#TheStrokesRevival documents The Strokes’ enduring influence since their 2001 debut Is This It, which sparked a garage rock revival, and their 2020 comeback album The New Abnormal that proved their continued relevance two decades later.
Is This It Revolution (2001)
The Strokes emerged from New York City’s Lower East Side with a sound that revitalized rock music. Is This It (2001) combined lo-fi garage rock, New Wave influences, and Julian Casablancas’ slurred vocals into something that felt simultaneously vintage and fresh. Songs like “Last Nite,” “Someday,” and “Hard to Explain” rejected the prevailing nu-metal and pop-punk trends. The album influenced countless bands (The Killers, Arctic Monkeys, Franz Ferdinand) and made skinny jeans and leather jackets the indie uniform.
Post-Debut Struggles
Follow-up albums Room on Fire (2003), First Impressions of Earth (2006), and Angles (2011) received mixed reviews as critics accused them of repeating the debut’s formula or straying too far from it. Internal tensions and side projects (Julian’s solo career, Albert Hammond Jr.’s albums) suggested potential dissolution. The hashtag tracked reunion rumors and defended the band against “one-album wonder” accusations.
The New Abnormal Vindication (2020)
After seven years, The Strokes returned with The New Abnormal (2020), produced by Rick Rubin. The album received their best reviews since the debut, won the Grammy for Best Rock Album, and proved their songwriting remained sharp. “The Adults Are Talking” and “Brooklyn Bridge to Chorus” became modern rock radio staples. The pandemic prevented touring, but the album’s quality sparked reassessments of their entire catalog and renewed appreciation for their influence on 21st-century rock.