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Zero 7
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
Stadium Arcadium
EMAILPRINTby Red Hot Chili Peppers
Generally favorable reviews
Based on 25 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 832 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Warner Bros.
Release Date: 09 May 2006
Discs: 2 discs
Genre(s): Alternative, Rock
Summary
Rick Rubin produced this double-disc, 28-song set for the veteran Los Angeles rock outfit.
Also By This Artist: By The Way
Also On The Web: Official Artist Site
What The Critics Said
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...
Observer Music Monthly
There's hardly any doodling or misfiring to undermine the sheer vastness of Stadium Arcadium.
Read Full Review >Los Angeles Times
It overflows with the kind of music the Chili Peppers do best: a physical, often psychedelic mix of spastic bass-slapped funk and glistening alt-rock spiritualism. Only they've never sounded this good as musicians.
Read Full Review >Uncut
The supersized culmination of the Chili Peppers' artistic journey. [Jun 2006, p.102]
Q Magazine
Represents a career high for the Chili Peppers. [Jun 2006, p.106]
Billboard
A mature showcase of concentrated power with riotous groove jams, super-sized hooks and transcendent vocal arrangements.
Read Full Review >Entertainment Weekly
Stadium Arcadium ensures that graying Lollapalooza-era fans, indie teens, and rowdy lunkheads will all be satisfied.
Read Full Review >The New York Times
The music brims with a creative euphoria almost shocking for a band that has been around since Ronald Reagan's first term.
Read Full Review >Rolling Stone
Stadium Arcadium has too many midtempo tracks and, in the manner of U2's All That You Can't Leave Behind, is more of a summation of the Peppers' career than a step forward. But the band is still capable of surprises.
Read Full Review >Mojo
It's the sound of a band on a roll. [Jun 2006, p.110]
E! Online
The whole thing seems like a guided tour through the band's different incarnations.
Read Full Review >cokemachineglow
For anyone who legitimately enjoyed Blood Sugar, and think that they might actually want to purchase this thing, Stadium is unquestionably Red Hot Chili Peppers’ finest release since.
Read Full Review >New Musical Express
Somewhere along the line the Chilis got sophisticated on our asses.
Read Full Review >Blender
This is virile, excited music. [Jun 2006, p.146]
All Music Guide
The bare-bone production combined with the relentless march of songs gives Stadium Arcadium the undeniable feel of wading through the demos for a promising project instead of a sprawling statement of purpose; there's not enough purpose here for it to be a statement.
Read Full Review >MSN Consumer Guide (Robert Christgau)
At least when the bassist ruled they livened up this overworked dynamic with beats. Now they tax it with tunes.
Read Full Review >Village Voice
Neither disjointed embarrassment of riches à la The Beatles nor conceptual magnum opus like The Wall, Stadium Arcadium is two hours of sometimes middling, sometimes masterful, mostly pleasurable mainstream rock.
Read Full Review >Dot Music
Attempting such an ambitious concept in an age of diminished attention spans should no doubt be applauded, but overstretching itself in a stab at immortality, "Stadium Arcadium" marks a step backwards from 2002's "By The Way".
Read Full Review >NOW Magazine
Frusciante's guitar work... almost single-handedly saves the project, but not quite.
Read Full Review >The Guardian
Stadium Arcadium boasts virtuoso musicianship, lustrous arrangements and unpredictable flourishes, but inside all this breathtaking sonic architecture it is strangely empty.
Read Full Review >PopMatters
Stadium Arcadium is perfectly capable and occasionally ingratiating, but whatever goodwill it musters up is trounced by its redundancy.
Read Full Review >Stylus Magazine
Even the "there's a great album hiding in here!" cliché doesn't really apply, since if you conducted ten trials of picking fourteen songs at random, you'd end up with ten albums of near equal mediocrity.
Read Full Review >Pitchfork
Whereas poor production values and drug-fueled exuberance once excused their George Clinton worship, 20 years on, in Rick Rubin's sterile environment, the band sounds like they're in jamband training camp, filling in all the empty spaces with blippityblap reminders of Flea's virtuosity and John Frusciante's desire to use every effects pedal ever invented.
Read Full Review >The Onion (A.V. Club)
The trouble with virtuosity is that it doesn't always translate into songcraft, and the absence of even one hum-it-on-the-way-home track here raises the old questions again: Does this band even make sense? Are punk energy and funk grooves music's peanut-butter-and-chocolate or its oatmeal-and-sardines? And what's Anthony Kiedis talking about, anyway?
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 9.2 (out of 10) based on 832 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Fortune F gave it a10:
An incredible mix of musical styles, from some of the best melodic rock around in 'Slow Cheetah' and 'She Looks To Me' to rappin' hard hitting funk in 'Storm In a Teacup'. The only odd this about this album is that, aside from Dani California, they chose the worst songs to be singles.
j m gave it a10:
One of the best albums ever made, every song is awesome. I have not found this album to be redundant at all, and on the contrary, has a variety of song styles. I have yet to meet anyone that dislikes this album.
Bruno S. gave it a10:
It's great! For sure, Stadium Arcadium is one of the best albums from Red Hot Chili Peppers.
helpus helpus gave it a10:
The band has developed much since then, most noticably in Anthony's singing style, which was much more rap-based. Do not discount this album because it is different to their others, judge it for its own merits, of which it has many. The majority of the tracks are strong, so much so that i listened to the whole double album first time around in one sitting with no skippings. Undoubtedly there are negatives which come (in my mind) during some of the slower songs which can drag on. But there are many highlights, such as my personal favourites "tORTURE ME""She's only 18" and "Slow Cheetah". Overall this is a very good album from one of the biggest and best bands on the planet and we should hope that they continue making them.This is a change and is brilliant. They are not my favourite band, and this type of music is not my cup of tea but I have to still give them a high rating for the effort. A lot of work was put into it. Very creative and different from anything else on the radio. One of those records you can throw on and listen to all of it. This Album is quite amazing and for anyone to say differently hasnt really listened to it or is just not really informed of what a skilled musician is.The band's musical ability was simply sensational in this album, and the Peppers went all out for this one. Not only was Frusciante's guitar incredible in songs like "Snow (Hey Oh)," but he also played blistering solos in "Dani California" and "Readymade" to name a couple. The rhythm section of the Chili Peppers is the reason I keep coming back, however. THe combination of Chad Smith's incredible drumming and Flea's godlike bass playing is what holds the music together every single track. Chad's drumming in "Stadium Arcadium" and "Hump de Bump" are highlights. Flea's bass playing... wow. His basslines in "Tell Me Baby," "She's Only 18," and "Warlocks" are memorable gemstones of the album. However, I must say Flea's most magnificent work to date is "Hump de Bump." Yes, I said it... best work to date. This song was by far the highlight of the album for me. "Hump de Bump" has an easy yet catchy guitar riff, sweet drum beat, and Flea's bass thumbing during the verse is simple but excellent. Once the chorus comes through, Flea goes wild with an absolutely orgasmic bass line that shows what the Chili Peppers are truly about and makes the song the highlight of the disc for many people, not just myself. All in all, the highlights of the album are "Stadium Arcadium," "Tell Me Baby," "She's Only 18," "Readymade," and, of course, the funk smash "Hump de Bump. Their new album is entitled "Stadium Arcadium," and it's utterly brilliant. The sound of the album is great. John Frusciante's guitar playing is heavenly; Frusciante is easily the Clapton of the 21st century. His solos in "readymade," "Dani California," and "21st Century" are simply dazzling and incredible.I loved Blood Sugar, By the Way, Californication was gd too, Freaky Styley extremly random, and Mothers Milk, which I thought was a stroke of genius. Stone Cold Bush, wotta song. So Since By the Way I had gone from Linkin Park to Trivium and Avenged Sevenfold, so now I wait for the Chilis, hoping that they will not be the cutsy light stuff that By The Way had become since my musical tastes enhanced. Dani California blew me off my seat personally. I liked the fact they heavied it up a bit but retained the chiliness. I had to buy the album. And soon into it I realised this was really gd well written music. Hey Oh, amazing, Charlie funkeriffic, it was gd to hear blood sugar was creeping somewhere into the album. Stadium Arcadium, beautiful song, really touching and agen, amazingly crafted. Jupiter perhaps losing its energy after about song 11 or 12 but still very decent. It took me a longer while to get into Mars I must say, but normally the best albums are the ones that take the longest to get into, then once u do its a bit gobsmacking. This definitley happened to me with Mars.This album is at once as melodic as By The Way, and as funky as Blood Sugar Sex Magic (ok, maybe not that funky, but I swear “Storm In A Teacup” is the funkiest song they’ve done since Freaky Styley). Contrary to popular opinion of those who criticize this album, the songs don’t sound the same at all, and really, each song has its own unique flavor.
Kasen Kasen gave it a10:
After the return of John Frusciante (1998) Red Hot Chili Peppers never deceive you with a mediocre or a bad album.The sound of the Red Hot Chili Peppers is amazing. Their songs I believe have taken rock music to the next level. The music they write really comes from the heart and expresses their true inner feelings about the world around them. This group has many talented people especially their bassist. They are very original. My musical tastes now though would not be present without the band Red Hot Chili Peppers. That is fact. I loved Blood Sugar, By the Way, Californication was gd too, Freaky Styley extremly random, and Mothers Milk, which I thought was a stroke of genius. Stone Cold Bush, wotta song. So Since By the Way I had gone from Linkin Park to Trivium and Avenged Sevenfold, so now I wait for the Chilis, hoping that they will not be the cutsy light stuff that By The Way had become since my musical tastes enhanced. Dani California blew me off my seat personally. I liked the fact they heavied it up a bit but retained the chiliness. I had to buy the album. And soon into it I realised this was really gd well written music. Hey Oh, amazing, Charlie funkeriffic, it was gd to hear blood sugar was creeping somewhere into the album. Stadium Arcadium, beautiful song, really touching and agen, amazingly crafted. Jupiter perhaps losing its energy after about song 11 or 12 but still very decent. It took me a longer while to get into Mars I must say, but normally the best albums are the ones that take the longest to get into, then once u do its a bit gobsmacking. This definitley happened to me with Mars. I think I prefer it, it doesnt lose its energy til the very very end, and with songs like Storm in a Tea cup and Readymade, you shouldnt be surprised. The sound is typical chili's, like one reviewer said. The strongest parts of Blood Sugar, Californication, and By The Way in two albums with a bit of a leap onwards as well.This particular album is by far the best of the RHCP's career. It features 4 musicians that are each individually, at the top of their game and the industry. All members of the band are shining to full potential: Antony is controlling the vocals as only he could, Chad is holding down the beat with perfection, Flea is the best bass player out right now or even ever, and John is etching his name into the best guitarist of all time statue. Their are so many different levels of genius in this album that anyone that does not listen to this album will miss out on an album that will eventually become the pinnacle of this era. At first listen, some of the songs I wasn't feeling all that well. For example: Hump de Bump, it has more funk style to it and I guess that turned me off, but then I listened to it more and tended to like it a little bit better. I think with 28 songs and a double disc, it's hard to like every single one.
Rodrigo G gave it a9:
I could rate this as awesome or terrible, because there are two versions to consider. But first, the album itself: 'Stadium Arcadium' is great! RHCP slightly downplayed the funk from their previous works, and added a solid touch of acid-rock, to mesmerizing results. This is the kind of record to which you should sit, relax, and listen carefully. But there is a problem: Vlado Meller's super-loud mastering makes it a pain to the ears! So don't bother with the CD version or any store downloads: the only way to get Stadium Arcadium with the sound quality it deserves is the vinyl release. It has a different mastering, by renowned audiophile favorite Steve Hoffman. Yes, it is a tad more expensive - it is a 4 LP set, after all. If you have a good stereo set, and you like RHCP, this one is worth it.
Pat S. gave it a6:
Easily one of the Peppers' poorest releases. Decent tunes comprise the album but haphazard vocal phrasing and redundancies are all too populous. Skip this one and replay Californication for the best of new Peppers.
