"Dark Necessities" is a song by American rock bandRed Hot Chili Peppers and is the first single from their eleventh studio album,The Getaway. The single was released on May 5, 2016.[4] The music video was released on June 16, 2016.[5] The song was released as a limited editioncassette single that was included in a deluxe package ofThe Getaway available only through the band's website.
"Dark Necessities" was successful on theBillboard charts, becoming the band's 13th number-one single and 25th top ten single on theAlternative Songs chart, both of which are records for any artist.[6] The song is also the fourth song ever to reach number one on the Alternative Songs chart, theMainstream Rock chart, and theAdult Alternative Songs chart.[7]
In a June 7, 2016, video interview for the band'sYouTube channel,Anthony Kiedis discussed the song saying that many of the songs were created on their own. However, "Dark Necessities" was one of the songs that the band had written with Brian Burton akaDanger Mouse. Kiedis said that he went toHawaii and worked on the lyrics to the song, which "speaks to the beauty of our dark sides and how much creativity and growth and light actually comes out of those difficult struggles that we have on the inside of our heads that no one else can see." Kiedis also said that the song meant a lot to Burton and it was one of his favorites. He said that Burton fought for "Dark Necessities" to be the first single. However, the band wanted "The Getaway" to be the first single while the label and managers wanted the song "Go Robot" to be the first single.[8]
"Dark Necessities" was placed at number 12 onRolling Stone’s "50 Best Songs of 2016" list, writing: “Their big comeback hit collabo with Danger Mouse, with Anthony Kiedis getting personal about his darkest, druggiest memories over a Flea bassline full of blood, sugar, sex and magic.”[9]
The video, directed byOlivia Wilde,[10] was released through the band'sFacebook page on June 16, 2016.Chris Blauvelt served as thecinematographer. The music video features long boarders (Carmen Shafer, Amanda Caloia, Amanda Powell, and Noelle Mulligan) skating around a grocery store, abandoned streets, and theLos Angeles River, interspersed with the band playing the song.[11]
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic.Note: Select 25. týden 2016 in the date selector. Retrieved June 27, 2016.
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic.Note: Select 38. týden 2016 in the date selector. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
