By the Way is the eighth studio album by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, released July 9, 2002, on Warner Bros. Records. It sold more than 286,000 copies in its first week, and peaked at number two on the Billboard 200. Singles included “By the Way“, “The Zephyr Song“, “Can’t Stop”, and “Universally Speaking”. Additionally, “Dosed” was released as a promotional single in the US and Canada.
The lyrical subject matter vocalist Anthony Kiedis addresses in By the Way is a divergence from previous Red Hot Chili Peppers albums, with Kiedis taking a more candid and reflective approach to his lyrics.
By the Way was lauded by critics as a departure from the band’s previous styles, and is recognized for the melodic and subdued emotions given by the Chili Peppers. Guitarist John Frusciante is credited with writing most of the album’s melodies, backing vocal arrangements, bass lines, and guitar progressions, therefore changing the direction of the recording dramatically: “his warm, understated guitar work and his doo-wop style vocal harmonies are king this time around.”
By the Way contained very little of the signature funk-metal fusion the band had become known for playing. Frusciante has stated that writing “By the Way was one of the happiest times in my life.” The album went on to sell more than eight million copies worldwide.
Tracklist:
- By the Way
- Universally Speaking
- This Is the Place
- Dosed
- Don’t Forget Me
- The Zephyr Song
- Can’t Stop
- I Could Die for You
- Midnight
- Throw Away Your Television
- Cabron
- Tear
- On Mercury
- Minor Thing
- Warm Tape
- Venice Queen
- Time (Japanese CD bonus track)
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Anthony Kiedis: lead vocals
John Frusciante: guitar, backing vocals, piano, keyboards, modular synthesizer, Mellotron, melodica on “On Mercury”, additional bass on “Don’t Forget Me”
Flea: bass, guitar on “Dosed”, trumpet on “Tear”
Chad Smith: drums, percussion, tambourine
Production
Lindsay Chase: production coordination
David Campbell: string arrangement
Suzie Katayama: contractor and cello
Joel Derouin: concertmaster
Evan Wilson: viola
Larry Corbett: cello
Charlie Bisharat, Gerry Hilera, Peter Kent: violins
Matt Funes: viola
Ryan Hewitt: engineer
Marc Mann: arranger
Ethan Mates: recording engineer
Vlado Meller: mastering
Rick Rubin: production and engineering
Jim Scott: mix engineer, recording engineer
Jason Wormer: recording engineer
Design
Julian Schnabel: art direction
Red Hot Chili Peppers: art direction
