Is This It

Hard to think of many more influential albums of the past 20 years or so. Also, a personal favorite.

Get me a heiney

Love them. .

I don’t recognize this as the cover bc spotify This fucking album SLAPSSSSSSS

Great album. One of my favorite rock albums ever.

Fantastic debut album!

Hard to Explain är den bästa låten.

I love this album. It's cohesive, incredibly catchy, and a defining moment in the 2000s. The flow of the album from song to song, fantastic guitar hooks, and distinctive singing all make this one of my favorite albums of the decade, if not all time.

classic

i love

i like the later works better. this feels like a good thing to just throw on and enjoy :D

I own and love the songs Is This It?, Barely Legal, Someday, and Last Nite. I also recognized and liked the song Hard to Explain. I enjoyed this. I like The Strokes.

In my youth I dismissed this band as another Lou Reed/Television wannabe. In my old age I welcome them as Lou Reed /Television wannabes.

The Strokes' debut album immediately perfects a garage rock sound with raw and gritty guitar-work.

a quintessential indie album. i always hear people talk about how this is the best strokes album and they’ve spent their whole career trying to replicate it. maybe it’s because we’re twenty years removed from it, but this is not the best strokes album. it’s still great, and massively influential for the indie scene at the time but they have definitely put out better music over the length of their career. this is a great album worth listening to, even if i think it’s overrated.

It's a really solid freshman album. The songs are put together well, the production is admirably transparent, and the performances are energetic and skillful. There's nothing to dislike here.

I bought this when first released but other than the singles from it & a couple of the album tracks, it never wowed me. I enjoyed revisiting it but it still leaves the same impression.

Quick, dirty, fun. Though it was all a bit sameysame, it was a good sound to hear over and over, especially since the entire album was less than 40 minutes long.

The debut album of the legendary Garage Rock and Indie Rock band The Strokes which since its release has become an classic in many peoples eyes does feature a sound that isn't really found anywhere else and it's without a doubt a special one. I am personally just not a big fan of the Strokes in general. They aren't bad but I feel that many people rate them much higher than what they would actually deserve. Again, they aren't bad but to me their music sound average and often uninspired and bland. The album opens on its title track. 'Is This It' stands out with a more Slacker Rock approach with the lofi sound and the raw guitar sounds as well as some interesting additions in the more detailed production. It's less "basic" than most of the album and therefore introduces the album in a whole other way than you'd expect. I do like the song a lot in term of structure but right of the bat, I don't like the vocals very much, the feel ripped off of other artists but I will talk about that later when it's even more obvious. The song is okay, it's enjoyable to an extend but doesn't go too much out of its way for itself. 'The Modern Age' now introduces the sound that most of the album is known for. It's energetic, raw and very much alternative rock at its finest, at least sonically. The execution and delivery is really not that great and the songwriting is simply too basic for this style of music. It's just a bland and boring amalgamation of some raw and slightly noisy ideas and sounds that don't really do anything. I'm just repeating myself but 'Soma' is another basic and boring song that has pretty much no redeeming quality. It sounds all the same and doesn't go anywhere with the way it builds up. The highlight, no worthy tension build up, no emotional lyrics and no interesting moments. I do think that it's slightly better than its predecessor but not by much. I do think that 'Barely Legal' is a slight step-up in terms of songwriting, the chorus is much better and works for once but the whole song around it is again not that interesting. But the for once pretty well performed hook is enough to make the song at least okay and slightly above average. 'Someday' is actually a pretty good song with more melodic approach and the Jangle Pop inspired sound at a couple moments. But I also want to mention what I meant with "ripped off" vocals. It's very obvious on this track that the style in which he sings is just Iggy Pop all over again and the sound of the music itself is also very much ripped off of the Stooges, Iggy's band. There isn't anything original about it, they just copied the bands they liked when they were younger without making "own" music or adding anything new to the music cannon. The only thing they really did was add some Indie to this sound but that's it. That said, this song is quite okay but again, nothing crazy. The albums second half starts with 'Alone, Together' which is another Iggy Pop rip off. But this time it works even less. The song isn't bad but it definitely isn't good by any means. It's basic and bland with the only redeeming quality being the vocals in the chorus and a few moments in the build up towards that chorus. It just ends up being a very basic song overall. 'Last Nite' doesn't just feel like a sonic copy but it feels like an actual Stooges cover song which definitely isn't an easy task I do think that this makes it the albums best song (meaning that it's good but not great) because making a song that feels so much like a cover without being one isn't an easy task. Funnily enough, 'Hard to Explain' breaks the chain of the pure Garage Rock with some synthy New Wave additions into the sound. It's not really a great addition but it's okay, it doesn't make the song worse mainly because the song itself is another straight up boring song that just makes you feel very tired after only a few moments. It's not "bad" but it's way to basic and bland to be anything above average, in fact, this might be slightly below it. The first song that I'd actually call "bad" is 'New York City Cops'. It tries to be a little silly and Punk but it ends up being just annoying the moment it starts. It's far from terrible, mainly because the pre-chorus is quite nice but the actual chorus just absolutely f-s it up. The song's bad, that's it. 'Trying Your Luck' isn't much better, in fact, it's just as bad. It's annoying, bland, uninspired and has nothing that would give it any redeeming quality. It feels streched for half of the playtime and the song is just a little over 3 minutes long. It sounds bad and it is. The album closes with 'Take It or Leave It' which is a step-up from the previous songs but still isn't really my thing. It's not catchy at all and feels way too basic for the amount of energy they put into this. They just cannot perform or deliver these songs good enough for me to enjoy them. This song is just average at the core but at least they didn't f- it up completely this time, only a little bit. favourites: Last Nite, Someday least favourites: New York City Cops, Trying Your Luck, Hard to Explain Rating: decent 5 https://rateyourmusic.com/~Emil_ph for more ratings, reviews and takes

It's good, butt... It didn't change my perspective on anything or bring anything new. It was definitely fresh in 2001. 3.5/5 at most.

Let me get my snarky, probably-not-original joke out of the way real quick: "Is This It?" Yeah, I guess it is. Anyway, I recently finished "Meet Me In the Bathroom" by Elizabeth Goodman recently (fantastic, by the way), and it's a great oral history of the period of rock-music-history that helped to create this record. People were *hyped* for this thing, and it ended up getting a lot of other NYC based bands signed as well. As for my personal opinions? It's fine. The guitars on the record are great, but for an album surrounded by such rock mythos, apparently created while the members were living the true rock-and-roll lifestyle, it's actually kind of subdued. It gets some more pulse later in the record, but that's on the very last track. I've never really seen what the deal is about the Strokes, and this hasn't done all that much to change my mind. Favorite track: "Hard To Explain"

Хороший британский рок. Не больше, не меньше. Наверно, всю гениальность The Strokes я так и не понял. Они не стали значимой группой для меня, но некоторые песни мне нравятся и заходят под настроение. 6 из 10

Heard this one a few times, it's pretty good. There was a lot of this triple j hipster indie rock getting around in the early 00s, but this is one of the few albums I don't just roll my eyes at. Some cool guitar stuff going on at times. 3/5.

Art is subjective.... I find it hard to believe something so derivative can be so highly regarded. Julians voice gets on my nerves. I don't subscribe to the NY City is the be all end all of art and music notion that permeates all of the glowing critiques of this allude to. I don't think this is all its cracked up to be and in all honesty thought this was overrated crap when it came out. My opinion 25 years later has not changed after giving it an honest listen.

Heard it before. Never understood the hype for this album/band. There are two tracks here that I like but in general it's just not a very remarkable album. Having not one but two nepo babies in one band should just immediately make you a poser and lame 2/5

This album (and the Indie Rock Revival era in general) is essentially an American band trying to be British. I've never truly understood why people rave about The Strokes so much. Sure, their songs are catchy and easy to digest, but 'Is This It' is often considered a landmark album of history, and The Strokes among the most important bands ever. I listened to 'Is This It' for the first time, and literally thought "is this it?" I listened to it again and again, still the same thought. Sure, 'Last Nite' is a cool song, but I seriously don't understand why people rave about The Strokes so much. 'Is This It' is well produced and all, but not much really holds my attention, not unlike Elliott Smith. And yet, certain people feel this band is as important as Nirvana, The Clash or Pink Floyd. Honestly, not even close. Honestly, to me, 'Is This It' is just a bunch of okayish pop/rock songs of an American band trying so hard to be British. The Strokes just don't do it for me. Best songs: 'Last Nite' 2/5

Extra point for brevity

It's all a bit meh. The music isn't particularly exciting. Super repetitive and quite monotonous. As someone else said perfectly, all style and no hooks. I'm struggling to discern where one track ends and the next starts. On the plus side, there ARE a few ok-good tracks. Although those are the singles, and how much of that is just me being familiar with them I don't know. If they were playing in a club I'd probably stay on the dancefloor if I was a few drinks deep and my friends were more into it than me. Another plus... I guess the guitarists and drummer didn't have to over-exert themselves too much...? It's a stretch. 2.5 rounded down.

Sort of always the same song. Don't understand the hype. Albums like this are part of the reason albums died. They don't have much to say and they can do it three minutes.

White-bread rock. It's not awful, just bland and boring.

Not quite

Ugh. I just really don't like The Strokes, man.

Didn’t find it good, always almost the same sounds

naspa 4/10

would give 2.5 if possible. it was a fun listen but i wished there was more variety of sound on each song. they kind of blend together. not always a bad thing this genre is just either a hit or miss for me

Bored from the opening

Boring and Monotone. Didn't realize the album finished until something more dynamic came on afterwards.

Fine for 2001 but I really don't need to revisit this.

Last Nite is a good song. Other than that it's a bit boring. Not awful, but not really my cup of tea..

Back to basics rock. Influences seem to come from early white rock. Very New York attitude and sound. Pleasantly listenable.

Boring and dull singing, no hooks. once again.

I know The Strokes as the band that had the hit Last Nite.. and from nothing else. This is the first time I was listening to their whole album and the results just came back - I don't like it. I understand that they revived the garage rock genre, but was it really necessary? We were doing pretty well as a humanity without bands like that. Honestly though, it's a very boring album, slow and uneventful, with a vocalist that is slowly drilling a hole in your head. Nothing I really hated, but it was definitely an unpleasant album to listen to.

Getting strong feelings of meh.

One word can describe my experience listening to this album: meh. It's fine, there isn't really anything offensive about it; the songs are fine, the playing is elementary but fine, the singing is fine. I am struck by how simple the recording sounds, but on further reading it sounds like that was very much on purpose. 3 mics on the drums is pretty impressive for a more modern album, but overall the mix just sounds too thin and empty to my ears in a lot of songs, particularly in the front half of the album. I guess you could say I'm asking myself...'Is This It'? Again, I get that's the point, and it was supposed to be a modern take on more simplistic garage rock of the 60s and 70s, but it just doesn't really do much for me. I do certainly understand the impact it had on music at the time. I mean, you couldn't go anywhere for freakin' years without hearing the singles from this album, along with countless other and equally boring copycat bands. I can't really talk much shit about this album, it just doesn't really vibe with what I'm into. The Strokes are your favorite band? Cool, that's great, I probably won't roast you for it. Compared to most other pop music of the era, or even today? Yeah totally, I can get down with listening to this, no problem. But that's a pretty low bar I don't care to set. So these songs will likely only continue to be heard by me in hipster bars and other public places, where it's perfectly fine and acceptable background music that won't worsen anyone's public experience. Certainly won't enhance it much, either.

A bit too whiny and LoFi for my tastes. Today was not a good day for me for listening to music like this. Nursing a post promotion (C’mon Leeds) party hangover. Where’s Brian Eno when you need him to sooth? 2/5 22/4/25

Boring? Not my jam! I can see why people find it as thrilling as watching paint dry. 2/5 stars for the excitement!

Always feel that The Strokes are one-note and overrated. This full album made for some decent background music while working in the car shop waiting room.

All the songs sound the same.

Boring

This album really came and went for me. Nothing about it was bad by any means, but it quickly became inoffensive background music to me. None of the choruses or instrumentals stuck with me after multiple listens. I was very meh. The ratings don't use half ratings, but I'd give this a 2.5/5 to be more accurate

Not really my taste, the voice is a bit too raspy for me.

I was excited to listen to this, since I had never listened to The Stokes and wanted to check it out. The first three songs were promising, but that was short lived. I found the other songs repetitive and not very original. I’d be curious to listen to a different album to see if I get a different vibe.

I've tried getting into this album since high school and I haven't. Maybe sixth time's the charm? UPDATE: Yeah, not really doing much for me. I feel like once you've heard "Last Nite" and maybe two other songs you pretty much get the gist of everything this band has to offer.

While their garage rock style and catchy songwriting may have inspired troves of artists, The Strokes come up short and boring on Is This It.

Someone decided that the Strokes were really important and good and then group think took over.

I'd say that I never liked this album, but I owned it at one point, so something about it inspired me to buy it. I'm definitely not a fan now. I can't give it a 1 in good conscience, but it is a very low 2.

Seemed fine. I never really listened to them before and I probably wouldn't seek them out after hearing this album.

2.5

Ok album. Difficult to hear the words. I already knew 2/11 songs, which was fun to hear again. 2.5/5 stars

Meh, whinny emopop bs

I used to like this album, but now it sounds so mundane.

Hmmm

Bit over hyped

This album came out on my 18th birthday. I didn't much like it then and thought I would give it another go. I still don't like it much. Every song sounds "same-y" and I don't "get it" I got through it, thankfully its not a long record.

Dosta lejm album, baš mi apsolutno ništa ne radi, dosada živa. Čak mi ne paše ni kao ono usputna, pozadinska glazba, možda samo nisam receptivna danas za ovakav BS 😁 1/5, 2/10

The only decent song on here is last night. The rest is garbage. 1001 album worthy: no - 83/151

One of the saddest, most uncomprehending days of my life was towards the end of high school when I discovered that some of my friends who had been listening to Tool, Radiohead, QOTSA, etc had fallen for this gaggle of talentless, derivative, rich kid hacks. The soundtrack for a million transplant hipster shitheads who ruined NYC, driving up the rents and whitewashing any remnant of the culture that had already been dismantled by Giuliani’s reign of terror. Fuck The Strokes to hell. Negative one million stars. And yes I listened to the whole, abhorrent, goddamn thing. (The bass playing actually wasn’t that bad tbh.) I hadn’t realized it was released on 9/11. Makes it even more emblematic of the violent, painful transition away from the NYC of my childhood towards something colder, shallower, more disingenuous, whiter and more sanitized.

Another rock album of little substance. I was fond of the singles released from this album at the time but even those now wear thin. This album is boring with a capital Zzzzzzz... 1 Star!

Another album that I spent an obnoxious amount of time listening to. It all started with Last Nite. Actually, it all started with a concert where I saw this band Doves and this band The Strokes opened. I had no idea what I was in for but it was awesome. They ended with The Modern Age, and that performance stuck with me for months until I heard them on the radio. Fast forward to the album and I was hooked with Last Nite. From there it was non-stop listening to this album amidst all the "The" bands that came out. What a time to be alive. This album even among all those others was a standout from beginning to end. Biggest Hit - Someday Biggest Miss (if I had to choose) - When It Started (only where New York City Cops is missing) otherwise - Alone, Together (Not so) hidden gem - The Modern Age

It's okay. It doesn't top Room On Fire, though. That's just my opinion.

Great early 2000s rock revival rock

One of the pillars of my youth

I think the strokes are genuinely one of the best modern artists(idk how I feel ab the new hella autotunes stuff but excluding that). I have even more appreciation for Julian Casablancas after seeing him live. I just think everyone likes the Strokes. I feel like no matter who I am driving around or hanging out with, I can play the strokes and nobody will complain, and I will be happy. And I think thats a pretty fucking great statement to make about music. Also the new abnormal was like the first album I can remember listening to back to front when it came out I and loved that shit and I still love that shit. This album has some bangers too.

Luv it

The Strokes is my favourite band dude I've listened to this thing countless times! I also got a vinyl (with the ass cover!!!) on a street market in Vienna from a cool guy who had a cigarette in his mouth the whole time I was talking to him and making a purchase. I've listened to this the morning of my sister's marriage and the night before, I've listened to it on my birthday, I've listened to it while doing big university art projects sitting on the floor through the whole night and so on and so on. There's literally no chance for an objective review I love love love every strokes album!

Banger after banger

Sometimes you listen to an album and are surprised by how much you like it. That is this album for me. It's basically the ideal rock album

Although it's not an album I listen to often (not on last ten years anyway)..it's an important one for me when it was released. A daily listen for me in the weeks after it came out. Its really refreshing to read this today and I'm reminded how great this is. 5/5

One of the best debut albums ever made. The melody writing is genius, slam full of songs that sound like they've been around forever. I absolutely love the vocal affects and rough production, also shout out the lyricism on here it's fantastic and often overlooked 5$

35 minutes, no chaff or filler at all.

Fantastic album.

🧡

This is right up my alley, Last Nite is one of the best. I have only really heard their radio songs, but all of these are very good.

4.5 4x great album

Banger 8.77/10 5/5

(10/10) What a perfect little record. Proof that you don't need to try too hard to make something truly timeless with unlimited replay value. The secret is the simplicity. The songs are all rather short with very sticky hooks and a taste for quality guitar structure and brilliant solos. Casablancas' voice is the perfect blend of "I couldn't care less" and "I need you to listen to me". Truly, one of the greatest debut albums of all time.

Heard a million times but still a classic!

So good. They're incredibly tight musically and the energy keeps up throughout the whole album.

I can tell a lot of indie was inspired from this album

Such an extremely solid album, listened to it walking through time square. So much of the strokes discography is tied to New York for me.

Sick

I don’t know quite why I love this album so much, but I just do. Listening back, it doesn’t really have a bad track on it, with perhaps ‘Soma’ the only one I don’t totally love. And even though the production is a bit thin (a lack of bass on this record has always annoyed me), it doesn’t matter, because the guitar interplay is fantastic, the rhythm section (when you can hear them) are tight, and Casablancas’ vocals up front are sneering, silly and brilliant. Definitely my favourite memory from the early 21st century

a teenage classic for me. gritty vocals and aesthetic won't appeal to all but it's still undeniably full of bangers.

I say the right thing but act the wrong way

Classic Best song: Hard to explain

sooooo leng and dreamy and ethereal

This is a really great album. I have heard of a few of the songs before, surprised at how many. I think this is a really big deal to me music-wise as it really grabs an urban rough kind of feel. And the music is fantastic in itself

2000s memories - major nostalgia factor going on here. 5 stars.

Iconic from start to finish and helped define an era of music. The first two The Strokes albums were truly massive and brilliant. There's lots of hidden complexity in these tricks, mixed in with simple and direct hooks. Just great.

For ei debyskive! Ingen lavpunkt. Full pott!

Klink femmer. 11 bangers. Kudos til produsenten for et det deilige soundet. Ingen tvil om at magien ble litt borte da de gikk over til mer polert lydbilde.

Masterpiece

This was so hyped at the time that didn’t give it a chance. I eventually listened to it years later and of course loved it. Still do.

un 5

If you give me all this albums now, I will be left with very bad one when we continue. It's only 277! Slow down! You just can't deny the power of this album, and you immediately feel how much of game changer it was back then. When you try to describe the elements you realize it's basically what makes a great rock album. Great riffs and relation between two guitars, massive and smart bass lines, powerful drumming and a very good and unique vocalist. But what you have to add here is the attitude. And of course, the songwriting. It's 35 minutes of incredible music, and I think truly that everyone can love this album. So panchy, catchy and moving. Gotta love it. Can't give it less than a 5.

Perfect, no skips.

I was always more of an Interpol guy but this one has grown on me as the years go by. I feel some (probably misplaced) generational pride in this. It’s so clear in its vision and hip in its sensibility it’s kind of crazy to consider that it came out within a couple years of albums that feel so much more dated – like Hybrid Theory, Gorillaz self-titled and Weezer’s The Green Album.

I like the Strokes. Not sure this is one of the 1,001 (1,089) albums I need to hear before I die, but I like actual rock bands. I get there's something unsavory about the idea of "Barely Legal" in the context of grooming....but this is Rock and Roll. If this was the 70s it would have been called "Clearly Underage". Someday and Last Night are the hits and I definitely thought Someday was the start of Last Night. They have "a sound". Last Night sounds nothing like Someday...it's just been a while since I've heard both of them. I prefer Someday. This album is amazing, Hard to Explain is a great song. This is one of the rare instances where an album is only 36 minutes long and I'm still wanting more.

Me gustó mucho, creo que es de mis álbumes favoritos de The Strokes.

beautiful

Still sounds great and still on regular rotation.

Un de mes albums préférés, je l’ai en vinyle chez moi

music is love

i'm biased i don't care. the strokes were my favourite band as a teenager (i'm saying this like it was eons ago, i'm 18). i absolutely loved this album and i still do. i think the guitar work is brilliant, take it or leave it is my favourite on the album and the opening guitar is partially why, i have fond memories of sitting on a balcony in tenerife listening to this and losing myself in it. i also thought julian was the coolest person ever when i was into them, i loved his voice and his style so much - him now is another story... all in all this was a nice trip down memory lane for me, would have rated it highly even if this was my first time hearing it. this review is dedicated to 14 year old me who, in the words of alex turner, just wanted to be one of the strokes.

Pure brilliance, of its time and timeless - 100% subjective

A true modern goat, could be the most easily consumable album ever, there’s not a bad track on it To avoid the usual talking points, Alone together is probably my favourite underrated track, love the solo at the end, imo hard to explain is their best song generally Took me years to listen to New York City cops as my version never had it, a crime as it’s such a tune

Can’t believe I got to stroke it on my birthday This albums just incredible, it’s what initially got me in to the strokes, and whilst it isn’t my favourite album of theirs it will always mean something special It’s just banger after banger from as soon as is this it comes on 5

Was trying to work out why I like the strokes. The lead singer doesn’t have a great voice but the energy and good tunes carry me with them. Definitely was listening to the drums.

Maybe not a perfect 5/5, but rounded up it's up there as great album.

Classic

The strokes started such a distinct sound and I love it. The songs are not particularly “gentle” but they still succeed at eliciting a lot of emotion. The guitar, etc, also makes all of the songs feel nostalgic even if you’ve never heard them before. I love this album, it’s nearly perfect. Fav songs: is this it, someday, last night, hard to explain

It was always takes a bit of time before a new decade gets its own identity. The nineties didn't feel like the nineties until Nirvana blew up a year and a half into the decade and the same can be said about the 2000s and the Strokes debut record dropping. Despite being influenced by other iconic New York acts, the Strokes felt like a breath of fresh air and you can see the group's influence on any up and coming band who were tarred with that dreaded indie label. The production is raw and rough around the edges, but the pop sensibilities are all there. Songs like 'Last Nite', 'Someday' and 'Hard To Explain' all have sugary pop hooks beneath all the grit. Effortlessly cool, Casablancas and Co put out an impressive debut. This bunch of nepobabies managed to exceed the lofty expectations that the world had set for them.

This IS it!

Yeahh

Great album - one of my favourites

This album takes me back to that specific time in NYC right in 2001, both before and after. Gritty sound, the single-take recordings is ideal for them as they sound as if they’re performing live. The 21st Century rock, for better or for worse, starts with them. Too bad the US didn’t get the international album cover. “Barely Legal” is a bit problematic…

Full of bangers

J'ai kiffé, même si j'ai écouté l'album avec ma collègue dans la voiture ce qui a limite gaché un peu la musique lol c'était excellent

Outstanding from beginning to end. Pinnacle early 2000's.

Not just excellent, but truly a GOAT. I remember listening to this album for the first time, probably when I was 15 and The Strokes skyrocketing to my favourite bands. Many years later and it still holds a special place in my heart. This album is perfect, each song is a banger, from the classic Last Nite, Someday, Soma, and Is this It, to the head banging The Modern Age and Barely Legal. Julian Casablancas, thank you for gracing us.

10 out of 10 album everyone should listen to this in their lifetime, someday is beautiful.

je l'ai acheté à la fnac et il est incr

Fun album with every track as a banger.

loved it but what is that cover album omg

I used to think I was so cool walking around the neighborhood listening to this on my CD Player. Spoiler Alert: I was. 😎

It's ok if you don't like Is This It. But please don't try to tell me you like rock and roll. Even more than the Stones (!!!) this is what I believe Keith means when he talks about "the ancient art of [guitar] weaving." One of the best albums of the 21st century.

This album brings me back in time to make me feel like I was roaming clubs in early 00’s NYC and not just a child watching the movie “Click.”

Another "Time Machine" album for anyone alive during it's heyday... The Stokes lyrics are optimistically pessimistic. The simple guitar bass and drum fills give a lo-fi aloofness that really was a "sign of the times". Every few songs you get something a bit more complicated, like "When It Started" but it doesn't go too far out in a way that the album becomes inaccessible. Julian Casablancas can probably come off as boring to some, but for this listener his voice is the cement that holds every song together. Truly a great album that not only proved it's worth musically, but culturally as well. 4.5 rounded up because, well, sentimental value

I listened to this cd on repeat during high school, so nostalgia is strong. That aside, love tunes and early 2000 indie rock sound

looove trying ur luck

Five stars, so good

10/10

This is a great album. It perfectly sounds like an era, but also holds up over 20 years later. The era of cool hipsters. But it's just as much of a classic rock n roll album as some of the other greats from the 60s or 70s that come to mind on this list.

ok lovinggggggg

yaaa

1. new york city cops 2. the modern age 3. soma hm: someday, is this it

JULIAN CASABLANCAS WOW

i love the strokes! great album. seeing them in concert this june cant wait!!!

Well, we're not getting our youths back, but it's nice to try through music sometimes. Tried to come back to this with a fresh ear - I can hear the Television influence so strongly, and some Stooges, a little Velvet Underground (most influential band ever?). After 25 years it sounds pretty clear that they were just a really great rock band, rather than anything new or vital, but damn it sounded good at the time, and still does, pretty much. 9/10 Recommended reading: Meet Me in the Bathroom, Lizzy Goodman's great book on the New York rock scene 2001-2011

This is an album I hold very close to me. One of the very first indie rock albums I listened to and one of the first ones I fell in love love with. Same with what’s going on by Marvin Gaye yeah it doesn’t hit the exact same from when I heard it first but who cares. This is no where near a 5/5 tbh but just how this release resonates with me I HAVE to give it. Julias Casablanca is the worst best singer oat and it fits so well on every. Can’t wait for their new release (idk why they are using ai) 9.2/10

The US album version lacks “New York City Cops,” which deserves 4 stars. The International version has that song and thus deserves 5 stars. Hard to explain. IYKYK. And I know because I was 16 years old when The Strokes released this. Because of my laziness with streaming music rather than personally curating my music selections, I forgot how crucial that song is to the pacing of the excellent back half of the album. Getting this album immediately after their two excellent performances at Coachella was like a sonic time warp to when The Strokes were the coolest rock band from America. Maybe they still are.

fuck yea

"quando vc escuta um álbum literalmente perfeito como o american idiot ou is this it é simples de entender porque nenhuma banda de ROCK hita tanto como outrora. foi uma fenda no espaço-tempo em que os brancos estavam nas garagens fazendo música de verdade, infelizmente nunca mais ela se abriu..."

Total 5 total classic

One of the best of the 2000s. I love most of these songs. 9.25/10 Top songs Someday

Me gustooo, lo volveria a escuchar

One of my all time favorite records. As an elder millennial, its hard to grasp what this album means to my generation. I remember the first time I heard this, I couldn’t decide if I should chill or dance. This whole record feels like what Brooklyn *should* feel like for a suburbanite from Utah. It’s smoky, and apathetic, but sexy and energetic. It paints this picture of something that was going on somewhere that wasn’t where I was, but it could be recreated in local indie venues in SLC and Provo. And we did our best to recreate it. I love how it starts out with the moody / lethargic Is This It and then dives head first into The Modern Age. I think Julian singing “ga ga ga gooooo” is my favorite way anyone has ever said that word, and then how it goes right into the solo which is kind of earth shattering. This song makes me want to party. After that it kind of alternates between party songs and earnest sad songs. I think what I love most about this, is that it isn’t just nostalgia. It’s a time and place, that feels real and exciting. It’s a place that I don’t want to live in, but I want to visit a few times a year. I just want to hang out with this one. And the longer I go with it in my life, the more it feels like a friend that I’m catching up with.

i've already listened to this album many many times, but it was nice to listen to it one more time anyways

I was the target audience for the Strokes when they first emerged in 2001, and I ate them up. Loved this record back then, and love it just as much now. These songs are excellent. There are some really smart dynamics happening - they aren't as dramatic or obvious as Pixies, for example, but the Strokes figured out a way to make straight eighth notes sound interesting for a whole record. And I get it - there are a lot of straight eighth notes! Every song! And that isn't for everyone. I enjoy it - the bass and lead guitar weave around them in a really fun way. And Julian's vocals also help take your focus off of them. Also - the track order on this record is fantastic. Many rock bands opt for the Zeppelin 4 sequence - a couple of energetic rockers to get your attention, then some of the more mild songs in the middle, building up to a powerful climax (musically). The Strokes go for a slow build all throughout the record, climaxing (sorry!) towards the back half of the 2nd side. There is a run of songs from "Someday" through to where "New York City Cops" should be, that is incredible. And then the album is practically over. Leaves you on a high. [Speaking of "NYC Cops" - it was absolutely impossible for them to release that song two weeks after 9/11. But it is a much better song than "When It Started," and contributes to that mad rush to the end of the album. You should check that song out if you liked this record at all!] One of the best records of the decade, one of the best of the century so far. I tried it- once - and I liiiiked it! FIVE STARS

Absolutely incredible debut album. Lived up to the pre-release hype.

Locura de album

Classic album with a bunch of hits. The style is very minimalistic but catchy at the same time. A good example of how you make a good indie rock album. Favourites: Last Nite, Soma, Someday, Hard To Explain.

5/5. Still one of the best debut albums of the 21st century so far and to date the best Strokes record (though I still do really like The New Abnormal and Room on Fire.) There really is not a weak moment on this album, every song is catchy and there are just a ton of fun little guitar/bass parts. It is worth noting that the U.S. and UK releases of this album have slightly different track listings. I listened to the U.S. version since that’s the track list I’m more accustomed to, but the UK track list is equally as good with songs like “New York City Cops.”

An indie rock classic for good reason; truly all killer and no filler, with the plus side of it showing up to save the rock landscape from the horrors of nu-metal (even if that did create its own issues later). I’ve listened to this a genuinely countless amount of times over the past 18 or so years, I’d be lying to give it less than 5 stars. Also, “New York City Cops” >>> “When It Started”.

an album that requires a cigarette and an espresso martini; this album signified a new wave in rock music and reverberations of its influence can be heard across many different genres, bands and musicians to this day

Nothing much to say, favorite album of all time. For me this album encapsulates the feeling of being a young adult in their 20s.

Already in my top 20

Rock returns to NYC!

Favorite track(s): The Modern Age, Soma, Barely Legal, Someday, Last Nite, Hard to Explain, New York City Cops After all my moaning about indie bands on this list, we finally get to the one that got it right. Is that hypocritical of me? Maybe. Heard before Previous rating: 10/10

Album #113 The Strokes: Is This It? Growing up, I never listened to much music. The first time I can remember even caring about what song I was listening to was when I started to realize that the FIFA soundtrack had some bangers. But once I finally decided to actually start listening to music for enjoyment, it didn’t come instantly for me. My knowledge was pretty much non-existent, and the only artists that I was aware of were the overplayed radio stars, which I thought were lame, and classic rock bands, which I soon adopted and centred my entire listening habits around. I refused to listen to anything that came out after 1979 for a while, but eventually I became really into the 80s with synth-pop, post-punk, and jangle-pop being undeniable, and soon that extended into the 90s when I discovered brit-pop. But still, I made a hard limit that I wouldn’t dare listen to anything that came out in the 2000s. How could something as young as me be as good as the music which defined what rock sounded like? I held onto these reservations for an embarrassingly long time; looking back, I’m not even really sure why. This was before I had many ways to discover new music, so I was dependent on the Spotify algorithm to find new bands, and I did discover quite a bit of my all-time favourites through that (Pulp, Stone Roses, Echo and the Bunnymen. But one day, I was talking with my friends who were definitely more well-versed in music than I was, and listened to primarily newer music, and we were having a debate about which decade produced the best music. I found it ridiculous to even suggest that music made after the 2000s could ever compete with the classics. So they made me a list of albums to listen to, and though I was skeptical, I agreed. One album on that list, which I was vaguely familiar with due to my sister and her friends constantly having it on, and me finding the album cover quite striking, was ‘Is This It?’ by The Strokes. I already didn’t expect it to be good because it came out in 2001, and further damaging its reputation was that it had my sister’s seal of approval. But as I was listening to the album for the first time, I could literally feel all of my prejudices evaporating off my body. ‘Is This It?’ sounds like nothing that had come before it, yet at the same time, it is dripping with inspiration and nostalgia from the music that I loved so dearly. On the surface, it isn’t the most technical music of all-time, and could be written off as simple garage-rock. But what Casablancas and company do so well are the little things. In my mind, the most important element of making a pop/rock song that captivates the world is the opening notes. So many songs simply live off of those few, often simple, notes that, for some reason, just resonate with people so dearly. The most obvious example for me is ‘Kids’ by MGMT, a great song by a great band, but every person who heard those opening notes for the first time immediately got hit with an array of emotions. Every single song on ‘Is This It?’ does that for me. Another thing that I love about this album is the vocal distortion; it sounds like Julian is singing through an old radio, yet every note comes out so crisp, it really drives home the nostalgic element of this album. The lyricism reinforces that nostalgia; it is impossible to hear a line like “when we was young, oh man did we have fun” and not instantly be drowning in bittersweet childhood memories. In a way, it is psychologically manipulating, but we as humans love nothing more than to reminisce on the past. This album has sort of an undefinable ‘shine’ to it, where it just sounds modern. I feel like each decade has its own general aesthetic to its sound, regardless of the genre, but everything from 2000 on has pretty much the same feel to me, and I think that sound starts here. Almost as if The Strokes perfected production, and now every album that comes out feels like a pale imitation in comparison. It’s funny how an album, which at the time was lauded for being nostalgia bait and derivative, has gone on to age as one of the freshest and most influential albums of it’s generation; and with not a single song that doesn’t make me want to dance or cry there is no other title to bestow upon this thing other than ‘masterpiece’. Best Tracks: (Changes every time I listen, but this time it was) Someday, Hard To Explain, Barely Legal Worst Track: NONE Score out of 10: 10

A masterpiece of essentialism. The album’s brilliance lies in its lack of unnecessary frills, where every instrument is perfectly balanced in a "dirty yet precise" mix. Its influence on 2000s rock, from Arctic Monkeys to The Killers, is technically evident in its interlocking guitar patterns and "boxed-in" vocal effects. A high-quality record that proves how controlled minimalism can be more impactful than over-production.

Not listened to this album in years, last nite used to be mine and my ex girlfriends song; back in 2004 care free in the heady heights of metros in Cardiff, gives me a lot of roses tainted spectacles

L: 8 M: 10 F: 9 O: 9

It's been years since I listened to this album, so I was excited to relisten to it. Great energy! The sound they have going on throughout the entire album makes it sound more vintage, in a good way!

Brilliant album start to finish. Lived up to the hype at the time and still sounds amazing now.

ive already heard this album befroe!!

Flawless.

This was great. Love the strokes

One of the most fully-formed debuts out there, this album pure cool

One of the best debut albums that I can think of. Really tight and focused, and all of the songs are really good. Even nepo babies can make cool music.

The list/book gets a lot of criticism for overrepresenting old 60s and 70s records, and I'd like to join in. Really wish future editions give more representation to significant records from the 21st century such as this one. As far as guitar centric music goes, my suggestions would be Weezer's Blue Album (90's, but cmon), The Black Parade, Enema of the State, Bleed American, and A Fever You Can't Sweat Out (yes really if you think about it) As for the album itself, it's fun and you can hear its influence if you keep in touch with modern rock. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this record years before knowing about this website and I still do.

So excited for my first Strokes album of this list. The title track “Is This It” started the album off on a good note. I feel its primary goal was to lead directly into the following track “The Modern Age”, which was such a great track. Smooth guitar, great vocals, driving drums. “Soma”, while dropping the pace slightly, didn’t drop the energy. This album is laid out so well. The transition into “Barely Legal” was perfect. While questionable in content, this track was just so great. The guitar really led this one. The slight melancholy of “Someday” leading in to “Alone, Together” was awesome. I also loved the “Alone, Together” guitar riff that punctuated the mix throughout. I’m a sucker for the build-up in “Last Nite”. Even though I love this track, I feel like the instrumental steals the show. I love a good bit of rhythm guitar, and this album delivers with “Hard to Explain”. “New York City Cops” was just a good time, it made me realize that there’s a lyrical allusion to it in another song I love. “Trying your luck” made me bop. Ending with “Take it or Leave it”. I have to say, this was probably my least favourite off the album which is a shame. Well, it’s a 5/5 ⭐️ anyway! I loved it. 78/1089

This is the album that truly defined the resurgence of indie rock in the 2000s. It marks the last time that rock music was properly in the mainstream, and I couldn't think of a better album to have defined such an important era of music history. This album famously delayed The Killers' debut because after hearing how good this is they were so demotivated to make anything because they thought this could never be topped. Funnily enough I think that Hot Fuss is pretty much just as good as this, but honestly I still can't blame them for thinking that. This is just a masterpiece in every way, everything from the catchy songwriting and witty lyrics, and even the purposefully sloppy production giving it a very indie charm. Often times, I find the "straightforward rock album with no gimmicks" can be quite hard to pull off, but they pulled it off flawlessly on this, not only making an album that's great on its own, but also defining a whole era and being the root influence of just about every single rock band from the last 20 years.

Excelente

This, for better or worse, set a million indie rock ships sailing. It cannot be ignored.

Why does every song feel like I'm stroking it. The Strokers is not firing blanks, every song slaps

This album makes me very happy and filled with life.

I really enjoyed listening to this album very great

Heheheheheh ahhahahahahha booty!!!! BOoOoOtyyyy!!!

Toptextzeile: I missed the last bus, I'll take the next train I'll try, but you see, it's hard to explain I say the right thing, but act the wrong way I like it right here, but I cannot stay Was soll ich sagen - endlich das erste Album, das ich auch als phyischen Tonträger besitze und dann fahre ich an dem Tag für ne Woche weg von diesen Tonträgern. Schon auch einfach ein krasser Luxus es trotzdem hören zu können. Das ist eines der von mir meistgehörten und meistgeliebten Alben aus dieser Zeit, obwohl ich eigentlich wenig über die Band weiß und mich nie als Fan verstanden habe. Aber der Sound und die Lyrics, eher noch als der Gestus, haben mir es sehr angetan. Jeder Song eigenständig aber doch alles aus einem Guss, alles Sachen die mir immer wieder mal in den Sinn kommen. In dem Moment des Erscheinens und bis heute nah an Perfektion. #cd #gekauft

Mein vorm Ausgehen aufhypen Album, seit 25 Jahren. So mag ich Musik: gute Ideen schnell, präzise und schludrig umgesetzt. Lighting in a bottle

Oh hello! Das wummst und rummelt. Geht steil nach vorne und oben. Verstehe wie jemand das nicht mögen kann. Ich mags aber sehr. Absolut subjektive:

Absolutely fantastic album, definitely need to get a vinyl of this

What a debut album! Splendid

One of my favourite albums of all time Has the US version that had “When It Started” instead of “New York City Cops” :)

This album reminds me of Crowbar. We’d close the bar up, some people would stay and help us clean. Then sometimes when we were done we would have some super late night drinks and somebody would play acoustic versions of a few Strokes songs from this album and always a bunch of Beatles songs and everyone would sing. So fun.

I cannot believe this album is 25 years old....cue the Matt Damon getting old GIF. Shit might be 25 years old, but still holds up - could be released today and would still be a smash. Hate to call it lightning in a bottle, because most of The Strokes albums are solid....but this is definitely a hard debut album to top.

My 100th album. It's a generational one to me. It reminds me of my time in college and how simple everything felt.

So many memories brought back from this!

Perfect!

I fucking love this album already listened to it before i saw this lmao

The perfect debut to match the hype and start something special.

Huge album. Great songs all around.

Love it forever

Great album

Such a fantastic album

Already know this record back to front. I was hooked from the first listen, as soon as the bass riff comes in. It was just the right mix of different to catch my young ear. I remember asking the guy at the pizza shop what it was. Went across the street to the record store to buy it. I remember feeling a bit ripped-off by how short the record is (??), something like 35mins. I was used to getting almost an hour of music for my money (c.f. Siamese Dream). Anyway, instant classic. They're still hawking the same schtick 25 years later. 5 stars because of what it represents for me.

Love this album

My biggest rock n roll show brag is seeing The Strokes in September 2001 in Newport, KY on a stage that was maybe six inches high. They did not blow me away but then I bought this album and listened to the shit out of it. Re-listening was a great time capsule. Unexpectedly, will be seeing them again this year as part of the Just Like Heaven festival. Not sure why this is so great but IT IS.

I will forever love this album

No. 124 I'm not sure I've ever listened to this album all the way through but I knew almost every song.

A modern classic, so good!

Este álbum me recuerda que sigo en mis 20. Pienso en las horas que regalamos por dos mangos, en lo que queremos pero nos da miedo, en el amor que no es amor y en la manipulación. A la vez, siento un extraño sentido de pertenencia. ​¿Para qué me voy a querer encamar con un Julian Casablancas si con mis gustos ya lo hago? ¿Qué sería de mí si me hubiesen dicho " perdón por decirte que éramos amigos"? ¿Algún día voy a dejar de buscar anarquistas con OSDE? Marge, no voy a mentirte... ​Ya se me va terminando la jodita de los 20, pero como los compases de todo este disco, siento aún esa "aceleración" seguida de la tranquilidad, del "ya fue, soy esto". Esa impunidad que me da esta vida joven. Este álbum te deja pensando si la vida va a ser así siempre; si la vida es esto y nada más. Realmente una banda para toda la vida. Now i know how you feel Alex Turner.

Love it

Day 309 and this is the first day that I've opened the app to see an album I already love all the way through. And oh man what a great day. Me and my pals used to play this at work and shout "is this the BEST strokes song?" at the end of every track. The screeching squeaking highs, the thrumming lows, the funky riffs, the unintelligible lyrics, the endless "giant knee or small butt" debate - I LOVE THIS ALBUM. The funny thing is the best strokes song is not even on this album (under cover of darkness iykyk) and yet this could not be more of a 5/5.

A classic. One of my all time favourite albums. A go to album for me. 5 of 5 Kevin Parker's. Will absolutely listen again by choice.

Ratings: 5: I will happily play this album anytime 4: I may occasionally play this album of my own free will 3: I will happily listen to this if someone plays it in the background 2: I will tolerate this if it is playing in the background 1: I will leave the room if someone plays this in the background Starts off great. Nice leisurely pace to kick off Is This It. The bouncy bass riff starting with the 2nd verse is sublime. The Modern Age kicks off more up-tempo, leads into simple yet effective soaring guitar solo. The delight continues throughout the album. Clocking in at a brisk 35 minutes, what's not to like? Felt refreshing then and still holds up today.

Cohesive album. Joyful

an instant classic. i haven’t listened to this in years all the way through, and it struck me how formative this album was for me. i had this thing on repeat when i was 13!! such a great debut

Some of the best Pop Rock/Rock out there

MasterPIECE

A+

Simply fantastic. Fab

Their best album. Take Velvets garage rock, add a little Stooges, extra auto tune-y vocal effects, very memorable choppy/ buzzsaw guitar licks. (Most derivative review ever, but like this band itself, all the stolen pieces add up to something special qnd unique! ;) )

A favourite of mine. An all killer, no filler debut album.

No hay mucho q decir de los mejores de los strokes

A classic for sure! Can’t believe it is 25 years old this year.

hehe good old favorite

Ну классика инди, школьные годы, ностальгия

Люблю цей альбом, бенгер на бенгері

The indie album that made me start listening to more indie albums.

One of the coolest sounding rock bands. Two days in a row with full 5/5 albums.

This IS It

GENIOS Este álbum tiene muchas buenas memorias para mí Siento que The Strokes marcaron una diferencia en su época y hasta hoy en día sigue siendo así, probablemente cada álbum de ellos que aparezca acá será 5 estrellas

It is.

Classic

I listened to this not once, not twice, but three times! I love this album so much, Julian Casablancas was my bisexual awakening pretransition and it still holds up so well. (he does too by the way), The guitar tones are that distinct post-punk revival/garage rock sound and julian's voice is just so iconic. How can you not love this album come on.

Svinbra ju! Ska lyssna mer på The Strokes man blir glad av det

Yes it is

Loved it. Could easily listen to it again. Easy inde.

Have always loved this album. Short, sharp tunes, well constructed album. Five stars all day

All time banger, perfect album

Absolute classic. Always loved this record, a definite classic

I have a sneaky feeling I know this. A bonified masterpiece that is responsible for inspiring so many other bands that I adore.

Fantastic from start to finish we love the Strokes and have for decades

this is america

I was not excited to listen to another Brit punk album but this rules.

35 minutes of magic. If you're going to steal all your ideas, steal from the best. Lou Reed's nonchalant vocal delivery and VU's lofi droning style, Television's intertwined guitars overflowing with simple melodies and tension, the Stooges' raw garage riffing, every post-punk band's agressive melodic lead bass style. The interplay between the 2guitars/bass and the vocals are so good - hooks and counter-hooks, snakey lines, bounce, texture, fuzz, energy. But reducing this to its influences misses what an incredible breath of fresh air this was in the nu-metal, butt rock, post-grunge rock landscape of 2001. One of the all time great driving around albums.

AMAXING

👍🏻

Often nowadays it can feel like music is getting progressively more complex, and that in order to be unique you need to push boundaries. Is This It is the biggest counterargument, showing just how much can be done with simple, well-written rock music. Everything about this album meshes so well to create one of the most driven, danceable, and just plain fun experiences in modern music. The Strokes almost don't let you breathe, throwing amazing tracks back to back and keeping the energy high. Every single song on here is enjoyable in its own way, and I think that's a testament to quite a few factors. One, and I cannot overstate this enough, the basslines on this album are legendary. It would've been so easy for Nikolai to just support the guitar lines like so many other Garage Rock bands, but the lines really go above and beyond in making each track so bouncy and lively. The tone of everything, from the bass to guitars vocals and drums are all incredible. The mix is very simplistic but it's allowed to be only because of how good the tones they're working with are. The tastefulness of the distortion on Casablancas' voice is iconic and defines the sound on this record. In general, Is This It showcases just how effective simplicity can be if you just do the basics very well. Nothing they're doing is super technical, complicated, or even that hard; these were some of the first songs I learned on guitar. But when every track is as masterfully crafted on every level as this, you don't need complexity, you don't need to break boundaries. Still one of the best Rock records of the 21st century.

Strong 4,5

My favorite 2000s indie rock album!

Back in 2001, one of the ways that I used to discover new music was by reading Q Magazine. Every year, there'd be a free CD with the "best of" that year's music. This is how I discovered Daft Punk, The Kings of Leon (back when they were good), The Rapture and even The Flaming Lips. And it's how I first encountered The Strokes. The opening track on the "Best of 2001" compilation CD was "The Modern Age". It was a proper rock 'n' roll tune, with driving beats, killer vocals and an insanely brilliant guitar solo soaked in energy. It was raw, gritty, messy and fantastic. Then with no warning, it abruptly just stops. I was hooked. The Strokes became a big part of my early twenties. There was something so effortlessly cool about them. They brought about a revival of rock 'n' roll to the mainstream, but also brought a completely new sound to guitar music at the same time. Their music was like the embodiment of the New York indie scene, but at the same time there was nobody else who sounded like them. There were a lot of different aspects that made up that unique Strokes sound: Julian's vocals mixed crooning warbles with punky screams, while filtered through compressed distortion (apparently recorded through a small Peavey practice amp). The two guitars and bass moved in completely different directions to each other, coming together to create a combined harmonic melody. The intense guitar solos and breaks often slipped into verses, rather than demanding their own space. The Strokes were the next generation of rock 'n' roll, reimagined for the 2000s. The album is packed full of iconic moments from start to finish. Title track "Is This It" is slow-tempo, with a main riff that feels reminiscent of The Pixies. "Soma" and "Someday" are bright, catchy and upbeat tunes, mixing with underground indie vibes. "Alone, Together" is an interesting take on song structure. It breaks apart when the drums take off halfway through, and of course that amazing guitar solo. Then there's "Last Nite". The intro builds up with a simple guitar riff, followed by an equally simple drum beat, and then bass line, signalling in one of the all-time great songs. We used to go to a nightclub called "Cuba", where they'd play great music. Whenever "Last Nite" would come on, I was contractually obligated to get up and dance. And I'm someone who doesn't like to dance. The old powerhouse brick of a phone, the Nokia 3310, had an emoji of a dancing man🕺 that my friends said was like a visual representation of my dance moves. At least camera phones weren't a thing back then. "Last Nite" is such an amazing song that it compelled someone like me to get up and dance to it. Julian said that he wanted The Strokes to sound like "a band from the past that took a time trip into the future to make their record". It's the best description possible, a late 70s, early 80s punk band that arrived in the early 2000s, denim-clad with boomboxes, bringing a new wave of rock music back into the mainstream. They might never have reached the heights of this album again, but the hugeness of the influence and impact of "Is This It" was, and still is... well... hard to explain.

makes me wanna nod my head and shift my feet

It’s hard to explain, but sometimes I think this is the best album of all time. While others might think, is this it?

?the best debut album of all time. u already know i love this. flawless. my darling pet nepo babies

Almost certainly in the best five albums of the noughties. Filled to the brim with catchy riffs and without any filler, the guitar vocals and lyrics are all exceptional. I could list the best songs but would note down most of the album. 9/10

Already know it. Very good 👍 👏 👌

After Ok Computer ended rock music there was nothing left to do… but go backwards. Is This It, is one of the incredibly simple albums ever recorded and it’s fucking incredible. The melodies, the interlaying guitar, the perfect fuzz. It arrived at the perfect time. A timeless classic, it will never go out of style. 9.5/10

I am still going to listen to it I didn't quite yet.

YOU ARE NOT IMMUNE TO EARLY 00S INDIE ALTERNATIVE

I loved it.

I mean there’s no skips. It is perfect.

Album No. 0126 on my list. “Is This It” by The Strokes is considered to be one of the most important rock albums of the 2000s (maybe THE most important rock album of the 2000s). And rightfully so, I guess. I had listened to most of the songs before, but never to the album in its entirety. But after doing so, I think it is deserving of its status. “Is this it” really is peak garage rock. Raw guitars, raw singing, raw lyrics. But it the same time, the album still keeps up a cool, nonchalant indie attitude, which is really reflected in the sound and vibe of this album as well. Julian Casablancas is a great singer and a great lyricist, and besides, the band works very well together throughout the whole album. The songs show a high degree of consistency, but there is still some uniqueness to all of them. I will add “Is This It”, “The Modern Age”, “Someday”, “Last Nite”, and “New York City Cops” to my playlist. Great album, very much deserving of its status. 5/5 stars!

Household classic

Hits are hits for a reason.

I was bummed to learn that this album was made my mad privileged kids who met in one of the worlds most expensive schools... but in fairness it is a literal genre defining classic and I enjoyed as much now as when I first heard it.

10/10 !!!! Uno de los mejores álbumes debuts de la historia, me encanta la vibra de los 2000s que da, es realmente único.

No notes, one of the all time favourites

An incredible debit album! I'm partial to garage music (and pop-punk), i have been for about 40 years. I've enjoyed seeing how the genre has evolved over the years and from my first listen this album brought me joy. It has continued to do so for a couple of decades. I'm pretty sure I've played it at least once per year since it was released. This is a solid album. A modem classic that only suffers from a shittier cover in the US. Well that and fans who scream during their live performances. I've never attended any performance where the fans were as hell bent on drowning out the performance as I have been at Strokes performances. I'll just continue to enjoy the recorded shit when I just want to feel joy. Sometimes, that is enough.

This sounded nostalgic when I first heard it as a teen , now it's double that hearing it at 40

(100/100)

Such an amazing album

A few lesser songs, but I love The Strokes. Someday, Last Night, Hard to Explain all bangers. Some repetitiveness to the songs.

Already know the album I like it

Amazing album, I love the sound effect it has, makes it more grungy but like NY grungy cool

Pinnacle indie sleaze. No notes. So good.

10/10 2000s-nostalgi.

Was hoping for an album idk but this obv a masterpiece

One of my fav bands. Surprisingly have not listened to this album all the way through but def recognized some top songs. Immaculate vibes, blends so well together. The songs too kinda sound the same on the first listen but going back you can appreciate each song for what it is

Enjoyable and creative. Easily one of the top 100 albums of all times. Frequently listen to this one.

One of the best rock albums from one of the instant best rock bands . Meet me in the bathroom is a great documentary that features these guys and their scene but just the straight up hooks and Julian’s voice sells this for anyone. One of the coolest bands to do it easily.

Classic decade defining sensational

Perfect start to finish.

Really enjoyed this album! Great songs and super catchy. Some proper throwbacks on here! It really captures the indie era that I loved so much I was shocked that firstly it came out in 2001, and secondly that they aren't British because I only discovered this album in 2007 when it did the rounds over here 5 ⭐️

I like pretty much all the Strokes albums, even the ones that were less well-received than this, but this is fairly undeniably the best of them all.

Absolutely brilliant album. Nostalgic of my youth/university days

Score 5/5 Top Songs: Someday, Alone Together, The Modern Age

One of my favourite albums to come out of the 2000s. Many indie rock bands aspire to this level of greatness. Tight rhythm section, too cool detached vocals, angular guitars. All tasty.

Discazo

Gonna be a 5 from me, dawg. Love the strokes

Great for the 2000’s

Always come back to this album, a cornerstone of the early noughties.

Naturally had to give this album a 5 stars - teh impact this album had on rock music after it was released genuinely cannot be understated! I also have a special place in my heart for this album and it was one of my most played albums of 2025, I LOVE THE STROKES!!!!! favourite tracks: new york city cops, barely legal, trying your luck

Las cosas como son: qué bueno es este disco. Cuando todo el mundo esperaba que el siglo XXI nos trajera la novedad al indie, ya desgastado después de unos 90 frenéticos, llegan The Strokes y se ponen a hacer música de garaje, nada sofisticada, desnuda de artificios, como grabada en una sola toma y despreciando todo lo que no fuera guitarra, bajo, batería y voz. Todo suena con una cruda eficacia como si quisieran reivindicar los orígenes del rock. Es tan pretencioso que parece honesto (o al revés)

I am trying to not give as many 5ers on this journey. But this deserves every pearly bright twinkler in the universe. Easy...5 sky- diamonds

I love this album

Classic of the era. Mostly holds up but it was explosive when it came out

Coincidentemente escutei hoje sem saber que apareceria aqui. Enorme em todos os sentidos. É impressionante como entrega tanto em canções relativamente simples e em menos de 40 minutos. O rock do século XXI começa com Is This It.