By the Way radio stations participated in broadcasting the band's new daily material, along with MTV, VH1, and digital music retailers like iTunes, as well as Cell phone companies. AOL featured the Chili Peppers as their "Artist of the Month" in June, streaming interviews and live performances of the band free of charge; they also sold an MP3 of "By the Way", the record's first single, for ninety-nine cents and raffled off tickets that gave fans a chance to see the band in Japan in November. "By the Way" was released on CD and LP on July 9, 2002, under the Warner Bros.
By the Way released as a single along with the b-side, "Eskimo," another "By the Way" outtake. A cover version of the Ramones' "Havana Affair" was also recorded and later released in 2003 on "". The single for "Can't Stop" also features an alternate mix of the song with higher harmonies and a clearer bass line. In 2003, the band re-entered the studio to work on its "Greatest Hits" album. The sessions produced enough songs for a new album, many which have gone unreleased. Of the songs released, "Bicycle Song" and "Runaway" were released in 2006 as bonus tracks on the iTunes release