For more than three decades, the Red Hot Chili Peppers have twisted rock, funk, punk and soul into new, surprising, usually fun and sometimes sad jams.
Singer Anthony Kiedis and bassist Flea have kept the band together and have stayed relevant far longer than most of their peers or their idols. We took a deep dive into the hits and some album tracks to come up with this list of their 42 greatest songs.
We included every era, not to be fair, but because every lineup had at least a few classics. The early lineup of Anthony, Flea, guitarist Hillel Slovak and drummer Jack Irons is some people’s favorite. Anthony, Flea, drummer Chad Smith and guitarist John Frusicante created their most successful albums and songs. But credit is also due to former guitarists Jack Sherman, Dave Navarro and Josh Klinghoffer, and ex-drummer Cliff Martinez.
When Johm Frusciante rejoined the band, they showed that the most successful lineup still had something to say (and a lot of it: they released two double albums in a year). Take a look through our countdown of their 42 best songs (and yes, the list surely could have been much longer).
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42. “Afterlife” from ‘Return of the Dream Canteen’ (2022)
ShareThe second return of John Frusciante to the band led to an explosion in creativity. In 2022, they released two albums, with 17 new songs each. Had they edited it down to the ten best songs, it might have been a much stronger album. Alas, they put out a lot of music. 'Return of the Dream Canteen' was the second and lesser of the two albums, but "Afterlife" was one of the highlights.
41. âNaked In The Rainâ – âBlood Sugar Sex Magikâ (1991)
ShareOne of the first songs the band wrote for âBlood Sugar Sex Magik,â it was a perfect blend of their classic punk/funk style with their new melodic sense. Kiedis declares his love for non-human earthlings: âI never met an animal that I didn't like/You can come to me I won't bite/Don't you know dog is man's best friend/There is some love that you can't fight.â
40.âNo Chump Love Suckerâ – âThe Uplift Mofo Party Planâ (1987)
ShareAs Anthony Kiedis wrote in his memoirs (âScar Tissueâ), he wrote the lyrics about a woman who left guitarist Hillel Slovak for someone with more money.
39.âRoad Trippinââ – âCalifornication’ (1999)
ShareA sweet acoustic tune about Anthony Kiedis, Flea and John Fruscianteâs surfing trip when the latter rejoined the band; drummer Chad Smith couldnât make the trip, which is probably why there are no drums on the song (Smith does appear in the music video). One of the most endearing things about the Chili Peppers is that, through the decades, they still seem to genuinely love each other and theyâre not shy about singing about it.
38. âCoffee Shopâ – âOne Hot Minuteâ (1995)
ShareâOne Hot Minute,â the bandâs sole album with former Janeâs Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro, was a difficult alliance of talents. âCoffee Shopâ was one instance where it really worked: Navarroâs thunderous psychedelic guitar perfectly fits in here.
37. âFreaky Styleyâ – âFreaky Styleyâ (1985)
ShareThe Chili Peppers paid tribute to George Clinton on the title track of their second album, which he produced for the band. They repeated the chant, âFunk âem, just to see the look on their face,â a quote attributed to Clinton himself.
36. âOut In L.A.â – âRed Hot Chili Peppersâ (1984)
ShareIt wouldnât be the last time the Red Hot Chili Peppers sang about their hometown. And while the production sounds a bit dated, it features former guitarist Jack Shermanâs finest moment in his brief tenure with the band (after Kiedis yelps, âBetter be burninâ, Sherman!â).
35. âJungle Manâ – âFreaky Styleyâ (1985)
ShareAnother gem from the Chilisâ second album; again, you can smell George Clintonâs funk on this jam.
34.âBreaking The Girlâ – âBlood Sugar Sex Magikâ (1991)
Share33.âBreaking The Girlâ - âBlood Sugar Sex Magikâ (1991) In the â80s, the Chili Peppers made their rep off of their hyperactive jumpy funk jams. But by âBlood Sugar Sex Magik,â they were embracing Jimi Hendrix, and on this song, Led Zeppelin. This song sounds like one of the acoustic moments on Zeppelinâs third or fourth albums. It was one of the songs that signaled that the Chilis could grow up, just a bit.
33. âDesecration Smileâ – âStadium Arcadiumâ (2006)
ShareA single off of âStadium Arcadiumâ that, sadly, seemed to get lost. In retrospect, it almost comes off as a last goodbye from John Frusciante; in the song he contributes some of his loveliest support vocals, not to mention one of his sweetest solos. And in the video (itâs on YouTube), you see the band hanging out together on a beach, clearly loving each otherâs company. Hereâs hoping that theyâre bonding like that now that Frusciante is back in the band.
32. âDosedâ – âBy The Wayâ (2002
ShareAnother example of Anthony Kiedis and John Fruscianteâs perfect harmonizing. The song has rarely been performed live because Frusciante played so many different guitar parts, it would have been impossible to reproduce in concert. But itâs one of the bandâs best studio creations.
31. âBrendanâs Death Songâ – âIâm With Youâ (2011)
ShareThe highlight of âIâm With You,â the bandâs first album with guitarist Josh Klinghoffer. Itâs a sendoff to Brenden Mullen, a club owner who gave the band one of their first shots, a gig opening for Bad Brains. He died on the first day of rehearsals for âIâm With You,â and the band channeled their sorrow into this jam.
30.âThe Longest Waveâ – âThe Getawayâ (2016)
ShareNew guitarist Josh Klinghoffer was first brought into the band by his predecessor John Frusciante; he was a touring guitarist/keyboardist on the âStadium Arcadiumâ tour before ultimately replacing his friend. Here is one of the many instances in his two albums with the Chili Peppers that he proves himself to be a worthy heir, even if it didnât last. His guitar playing and backing vocals are delicate and lovely.
29. âSkinny Sweaty Manâ – âThe Uplift Mofo Party Planâ (1987)
ShareMost of the bandâs tributes to founding guitarist Hillel Slovak were posthumous, but this joyous one minute and seventeen-second romp celebrated him while he still walked the earth. According to the band, he was, in fact, skinny, sweaty and occasionally donned a green suit.
28. “Black Summer” from ‘Unlimited Love’ (2022)
ShareThe first song from the first album with John Frusciante back in the fold. And it's the strongest of the thirty+ songs that the Chili Peppers released in 2022; it's really the only one that holds up to the classics.
27. âIf You Want Me To Stayâ – âFreaky Styleyâ (1985)
ShareA great cover of the Sly & The Family Stone cover. Some of producer George Clintonâs P-Funk pals helped out, including saxophone legend Maceo Parker and the great Fred Wesley on trombone. It was their best cover until they tackled âHigher Groundâ a few years later.
26. âTrue Men Donât Kill Coyotesâ – âRed Hot Chili Peppersâ (1984)
ShareThe opening track off of their debut album, Fleaâs bassline is one of his funkiest (although there are too many funky Flea basslines to count). And Anthony Kiedisâ half-rapped/half-yelped vocals about riding saber-toothed horses and paisley dragons were both bizarre, unique and lovable.
25. âDani Californiaâ – âStadium Arcadiumâ (2006)
ShareSometimes, originality is overrated. âDani Californiaâ was criticized by some for sounding a bit too much like Tom Petty & The Heartbreakersâ âMary Janeâs Last Danceâ (and both songs were produced by Rick Rubin!). But Pettyâs âAmerican Girlâ sounded so much like the Byrds that when Roger McGuinn first heard it, he wondered if it was a song he didnât remember recording. So, sure, âDaniâ bears a bit of similarity to âMary Jane,â but itâs still a great song!
24. âParallel Universeâ – âCaliforniationâ (1999)
Share24.âParallel Universeâ - âCaliforniationâ (1999) Fleaâs bass playing was classic disco filtered through Joy Division (who was a big influence on the bandâs next album). Even though this song wasnât a huge hit, they almost always play it live, and for good reason.
23. âGo Robotâ – âThe Getawayâ (2016)
ShareAnother song where Flea seems to be getting his disco influences out. Indeed, the video -- shot in Brooklyn -- has a huge âSaturday Night Feverâ influence that it wears on its sleeve (well, not Kiedis: heâs naked for the entire video, save for a hat, sneakers and a codpiece).
22. âBackwoodsâ – âThe Uplift Mofo Party Planâ (1987)
ShareIn which the Red Hot Chili Peppers celebrate rock and rollâs early days by name dropping Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Bo Diddley.
21.âI Could Have Liedâ – âBlood Sugar Sex Magikâ (1991)
ShareAnthony Kiedis had a brief relationship with Sinead OâConnor, which inspired this bittersweet, acoustic ballad. Itâs been a lament for the dumped ever since.
20. âMy Friendsâ – âOne Hot Minuteâ (1995)
ShareThis ballad is the highlight of Dave Navarroâs time with the Chili Peppers, and itâs one of the bandâs best slow jams. BTW, Navarro should have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, but if thereâs any justice, heâll get in with Janeâs Addiction in the next few years.
19. âDark Necessitiesâ – âThe Getawayâ (2016)
Share19. âDark Necessitiesâ - âThe Getawayâ (2016) The best song from Josh Klinghofferâs era with the band, they co-wrote this one with their producer Brian âDanger Mouseâ Burton, the first time they worked with someone other than Rick Rubin since 1989. Kiedis said in a video on the bandâs YouTube pages that the song is about âthe beauty of our dark sides and how much creativity and growth and light actually comes out of those difficult struggles that we have on the inside of our heads that no one else can see.â
18. âCalifornicationâ – âCalifornicationâ (1999)
ShareAnthony Kiedis noted in his autobiography, âScar Tissue,â that this was one of the more difficult Chili Peppers songs to write, but it was worth the struggle. Here, they take a hard look at their home, particularly Hollywood, both the mainstream film industry and porn. They also shout out both âStar Warsâ (âAlderaan's not far awayâ) and âStar Trekâ (âSpace may be the final frontierâ) as well as Nirvana (who once opened for the Chili Peppers) and David Bowie (âCobain, can you hear the spheres singing songs off âStation to Station?â"). Itâs been one of the songs that the band has performed most since its release in 1999, and for good reason.
17. âMidnightâ – âBy The Wayâ (2002)
ShareThis song was never a single, but it should have been; itâs a midtempo jam with a lighters-up chorus and again, features Kiedis and Fruscianteâs voices harmonizing perfectly. The string section (arranged by David Campbell, father of Beck) is a perfect example of how to add strings to a song without overdoing it.
16.âNobody Weird Like Meâ – âMotherâs Milkâ (1989)
ShareItâs hard to remember these days, since the Red Hot Chili Peppers have been mostly beloved arena headliners for about three decades, but in the â90s, they were seen as total freaks. This song was an anthem for their people.
15. âFight Like A Braveâ – âThe Uplift Mofo Party Planâ (1987)
ShareA song inspired by Kiedisâ struggles with drugs, the singer wrote it after going through a stint in rehab. Bradley Nowell of Sublime -- another frontman who had the same struggle with more tragic results -- quoted the line âNo one can tell you you've got to be afraid,â in âAll You Need.â
14. âScar Tissueâ – âCalifornicationâ (1999)
ShareOne of the bandâs most sadly beautiful songs, it clearly resonated with Kiedis, as he named his autobiography after it. In the song, he looks at people who are down on their luck, as he had been many times before, and tries to find beauty at the bottom (âWith the birds Iâll share this lonely viewâ).
13. âHigher Groundâ – âMotherâs Milkâ (1989)
ShareThe bandâs best cover is this Stevie Wonder jam (from the 1973 âInnervisionsâ album). The Chili Peppers became their first radio hit, reaching number 11 on Billboardâs Alternative chart, and 26 on the Mainstream Rock chart, setting the band up perfectly for their next album, 1991âs âBlood Sugar Sex Magik.â Fun fact: Flea wore the same stuffed animal pants from the âHigher Groundâ video and in the video for rapper Young MCâs âBust A Move.â Not-so-fun fact: the pants were stolen a few years later.
12. âTell Me Babyâ – âStadium Arcadiumâ (2006)
ShareThe highlight of âStadium Arcadium,â itâs a rare case of a great song thatâs made even greater by a video. The song is about hopefuls who come to L.A. to seek stardom. In the video, a number of hopefuls are interviewed about their experiences coming to L.A. and then play along to the song⌠before being surprised when theyâre joined by the actual Chili Peppers. Itâs one of the most pure expressions of joy that youâll see in a music video.
11. âGood Time Boysâ – âMotherâs Milkâ (1989)
ShareIn which the Chili Peppers give props to fellow L.A. freaks in X, Fishbone and Thelonious Monster (and sample each band), as well as giving a shoutout to Mike Watt and his band fIREHOSE (they later dedicated their âBlood Sugar Sex Magikâ album to Watt). They werenât just friends with these bands, they were inspired by them; if youâre unfamiliar, check them out and find out why they mean so much to Anthony and Flea (youâll thank us, and the Chili Peppers, for this).
10. âOthersideâ – âCalifornicationâ (1999)
ShareA song where Kiedis struggles with his past addictions. The song was allegedly dedicated to Hillel Slovak, and Kiedis sounds haunted by his friendâs memory, as he tries to avoid his fate.
9. âKnock Me Downâ – âMotherâs Milkâ (1989)
ShareAnother song haunted by the memory of Slovak; here, his replacement, John Frusciante, takes lead vocals and sings of the danger of drug addiction (something he would fall into in subsequent years). The song demonstrated that Frusciante would be more than just a âreplacementâ; it was clear that heâd be a major force in the band. âKnock Me Downâ was also a turning point, as it showed a more mature side to their songwriting.
8. âAround The Worldâ – âCalifornicationâ (1999)
Share8. âAround The Worldâ - âCalifornicationâ (1999) The leadoff song on âCalifornication,â the bandâs reunion with John Frusicante, announced that the bandâs chemistry was as powerful as ever. Flea drops one of his best bass lines, Fruscianteâs guitar playing and harmony vocals were pristine and Kiedisâ lyrics and his scatting improvisations were classic Chili Peppers funk.
7. âBehind The Sunâ – âThe Uplift Mofo Party Planâ (1987)
ShareOne of the bandâs early experiments with melody and psychedelic sounds, they wanted âBehind The Sunâ to be a single, but their label, EMI, refused, believing that the song was too melodic; the bandâs fans wouldnât go for it. After the Chili Peppers left EMI for Warner Brothers, they struck gold with âBlood Sugar Sex Magik,â EMI released a complilation of the bandâs earlier songs: 1992âs âWhat Hits?â cashed in on the bandâs exploding popularity. And the first single from the collection? You guessed it: âBehind The Sun.â The song hit #7 on Billboardâs Modern Rock charts, making it their only radio hit with Hillel Slovak.
6.âUnder The Bridgeâ – âBlood Sugar Sex Magikâ (1991)
ShareâBehind The Sunâ was an example of the bandâs instincts being right. Here, Kiedisâ instincts were way off. Believe it not, Kiedis didnât want to show the rest of the band his lyrics to âUnder The Bridge,â as he didnât feel it was appropriate for a Red Hot Chili Peppers song. Thankfully, producer Rick Rubin convinced him otherwise, and of course, the rest is history. The Hendrixian ballad sees Kiedis dealing with his past drug abuse and trying to transcend it. Itâs more than just the bandâs biggest hit (it peaked at #2 on the pop charts): âI donât ever wanna feel, like I did that dayâ is a mantra for people who donât want to repeat past mistakes.
5. âThe Power Of Equalityâ/âIf You Have To Askâ – âBlood Sugar Sex Magikâ (1991)
Share5.âThe Power Of Equalityâ/âIf You Have To Askâ - âBlood Sugar Sex Magikâ (1991) Yeah, they are two separate songs. But so are Led Zeppelinâs âHeartbreakerâ and âLiving Loving Maid (Sheâs Just A Woman),â and weâre not listening to one of those without the other, either. âThe Power Of Equalityâ and âIf You Have To Askâ makes the perfect opening to the Chili Peppersâ greatest album. Kiedis puts his politics upfront on âPowerâ: âRight or wrong, my song is strong/You don't like it, get along/Say what I want, do what I can/Death to the message of the Ku Klux Klan.â He proudly notes that his politics are mirrored by the music that he listens to âI got tapes/I got CDs/I got my Public Enemy.â âIf You Have To Askâ shows the bandâs flip side, as Kiedis vamps over the âfunky-a-- Flea bass.â
4. âBy The Wayâ – âBy The Wayâ (2002)
Share4.âBy The Wayâ - âBy The Wayâ (2002) The title track and opening song on their 2002 album, âBy The Wayâ showed that the success of the âCalifornicationâ album wasnât a fluke. The song combined the bandâs mellow and explosive sides, not to mention Kiedisâ quirky lyrics: what did he mean by âSteak knife! Card shark! Con job! Boot cut?â It didnât matter: it sounded great. And âDani the girlâ makes an appearance here: sheâd later star in her own song a few years later, âDani California.â
3. âMe and My Friendsâ – âThe Uplift Mofo Party Planâ (1987)
ShareAnother ode to friends and community. The original lineup of the Red Hot Chili Peppers reunited for âThe Uplift Mofo Party Planâ: guitarist Hillel Slovak rejoined the band on the prior album, and Jack Irons returned on this album. That clearly gave Anthony and Flea a new burst of energy and inspired the singerâs lyrics, which sing the praises of his bandmates, as well as his friend Bob (theyâre âLike two sweet peas in an even sweeter pod!â)
2. âCanât Stopâ – âBy The Wayâ (2002)
Share2.âCanât Stopâ - âBy The Wayâ (2002) The funkiest jam on âBy The Way,â it has Fleaâs second-best bassline ever. That would be enough to rate it as a classic, but everything on this song clicks: Chad Smithâs drums are totally in the pocket, John Fruscianteâs angular funk makes it impossible to stand still while listening to this jam, and his harmony vocals are soaring. And of course, Anthonyâs lyrics and delivery tie it all together: âchoose not a life of imitationâ is another Kiedis-ish mantra (indeed, lots of fans have gotten that line tattooed).
1.âGive It Awayâ – âBlood Sugar Sex Magikâ (1991)
ShareFleaâs greatest bassline anchors the funkiest song ever written about the benefits of generosity. The songâs simplicity is a bit deceptive: the lyrics arenât just vamping. In his memoirs, Anthony Kiedis tells a story about visiting his then-girlfriend, German new wave icon Nina Hagen. When Kiedis was looking through her closet he saw a jacket he liked. Hagen told him to keep it, saying, "If you have a closet full of clothes and you try to keep them all, your life will get very small. But if you have a full closet and someone sees something they like, if you give it to them, the world is a better place.â This was, apparently, a new way for him to look at the world. Elsewhere in the song, he raps about the ability to improve yourself through knowledge, noting that itâs never too late to learn more: âI'm a low brow but I rock a little know how⌠Get smart get down with the pow wow/Never been a better time! Than right now!â As if the song wasnât perfect enough, they shout out Bob Marley, while John Frusciante quotes the guitar riff from Black Sabbathâs âSweet Leaf.â
