Red Hot Chili Peppers Announce New Album, Drop First Single 'Black Summer'

On Friday (February 4), Red Hot Chili Peppers announced their new album, Unlimited Love, which will be the band's twelfth offering. The album is set to debut on April 1, 2022. To celebrate their upcoming album, the band released the first single off the project 'Black Summer.' This marks Red Hot Chili Pepper's first recording with guitarist John Frusciante since 2006 and first with producer and longtime collaborator Rick Rubin since 2011.

On 'Black Summer,' fans will enjoy ethereal guitar, introspective lyrics, and a hypnotic drum groove highlighted by evocative bass. “It’s been a long time since I made a new friend, waiting on another black summer to end,” the lyrics ruminate. For the music video, the group teamed up with acclaimed director Deborah Chow [Disney+’s The Mandalorian, Obi-Wan Kenobi]. The result continues a "tradition of captivating cinematic visuals—with a twist."

“Our only goal is to get lost in the music. We (John, Anthony, Chad, and Flea) spent thousands of hours, collectively and individually, honing our craft and showing up for one another, to make the best album we could," the band said in a statement. "Our antennae attuned to the divine cosmos, we were just so damn grateful for the opportunity to be in a room together, and, once again, try to get better. Days, weeks, and months spent listening to each other, composing, jamming freely, and arranging the fruit of those jams with great care and purpose. The sounds, rhythms, vibrations, words, and melodies had us enrapt."

"We yearn to shine a light in the world, to uplift, connect, and bring people together. Each of the songs on our new album Unlimited Love, is a facet of us, reflecting our view of the universe," they continued. "This is our life’s mission. We work, focus, and prepare so that when the biggest wave comes, we are ready to ride it. The ocean has gifted us a mighty wave and this record is the ride that is the sum of our lives. Thank you for listening, we hope you enjoy it."

They signed out their heartfelt note with something a little more rock'n'roll: "ROCK OUT MOTHERF—S!” - Anthony Kiedis, Flea, Chad Smith, John Frusciante."

Frusciante, who returned to the band in December 2019, added a note of his own. “When we started writing material, we began by playing old songs by people like Johnny "Guitar" Watson, The Kinks, The New York Dolls, Richard Barrett and others," he said. "Ever so gradually, we started bringing in new ideas, and turning jams into songs, and after a couple of months the new stuff was all we were playing. The feeling of effortless fun we had when we were playing songs by other people, stayed with us the whole time we were writing. For me, this record represents our love for, and faith in each other.”

"The interplay between the band borders on intergalactic once again—yet elevated to another stratosphere altogether," a press release teased of the upcoming album. "Unlimited Love represents the united spirit of four individual souls still fearlessly exploring the future of their eternal friendship and musical congregation."

This summer, Red Hot Chili Peppers will launch their first tour in support of Unlimited Love. They’ve invited a dynamic cohort of guests along for the ride at select dates, including Anderson.Paak & The Free Nationals, A$AP Rocky, Beck, HAIM, King Princess, St. Vincent, The Strokes, and Thundercat. Check out the full confirmed itinerary and purchase tickets HERE.