Blood Sugar Sex Magik - Promotion and Release

Promotion and Release

Blood Sugar Sex Magik was released on September 24, 1991. It was certified gold just over two months later on November 26, 1991, and certified platinum on April 1, 1992; since then it has gone seven times multi-platinum in the United States. The album peaked at number 3 on the Billboard 200. Originally, "Give it Away" did not fare well in the mainstream; several of Warner Bros.' target radio stations refused to air it, telling the band to "come back to us when you have a melody in your song." KROQ (of Los Angeles), however, began to play the single several times daily, and that, according to Kiedis, "was the beginning of the infusion of 'Give It Away' into mass consciousness." The single ultimately peaked at number 9 on the UK Top 40 and number 73 on the Billboard Hot 100. Blood Sugar Sex Magik has sold thirteen million copies worldwide.

Due to the success of "Give it Away," the band did not foresee "Under the Bridge" as being equally viable. Warner Bros. sent representatives to a Chili Peppers' concert in order to figure out what would ultimately be the next single. When Frusciante began playing "Under the Bridge", Kiedis missed his cue; the entire audience began singing the song, instead. Kiedis was initially "mortified that I had fucked up in front of Warner's people...I apologized for fucking up but they said 'Fucking up? Are you kidding me? When every single kid at the show sings a song, that's our next single.'" "Under the Bridge" was, therefore, selected as Blood Sugar Sex Magik's second single. By January 1992, "Under the Bridge" had exploded, peaking at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.

To promote the album in Europe, Kiedis and Frusciante both agreed they would make the trip. However, it proved difficult for Frusciante to adapt to life outside of the mansion, after being in near-seclusion for almost 30 days. Kiedis recalled of the situation: "He had such an outpouring of creativity while we were making that album that I think he really didn't know how to live life in tandem with that creativity." It was also during this period when Frusciante began to experiment with heroin, which further compromised his mental stability. The European promotional trek took its toll on Frusciante, and he decided to return home when he and Kiedis reached London.