25th Anniversary of ‘Is This It’

Bursting onto the early 2000s scene like a shot of adrenaline, The Strokes reshaped rock with their sharp-edged cool and downtown New York swagger. Their 2001 debut, Is This It, was a gritty, garage-rock revival wrapped in effortless style—raw, melodic, and impossibly tight. With Julian Casablancas’ disaffected vocals, razor-wire guitars, and lo-fi production, the album felt both nostalgic and cutting-edge. Tracks like “Last Nite” and “Someday” became instant anthems, influencing a wave of bands and reinvigorating indie rock. The Strokes didn’t just make great music—they made it look cool again. Their debut wasn’t just an album; it was a blueprint.