The Strokes and the Legacy of Is This It
Published on 08/08/2026 at 14:06 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
The Strokes remain one of the defining New York rock bands of the 21st century, and their debut Is This It continues to shape how listeners hear garage rock revival and indie rock in 2026.
What Is This It Still Represents
Released in 2001, Is This It arrived with a stripped-down sound, Julian Casablancas' detached vocal style, and the sharp guitar interplay that became the band's signature. Its influence has outlasted the moment that produced it.
The record also set the template for the group's later work: compact songs, dry production, and a focus on hooks that never quite turn glossy. That combination helped The Strokes move from scene buzz to long-term canon status.
Why The Strokes Still Matter
The Strokes emerged from New York, a city that gave the band its image as much as its sound. Their style fused downtown cool with classic-rock discipline, and the result still reads as distinctly American, not generic indie.
That identity matters because the band's legacy is tied to a specific place and moment. They helped reset mainstream rock expectations at the start of the 2000s, and that fact still frames every later release, reunion appearance, and anniversary reassessment.
More news and background on The Strokes
Explore more coverage of the band, their albums, and the long shadow of New York indie rock.
Where The Strokes Stand Now
The Strokes have no announced live date at present.
The Strokes at a Glance
- Act: The Strokes
- Genre: Indie rock, garage rock revival
- Origin: New York City, United States
- Active since: 1998
- Lineup: Julian Casablancas, Nick Valensi, Albert Hammond Jr., Nikolai Fraiture, Fabrizio Moretti
- Key works: Is This It (2001), Room on Fire (2003), First Impressions of Earth (2006), The New Abnormal (2020)
- Current album/single: The New Abnormal (2020-04-10)
- Next live date: no announced live date at present
Frequently Asked Questions about The Strokes
When did The Strokes release Is This It?
Is This It was released in 2001 and became the album most closely associated with the band's breakthrough.
What genre are The Strokes usually linked to?
The band is most often described as indie rock and garage rock revival, with a tight, guitar-driven sound.
Do The Strokes have a current live date?
They currently have no announced live date at present.
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