10 Bands Who Were Justified In Changing Sounds

One of the most widely celebrated and successful alternative rock bands to have emerged from the infamous 1990s American scene, Red Hot Chili Peppers have amassed a collection of 25 top-ten songs, 13 number one hits and the record for the most weeks spent at number in the genre with 85.

However, their direction looked very different when they started out life in the industry in the early '80s. Founding members Anthony Kiedis, Hillel Slovak, Flea and Jack Irons had all gone to the same high school and were all immensely influenced by more funk and soul sounds, rather than traditional rock that would probably be expected.

Indeed, the band's debut album, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, is credited as being the first ever blend of funk and metal music. The early sound of Red Hot Chili Peppers often featured heavy groovy bass sounds and usually rolled around improvised tunes being strung together by Kiedis' rapping, a long way musically from their accomplished, radio-friendly tunes that they would eventually adopt and become far more famous for.

Whilst the group might have been initially disappointed with the studio's meddling and bemoaned the polished sound they were first pushed towards, their eventual success with this formula has probably helped ease those initial concerns.