The Strokes: Biography, Albums, Essential Songs and Legacy

In 2001, rock music needed a jolt, and five young New Yorkers in skinny jeans and thrift-store jackets delivered it. The Strokes’ debut Is This It was lean, cool and catchy, and it kicked off a guitar rock revival that changed what alternative music sounded like for the next decade. A quarter century later, they are still one of the most influential bands of the century, and in August 2026 their single “Falling out of Love” topped three of our monthly charts.

The Strokes at a glance

Formed	1998, New York City
Members	Julian Casablancas (vocals), Nick Valensi (guitar), Albert Hammond Jr. (guitar), Nikolai Fraiture (bass), Fabrizio Moretti (drums)
Genres	Indie rock, garage rock revival, post-punk revival
Breakthrough	Is This It (2001)
Grammy	Best Rock Album, The New Abnormal (2021)

Formation

Casablancas, Valensi and Moretti met at school in Manhattan; Fraiture was a childhood friend, and Hammond Jr. had known Casablancas from a Swiss boarding school. By 1999 they were playing Lower East Side clubs, drawing on the Velvet Underground, Television and 1960s garage rock.

Their The Modern Age EP, released in Britain on Rough Trade in early 2001, set off a bidding war and enormous hype in the U.K. music press before most Americans had heard them.

The albums

Is This It (2001)

Thirty-six minutes with no wasted notes. Gordon Raphael’s deliberately lo-fi production made the band sound like they were playing in your living room. “Last Nite,” “Someday,” “Hard to Explain” and “The Modern Age” are all essential. The U.S. edition swapped “New York City Cops” for “When It Started” after the September 11 attacks.

Room on Fire (2003)

A tighter, slightly more polished follow-up with “Reptilia,” “12:51” and “The End Has No End.”

First Impressions of Earth (2006)

Longer, louder and more ambitious. “Juicebox,” “You Only Live Once” and “Heart in a Cage” are the highlights.

Angles (2011) and Comedown Machine (2013)

After a long hiatus filled with solo projects, the band returned with more synths and new-wave influences. “Under Cover of Darkness” and “Machu Picchu” are the places to start.

The New Abnormal (2020)

Produced by Rick Rubin, this late-career highlight brought “The Adults Are Talking,” “Bad Decisions” and “At the Door,” and won the Grammy for Best Rock Album.

Julian Casablancas

Casablancas’s half-bored, half-heartbroken croon is one of the most imitated voices of the 2000s. Outside The Strokes, he has led the more experimental band The Voidz and released solo work.

The Strokes’ legacy

The Strokes made guitar bands commercially exciting again. Within a few years came Interpol, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Libertines, Franz Ferdinand, The Killers and Arctic Monkeys, whose Alex Turner later name-checked The Strokes as a teenage ambition in the 2018 song “Star Treatment.” Our Evolution of Indie Rock guide covers the whole revival.

Ten songs to start with

1. Last Nite
2. Someday
3. Reptilia
4. Hard to Explain
5. The Modern Age
6. You Only Live Once
7. 12:51
8. Under Cover of Darkness
9. The Adults Are Talking
10. Falling out of Love

If you like The Strokes, try

Interpol, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Libertines, Arctic Monkeys, Television, The Velvet Underground and Been Stellar.

Frequently asked questions

When did The Strokes form?

In 1998 in New York City.

What is The Strokes’ best album?

Is This It (2001) is widely considered one of the best debut albums of the century.

What is The Strokes’ biggest song?

“Last Nite” (2001), with “Reptilia” and “Someday” close behind.

Are The Strokes still active?

Yes. Their 2026 single “Falling out of Love” reached No. 1 on our Modern Rock Top 20.

About this article: Written and fact-checked by The Alternative One editorial team, the programmers and music writers behind the station’s on-air shows. Official artist website: www.thestrokes.com. Last reviewed October 2, 2026. Read our editorial standards or tell us about a correction.