10 Perfect Rock Albums Of The 2000s

Double albums are very often controversial, over bloated, and self-indulgent. These records don’t usually warrant their massive run time, and coming in at over two hours, Stadium Arcadium was LONG. But, it was most definitely an exception to the rule.

Produced by long time Red Hot Chili Pepper collaborator Rick Rubin, it encompassed every sound the Chili Peppers had played with previously, from funk, punk, hip-hop, rock, rap and psychedelic. It was simply a masterful exploration of sound, soaring through a multitude of genres with all the ease that only the four musical maestros could pull off.

You know the big tracks - Dani California, Snow (Hey Oh), Tell Me Baby - but where this album really proved itself was deep within the confines of its 28-track listing.

Strip My Mind and Wet Sand demonstrated what makes John Frusciante one of the best guitar players going. With evocative and yet surprisingly simple guitar solos, he showcased his complete understanding of melody through an adoption of a 'less is more' attitude. Bass player Flea seemed to have no difficulty turning his hand to the many sounds that this album contained, and the band collectively impressed critics with the track Hard to Concentrate; a mix of afro-beat drumming, ethereal guitar, and heart-on-the-sleeve lyricism.

In a recent interview, Rick Rubin revealed he was finishing off their latest album. It's been a good 15 years since Frusciante released a record with the Chili Peppers, and fans ain't half excited.