The Strokes are an American rock band from New York City. Formed in 1998, the band is composed of singer 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 revival.
The release of their 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 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 critical success.
Following a five-year hiatus, they released Angles (2011) and Comedown Machine (2013) to lukewarm critical reception and 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. Critics considered the album a return to form. It went on to win Best Rock Album at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards. As of 2020, the band has sold 5 million albums worldwide.