October 26, 1991
- STAYED AT #1:2 Weeks
In The Alternative Number Ones, I'm reviewing every #1 single in the history of the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks/Alternative Songs, starting with the moment that the chart launched in 1988. This column is a companion piece to The Number Ones, and it's for members only. Thank you to everyone who's helping to keep Stereogum afloat.
They're so fucking stupid.
Sorry. That's a bad way to start. In plenty of important ways, the Red Hot Chili Peppers are not so fucking stupid. They are, in fact, quite intelligent. The Chili Peppers found a way to go from party-rocking LA goons to super-rich radio-rock stalwarts. They have more #1 hits than any other artist in the history of the Billboard Modern Rock chart, and those hits span virtually every era of the chart's history. That means the Chili Peppers will end up being, in some ways, the main characters of this column, god help me.