The Strokes

The Strokes are an American rock band formed in New York City in 1998. The band is composed of lead singer and primary songwriter Julian Casablancas, guitarists Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond Jr., bassist Nikolai Fraiture, and drummer Fabrizio Moretti. They were a leading group of the early-2000s indie rock and garage rock revival. The release of their debut EP The Modern Age in early 2001 sparked a bidding war among major labels, with the band eventually signing to RCA Records. That summer, they released their debut album, Is This It, to widespread critical acclaim and strong sales. It has since appeared on numerous "best album" lists. It was followed by Room on Fire (2003) and First Impressions of Earth (2006), both of which sold well but failed to match Is This It in immediate critical success, despite positive reviews nonetheless. Following a five-year hiatus, they released Angles (2011) and Comedown Machine (2013) to generally positive receptions but dwindling sales. Following the end of their initial contract with RCA, they released the Future Present Past EP (2016) through Casablancas' label Cult. The band were relatively inactive throughout the decade, making infrequent live appearances and directing most media attention to individual projects. In 2020, they released their first studio album in seven years, The New Abnormal, produced by Rick Rubin and released through Cult and RCA. The album received highly positive reviews and was considered a return to form by critics. It went on to win Best Rock Album at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.