The Strokes are an American rock band formed in New York City in 1998, with the same five-man lineup — Julian Casablancas, Nick Valensi, Albert Hammond Jr., Nikolai Fraiture, and Fabrizio Moretti — ever since. Is This It (2001) lit the fuse on the garage rock revival and remains the default first spin; The New Abnormal (2020) won them a Grammy. Dig into The Strokes vinyl, CDs, and reissues at Wax Trax Records.
The Strokes formed in New York City in 1998. The lineup of Julian Casablancas, Nick Valensi, Albert Hammond Jr., Nikolai Fraiture, and Fabrizio Moretti has remained intact throughout the band's career. Their 2001 debut helped ignite the early-2000s garage rock revival and made them one of the most influential and emulated rock bands of their generation, central to the New York indie scene that followed.
The Strokes play garage rock revival and indie rock built on tight, interlocking guitars, driving rhythms, and Casablancas's cool, filtered vocals. Their economical, retro-yet-modern sound on Is This It is frequently cited as a defining template for 2000s indie rock, and their later work has incorporated more new-wave and synth elements.
Is This It is widely collected, notably for its differing UK and US cover art and track listings, and has appeared in anniversary editions. The band's catalog appears across colored-vinyl variants, with The New Abnormal pressings of interest following its Grammy win.
Listeners new to The Strokes almost always start with Is This It (2001). For related listening, see and .
