Red Hot Chili Peppers - Higher Ground (official Music Video) ✔

: This was the first music video to feature guitarist John Frusciante and drummer Chad Smith . Frusciante's melodic sensibilities and Flea’s "thunderous" slap bass—which famously replaced the keyboard line of the original—became the foundation of their signature sound.

: The video received heavy rotation on MTV , which named the Chili Peppers an "artist to watch," helping Mother's Milk become their first gold record by early 1990. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Higher Ground (Official Music Video)

"Higher Ground" is historically significant for debuting the band's most iconic and commercially successful lineup. : This was the first music video to

Directed by and Bill Stobaugh , the video is characterized by its manic, "visually jarring" aesthetic that mirrored the band's high-energy stage presence. "Higher Ground" is historically significant for debuting the

: Lead singer Anthony Kiedis reportedly gave the directors full creative freedom on one condition: they had to "make us look like the Gods of Funk".

Decades later, the version—and by extension its visual energy—remains a staple of pop culture. It has been featured in major soundtracks, including (1995), and was even used as the high-octane soundtrack for Disneyland's Rockin' Space Mountain . In 2000, Total Guitar magazine ranked it as the second greatest cover song of all time. Red Hot Chili Peppers: Higher Ground - Music Video - IMDb