Anyone who knows me, online or off, knows I’m probably the biggest evangelist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers there ever was. I’ve been a fan from the beginning (my beginning, not theirs, I’m not an old or anything) and I’m proud to have turned a good few people onto them. They have a discography spanning almost 40 years at this point, with a baker’s dozen worth of albums and dozens of B-sides besides, and that alone can be intimidating to an unfamiliar potential listener. They also reside in a bittersweet perpetual overplayed status on the radio, in grocery stores, as sports bumper music, you name it. You’ve heard them before whether you realize it or not, but even if you have, you might not have heard them. Their many hits might lead some to think they have a complete understanding on their style and substance, but if that’s all you know, you don’t know the whole story. I don’t think you need to know the band’s complete history; you can appreciate their music without knowing the interpersonal dramas, the legal issues, the revolving door that has been the guitarist position, any of that. I just want to show you ten songs by them that you haven’t heard in Madden and Safeway if you even have at all, why they might appeal to you, and where you should go next if you like them as much as I do.
“She Looks to Me” (track 19 from Stadium Arcadium)
For fans of: Tasteful guitar, folksy-yet-straight-ahead rock, beautiful backing vocals
Where to go next: I’d recommend starting with any of these albums: Stadium Arcadium, By the Way, Unlimited Love.
“Nobody Weird Like Me” (track 5 from Mother’s Milk)
For fans of: Chaotic energy, punk rock, that airy-sounding ’80s rock production complete with awkward synthesizer mixing
Where to go next: You can’t go wrong checking out the rest of the Mother’s Milk album, although they rarely reach that same exact fever pitch.
“Bella” (track 6 from Return of the Dream Canteen)
For fans of: Odd time signatures that still groove, slinky funk, beautiful backing vocals (this is a trend)
Where to go next: Even though this track is from 2022, I’d actually suggest going all the way back to Blood Sugar Sex Magik from 31 years before it. It’s easily the funkiest project they ever did and it pairs well with the vibe you get from the verses here. If the hook is all that hooked you, hit up By the Way instead.
“Porcelain” (track 8 from Californication)
For fans of: Tragic beauty, adult contemporary/singer-songwriter/vocal-focused stuff (but the good kind)
Where to go next: There’s songs that kinda fit this vibe scattered across their last seven albums, but I’d say start with Californication and maybe The Getaway.
“This Is the Kitt” (track 14 from the I’m Beside You compilation)
For fans of: Off-kilter riff-oriented rock, hard verses into softer (not quieter) choruses
Where to go next: It’s not a proper album, but the B-side compilation I’m Beside You is where you’ll have the best chance of hearing something you like in the same way. After that, try I’m With You and Stadium Arcadium.
“Someone” (track 3 from “The Zephyr Song” single)
For fans of: Doo-wop vocals, island vibes, chill love songs
Where to go next: By the Way, then maybe Californication.
“Turn It Again” (track 27 from Stadium Arcadium)
For fans of: Insane guitar overdubs (an entire 24-track recorder was dedicated solely to the guitar solo on this thing, if you can even call it a solo), Talking Heads (a comparison made by RHCP themselves), clever composition of chord movement between instruments
Where to go next: This song’s parent album, Stadium Arcadium, is the closest thing the band has to a “guitar hero” album, with moments like this and “Readymade” being standouts, but there’s also some stellar guitar work on Return of the Dream Canteen, Californication, and Unlimited Love.
“True Men Don’t Kill Coyotes” (track 1 from The Red Hot Chili Peppers)
For fans of: Rawness, bounce, waaaaay airier ’80s production, potential personified
Where to go next: You’re in luck if you liked this one, you get to start at the beginning. Listen to The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Freaky Styley, and then go forward and appreciate the evolution and what elements stayed over the years
“Funky Monks” (track 4 from Blood Sugar Sex Magik)
For fans of: Funk, funk, and more funk
Where to go next: The rest of Blood Sugar Sex Magik, then Mother’s Milk.
“Nerve Flip” (track 18 from Unlimited Love)
For fans of: Nirvana, Alice in Chains, Weezer (tell me you don’t hear it)
Where to go next: This one is a bit of a trick choice: there isn’t anything really like it in their catalog. That said, though, if you’ve gotten this far and liked more than one or two songs in addition to this one, just jump in wherever feels safest. You can’t go too wrong.