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Cover of Blood Sugar Sex Magik by Red Hot Chili Peppers
Cover: Blood Sugar Sex Magik

Song · Red Hot Chili Peppers

“Give It Away” by Red Hot Chili Peppers

From the album Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991)

“Give It Away” by Red Hot Chili Peppers appears on 115 radio countdowns from 41 stations between 1991 and 2026. It was first released in 1991 on the album Blood Sugar Sex Magik. Its best result is #3 on The End Sweet Summer Vibes Countdown (2024). In the combined RockLists rankings it is the #6 alternative song of 1991, #26 alternative song of all time and #61 of the '90s.

115countdowns
41stations
#3best position
0#1 finishes
6top 10 finishes
1991–2026years charted

Watch

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Give It Away [Official Music Video]

Video from YouTube (Red Hot Chili Peppers). Pressing play loads YouTube's player. Watch on YouTube

"Give It Away" launched Blood Sugar Sex Magik, the Red Hot Chili Peppers' fifth studio album, as its lead single in 1991, and it's funk rock boiled down to one lethal, twitching groove. John Frusciante and Flea found the music in a jam months before the album sessions began, and Rick Rubin, producing with Brendan O'Brien engineering, had the sense to keep it lean.

Flea's bass pops and snaps like a live wire, Frusciante's guitar scratches along and then flies off the handle, and a guest, Pete Weiss, even chips in on mouth harp. Anthony Kiedis built the chant at its center out of something he went through with his ex-girlfriend Nina Hagen, a lesson in selflessness, and he rattles it off like a sermon at double speed.

It gave the band their first number one on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks, Stephane Sednaoui's video lived on MTV, and it won them the Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance With Vocals, handed out in 1992. It only cracked the UK top 10 in 1994, years after the fact.

Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.

RockLists rankings

Alternative & Modern Rock

Indie & Adult Alternative

Classic Rock

Hard Rock & Metal

All Rock Formats

Year-end countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
1991 17 KROQ Los Angeles, CA KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1991 107
1991 4 91X San Diego, CA / Tijuana 91X Top 91 Songs of 1991 91
1991 6 Live 105 San Francisco, CA Live 105 Top 105.3 Songs of 1991 105
1991 8 CFNY 102.1 The Edge Toronto, ON CFNY Top 91 Songs of 1991 91
1992 27 91X San Diego, CA / Tijuana 91X Top 91 Songs of 1992 91
1992 96 CFNY 102.1 The Edge Toronto, ON CFNY Top 102 Songs of 1992 102
1994 3 Virgin Radio United Kingdom Virgin Radio Top 10 Songs of 1994 10

All-time and decade countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
– 57 CRNC 90.1 CRNC Top 90.1 Songs of the '90s 91
1991 39 Triple J Triple J Hottest 100 of All-Time (1991) 100
1992 248 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1992) 500
1994 17 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1994) 497
1994 55 Live 105 Live 105 Revolutionary 500 (July 1994) 500
1994 81 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1994) 500
1995 55 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1995) 500
1996 66 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1996) 500
1996 25 Q101 Q101 Top 500 Songs of All-Time (1996) 500
1996 84 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1996) 498
1999 69 KROQ KROQ Top 300 Most Requested Songs of the '90s (Labor Day 1999) 300
1999 93 WHFS WHFS Top 500 Songs of the '90s (December 1999) 500
1999 95 91X 91X Fat 500 Songs of All-Time (July 1999) 500
1999 44 Q101 Q101 Top 1,011 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 1017
1999 103 WFNX WFNX Top 500 Songs of All-Time (June 1999) 500
1999 102 107.7 The End The End Top 1077 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 1077
1999 119 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1999) 500
1999 45 CD101 CD101 Top 2000 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 2000
1999 195 CFNY 102.1 The Edge CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (November 1999) 1002
1999 67 The Buzz The Buzz Top 99 Songs of All-Time (1999) 99
2000 17 Y100 Y100 Top 300 Songs of the '90s (September 2000) 100
2000 35 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2000) 500
2000 45 CD101 CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000) 2001
2000 20 The Edge KEDJ Countdown 2000 (106 songs) 106
2000 26 103.3 The Edge 103.3 The Edge Top 103 New Rock Songs of the Millennium 103
2001 36 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2001) 498
2001 39 CD101 CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001) 2002
2001 74 WBRU WBRU Modern Rock Top 500 (2001) 500
2002 17 K-Rock K-Rock Top 92 Party Songs of All-Time (2002) 92
2002 43 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2002) 500
2002 39 CD101 CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002) 2003
2002 42 KISW KISW Top 999 of All Time (2002) 999
2002 99 Fred (XM 44) Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002) 2002
2003 11 91X 91X Top 91 Songs of All-Time (December 2003) 91
2003 36 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2003) 500
2003 39 CD101 CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003) 2004
2003 17 Virgin Radio Virgin Radio VR10x10 (April 2003) 100
2004 14 Q101 Q101 Top 300 Party Songs of All-Time (July 2004) 300
2004 54 107.7 The End The End Original Alternative 500 (May 2004) 500
2004 39 CD101 CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004) 2005
2004 25 Y100 Y100 Top 300 Songs of All-Time (July 2004) 300
2005 16 Live 105 Live 105 Top 105.3 Songs of the '90s (August 2005) 106
2005 24 96.5 The Buzz 96.5 The Buzz Top 96 of the 90s 96
2005 41 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2005) 500
2005 41 CD101 CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005) 1994
2005 66 99X 99X Freedom of Choice 1000 (2005) 1000
2006 21 107.7 The End The End Top 107 Songs of the '90s (December 2006) 107
2006 34 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 2006) 500
2006 16 Live 105 Live 105 500 Co-Op Countdown (Memorial Day 2006) 500
2006 75 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2006) 499
2007 44 KROQ KROQ Top 500 Most Requested Songs of the '90s (Labor Day 2007) 500
2007 43 CD101 CD101 Top 2008 Songs of All-Time (December 2007) 2008
2008 81 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 2008) 500
2008 32 CD101 CD101 Top 2009 Songs of All-Time (December 2008) 2009
2009 17 CFNY 102.1 The Edge The Top 200 Songs of the 90's According to 102.1 The Edge 200
2009 44 Live 105 Live 105 Memorial 500 Song List (2009) 500
2009 31 CD101 CD101 Top 2010 Songs of All-Time (December 2009) 2010
2009 18 CFNY 102.1 The Edge 102.1 The Edge Top 200 Songs of All-Time (2009) 200
2010 10 CFNY 102.1 The Edge 102.1 The Edge Top 200 Songs of the 90's (September 2010) 200
2010 29 CD101 CD101 Top 2011 Songs of All-Time (December 2010) 2011
2011 29 CD101 CD101 Top 2012 Songs of All-Time (December 2011) 2011
2012 335 WXPN WXPN 885 Greatest Rock Songs (2012) 885
2013 30 CD101 CD101 Top 2013 Songs of All-Time (December 2013) 2012
2014 31 CD101 CD101 Top 2014 Songs of All-Time (2014) 2013
2014 124 94.3 WCYY WCYY CYY 500 Most Played Songs (2014) 500
2015 117 94.3 WCYY WCYY CYY 500 Most Played Songs (2015) 500
2017 322 97.9 The Loop 97.9 The Loop Top 540 Countdown (2017) 540
2018 810 The Current The Current's 893 Essential Songs 892
2019 434 Big 100 BIG 500 Memorial Day Countdown (2019) 500
2019 100 106.7 WLLZ WLLZ 500 (2019) 500
2019 89 99.1 PLR 99.1 PLR Big 500 (2019) 499
2019 143 94.3 WCYY WCYY CYY 500 Most Played Songs (2019) 500
2019 544 102.5 KZOK KZOK Top 1025 of 2019 1025
2020 84 DC101 Top DC101 of the 90's 101
2020 242 106.7 WLLZ WLLZ 500 (2020) 500
2020 166 DC101 The DC101 Top 500 500
2020 303 Q105.7 Q105.7 Memorial Day 500 (2020) 499
2020 25 105.9 The X 105.9 The X July 420 (2020) 420
2020 437 102.5 KZOK KZOK Classic Rock Top 1025 (2020) 1025
2021 633 90.9 The Bridge 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the '90s 908
2021 972 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2021) 1043
2021 257 106.7 WLLZ WLLZ 500 (2021) 500
2021 18 105.9 The X 105.9 The X July 420 (2021) 420
2022 148 The Colorado Sound The Colorado Sound Top 900 Songs of the '90s 900
2022 102 101X 101X 500 (2022) 498
2022 606 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2022) 1043
2022 12 X96 X96 Top 500 Alternative Songs of All Time 500
2022 332 106.7 WLLZ WLLZ Rock N Roll 500 (2022) 500
2022 613 102.5 KZOK KZOK Classic Rock Top 1025 (2022) 1025
2022 22 105.9 The X 105.9 The X July 420 (2022) 420
2023 78 The Current The Current's 893 Essential Songs of the '90s 893
2023 57 91X 91X Top 91 Songs of The Last 40 Years 91
2023 19 105.9 The X 105.9 The X July 420 (2023) 420
2023 87 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2023) 1043
2023 455 90.9 The Bridge 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of All Time 909
2023 64 94.3 WCYY WCYY CYY 500 Most Played Songs (2023) 500
2023 333 106.7 WLLZ WLLZ Rock N Roll 500 (2023) 500
2024 282 99.1 PLR 99.1 PLR Top 400 of the Last 40 Years (2024) 400
2024 880 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2024) 1043
2024 263 106.7 WLLZ WLLZ Rock N Roll 500 (2024) 500
2024 3 107.7 The End The End Sweet Summer Vibes Countdown (2024) 100
2025 44 WFPK WFPK Top 500 Songs of the '90s 500
2025 49 99.1 PLR 99.1 PLR Top 400 of the Last 40 Years (2025) 400
2025 485 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2025) 1043
2025 236 106.7 WLLZ WLLZ Rock N Roll 500 (2025) 500
2026 106 101X 101X 500 (2026) 500
2026 335 102.5 WDVE DVE Memorial Day 500 (2026) 500
2026 197 106.7 WLLZ WLLZ Rock N Roll 500 (2026) 500

Also listed as: Give it Away.

Charting alongside it in 1991

Best songs of 1991 →
  1. 1Smells Like Teen SpiritNirvana
  2. 2Losing My ReligionR.E.M.
  3. 3UnbelievableEMF
  4. 4Kiss Them for MeSiouxsie and the Banshees
  5. 5RushBig Audio Dynamite
  6. 7SexualityBilly Bragg

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