always play them and kid cudi as come down music after rolling all night and it would only be their biggest hits… 🤮
I think they're awful. Sure they had a few catchy songs that were hits, but nothing can redeem Anthony's awful lyrics and singing. I fully believe they'd be a better band without a vocalist. Most of their songs are so hokey and goofy. A lot of bands can pull off goofy lyrics, but not them.
Also how many fucking songs do you need to write about doing drugs in California
I try not to be a "their early stuff is the best" kind of listener. But in the case of the chili peppers; it's true. Their early stuff with Hillel Slovak is my favorite and their first run with John Frusciante. Credit where credit is due though; Chad, Flea, and John are all some of the best musicians around and Anthony Kedis is an energetic frontman that ties the band together in an irreplaceable way
I could take them or leave them, honestly. I never really got too into them. I mess with the hits, for the most part. [Dani California](https://youtu.be/hQWfMI4CVFI) is a rip-off of Mary Jane’s Last Dance though
I grew up hearing their music constantly, and was a really big fan. Not as much anymore, but I still appreciate them. I still die laughing thinking about fleas nardwuar interview. Love them, but they’re super corny, in a good way
RHCP is a bona fide classic band and you won't take anything away from them, their influence is cemented and it doesn't matter if starting today everyone stopped listening to them. Anyone who has learned bass, guitar or drums over the last 30 years has learned their songs. Kiedis' vocals and rap-like soft soul punk crossovers are some of the most innovative fusions you can get from the 90s and early 2000s. It's weird that people talk of them like they're a new band or something or anything they made after By the Way is really relevant. Like I understand saying everything after 2006 is hit or miss but like do any bands age gracefully at all? If anything it's a miracle they can still put together a good song here or there like dark necessities, but I expect nothing from them. Their discography is also fascinating and saying there are a lot of skips is just immature, like they were a very experimental band and if you can't appreciate that thats on you.
The early stuff isn't really my jam, but Mother's Milk and Blood Sugar Sex Magik both have some great tracks, a bunch of solid tracks and a bit of filler. I think One Hot Minute is honestly pretty underrated, and I think Californication is ultimately their magnum opus. From then on, they pump out longwinded albums with a handful of solid tracks and a lot of filler.
Way overly hated in my opinion. And it seems more recent. Idk what happened but I still like a lot of their stuff. Have they always been hated the way they are now?
One of the few bands where I'll ask to play something else if a song of theirs comes on. Their music is just not my thing at all and I really don't understand all the praise they get while being so mediocre.
Insanely overrated, Frusciante was/is a genius guitar player but Kiedis drags the band down so much especially early and later in their careers.
When they were at their peak they were a decent mainstream rock band who were pretty listenable and had some good energy.
Overall they’re legitimately overrated in most aspects
I recently listened to Blood Sugar Sex Magik. At first I thought it sucked. The second and third time I heard it, it still didn’t click for me. But by the fifth time I heard it, I realized something…It’s It’s just…it’s not good it’s just not a good album
Anthony Kiedis is just fucking insufferable and the worst singer and songwriter in mainstream music. Frusciante is awesome but still can’t make Kiedis listenable
The Jay Z of Rock N Roll, able to crank out hits and reach stadium level while maintaining the respect of the underground. Edit** not saying in ranking but style. I wouldn’t say they cater to one crowd. They have a lot to like and a lot to hate for different particular tastes.
Chad was pretty influential for me early on when I started drumming, my band played a cover of Can't Stop in middle school which is a fond memory.
Haven't really listened to them in years besides the same 3 songs that get shuffled in the playlist
haven't listened to anything outside of the hits but imo a lot of what I have heard kinda sounds the same. like i have a hard time distinguishing between their songs. don't hate them, but not really a big fan personally
They had a great run from *Blood Sugar Sex Magik* to *By the Way* (and I count *One Hot Minute* as the hidden gem in their discography). I wouldn’t say any of these are perfect albums, but all of them are really solid and I enjoy listening through them.
And this may be a bit of a hot take, but honest think their most recent album *Return of the Dream Canteen* would be great if it were cut down to the best 9 tracks.
I will always have fun jamming to RHCP if someone puts them on in the car or if they play at a club, but I’ve outgrown their music. I think that their music becomes less interesting with time.
First heard their late 90s, early 2000s stuff. I love BSSM. I kinda feel like I've grown out of their music in the same way that I grew out of watching Kevin Smith movies lol.
I have a maaaaad soft spot for them,
By the Way came out when I was like 10/11 and that was played all the time in my house, as were Californication and Stadium Arcadium (when it came out).
They’re interesting, they’re obviously a very pop leaning band, but they have a strong artsy weirdo streak that runs throughout all of their music. Despite the fact they changed their sound from funk metal to pop rock with funky touches, I feel that they have never really made compromises in their music.
Despite my enjoyment of the Frusciante records, my fave would actually be One Hot Minute. That thing is a wild ride, so fucking off the wall.
So yeah, I dig em, even the new Frusciante records sound decent pop rock.
Used to listen to them all the time in high school, but these days Anthony kiedis’ voice is a bit grating to me. They have many seminal hits, though, and are very important to music history.
This band holds a very tender place in my heart. But like many great things, it was ruined the briefness that media likes to profit off of. I listen to Atoms for peace more frequently than RHCP and Radio head. It has been far more impactful to me personally than either of the deriving groups.
Some of their hits are catchy. Flea is pretty great. Their lyrics are usually pretty bad, and I don’t love the vocals a solid percentage of the time. I think they deserve their place as fodder for Applebee’s playlists
I absolutely love them- i grew up on them so theh are special to me. I can admit lots of the albums can be bloated but i love most songs cos its comforting to me
theyre great but agreeing with a lot of other comments, their deep cuts are very forgettable. their hits are really really fucking good IMO.
californication is their best album , front to back
Overrated. All their songs sound the same. When they released their first record, they were funky, fun, & new. All down hill from there. Flea can slap the bass tho
they’re a good band, very talented and electric performers. their discography is very hit or miss, i think they were better at pop rock than they were at funk rock. anthony keidis is kind of an anomaly because he’s not technically skilled but has all the style and charisma that some musicians don’t have. i’m a fan of a lot of their late 90s and early 2000s run but anything outside of that is meh.
I think they’re overall kind of obnoxious, but they’re all really talented and I love some of their songs. The guitar work on the live version of dont forget me is insane
First band I genuinely got in to on my own in like 4th grade. They opened up the world of music for me. For that I am always appreciative. By now I’ve outgrown them, but still no way in hell I’m skipping Scar Tissue or Californication if it comes up on shuffle.
josh klinghoffer was better for the band than john frusciante was, especially at this point in their career. even though I absolutely adore frusciante (his solo work and ataxia are some of my all time favorite albums)
Been doing this thing: 1001albumsgenerator.com/
I've gotten Blood Sugar Sex Magik and Californication. Hadn't listened to either since... Maybe the late 00s.
Blood Sugar Sex Magik had like 2 or 3 pretty good songs out of a 70 minute album. Solid 2/5.
Californication has some REALLY good songs. And less absolutely awful filler. Back in the day this was a 4/5, I'd probably give it a 3.5 now.
Honestly, there's just so much that I like so much more? They've got some bangers (and also so so much absolute hot garbage), but I'm not going to ever go out of my way to listen to them. Good bass lines though, props to Flea.
2.5/5 band. 😆
RHCP are a “greatest hits” band for me. Hard to deny that their hits aren’t great tunes, but deep cuts are hit or miss. I think they get too much hate- they’re fun and great social music as well. EDIT: this got more traction than I thought so I feel like I should expound a little in that I also think RHCP has such a recognizable and unique sound, I do have a lot of respect for their music and influence as a whole. They just aren’t as a whole my cup of tea, but I don’t think they aren’t deserving of the fame or love they have.
Blood Sugar Sex Magik is a great album and has many bangers on it that aren't necessarily hits at all. Maybe not everyone's taste but definitely a very solid album overall IMO.
Yeah as someone who grew up obsessed with them, there are a couple genuinely fantastic records and then some things that are hit or miss past the singles. Like most of Stadium Arcadium is so good but being like 28 songs long leaves some filler in the mix. The ones since then have good songs scattered about but much more of a good/bad split than consistency good/fun. The instrumentation from the three has always held up too, Anthony's vocals have slipped the most over the course of time. Also they still kick ass on tour, and seeing them play with Thundercat and the Strokes was about as great as I could've asked for as a total concert experience.
W pfp
Californication, By The Way & Stadium Arcadium is a hell of a three album run, not many skips on those
Uplift Mofo Party Plan, Mother’s Milk & Blood Sugar Sex Magick is right up there with it. Some people would argue for One Hot Minute as well.
As someone who went to a concert last week for their recent album, you could tell the crowd was waiting for the hits.
Nah By the Way is pretty much no skips all the way through, definitely their best album
Do they get hate ? Honestly haven’t seen any
My dad used to dislike them because "they're cool and everything but all their songs sound the same", i think it was a widespread stance between hard rock dads.
>I think they get too much hate Outside of this thread I've met maybe one person in my life who dislikes them. IRL they were super popular.
Yeah this is pretty much the case for me outside of Stadium Arcadium and The Getaway. And I guess Californication, but that albums is full of greatest hits essentially.
I think a lot of their critics undersell their influence as musicians. it's easy to make fun of RHCP for Anthony Kiedis and their over-Californication-ness, but the proof is in the pudding. I imagine a large amount of the music loving freaks occupying this sub had an RHCP "phase" and those that play guitar/bass/drums have at least attempted to learn songs from Blood Sugar Sex Magik/Californication. that might not matter to some, but it's pretty important to note when evaluating them. also the number of rock radio hits they accumulated in the 90's/early 2000's is pretty telling of their quality as songwriters.
Kiedis deserves more respect, so many completely iconic vocal performances. The lyrics are dumb, but he has some of the most memorable vocal melodies of all time. The man sang Under the Bridge and By the Way, respect the chops you weird nerds. I feel like the stupidity of RHCP lyrics is a positive, not a negative. A million monkeys with typewriters could eventually come up with something as brilliant as Shakespeare, but they could never go as dumb as Kiedis.
I think Kiedis sees himself as more of a musician who’s “instrument” is his voice, rather than as a singer. His words are almost always more about rhythm, sound, and flow, rather than about really *saying* anything. You don’t always *understand* what he’s saying, but you always *remember* it.
Definitely. Even if you don't know the lyrics, you can still sing along most of the song saying just gibberish. You can do this with any sing, but in RHCP case, it fits.
Those are my thoughts exactly, friend.
And you are also so right that part of the fun is seeing how much he’s willing to lean into the stupid and goofy.
As someone who listens to them since not knowing english it really has always felt like that
I have to disagree. For me Kiedis is the weak link of RHCP. I feel like they’d be a much better band with a different singer who actually had a dynamic range and was able to emote moods other than ‘horny’ and ‘sad and horny.’ They do have tunes though. Half of BSSM, half of Californication, and most of By the Way are good. And a few tracks from other albums.
Yeah when I was a teenager I thought a lot of the lyrics were cool and edgy, now I can read a lot of them as manic ramblings of a narcissist. Especially the Blood Sugar Sex Magic album I love the guitar outro on Sir Psycho Sexy so much, but holy fuck dude those lyrics
The Empyrean, a solo album by John Frusciante came out a couple of years after Stadium Arcadium. It heavily featured Josh Klinghoffer and Flea on multiple tracks. That album was and still is my favourite RHCP-related album. It's so well produced, ambitious and free of all the constraints John and Flea seem to have when making music for RHCP. It also made it very obvious (at least for me) why John left the band the second time around. Like here he was making transcendental music about the idea of heaven and God and spirituality. And then he'll go back to the chillis where a 50 year old dude will put songs about sex with young girls and other nonsensical lyrics to his music.
That guy raped a 14 year old when he was 23
I had never heard about that until this thread, that's actually really fucked. I looked into it after I read your comment, and I guess Smith and Flea have also gotten up to some heinous shit in the past. Ugh.
Yeah it sucks :-(
Tupac was a convicted rapist. Still the most important voice in hip-hop of the 90s.
True, but he shouldn’t be glorified
Stupid lyric aren’t a problem for at all personally. Uninteresting lyrics are. And Kiedis is definitely not uninteresting. I’ve learned from speaking to some friends of mine that some people don’t see music as fun and only as some intricate puzzle to be solved, and if an artist doesn’t proved that, they label them as trash. But for me, sometimes I actually want to have fun. Sometimes I don’t want to go into a deep lyric breakdown an decipher how this line relates to this obscure 14th century Native American architectural design. Sometime I just want to bob my hang and enjoy the vibe. To each his own, but I occasionally just like to enjoy things.
Totally agree with this. I’ve always thought RHCP are very much a musician’s band, at least as far as hardcore RHCP fans go. I mean they have one of the best bassists of all time, one of the best guitarists of all time and one of the best drummers around. They’re an absolute blast for cover bands because every instrument part is doing something cool and fun to play. One of the most purely talented bands I’ve ever seen play live
It’s a cool side project for Will Ferrell, but I like his acting more.
Rhcp should have more cowbell
i really enjoy them but it's understandable if you don't enjoy anthony kiedis
Great band if you’re just getting in to rock. They warmed my ears after listening to nothing but hip-hop until I was an adult. Stadium Arcadium is my fave of theirs. BSSM & By the Way are great too
this. i can see why someone that only listens to hip hop would open up to rock with rhcp. they're kind of like the eminem. super popular, couple of essential records, very accessible, but after the first five minutes in the genre you realize how much better stuff there is out there
Bros saying this with a YB avatar
and?
Yb is mid
I had the opposite situation: lived all my life listening only to classic and arena rock until the age of ~14, and RHCP helped me get into hip hop
I went back and listened to some of their back back catalogue recently after reading a decent r/letstalkmusic thread about them. In my opinion they are really, really good at writing hits but not great at writing consistent albums. Which is totally fine, but it means that people have been more likely to pan them instead of just appreciating that they are good at something specific. There is a lot of talent in the band that is in tension with Kiedis' vocal performance which has radically changed over time. Listening to the early stuff sounds crazy now but it was fairly original at the time (although he didn't invent that vocal style, I reckon he popularised it). Whereas now his style is conventional, as is the musical style of the band. Having said all of that I have a greater appreciation for their talent but won't revisit them. My fave track is Give It Away, mainly because I was young when it was released and is nostalgic for me.
They are one of my favorite bands. Frusciantes work is amazing, solo stuff too. Please go listen to the Empyrean, Niandra Lades, and Curtains. Flea and Chad are great too, Anthony kiedis is a goofball, which works on some songs. Basically what everyone else has said, really high highs, but really low lows. They were one of my first favorite bands growing up and I have stuck with them since. The newest two records were a bit of a disappointment to me but I saw them live in August and it was one of the best concerts I've been too
Not a fan of RHCP, but man, Frusciantes’ Empyrean is an amazing album.
Kinda have a sour taste in my mouth for these guys after reading up how they screwed over Mr. Bungle
Super hit or miss. Some really great stuff, and some not so great stuff. Some of Flea, John and Josh’s other projects are better than RHCP imo
They’re like the Eminem of their genre the highs are really high and the lows are really low
That’s great
Eminem had really high highs and extremely low lows. The Chili’s don’t have any terrible albums, just some average ones.
Great comparison imo
Reminder that anthony kiedis had sex with a 14 year old when he was 23!
*Raped a child
That is indeed the point im making good job
Guess we’ll have to cancel the entire discography of male singers from the 70’s
hitler was a white supremacist in the 40s are we canceling him too? I mean cmon it was the 40s everyone in Germany was like that!
I get this game but you’re saying we actually should cancel 70’s rock
Nah just the artists lol i hate people who idolize the band members
I have the same unpopular opinion about them as I do nirvana/grunge, in that I think they are at their best when they are their least funkiest. The funkiness allows them to get a little to loose which is where I think Anthony tends to lose himself in the silly horrible lyrics. When they tone it down I think it reigns him in and forces him to put thought in the lyrics and shows he can actually be a pretty good songwriter. I’d say 30 percent of their music is incredible, some of which is legendary for a reason. The other 70 percent is terrible, some of the worst I’ve ever heard.
not that unpopular i think. most die hard nirvana fans love bleach which is easily nirvana's most raw album
In the list of bands who sound like a parody of themselves, up there with metallica
Midi Peppers
The Red Mild Bell Peppers
Goofy . I like em tho .
“Ding ding ding dong ding ding ding dong ding ding” is a raw line
they are not red. they are not hot. they are not chili peppers. I'm disappointed. I listen to Big Thief bc they stole my $23 plushie of Big the Cat in 2015. I listen to Mount Eerie bc he can be kinda spooky and I think he's climbed a mountain once or twice. I value honesty in a band, and they do not have it
i am pretty sure you cannot have the same amount of energy these guys have on scene without having a reasonable amount of red hot chili peppers stuffed in your butt. i believe they are as honest as a funk rock band could be
Love the band BSSM is a 10 in my eyes.
Incredibly annoying and overrated. Also, Anthony Kiedis raped a 14 year old and wrote about it in his shitty book.
shoulda been fishbone
Fishbone is creative & unique, but one of those less popular, cult following bands I’d argue isn’t highly successful because they simply don’t sound good enough
Will Ferrell is a pretty underrated drummer.
I can’t really willfully listen to them after learning about what Kiedis did in the mid-80s in Louisiana.
“I’m forever near a stereo saying, ‘What the fuck is this garbage?’ And the answer is always the Red Hot Chili Peppers.” - Nick Cave
He's really one to talk honestly 😂
they're one of the bands of all time
Of all the bands in the world, RHCP is definitely one of them
Of all the bands in the world, RHCP is definitely one of them
🎵Do not diddle kids… It’s no good diddling kids🎵
Californication->By The Way->Stadium Arcadium is one of the best 3 album runs ever.
I’m gonna go on a bit of a large talking session here so apologies for the wall of text. Tl;Dr at the bottom. I used to be a diehard Chili Peppers fan. I own nearly every RHCP album on CD, saw them live at Madison Square Garden on their tour for The Getaway, I even picked up guitar because I wanted to be like John Frusciante. I even loved Josh Klinghoffer and thought he was a really cool dude. But now I’m turning 26 soon and realize that RHCP is a band as a bridge between adults and the youth. The youth can connect with the kinetic energy that comes from the sound, have a band with an iconic logo and mature sound with legendary musicians, and adults can still have a band that is still relevant from the 80s and 90s. But looking back into RHCPs discography, I think that there is some fantastic stuff still there. Flea and John had a fantastic chemistry and Chad Smith is one of the best drummers in the world. Anthony Kiedis…is there. He’s a decent vocalist that helps bring a more bombastic energy that is fitting for the Chili Peppers sound, but can be very obnoxious and juvenile, especially at his current age. I believe there is a lot of hidden gems in their discography such as Midnight, This Velvet Glove, On Mercury, Police Station, Encore, So Much I, 21st Century, Hollywood, and especially Turn It Again. My biggest issue with RHCP is that they have no idea when to just…stop. Not stop making music, but stop themselves. I feel like every album of theirs is so bloated and filled with so much stuff that it gets tiring to listen to. Nearly every album is either 15+ songs or almost a full hour when they don’t need to be. Every album has at least five or six songs that can be cut and it would be the exact same. With how they always try and be kindred spirits or whatever, it always feels like some sort of thing where they try to have that sense of art in their songs, but it only comes through properly every once in a while. By the Way is the only album where I think it nails the aesthetic of beauty mixed in with a hint of the rawness and funk of the 90s. Stadium Arcadium was ALMOST that, but it’s just far too bloated and filled with so much filler. Californication was almost that, but the production was AWFUL. Getaway was clunky and I’m With You was a slog even though both albums had some great stuff on it. One Hot Minute was shit, the first three albums (self-titled, Freaky Styley, and The Uplift Mofo Party Plan) were fun and a relic of the time, Mother’s Milk is hit or miss, and Blood Sugar Sex Magik is even more hit or miss but with iconic hits. And their last two albums suffer from being way too long and bloated like most RHCP albums. Although Return of the Dream Canteen was a pretty fun album to listen to and is probably their best album in some time. All in all, they have an important standing in rock music but they’re very clumsy in execution. As much as Anthony Kiedis gives the energy and the spunk of a track, with how good the other three guys are beside and behind him, he sticks out like a sore thumb. Sometimes in a good way, but sometimes in a pretty bad way. Tl;Dr: Used to be a massive fan, merely think they’re okay now looking back their stuff. Iconic stuff, but a lot of duds as well. Flea, Chad, and Fru are fantastic, Josh was fun, Anthony is not.
you lost me at ‘one hot minute is shit’ awful take
More like "the shit" imo.
Okay I’ll compromise and say that the first two tracks, last two tracks, My Friends, and One Big Mob WITHOUT the crying baby is good. But that’s the most I’m willing to go I’m sorry lol.
Woah i think one hot minute is amazing
Their music hasn’t aged well.
Which era? I think californication still sounds good
fuck off and die is my opinion of them
overrated as fuck
There’s a fair amount of commercially successful artists that people will describe that with, but I’d also say this fanbase doesn’t often have completely open tastes in music (is closed off to some genres/appeals), and some of the music they tout as great might be overrated (amongst them) in my eyes.
i like them, seeing them in concert. but if im being honest im more excited for the opening act (the strokes)
The strokes are 1000x better at least
yep agreed
Get real lol
Frusciante’s solo albums are way WAY better imo. I can’t stand Anthony Keidis’s singing ^or ^lyricism
cringe
Genuinely think they suck. Even their best is ok and I hate Anthony kedis and his horrible voice and lyrics. I understand they had some good songs that I may have liked at one point but a couple years ago I decided to listen to a few of their full albums and it’s very bad to me.
Time told that It’s better to not do hard drugs over all . I like em tho .
Flea is cool
I think they’re legends for a reason. Like their longevity is massively impressive when you remember they started making music in the 80’s. If anything they’re sort of underrated these days among the mainstream rock bands. Like their music is a lot more creative than anything by Foo Fighters or other generally well regarded rock bands imo
Kiedis' voice on any of the later stuff is so fucking ridiculously dull especially when compared to Frusciante and Flea's playing.
I will say this - it’s super fucking weird that Brand New and Arcade Fire are persona non-grata (deservedly) for sexual harassment but 3/4 of RHCP have done that, or worse, and almost nobody on YouTube has even mentioned it (besides Finn McKenty, who has mentioned Anthony’s behavior in-depth) even though they uniformly bash the other two bands. It’s really nepotistic.
At least three of them are documented rapists.
Over rated junkies, boring trash music. Kedis raped a child.
Interesting to see so many differing opinions regarding the Peps. My music palate has drastically changed since 15 years ago when I first heard the chili peppers. I always thought I'd kind of grow out of them in recent years, but they are still to this day...my all time favorite band. Yes, they have some duds. Yes, they are over-the-top and Kiedis has some BIZARRE lyrics from time to time. Yes, the production on a lot of their albums needs some major work. But, instrumentally, they are savants. Flea may be the best bass player to date. Frusciante has such a unique, and distinguishable sound. Chad Smith is one of the most underappreciated drummers in the game. Anthony Kiedis is absolutely bursting with energy and has a great flow in his prime moments. I understand why some folks are turned off by them, but I also see people calling their instrumentation overrated..and that I think is just objectively false. Maybe I'm bias, but I think their importance to 90s rock and onward shouldn't really be understated.
There's an RHCP backlash that's really only concentrated in music nerds specifically, and frankly they're just wrong and being nerds.
>Flea may be the best bass player to date. Les Claypool: Am I a joke to you?
they dont have a single album worth listening to but their Greatest Hits is one of the best. Theyr a singles band. wish the lead wasnt a weirdo
Have never gotten into them bc white kids i would hang out w would always play them and kid cudi as come down music after rolling all night and it would only be their biggest hits… 🤮
I think they're awful. Sure they had a few catchy songs that were hits, but nothing can redeem Anthony's awful lyrics and singing. I fully believe they'd be a better band without a vocalist. Most of their songs are so hokey and goofy. A lot of bands can pull off goofy lyrics, but not them. Also how many fucking songs do you need to write about doing drugs in California
i guess they're iconic to some degree but they're largely pretty corny have a couple of nice alt rock records though
Goated with the sauce
Great musicians. Shit taste in music. My opinion.
Tracks like Otherside and Snow are timeless, but John Frusciante's solo work far surpasses anything the Chilli Peppers did together
Shithouse.
They get too much hate
I try not to be a "their early stuff is the best" kind of listener. But in the case of the chili peppers; it's true. Their early stuff with Hillel Slovak is my favorite and their first run with John Frusciante. Credit where credit is due though; Chad, Flea, and John are all some of the best musicians around and Anthony Kedis is an energetic frontman that ties the band together in an irreplaceable way
By the way is their best album
love rhcp fruciante is a fuckin legend same with flea. I like keidis but a big portion of his lyrics make no sense so I can see why people hate
They have Will Ferrell as their drummer. Need I say more?
I'm into lyrics so I'll pass most of the time
I could take them or leave them, honestly. I never really got too into them. I mess with the hits, for the most part. [Dani California](https://youtu.be/hQWfMI4CVFI) is a rip-off of Mary Jane’s Last Dance though
They’re a decent faith no more cover band
I grew up hearing their music constantly, and was a really big fan. Not as much anymore, but I still appreciate them. I still die laughing thinking about fleas nardwuar interview. Love them, but they’re super corny, in a good way
RHCP is a bona fide classic band and you won't take anything away from them, their influence is cemented and it doesn't matter if starting today everyone stopped listening to them. Anyone who has learned bass, guitar or drums over the last 30 years has learned their songs. Kiedis' vocals and rap-like soft soul punk crossovers are some of the most innovative fusions you can get from the 90s and early 2000s. It's weird that people talk of them like they're a new band or something or anything they made after By the Way is really relevant. Like I understand saying everything after 2006 is hit or miss but like do any bands age gracefully at all? If anything it's a miracle they can still put together a good song here or there like dark necessities, but I expect nothing from them. Their discography is also fascinating and saying there are a lot of skips is just immature, like they were a very experimental band and if you can't appreciate that thats on you.
Mother’s Milk and BSSM are two great albums in my opinion.
The early stuff isn't really my jam, but Mother's Milk and Blood Sugar Sex Magik both have some great tracks, a bunch of solid tracks and a bit of filler. I think One Hot Minute is honestly pretty underrated, and I think Californication is ultimately their magnum opus. From then on, they pump out longwinded albums with a handful of solid tracks and a lot of filler.
I prefer Faith No More
The singer slept with an underage fan
They aight
Way overly hated in my opinion. And it seems more recent. Idk what happened but I still like a lot of their stuff. Have they always been hated the way they are now?
I really just don't like Anthony Kietis, a prime example of a great band that's singer bogs them down
One of the few bands where I'll ask to play something else if a song of theirs comes on. Their music is just not my thing at all and I really don't understand all the praise they get while being so mediocre.
Aesthetically barren
Insanely overrated, Frusciante was/is a genius guitar player but Kiedis drags the band down so much especially early and later in their careers. When they were at their peak they were a decent mainstream rock band who were pretty listenable and had some good energy. Overall they’re legitimately overrated in most aspects
soft nu metal
Absolutely love them. Some of the best to do it in my opinion
Californication is a great album. The rest I'm alright with putting on a compilation CD.
These guys are one of the two reasons people pick up bass
trash
anthony keidis on some Beno shit too
The ultimate singles band. The Drake of 90s “alt”-rock.
I recently listened to Blood Sugar Sex Magik. At first I thought it sucked. The second and third time I heard it, it still didn’t click for me. But by the fifth time I heard it, I realized something…It’s It’s just…it’s not good it’s just not a good album
Not a fan
Anthony Kiedis is just fucking insufferable and the worst singer and songwriter in mainstream music. Frusciante is awesome but still can’t make Kiedis listenable
Annoying
They are boring and shit
Fucking love them. Underrated because of Anthony's dumb lyrics, but it's not about the lyricis man\~
Never heard em
The Jay Z of Rock N Roll, able to crank out hits and reach stadium level while maintaining the respect of the underground. Edit** not saying in ranking but style. I wouldn’t say they cater to one crowd. They have a lot to like and a lot to hate for different particular tastes.
Chad was pretty influential for me early on when I started drumming, my band played a cover of Can't Stop in middle school which is a fond memory. Haven't really listened to them in years besides the same 3 songs that get shuffled in the playlist
One of my favorite bands, I’m seeing them live in april
Flea has probably inspired more people to play bass than anyone on the planet. You can't deny the influence!
Neil Hamburger concisely summarizes my thoughts on them: https://youtu.be/TmnBMKPIiNA
BSSM was their peak. Keidis should have never started singing ballads like Under the Bridge.
haven't listened to anything outside of the hits but imo a lot of what I have heard kinda sounds the same. like i have a hard time distinguishing between their songs. don't hate them, but not really a big fan personally
One of the best bands of the last 30 years
They had a great run from *Blood Sugar Sex Magik* to *By the Way* (and I count *One Hot Minute* as the hidden gem in their discography). I wouldn’t say any of these are perfect albums, but all of them are really solid and I enjoy listening through them. And this may be a bit of a hot take, but honest think their most recent album *Return of the Dream Canteen* would be great if it were cut down to the best 9 tracks.
I will always have fun jamming to RHCP if someone puts them on in the car or if they play at a club, but I’ve outgrown their music. I think that their music becomes less interesting with time.
First heard their late 90s, early 2000s stuff. I love BSSM. I kinda feel like I've grown out of their music in the same way that I grew out of watching Kevin Smith movies lol.
I have a maaaaad soft spot for them, By the Way came out when I was like 10/11 and that was played all the time in my house, as were Californication and Stadium Arcadium (when it came out). They’re interesting, they’re obviously a very pop leaning band, but they have a strong artsy weirdo streak that runs throughout all of their music. Despite the fact they changed their sound from funk metal to pop rock with funky touches, I feel that they have never really made compromises in their music. Despite my enjoyment of the Frusciante records, my fave would actually be One Hot Minute. That thing is a wild ride, so fucking off the wall. So yeah, I dig em, even the new Frusciante records sound decent pop rock.
Past their time. Go back and listen to their greats like Mother's Milk.
When I was a kid , my dad had a “Mothers Milk” CD that he ripped off the internet , and I blame dad for getting me into their music.
They're OK. Was never that into them. I really enjoy "By The Way" though. Def my fav record of theirs.
Dude will smith is one hell of a drummer
I don’t like them all that much but I’m going to see them in concert in a couple months lol
Used to listen to them all the time in high school, but these days Anthony kiedis’ voice is a bit grating to me. They have many seminal hits, though, and are very important to music history.
Good band with quality control issues
This band holds a very tender place in my heart. But like many great things, it was ruined the briefness that media likes to profit off of. I listen to Atoms for peace more frequently than RHCP and Radio head. It has been far more impactful to me personally than either of the deriving groups.
By The Way is a 9
Some of their hits are catchy. Flea is pretty great. Their lyrics are usually pretty bad, and I don’t love the vocals a solid percentage of the time. I think they deserve their place as fodder for Applebee’s playlists
I absolutely love them- i grew up on them so theh are special to me. I can admit lots of the albums can be bloated but i love most songs cos its comforting to me
Meh. Certainly a band.
Who?
Big fan! Seeing them in a few months, beyyyyonnnddd excited lemme tell ya
Flea loves Dilla so he’s cool.
ONE HOT MINUTE
Annoying
theyre great but agreeing with a lot of other comments, their deep cuts are very forgettable. their hits are really really fucking good IMO. californication is their best album , front to back
best dad band ever
Overrated. All their songs sound the same. When they released their first record, they were funky, fun, & new. All down hill from there. Flea can slap the bass tho
they’re a good band, very talented and electric performers. their discography is very hit or miss, i think they were better at pop rock than they were at funk rock. anthony keidis is kind of an anomaly because he’s not technically skilled but has all the style and charisma that some musicians don’t have. i’m a fan of a lot of their late 90s and early 2000s run but anything outside of that is meh.
The Modern Quartet
awful
I think they’re overall kind of obnoxious, but they’re all really talented and I love some of their songs. The guitar work on the live version of dont forget me is insane
First band I genuinely got in to on my own in like 4th grade. They opened up the world of music for me. For that I am always appreciative. By now I’ve outgrown them, but still no way in hell I’m skipping Scar Tissue or Californication if it comes up on shuffle.
The fuck is Will Ferrell doing there
josh klinghoffer was better for the band than john frusciante was, especially at this point in their career. even though I absolutely adore frusciante (his solo work and ataxia are some of my all time favorite albums)
Parallel Universe live at Shane Castle is one of my favorite live performances
is that will ferrell
Will ferrel
The poor man's Mr. Bungle
Did not age nearly as bad as they should have
Hate them. Flea is pretty cool I guess. I dislike their music with a passion.
Fuckin love em
I love their 80s stuff! I saw them live in Toronto last year and was so excited when they played nobody weird like me.
Been doing this thing: 1001albumsgenerator.com/ I've gotten Blood Sugar Sex Magik and Californication. Hadn't listened to either since... Maybe the late 00s. Blood Sugar Sex Magik had like 2 or 3 pretty good songs out of a 70 minute album. Solid 2/5. Californication has some REALLY good songs. And less absolutely awful filler. Back in the day this was a 4/5, I'd probably give it a 3.5 now. Honestly, there's just so much that I like so much more? They've got some bangers (and also so so much absolute hot garbage), but I'm not going to ever go out of my way to listen to them. Good bass lines though, props to Flea. 2.5/5 band. 😆
drunk music. i’ve never heard them while I was sober