10 Classic Music Albums Turning 20 In 2022

It had been a long road back from the brink for the Chili Peppers in the '00s. After the beginning of the '90s threw everything for a loop with John Frusciante leaving, it felt like they had counted all their losses and become stronger at the end, with John returning to the fold and delivering a world worn album with Californication. It was a much happier time now, and the Peppers wanted to share their joy with the rest of the world.

Which is strange because By the Way was not the record that we were supposed to get. In an attempt to go back to their roots, the Peppers were originally intending on releasing a mix of laid back songs along with some intense punk ragers to fill out the runtime, only to bring in more laid back stuff. That's not to say that the intensity has gone anywhere either, especially with the verses of the title track that kick the whole thing off.

When you listen to this record though, you never get the sense that the Peppers have an axe to grind or anything. Whether you're listening to the bliss of the Zephyr Song or getting down with the funkier groove of Can't Stop, there's always a sense of happiness sprinkled throughout these songs. Since life had already put them through the ringer more than a few times, this was the record where everyone could really have some fun.