Top 10 Comeback Albums

Rick Rubin makes his second appearance on this list with the resuscitation of the West Coast's original surf-punk party band, slightly long in the tooth a decade after its breakthrough Mother's Milk. (The man's really good at revitalizing careers — just look at the album he did with Neil Diamond, of all people.) On its previous album, One Hot Minute, the Chili Peppers had brought in Dave Navarro to replace a key member, guitarist John Frusciante. Big mistake. That album was a disappointment, full of un-Pepper-like metal. Frusciante returned to help the band put together this gem, slam-packed with singles: "Scar Tissue," "Otherside," "Around the World," "Road Trippin'" and the title track. It's a sexy, classic California record.