The Red Hot Chili Peppers is an iconic American rock band that was formed in Los Angeles in 1982. The band consists of four members, namely Anthony Kiedis as the vocalist, Flea as the bassist, Chad Smith as the drummer, and John Frusciante as the guitarist. They are renowned for their unique blend of alternative rock, funk, punk rock, hard rock, hip hop, and psychedelic rock, which has influenced several genres, including funk metal, rap metal, rap rock, and nu metal.
The band has achieved great success over the years, with over 120 million records sold worldwide, making them one of the best-selling bands of all time. They hold several records, including the most number-one singles, most cumulative weeks at number one, and most top-ten songs on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart. Additionally, the band has won six Grammy Awards, been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012, and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2022.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers were initially formed by Kiedis, Flea, Hillel Slovak (guitarist), and Jack Irons (drummer). However, due to commitments to other bands, Slovak and Irons did not play on the band's 1984 self-titled debut album, which instead featured guitarist Jack Sherman and drummer Cliff Martinez. Slovak rejoined the band for their second album, Freaky Styley (1985), and Irons for their third, The Uplift Mofo Party Plan (1987). Unfortunately, Irons left the band after Slovak's death from a drug overdose in June 1988.
With new recruits Frusciante and Smith, the Red Hot Chili Peppers recorded Mother's Milk (1989), followed by their first major commercial success, Blood Sugar ѕєx Magik (1991). However, Frusciante was uncomfortable with the band's newfound popularity and left abruptly on tour in 1992. After several temporary guitarists, he was replaced by Dave Navarro, who appeared on the group's sixth album, One Hot Minute (1995). Although successful, the album failed to match the critical or popular acclaim of Blood Sugar ѕєx Magik.
The 1990s were a challenging time for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, as both Frusciante and Kiedis struggled with drug addiction. However, in 1998, following Navarro's departure, Frusciante rejoined the band. Their seventh album, Californication (1999), became their biggest commercial success, with 16 million copies sold worldwide. By the Way (2002) and Stadium Arcadium (2006) were also successful, with Stadium Arcadium being their first album to reach number one on the Billboard 200 chart. Frusciante left again in 2009 to focus on his solo career, and he was replaced by Josh Klinghoffer, who appeared on I'm with You (2011) and The Getaway (2016).
In 2019, Frusciante rejoined the band, and they released their 12th and 13th albums, Unlimited Love and Return of the Dream Canteen, in 2022. The Red Hot Chili Peppers continue to be a leading force in the music industry, with their unique sound and impressive track record of success.
