page_title: The Strokes
section_title: Is This It  (2001–2002)
hierarchical_section_title: The Strokes / History / Is This It  (2001–2002)
caption_attribution_description: English: American rock band The Strokes, photographed by Roger Woolman.
context_page_description: The Strokes are an American rock band from Manhattan, New York. 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 are one of the more prominent bands of the garage rock and post-punk revivals, aiding in the resurgence of indie rock in New York City.
  After the release of their EP The Modern Age in January 2001, a bidding war ensued among major labels in order to sign the band. Eventually, RCA Records signed them and released their debut studio album, Is This It, later that year. It earned them international commercial success and critical acclaim, appearing on several year-end and all-time album lists. It was followed by Room on Fire in October 2003 and First Impressions of Earth in January 2006, both receiving similar commercial success. They then entered a hiatus for several years.
  Toward the end of their original record deal with RCA, the Strokes released two albums in three years with Angles in March 2011 and Comedown Machine in March 2013. Both received lukewarm responses from critics, with the latter being their worst-performing album commercially.
context_section_description: The Strokes released their debut album, Is This It, in the US in October 2001. The album was produced by Gordon Raphael, as was their follow-up album Room On Fire. RCA delayed the North American (US) release over concerns with the album's cover and lyrics. The UK-released cover features a black-and-white photo of a gloved hand on a woman's naked backside, shown in semi-profile (photographer Colin Lane's then-girlfriend) while the North American version replaced it with a photo of particle collisions in the Big European Bubble Chamber. RCA replaced the track "New York City Cops" with "When It Started", as the former featured potentially inflammatory lyrics in the wake of the  September 11 attacks. The track "New York City Cops"—featuring the refrain, "New York City Cops, they ain't too smart"—was listed as No. 12 on New York magazine's "Ultimate New York Playlist" on March 1, 2010. Despite its delayed release (and the potential controversy), Is This It received critical acclaim—among other accolades, four stars from Rolling Stone, and a 9.1 from Pitchfork Media. The album made many critics' top-ten lists, was named the best album of the year by Entertainment Weekly and Time, and (in an article previewing summer concerts) NME urged readers to attend the Strokes’ shows—as they were touring some of the "best pop songs ever". While critics noted the influence of CBGB stalwarts Television, Casablancas and bandmates said they had never heard the band, instead citing the Velvet Underground as a reference point.
  After the release of Is This It, the band toured around the world—including Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and North America (the band opened for the Rolling Stones on numerous occasions during the North American leg of their tour). The self-made mini-documentary "In Transit" was filmed during the summer tour of Europe. In August 2002, the band headlined the UK's Carling Weekend festivals for the second time, subsequently playing at New York's Radio City Music Hall on a bill with the White Stripes. Jack White joined the Strokes on stage to perform the guitar solo on "New York City Cops". During that period, the band also appeared as musical guests on numerous late-night talk shows. Is This It yielded several singles and music videos, all of which were directed by Roman Coppola.
  Is This It has had an enduring impact on fans and critics alike. In 2009, NME named Is This It as the Greatest Album of the Decade (2000s).  The album placed second on a similar list compiled by Rolling Stone (the same issue featured a list of the '100 Best Songs of the 00's', featuring "Hard to Explain" and "Last Nite"  at Nos. 59 and 16, respectively). In January 2011, Rolling Stone conducted a survey among their Facebook fans to determine the top ten debut albums of all time. Is This It came in at number ten and was also the most recent behind Pearl Jam's 1991 debut. As of 2010, Is This It had sold over 3.5 million copies worldwide.
caption: The Strokes in 2002
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