10 Perfect Rock Albums Of The 2000s

Most bands only dream of hitting the big time once. Since this is the kind of thing that's only reserved for the elite few of the music industry, you're going to do everything in your power to make sure that you don't screw it up. Even when the Red Hot Chili Peppers fell flat on their face though, By the Way was proof that we were about to enter a completely new regime.

Though Californication is the first proper album with John Frusciante back in the fold, this is the moment where we saw him truly take the reigns on the creative side, bringing a much more melodic sensibility to everything. There are definitely the typical rock and funk songs accounted for here like Can't Stop, but something like Universally Speaking or Dosed have a weird classic rock vibe to them, almost as if the Beach Boys were born a few decades too late.

While the previous album may have been the true dissection of what it's like to live in California, By the Way actually puts that idea into perspective a lot more on lyrics alone. Much like the Sunshine State, these tracks can be absolutely beautiful to the ear, but also have the potential to break your heart in the process. Despite not seeming like a fair trade, there's a reason why that love still lingers long after the first listen.