> Switch to Advanced Search

New & Current Releases
Archives: A-Z Index
Advanced Search

Upcoming Release Calendar
All-Time High (And Low) Scores
Best Of 2008
Best Of 2007
Best Of 2006
Best Of 2005
Best Of 2004
Best Of 2003
Best Of 2002
Best Of 2001
Best Of 2000
How Metascores Are Calculated
Discuss Music In Our Forums

sort by name

sort by score

60 31Knots
82 Abe Vigoda
71 The Academy Is...
53 The Airborne Toxic Event
79 Alias
77 Theresa Andersson
76 Apollo Sunshine
47 The Automatic
79 Azeda Booth
75 Joan Baez
84 Bajofondo
56 David Banner
76 The Baseball Project
77 Beck
77 Black Affair
59 Black Ghosts
74 Black Kids
79 Blitzen Trapper
74 Bodies Of Water
70 Brazilian Girls
72 Brightblack Morning Light
66 The Broken West
50 Buckcherry
78 Lindsey Buckingham
90 The Bug
56 Caesars
78 Calexico
70 Glen Campbell
70 Brendan Canning
63 Cats In Paris
74 The Chemical Brothers
65 Cold War Kids
69 Alice Cooper
79 Rodney Crowell
63 CSS
67 Miley Cyrus
46 Dandy Warhols
65 Kimya Dawson
73 Dead Confederate
72 Death Vessel
74 Delta Spirit
79 Damien Dempsey
78 Ani DiFranco
58 DJ Khaled
66 The Donkeys
72 Dr. Dog
80 DragonForce
78 The Duhks
77 Dungen
73 Brian Eno + David Byrne
62 The Faint
67 The Fiery Furnaces
63 Ben Folds
64 iForward, Russia!
72 Friendly Fires
71 Fujiya & Miyagi
65 The Game
74 Inara George With Van Dyke Parks
74 Giant Sand
79 Girl Talk
83 Glasvegas
61 Golden Animals
64 Mike Gordon
68 Gym Class Heroes
78 GZA
66 Neil Halstead
64 Albert Hammond, Jr.
72 Juliana Hatfield
61 Hawthorne Heights
81 High Places
77 High Places
76 Zach Hill
85 The Hold Steady
83 David Holmes
80 Horse Feathers
74 Howling Hex
58 Jennifer Hudson
71 Human Highway
70 Ice Cube
66 Ida Maria
68 Jack's Mannequin
69 Jaguar Love
73 James
81 Jamey Johnson
70 Jonas Brothers
78 Damien Jurado
83 Kasai Allstars
57 Kerli
89 B.B. King
65 Kings Of Leon
67 Ladyhawke
73 Leila
54 Levellers
74 Jenny Lewis
76 Lykke Li
82 Lindstrom
72 Little Jackie
60 The Little Ones
57 LL Cool J
60 Lloyd
60 The Lord Dog Bird
85 Patty Loveless
76 John Mellencamp
71 The Melvins
70 Mercury Rev
77 Metallica
71 Metronomy
74 Mirah
75 Mogwai
64 Motorhead
66 Mugison
78 Nico Muhly
74 Murs
84 The Music Tapes
71 Nas
65 Nelly
79 Willie Nelson & Wynton Marsalis
50 New Kids On The Block
77 The New Year
85 Randy Newman
80 Ne-Yo
57 Nightmares On Wax
68 The Nightwatchman
78 Nine Inch Nails
62 Noah And The Whale
67 Oasis
75 Conor Oberst
78 Okkervil River
76 Old Crow Medicine Show
80 One Day As A Lion
75 Oneida
73 Joan Osborne
75 Oxford Collapse
85 Paavoharju
78 Amanda Palmer
65 Parenthetical Girls
89 Aaron Parks
73 Lee "Scratch" Perry
51 Kellie Pickler
70 Pivot
58 Plain White T's
89 Plush
64 Primal Scream
50 Pussycat Dolls
75 Ra Ra Riot
71 Ratatat
62 Re-Up Gang
62 Rex The Dog
76 Roots Manuva
71 Darius Rucker
72 The Rumble Strips
81 Raphael Saadiq
57 Sam Champion
73 Scars On Broadway
81 Pete Seeger
70 Ron Sexsmith
68 The Shaky Hands
39 Shwayze
58 Jessica Simpson
69 Slipknot
80 Patti Smith and Kevin Shields
73 Solange
69 Son, Ambulance
65 Rick Springfield
65 Staind
47 Stereo MC's
72 Stereolab
71 The Stills
73 The Subways
83 Sugarland
70 Matthew Sweet
74 T.I.
72 Robin Thicke
71 Thievery Corporation
77 Irma Thomas
79 Tindersticks
71 Tittsworth
90 Shugo Tokumaru
74 Emiliana Torrini
67 James Jackson Toth
72 Randy Travis
69 Tricky
89 TV On The Radio
78 The Uglysuit
92 Underoath
56 UNKLE
61 David Vandervelde
77 Chad VanGaalen
71 The Verve
76 Volcano!
68 Loudon Wainwright III
80 The Walkmen
66 Ben Weaver
83 The Week That Was
77 Paul Weller
70 Brian Wilson
76 Wire
63 XX Teens
71 Young Jeezy
55 Yung Berg

Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.

By The Way
by Red Hot Chili Peppers


8.8

based on 21 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

based on 109 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album

Stadium Arcadium

Although their ride has been rocky at times, the Los Angeles band is nearing its 20th anniversary. (And if you grew up listening to the band, doesn't that make you feel old.) This, their eighth album, finds the Chili Peppers working with producer Rick Rubin.

LABEL:	Warner Brothers
RELEASE DATE:	09 July 2002
DISCS:	1 disc
GENRE(S):	Alternative, Rock

NOTES: Also available on vinyl.

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

Q Magazine

A fantastic record, full of wonder. [Aug. 2002, p.118]

E! Online

A majority of By the Way features astoundingly wise steps in new, mature directions.

Playlouder

'By The Way' is pretty much 'Californication' part two with a deeper exploration of the nu melodic Peppers, a classic LA record that somehow combines the melodic rush of the Beach Boys and Mamas and Papas and hints at the dark underbelly of the city of angels just like Love did way back in the late sixties.

PopMatters

Certainly the most absorbing rock album of 2002, if not the best.

Launch.com

Daring and inventive, it takes the kind of stylistic chances and creative leaps that were once the property of the heavies of '60s rock and pop.

Austin Chronicle

By the Way is orchestral, taunting, sinister, beatific, rousing, jocular, nervy, ethereal, and dare I say it, mature.

Billboard

This is one beautiful record.

All Music Guide

Overall, the album leans more toward the melodic end of their oeuvre, but they have grown into this kinder, gentler mode organically, progressively working toward this groove little by little, album by album.

CDNow

Sonically, this is the most diverse and intriguing work of their careers.... A welcome surprise.

Rolling Stone

A near-perfect balance of gutter grime and high-art aspiration, the Rick Rubin-produced By the Way continues the Peppers' slow-motion makeover.

Entertainment Weekly

For every successful foray... there's a less satisfying track; the album is less focused and has a mushier center than ''Californication.''

New Musical Express

By god is it ever long (it's 16 tracks), but on the whole it showcases enough of what makes the Chili Peppers a very good rock group – chief among these are John Frusciante's excellent, inventive guitar playing, and the fact that it is with tremendous conviction that Anthony Kiedis belts out even the most ridiculous words.

The Onion (A.V. Club)

By The Way inevitably suffers for its familiarity: Had it followed 1995's so-so One Hot Minute instead of Californication, it would qualify as a revelation instead of a worthy retread.

Dot Music

Underpinned throughout by the kind of melancholic edge discovered on radio friendly ode to smack 'Under The Bridge', and punctuated by a spontaneous, back-to-basics feel, it's an album that sees the Chilis revitalised.

Mojo

The strongest Chili's album since 1991's Blood Sugar Sex Magik.

Village Voice (Consumer Guide)

It's not enough for Anthony Keidis to get all mature--he's supposed to say something interesting about maturity. And he's never had thing one to say about anything else.

Uncut

By The Way presents a band who have mellowed and matured with unusual benefits to their music. [Sep 2002, p.118]

Blender

Essentially Californication 2, a reprise of their last album. [#9, p.142]

Village Voice

Kiedis's lyrics are absolutely baffling.

New York Magazine

By the Way is as enjoyable as being stuck in an elevator playing a Muzak version of "Under the Bridge."

Stylus Magazine

Spit-shine production, passionless instrumentation, (extremely) laid back grooves and laughably awful lyrics all conspire to do this once explosive band in.

The average user rating for this album is 8.8 (out of 10) based on 109 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

[Anonymous] gave it an8:
Mosy of the songs are good, some of them are crap.

Chris R. gave it a10:
SAVAGE TOAST gave it a4: fuck u all who think this album is incredible. any no name shit can right songs like these. i can rhyme just as well as rhcp Don't know the difference between right and write though, moron. Some of the best music this side of the 21st century. I wish they didn't make that shitty Stadium Arcadium album right after this one though.

Vid M. gave it an8:
Good stuff.

Natalie P gave it a10:
-what Joesepher W said is so true- By the Way is their best album...itthe lyrics and the melodies are beautiful. the whole album is absolutely perfect . They make music like no modern rock artist can touch. Everyone should be required to listen to this album. And to that guy who said anyone can write like them, you're just jealous because you will never play or write like them- they are too talented and complex for someone like you to understand.

Patrick B gave it a7:
A good album which I think is criticised simply because the Chilis' other albums are better.

kiefer h gave it a9:
savage what's up with you and all of your pessimistic, derogatory comments...i'd like to see you seriously make any album of some sorty, let alone play an instrument. Anyway back to the criteria of the moment--i believe this album represent symplistic riffs and tunes that only the red hot's could pull off...a very blissfully, mellow, and delicious album one could bask in with it's subtle and deep embraces

Daniel G. gave it a9:
very good

By The Way by Red Hot Chili Peppers

By The Way
by Red Hot Chili Peppers