The Strokes

The Strokes
Raph_PH · CC BY 2.0 · source
Name	The Strokes
Background	group_or_band
Origin	New York City
Years active	1998–present
Labels	RCA Records, Rough Trade Records, Cult Records

The Strokes are an American rock band formed in New York City in 1998. Emerging from the Lower East Side scene, the group gained prominence with a concise, guitar-driven sound that influenced 21st-century indie and alternative rock movements. Their debut album became a critical and commercial landmark, connecting the band to a lineage of Velvet Underground-inspired artists and contemporary peers on international stages.

History

The ensemble coalesced when musicians from Manhattan and New Jersey neighborhoods met through Columbia University and local venues like CBGB and Bowery Ballroom. Early rehearsals and demos led to attention from tastemakers including editors at NME, Rolling Stone, and Pitchfork. Breakthrough came after support slots with acts such as The Libertines, Interpol, and Yeah Yeah Yeahs and festival appearances at Glastonbury Festival and Reading Festival. Following a series of EPs and singles, the band signed to RCA Records for their debut release, which propelled them into headlining tours across United Kingdom, United States, Europe, and Japan.

Internal tensions and side projects involving members associating with labels like Cult Records and collaborating with artists from The Velvet Underground lineage and producers linked to Nigel Godrich and Giles Martin shaped subsequent recording sessions. The group navigated lineup stability despite hiatuses while members pursued solo work and production roles with figures such as Julian Casablancas collaborating with The Voidz and others partnering with Albert Hammond Jr. on solo albums. Periodic reunions and festival circuits sustained their profile through the 2010s into the 2020s.

Musical style and influences

Their style synthesizes elements from Garage rock revival, Post-punk revival, and indie rock traditions, drawing on progenitors like The Velvet Underground, Television, The Stooges, and Patti Smith. Guitar interplay recalls techniques associated with Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd, while rhythmic approaches evoke drummers influenced by Charlie Watts and Keith Moon. Production choices and lo-fi aesthetics nod to recordings by Ramones, David Bowie, and Iggy Pop, and songwriting reflects melodic sensibilities found in The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. Critics and musicians have also traced lineage to Brian Eno-produced atmospheres and the DIY ethos of labels such as Rough Trade Records and Sub Pop. Collaborations and covers have connected the band to repertoires from Television sessions to The Beatles revival compilations.

Band members

Current lineup comprises principal vocal, guitar, bass, and drum roles associated with the original roster. The lead singer has undertaken side projects with musicians from The Voidz and production work with artists from Daft Punk-adjacent circles. Guitarists have released solo material and collaborated with figures linked to The Vaccines and The Last Shadow Puppets. Bass and drum members have performed with artists associated with Julian Casablancas+The Voidz tours and studio work alongside producers credited on releases by Arctic Monkeys and Franz Ferdinand.

Past touring and session contributors have included musicians connected to Elliott Smith-era collaborators and European indie acts that performed at venues like Mercury Lounge and festivals such as Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

Discography

Studio albums map the band's evolution from early garage-inflected recordings to more expansive, experimental productions. Key releases were issued via RCA Records and later through Cult Records partnerships, with singles charting on UK Singles Chart, Billboard 200, and international alternative charts. Notable albums entered year-end lists compiled by NME, Rolling Stone, and Pitchfork, and several tracks featured in soundtracks alongside works by David Bowie and The Rolling Stones. Reissues and deluxe editions appeared on vinyl through specialty labels that have previously pressed releases for Sub Pop and Domino Recording Company artists.

Reception and legacy

Critics from outlets including NME, Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, and The Guardian credited the band with reinvigorating rock scenes in the early 2000s, influencing contemporaries and successors in Britpop-adjacent circuits and the broader indie rock landscape. Musicians from Arctic Monkeys, Franz Ferdinand, The Killers, Interpol, The Libertines, and Bloc Party have cited them as formative. Awards and nominations linked to ceremonies like the MTV Video Music Awards and Brit Awards recognized singles and videos, while inclusion in lists by VH1 and Rolling Stone cemented their cultural footprint. Academic and journalistic analyses in publications tied to Columbia University and NYU have examined their role in postmillennial urban music cultures.

Tours and live performances

The band headlined venues such as Madison Square Garden, Wembley Stadium, and historic clubs including CBGB and Bowery Ballroom, while participating in festivals like Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Glastonbury Festival, and Lollapalooza. Tours often featured support from peers like Yeah Yeah Yeahs and The Strokes' contemporaries (members of which later formed projects with artists from The Libertines and Interpol). Live recordings and broadcast appearances included sessions for BBC Radio 1, MTV Live, and specials produced by presenters from NME and Zane Lowe-curated programs. Their stagecraft and setlists influenced festival programming strategies employed by promoters at Live Nation and independent bookers across Europe and the United States.

Category:American rock bands