Is This It

Tight as two coats of paint yet somehow mellower than I remember

I mean this is decent. I'm not sure it's aged all that well. But I think a lot of that about a lot of the albums I rate that I've heard so many time. Still giving a 4

Luci - Hard To Explain, Alone Together Lizzy - Trying Your Luck, Alone Together

aaaaah darum hani us'm don neduzen sim zimmer am mentig indie gitarrekläng ghört – macht scho meh sinn… hed er ja erst gad chürzlich sin hate gäge the kooks bekundschaftet. anyways hallo zämme, ich bi's de noah :) sorry für mini absenze, lose ih letschter ziit bim schaffe vermehrt podcasts und han irgendwie gmerkt, dass s'läbe z'churz isch für mediocre musig (was es ih letschter ziit recht oft de ihdruck gmacht hed) – aber ich versuech wieder chli meh dri z'lose <3 the strokes: iconic band, iconic album… mittlerwiele gfallt mer nümm jedes lied, aber es spriessed grad paar neui pickel bim lose will's mi so fescht ah de teenie noah erinneret 3 röhrlijeans + 1 paar converse = 4 nietegürtel

A good, fun album that’s held up well. I’ve enjoyed most of it ever since it came out.

Really like the sound of this and a cool vocal style. 4 stars

I’ve forgotten a lot of these songs. Still jams though.

is this is - so summery the modern age - nostalgic, love the distortion soma - funky beat barely legal - melody reminds me of something someday - i ain’t wasting no more tiiiiiiime alone, together - 😎drums last nite - ugh nobody understands meh hard to understand - perfect now mash it with cliche by 2hollis when it started - he don’t gaf trying your luck - groovy take it or leave it - shaking hips aggressively ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

One of my all time fav artists and albums, sooo many good songs on here

Only giving this a 4 because Julian Casanovas is an industry plant

had already listened some of it

Wanted to give it like 4.5. lacked variety, but the lyrics - dude was going thru some relationship shit and it hit hard.

Ladies and gentlemen….THE STROKES 🗣️🔥

It was good kinda sounded like a teenage boy wrote it in his moms garage

Very strong start, tailed off a bit in the end

Amazingly simple record. Selfless is the track!

Some much effort and polish to sound 'raw' - has some great tracks and some filler.

fun and poppy

Good album

3.5

I'm familiar with The Strokes, but not this entire album. Thankfully, that changes today! The title track has a cool, funky bass line which loops through the song, and the guitar solo in "The Modern Age" proves these guys are no hacks. The whole album is a treat and a really strong debut. Solid 4 stars for me.

Rocking

I liked this one a lot; great millennial-era indie rock with some punk influence and sometimes a bit of a Velvet Underground flavor.

You can say I have basic taste, but this album is fun.

I remember when this album was considered to be so edgy and new, and now it just sounds like indie rock. That's not a bad thing, mind you.

A fun little pop album. Every song is uptempo and earnest. It is all a bit one note, but sometimes that’s ok when the album is so short.

Pretty fun, a little repetitive, but a fun sound!

Good guitar based rock. I am not convinced by the songs but very listenable

4/5. A very likable Indie rock record. This reminds me of a long lost time that has since become nostalgic for me.

Very good album, very enjoyable, played twice over

Solid. Enjoyed more than I expected. Edgy alt rock with a bit of a hook.

This album may not sound particularly revolutionary now, but for its time it was quite the change in sound.

I’ve spent a lot of time listening to this album over the years, not least as it’s a good one both while driving and while running/jogging. The Modern Age, New York City Cops and Last Nite are all great songs, but the whole album is really solid. Pretty sure I once read that Julian Casablanca’s raspy vocals are achieved via a microphone effect but, regardless, they’re distinctive and they work really well on these songs. I regret never having seen The Strokes live. They’d be brilliant in a small to medium sized venue.

8/10

4+

What a great first album. It's fun and easy to listen to

Classic sound from The Strokes, great for studying in a cafe or dancing in your teen bedroom

Josh- I like the opening so far! I feel like I knew some songs from this album tho. "Someday" is easily the best track, but am also a fan of "Hard To Explain" I love how hard the closer goes "Take it Or Leave it". I can see how influential this album is to the modern alt-rock scene. They're the prototype to Arctic Monkeys, The Killers and such. Will definitely revisit the album. Fitting for a first album -- New York band to go with Zohran winning. 3.5/5 Phoebe - Someday and Last Nite are the songs I knew and already loved, so they were still the standout songs for me. I love this classic fun indie rock sound sm, very easy listening for doing work or dancing alone in your room. 3.5/5

This album came out in the prime of my "too cool for school" years, and even then I had to give them a nod. Listening to it with fresh ears, this is a great record, hands down. The melodies and the slight garage quality of the production go hand-in-hand. If anything, I'm just mad that I didn't go all-in on the early days of indie-sleaze.

I don’t like the distorted vocals (tell me your singer can’t sing without telling me your singer can’t sing) but I otherwise love the sound

Great work

4.5

I definitely like where these guys were going at the time and if I was more into modern music in the early 2000s I probably would have this a little bit higher i didn't really fully hear this album until many years later. They remind me kind of the White Stripes would be doing at the time if they were more of a slick band rather than a garage band. But I can definitely see their influence on the aughts' indie scene influence the likes of The Killers. (9.2) ★★★★½

Great album that really kicked off the indie rock boom in the 00s. "Barely Legal", "The Modern Age", and "Last Nite" are the highlights for me. 4.5 stars.

4.5

Nothing new or radical here, but they were, along with The Hives and The White Stripes, responsible for bringing guitar bands briefly back to the forefront of mainstream radio play in the UK, so I won't hear a word against them. Not a 5-star album, but close.

All very similar but I do not believe in too much of a good thing.

I was around when the Strokes were the big new band on the scene, the band that was changing rock. I was more of a Kings of Leon fan, due to them being Southern mostly, but they certainly put out great music. I always looked at the Strokes as a band of pretty, rich boys that wouldn’t last the test of time. That kind of came to fruition, in a way. While the Kings of Leon were producing steady content, the Strokes had hiatuses and side projects. The KOL had rehab stints that curtailed their output as well. In other words, in 2001, I wasn’t impressed with the Strokes, though this was still the time when you had to invest in your music by buying CDs. I was already buying KOL CDs, so the Strokes lost out. I was also annoyed by the lead singer, Julian Casablancas, always having an effect on his voice. Like he was singing through a Hardee’s drive-thru microphone. It just irked me. But, surprisingly, it never once bothered me today. Now, having listened to Is This It? in 2025, I loved it. It’s good jangly rock that’s fun to listen to or even dance to. As I listened to songs like Last Nite, I realized that this was essentially an updated version of rock, the likes of what Tom Petty was making in the early 80’s. It’s not hair metal with guitar wankery, it’s just solid riffs with cool hooks to get you singing along. What else could you ask for? The album also changed music at the time, once Is This It? came out, probably before it came out, you had all these Strokes clones popping up, especially out of the New York scene. It was kind of another scene like 70s New York with punk and new wave. In fact, there’s a great oral history about this 2000's scene and the music called Meet Me In the Bathroom by Lizzy Goodman. It’s a great companion piece with Please Kill Me: An Uncensored Oral History of Punk by Legs McNeil, focusing on the punk and new wave movement in New York in the 70's. Again, I digress. After listening to Is This It? a few times, I’ll admit, I missed the boat and should have been on this band at the time. Luckily, I have the 1,001 albums list to correct my ways. Though after slogging through Wilco, I wonder if I’d have liked anything put in my earholes? Check out Is This It? It’s just cool rock that makes for a good time. The music is good and the lyrics are kind of a time capsule of what was going on in that music scene at the time. So, you can kind of relive it without all the sex and drugs.

Great sound, love the vocals, all songs sound very similar.

A new take on urban rock

It’s hard to overstate the cultural bomb this set off with Gen X’ers who thought rock was dead, with teens who had been fed a steady diet of late 90’s pop punk and boy bands. The Strokes dared to throw Television riffs into perfect radio songs and sing with a mid-fi production in a time where everything had to be boosted to the max. It was probably a bit pretentious but at the same time it was a breath of fresh air, and it still feels that way today. Granted, there’s about 1/3 of the album that feels like filler, and yeah everything kinda sounds the same. But this is still a damn fine record, and should still have “New York City Cops” on it.

gasa gasa!

Only bangers, great album. I think sonically it's a little too samey for it be one of my favorites, but the songwriting is stellar.

Really liked ‘Last Nite’ from this album, and “12:51’ from Room on Fire just after it - had both as a suggestion from a friend in high school, but would be lying if I said I’d explored much further before now. Gave several listens through throughout the weekend and recognized/enjoyed Someday and Soma as potential standouts. This bad has a unique sound I enjoy, but I didn’t give too much into lyrics or meaning this go round.

Still the lean fun buzzy record that made me feel cool in high school

Big fan. Girls liked.

Bravi, absolute cinema

I was prepared for a pretty mediocre album since I'm not huge on their singles but this was much more enjoyable than I expected.

God I loved this album when I was a horny teenager

This takes me back!! Definitely of a time but bringing back the memz

This album is the perfect album to transport me to a particular time and place. 2001 freshmen year of college. It has great memories of fun times and great friends.

Awesome album

Peak CD era rock and roll (but, um... I do not remember this as the album art)

Great album. Not so sure about the album cover though.

first time i heard it i didn’t care for it much, i thought every song sounded the same. but second time around i really liked it. it might’ve helped that i didnt listen to it on full volume the second time

Nostalgia

What an iconic cover. Is This It by the strokes is an album I've known for a long time, but never really explored. Does it live up to the hype. Well the a certain point, yes. It isn't astraight five out of five, but it is an incredible record. It's sound is unique and a great melt between rawness and beauty.

8/10

Alright i know this one. It's one of the quintessential album in the 00 indie scene. Probably not the best one but definetely one of the most important and representative of the era it was made. At the end of the day i love the strokes.

8/10

Dumb they made them switch (at least for the American market) the gorgeous cover above for the absolute crap one they had to use- it's so bad! Is This It is a very good album with endless obvious influences (a Where's Waldo game to be had here... did they nick that from Television or V.U. ?) a super east coast band/sound it could not have been made/raised anywhere else but New York. I usually check out some other records for bands I review 4/5 or higher but as good as Is This It is I'm already tired of The Strokes TBH so I doubt I'll ever hear anything else by them- few records have a stronger 'I Heard it all before' vibe than this album.

Actually quite a banger of an album. Yes, there were some weaker songs in the mix but overall it was really good. 3.8

This album may be the reason of the re-introduction of the rock scene in the 2000's. It's clear to see how so many albums were inspired by this one. Well done Julian

Un disco mu chulillo que había olvidado y esta bien que me recuerden de vez en cuando ae me recuerde. Aunque The New Abnormal me parece un locurote

Great album; 2001 is a really interesting year.

Tror the Strokes opfylder mange af de ting jeg godt kan lide ved rockmusik. Det lyder garage agtigt, autentisk, råt, ærligt og teksterne handler bare om at være ung og smuk og nyde kærlighed, ensomhed, kaos. Mange ting som jeg går igennem pt, underligt nok i en alder af 27 år gammel hvor jeg bor i København men bliver mødt af mange nye mennesker fra forskellige baggrunde som tester ens værdier. Musikalsk var det en reaktion mod computerskabet poppet nu-metal linkin park og limp bizkit osv. De inspirerede en hel gruppe af 00'er bands, blandt andet white stripes, yeah yeah yeahs osv, the killers, franz ferdinand, arctic monkeys osv. Også noget min vennegruppe har lyttet til i mange år og man forbinder det bare lidt med at få nogle beers og snakke smack og lade som om alt er ligegyldigt for en periode.

Rv/g

This was a pretty fun, good indie rock album. The instrument playing is appropriately raucous and poppy, and the vocals really seal the deal. A pretty good album to just enjoy.

8/10

starts off pretty sad but overall good, also vaguely British?

Kind of fun

I was a big fan of Brit rock in the early mid-2000s (think Arctic Monkeys, Frank Ferdinand) and other groups inspired by The Strokes (The Killers, etc.) so while I don’t think I’d ever actually heard this album by The Strokes, it felt super familiar to me all the way through. I enjoyed it a lot! Would listen again.

Great album with some classics on there. I really enjoyed listening through this album.

Hmmm I could picture myself rollerskating through a suburb and taking out mailboxes with a baseball bat to this album, would fit the vibe perfectly. Not that I would ever do something like that though... Unless.... 8/10 - Good ole 2000s rock <3

This album is a vibe. I was too young to listen to this the first time around but it nicely straddles being ‘of its time’ but also having wider appeal. Quality but simple guitar, a consistent ‘sound’ albeit some attempts at heavier elements, good vocals and a pretty tight album, no dead weight. Enjoyed and will return.

Very basic production to my ear and I did detect a little bit of crap recording but might just be me. For this reason I do find it can either pass me by or occassionally feel tiring to listen to as the components dont stand out nicely or distort. This is a shame as whats on offer is decent and the album takes its relationship struggle on its little journey with a coherent song list. Its very short so easy to let it zip by but helped by its snazzy little riffs scattered about. First time around I literally heard nothing as was working hard and had to come back to it. In a way I feel I have exhausted this album a little as hit me at the right time in my youth. Its a weak 4 now but will give it its due.

I know a lot of artists are influenced by this album but I didn't really get it. Also, second half of the album is better than the first.

There are some albums where I really feel like you had to "be there" for them to really "get" them. Most albums, they stand the test of time pretty well, and you can listen to them and immediately be like, "OK, **that's** why it's so special." Others... When you lack the context of the specific moment they were released in — and, in fact, you've been living in its influence for many years now — it can be a little more difficult to pinpoint its thing. And I really feel like The Srokes' debut is one of those albums. I mean, look, let's be clear off the top: none of this is bad. It's perfectly good guitar music. Whether or not I can exactly point to "what makes it special," it's an enjoyable little listen. And, like, I get it as well: the band was specifically aiming for a simple sound, with no tricks or gimmicks or significant studio enhancement. I completely get that. But you need to realize: I was a toddler in 2001. And it's now 2025. I have a vague idea of what the state of rock was coming out of the 90's — nü metal and acoustic "adult contemporary" alt. rock — but far from enough to really understand why this album was so revolutionary and such a game changer. I suppose it would be a "bringing rock back to its roots" sort of deal? Y'know, the whole "garage rock revival" of it all. And, y'know, that's fair. But I'unno, when it comes to my taste in garage rock, I've long tended more towards The White Stripes for their volume and distortion. This music is just kind of... A bit too plain for me to really get excited about it. Honestly, if this was the influence, it's not surprising why I don't listen to too much modern rock. If I listen to anything with a heavy focus on guitars, it's more like... I'unno, Coheed And Cambria, or any number of modern glam rock acts that get used in 'Peacemaker.' Like, it's not exactly the greatest endorsement in the world to find out that these guys influenced Kings Of Leon. That's not even to mention how much I've just generally never vibed with "indie rock," so... I'll admit that I might just not "get it." Again, I **do** feel like I lack enough of the proper context to really do so. Perhaps if I was able to I'd be more wowed by this. But even taking context out of the equation, I just can't say I'm all that excited. It's good stuff, undeniably, and it's absolutely a good way to spend 30-some minutes, but that's about as far as I'm willing to go praising it. So... Is this it? Yeah, I guess this is it. And what this is is pretty fiiiiiine.

I enjoyed 9 out of 11 songs

A classic. Great cover, too.

Great

нравятся эти ребята! альбом создает какую-то домашнюю и при этом свободную атмосферу, будто весело проводишь время со своими друзьями летом

Gotta say, the album art was a jumpscare, but music reeled me in for a good time.

Love the guitar work and the overall vibe on this album.

The Stokes have a very distinct style. Solid guitar and drum work with vocals sounding like they're being shouted afar through a railroad tunnel. It works though. There are a lot of catchy tunes on Is This It. It evokes a faintly old-timey rock and roll sound but is still grounded in the modern age (well, 2000s modern...) All the songs just make you want to dance and shout the lyrics. Standouts for me were "The Modern Age" "Someday" "Last Nite" The Stokes remind me a lot of Interpol, formed around the same time also in NYC. They're weirdly similar. Have we seen the two bands in the same room together before? I jest, both are pretty solid. This is undeniably a good debut album. It gets a but samey towards the end. I dont know much of The Stokes discography so I'm invested to check it out and see how the band evolves. 4/5 stars.

Somedaaaaaay! SOMEDAAAAAY!

What I said when the album ended

Solid album. But it went by fast. Definetly worth a listen. My standout was Soma.

The Strokes are great, but the album goes through too many waves for a 5.

Great sounds, great songs. I think this was the first time I was exposed to the concept of "low-fi". I marked this as 4 since I don't think I love listening to the whole album. The basic drum beats get repetitive.

Nice. Not too memorable, I liked Last Nite A Lot though

I blame this album for the early 00s indie bonanza. Is that fair? Probably not entirely, but I get to write whatever I want here and you get to choose whether you're going to read it. I remember being captivated by the "Last Nite" music video every time it came on. I guess there was something in the lo-fi 'slacker rock' aesthetic and the gritty vocal mix that scratched my brain the right way. It didn't hurt that the song jumps straight into the chorus before the first verse either, that's not something I feel like I hear often but it's a great hook. The best way I can explain the appeal is to compare it to other songs that grab me the same way: go listen to "Mississippi Queen" by Mountain, "Ace Of Spades" by Motorhead, and "Fell In Love With A Girl" by The White Stripes. Compared to that list, "Last Nite" feels a little bloated (especially in the intro) but if it were stripped down to ~2min, it would hold it's own with the others. The rest of the album doesn't punch quite so hard, but still delivers on the promise of that first single with some solid old school rock & roll. I'm sure there was other indie rock happening at this time, but this is the band that brought it mainstream enough for me to notice. Alt Rock radio was still focused on Nu Metal in 2001 but this broke through anyway.

Nostalgia.

USAs beste brit-rock-band? Kan gjerne høre mer på dette.

I can tend to group a British indie/naughties into an average blur. But I think the Strokes and this album has enough to separate it. Just unique enough, good groove, song structure. And that’s even before the classics which come at a nice mid point to give it a boost. Very well positioned and generally like the sharp ends to songs and general vibe they create. And after the run of hits; really enjoyed the quirkiness of ‘New City Cops’ and an unsurprising shame it was left out of US release (and album cover - stiffs!) Glad to be pleasantly surprised by the quality of this and not just another skinny jean pump out. Getting a touch close to a bit samey by the end so probably just the right formation and length.

Speaking as someone who's not looked much into The Strokes, I quite enjoyed this trip down 2000s alt rock memory lane. The music is bright, upbeat, and (dare I say) grooving. Julian Casablancas's voice is well suited to this, even if I can barely understand him most times. Last Nite is probably the best on the album but there's a lot of good there aside from it.

As I listened to my daughters’ favorite rock and pop bands it became clear that the Strokes have had a huge influence on the sound of rock music.

Love this one.

Needs to be taken in context, but it nevertheless feels like these raw sounding guitars saved us from loads of overproduced mediocrity.

Actually quite liked it and saved a song. Nice vibe and will have to listen to some more of the strokes.

This made being at the laundromat fun which feels 4-star worthy

Fun album. Simple garage rock. I remember Last Nite getting radio play

This is fire and I’m not taking a separate day to listen to it. Great album. Hugely influential.

I'm a bit depressed and this album didn't help, not my sound for the moment, but avoiding personal feelings: one the best.

This is a good album, there a few stand out songs, but most kind of blend together.

First time listening to the entire album, and it's damn good. It's higher than a 4, but not quite a 5.

A few total bangers

Very nice album

Not generally a fan of garage indie rock but this one does hit all the right notes .. it’s messy but at times emotional with solid lyrics …

This is a decently catchy album, although I do feel it is one that benefited greatly from arriving at just the right time and place to make the impact that it did. If this had been released a few years later, would it have been as widely celebrated as it was in 2001, where you had nu metal circling the drain, mall emo in its relative infancy etc? Debatable. Nonetheless, this does a grand job of combining scrappy garage rock energy with hooks, optimistic tones and melodies. It's well-documented that The Strokes could barely play their instruments at this early juncture of their career, giving Is This It an endearing charm which I think made it relatable to a lot of people. I was just about weaning off nappies in 2001, so I don't have the same degree of attachment to this as I'm sure others here will, but I did enjoy giving this another spin after a little while away.

Super tight album with great songs. Reminds me of college.

it was pretty good haven’t really listened to strokes before but they are actually pretty good

The Strokes are probably the reason that "New York City Indie" means *anything*. The components are simple, ultra slick pop songs, a little garage grit and some really great vocal performances get you just about there, but The Strokes' sound here is bold and distinct despite the simplicity. An interesting exercise is going back to listen to the home recording demos of some of these songs if you have a chance. They come across as lo-fi garage rock, but the magic is there. The Strokes really just cleaned up their playing and slapped slightly shinier paint on it and we made it here. Of arguably greater note is that the vocals sound approximately the same between the demos and finished songs, and I think this is a particularly inspired choice. Julian Casablanca's blown out, gritty delivery gives so much to this project. But, as I implied, this is an album that really lives and dies by its songs: And the tracklist largely rocks. The singles are iconic, a lot of the deep cuts are still earworms too, although there are a couple of songs here that are in one ear and out the other for me. Also, while I'm complaining a little, why would you name a song "Barely Legal", it's weird, and Julian Casablancas already kind of comes across as an ass sometimes, so this doesn't help. In the grand scheme of it, these are pretty minor complaints though, and I do like this album a lot.

It sounds pretty amateur, and that's why I think it's pretty good. 8/10

this is it

Looooved this!!! My kinda jam!

All time great 2000’s alt rock album. Always on repeat.

Solid, Cool.

Good

I thought it would be like 300 albums, not 3 before I got to one I've heard all the way through lol Fun album overall, I don't actively hate any of the songs (I do think Last Nite is just alright), but maybe I just enjoy them individually and not all at once. I can understand why people say it gets repetitive. Having my music player loop back to the beginning did make me appreciate the slower tempo and the bassline on the first track even more; stands out from the rest. I do prefer The New Abnormal; that ones like a 9/10 for me. This one is an overall 7.5/10 Favorites: Is This It; Someday; Alone, Together; Soma

Great, would come back to it definitely, not very diverse however

Banger after banger. Will definitely try their other stuff

indie classic that gets better on every listen and is a key influence in the indie genre for the next decade

(Heard the version with NYC cops in it, cause thats the artwork seen on the website), This album still slaps, was a fresh breath of air when i heard it and is still is. Maybe for those who were older like Bowie did not like it, but whatever. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3ak4Ms8XQ0 (If you want to know whats the sound that kickstarts the album)

good energy to wake you up in the morning without being overwhelming. glad they brought back the acab song.

I've listened to this before. I like it but have never really loved it for some reason, though I have enjoyed listening.

Solid album. Knew 2 songs

One might want to not like this nepo-baby super-hyped cool kids record, but one cannot choose that option: it's pretty great. Some Lou Reed vocals, a few Television guitar solos, but really, it's the sweet hooks with long grooves. Not a lot of range, but what they do, they do really well.

Perhaps not the epochal album it was heralded as at the time, but still sounds tight and was fun to listen to. Between a 3 and 4 for me, but rounding up because it ends on such a high note with “Take It or Leave It.”

please give me an album i haven’t heard mr generator

Really enjoyed the album top to bottom, love the hits still, surprised by a few I hadn't heard before

The singles are the hits on this one but a very important indie progenitor.

7.5/10 Good stuff this. Sounds like an era in music - partly because it is very of its time, partly how it helped define it. Plenty of music that followed is clearly inspired by this. Languid garage post punk, they found a vibe and stuck to it. That is good and bad - the first half can sound a little same at points. Then it hits Someday and takes off. Lots of bangers on the second side. Best: Hard to Explain

Enjoyable album more poppy than I expected but I liked it a lot. 4.2/5

Incredible debut album, enjoyable, listenable and a landmark for garage and indie rock. A band that came to tear down walls with other bands of its time.

This is a good album, perhaps not quite so good as the press at the time made it out to be. Clearly influenced by 70s American music such as Iggy & The Stooges, Television and even Blondie. There's little variation on the album, but it does have a certain charm to it and is enjoyable. It just squeaks 4⭐ Would I listen to this album again? Yes, I should play it more. Would I buy this album? I did. 1 "Is This It" - Great bass line. Odd choice to open an album. - 4⭐ 2 "The Modern Age" - 4⭐ 3 "Soma" - 3⭐ 4 "Barely Legal" - 4⭐ 5 "Someday" - 4⭐ 6 "Alone, Together" - 3⭐ 7 "Last Nite" - This is a great song, - 5⭐ 8 "Hard to Explain" - 3⭐ 9 "New York City Cops" - Musically good and interesting compared to what has come before but the chorus spoils what would otherwise be an excellent song. - 4⭐ 10 "Trying Your Luck" - It's as if they suddenly realised that the album needed a touch of variety, and added it to the end of the album. - 3⭐ 11 "Take It or Leave It" - 3⭐ Total - 40 Average - 3.64

I love this album. Not sure if it's their best. Definitley probably a top-3 album of theirs, in my opinion.

Easy to see why this was so influential, all the singles are bangers and the album tracks are no slouches. Wonderful instrumental interplay and endless hooks.

I used to be so obsessed with this album. Still really good but it just doesn't have the same luster to me now

i lik

jokes on you juyeon!!! apparently i know this album and really like it!!!!! i too have had my lil alternative indie era! i just never remembered who sang what lmfao but the album cover looked familiar and then certain songs played and i was like hey this went triple platinum on my old ipod! still cute! still fun! still love!

Really great rock album 9/10

Buenu que dirt-e, ja el coneixia i increïble albummm :3 m'encanta pero no t el 5 pq no es perfecete i pq existeix the new abnormal jeje

It is what it is, which is pretty good.

Great. Edgy at times , great vocals and a couple of breakout tunes

Ok so most of the songs on the album sound very similar but if they’re good does that actually matter? A really enjoyable listen with not really any poor song in there.

I remember the hype when this came out and it still holds up pretty well today. Solid stuff and I do think a turn to a more natural, garage rock sound would be needed today.

I really enjoyed this album. I thought the singers voice would get tiring after a while, but it really fits with the crunchy guitar riffs.

This is another great album I remember listening to a bunch back in highschool. A few stand out tracks with an up beat and energetic flow made this a joy to come back to. Listening to it from start to finish has been enjoyable also. Someday, Soma, and the modern age are my favorites and to me really encapsulates what this whole album was for me.

good stuff

Lightning strikes behind the BDO MainStage. Is this it?

That's a solid album. I've heard bits of it but never the whole way through

It’s so classic. Julian Casablancas has such a unique sound, and nobody was doing this at the time. Sounds so NYC. Great record, love revisiting it.

i convinced myself i hated the strokes. i was wrong best track: take it or leave it worst track: hard to explain

love this album, very formative for a guitar player in the mid to late 2000s. room on fire is the better album by a slight margin - if only because Last Nite got overplayed and i find that track a little annoying... when that bass comes in on Is This It though....

Before listening to this album, I was relatively familiar with The Strokes, especially their singles. 'Is This It' was an interesting listening as it was me experiencing a lot of the material I'd not heard by them. First thing to mention about the album, I love the production. Simple, stripped back, the subtle distortion on Julian's voice sets a great tone. Next thing is how good a set of musicians The Strokes are. That may seem naive of me to say, but for a debut album they lock into their parts. No one gets in the way of each other, the bass lines are playful when the guitars are simple, the drums are on point. Overall, this was a great listen. The tracks that stood out to me were 'Soma', 'Someday', 'Last Nite' and 'Hard To Explain' as each of these very clearly outline the identity of The Strokes in their early years. 4/5

Much better than the last time I listened to it. I do think its a very pleasent listen and it deserves to be called a modern classic. Its just not music I go back to often.

really good

Such a cool little album. Great sounds all the way through.

This app needs 1/2s

so many fun tracks, love the spunky guitar

Similar to Meat is Murder, while I love the band, this isn't my favorite album by then. I'll take Room on Fire, First Impressions of Earth, or Angles over Is This It. Nevertheless, this album is a fun listen and Last Nite is an awesome song.

Fun story: A girl I had a crush on in high school was big into the strokes. Once on an orchestra field trip, we got talking about music; I broadly acquitted myself well, and she told me I had to listen to an album she really liked, passing me her ipod and headphones. I don't remember what happened after, but it was accidentally set to repeat song, so I only heard the one song (Macchu Picchu) on repeat for half an hour before we discussed further. I didn't have much interesting to say. Anyway, this is less repetitive than that. Moreover, it's pretty good! This band was rightly beloved by indieheads in the 2000s. For whatever reason, it doesn't quite move me the way I want from music, even as I recognize that everything here is very well-executed. So it goes. 3.5 rounding up.

The Strokes have one sound. Don't get me wrong. It sounds good, but I wish there was more diversity to their sound. 3.5 stars, rounding up to 4 just because, again, it is a good sound.

Absolutely iconic album.

Accomplished, lots to love!

volim iako nije moj žanr više

know it . love it.

Was not into this at all really at the time of release, it felt like just too simple “made for radio” music. I appreciate it a bit more now looking back. This really is a great album, nothing wrong with it, I just don’t love it enough to give a 5, 4/5 it is.

Better than expected

Freshly classic. 7/10

Pleasant overall. Liked every song. Some songs would definitely listen to again. If I put in some time listening would probably find some playlist worthy songs. All songs sounds quite similar so blends into one a bit. Heard one song from this album before but don't know where. Reminds me of an American artic monkeys, but I think that the strokes came first.

I remember this album was popular when I was an exchange student. I thought I hadn't heard it before, but I'd actually listened to almost all of it with the exception of Take It out Leave It. I liked this one!

A great album. Probably The Strokes best. Favourite tracks: Soma, Last Nite, Hard To Explain, New York City Cops.

Great album, never in doubt about it's quality. Cool backstory, and easy to mistake this for a 70s rock band.

Hadde litt glemt hvor stas denne plata er

Really enjoyed revisiting this album. I wish it had more variation, but at the same time, it does not get boring because of their very original take on garage/indie music.

Solid album Given the time it came out, it has aged really well compared to temporary music!

WOW

Like I really want to give this album a five but somehow it always kind of disappoints me when I listen to it. It feels like a five but it’s just not there

Great Album, 8.5/10. Favorite Songs: Someday, Late Nite

I love the strokes, nice throwback for me.

The Good: Who doesn’t like a question that isn’t The Bad: Giving it an answer that isn’t The Ugly: Realizing the above is like a dog chasing it’s own tail… The Strokes… what are they stroking? It is fair to say that I really enjoyed this album. I knew 1 song, and am happy that I’m now familiar with the other 10 too. For ones, a 2000 album that I am glad to have listened to. Also, please do note that I am tired… so I will just play the album again and enjoy, and dish out 4*, maybe I should stroke something too?

Pretty decent

I've never been a fan of The Strokes. I find their music too muted, and I always preferred other bands from the same time and "era" such as Interpol and White Lies who have more variety, dynamics, and do more exploration in their music. However, I'd give this album a 3.5, as it is definitely not bad, and I do understand why people like it. I just still don't think it is a 5 star or absolutely outstanding album when taken into the larger musical landscape and context.

Pleasing enough indie garage-rock. Part of the early noughties indie rock revival that included The Hives, Rapture, Franz Ferdinand etc. Darlings of the NME at the time, there’s very little to date it.

Liked it, no notes.

Is it groundbreaking? No. Is it very enjoyable rock? Yes! No need to overthink it. No need to get into a silly argument about whether they deserved to be called "rock saviors". Who cares? Just listen and appreciate it for what it is: great rock 'n' roll.

Watershed, sure, but not so sure this album, or era for that matter, has much staying power. Similar to my thoughts on Wilco, for lack of a better term, there's a contrived 'cute' or 'cool' layer that I don't care for. An 'act' isn't necessarily a bad thing, some artists can pull it off, but it seems like the exception. This is 100% judgy but I actually wonder if Julian Casablancas would be capable of anything else coming up exposed to "Elite Model Agency" life. Can you get more superficial? I guess I do appreciate the fun of it all. PS I only just realized just realized Someday and Last Nite are two different songs. 3.5

is this it?

This early 2000's new wave of American indie rock bands were a real breath of fresh air, after the period where all indie rockers wanted to sound (and look) like Oasis. Strokes are among the top indie bands on this side of the millennium.

I had a hard time emotionally connecting to the music, but it seems like it would be a fun time live. Reminded me of The Killers but this music feels like hearing loud busking on a beach boardwalk on a sunny day while slightly inebriated while most Killers songs sound like midnight confessions in the dark. I would put a dollar in the guitar box.

It's fun, don't have to think too much while listening. Sometimes that's all I need.

it's fine. nothing fancy, but easy to enjoy.

Another album with great instrumentals slightly spoiled by grating vocals. Really snappy though

A milestone of garage/grunge rock from my formative years.

First time listening to the album, yeah I know. I really like the raw, energetic and stripped down sound. Love the lofi production and the gritty feel. Will definitely listen again.

Slightly biased as it’s my type of music and I like the strokes already. It was an album that I enjoyed listening too, but for me it didn’t have too many memorable songs on it

Maybe there was a lot of hype, but I still like this album. Another of the few times that NME didn’t lie to us.

Lots of great songs on this album, including The Modern Age and Alone, Together. There's a very specific sound to this album which we appreciated.

Good!

Classic bouncy fun rock

Really solid throughout!

awesome

I really, really liked this. I’m not surprised — it’s been a favorite among the guys I’ve dated lol. I just never gave it a chance myself. Even so, it’s 4 stars for me. It would be a 5 if the vocals were a little farther forward in the mix. As is, they’re too garbled and hidden behind the baseline — bummer.

I really liked this album!

Brings me back to the turn-of-the-century where guitar rock made a good comeback. Some classics on this and some ones that I haven’t really listened to for a long time. Muy solid

Damn so many jams!! Iconic albums from the 2000s.

I remember the early days of the current century. When a band emerged to save Rock and Roll. That band was The Strokes. So much hype surrounded this album and band. Which is a shame because It can't hold the weight of all that. Hell as a young one I tried to bounce hard off this band because of all that hype. But I gave it a chance and thought it was excellent. It's an enjoyable record. It's fun. It was a breath of fresh air after the years of post-grunge and nu-metal. Ultimately it didn't save Rock and Roll but it did lead a charge of similar sounding bands. Looking back you can hear this sound in other artists of the time.

I like it

Possibly the last rock and roll album.

Really great indie rock. I do wish the production was a little better. 4

Onhan tämä oman aikansa tuote. Harmillisesti bändi ei ole saanut yhtä hyvää plattaa sen jälkeen. Ilahduttavaa kuunnella. 4/5

Onhan tämä paikkansa ansainnut 2000-luvun alun indierock-eliitissä. 4/5

1. Is This It - 8.5/10 2. The Modern Age - 8.4/10 3. Soma - 8.5/10 4. Barely Legal - 8.5/10 5. Someday - 7.5/10 6. Alone, Together - 8/10 7. Last Nite - 8.4/10 8. Hard to Explain - 8.5/10 9. New York City Cops - 8.5/10 10. Trying Your Luck - 8.2/10 11. Take It or Leave It - 8.5/10 8.5/10

Very solid and easy to listen to. Short and sweet with plenty of really good moments to make this a great album to sit with or dance to. No real low spots, but nothing that demands to be listened to. Top tracks: Is This It, The Modern Age, Barely Legal

I liked it a lot. I really like the style and listen to it when practicing guitar. I checked out their other stuff and really liked Selfless.

This was a good album.

What can I say, I'm a millennial who grew up listening to The Strokes so obviously I'm sentimental when it comes to that band. This one's probably their most acclaimed album, but it's not my personal favourite, as I feel the production on their tracks improved massively over the next few records. This one's still one of the most cohesive albums in recent history though, and just a solid effort overall. 4 stars

First time listener to the Strokes. This is a very solid album. They’ve continued the long tradition of gritty New York underground bands like Velvet Underground, New York Dolls, Television and the Ramones. I like the muddy, LoFi feel to the production. Good lyrics, catchy riffs. New discovery for me. I’m a fan!! Solid 4⭐️

Awesome album. I really enjoyed it. A bit shorter than I would've liked but overall this was banger after banger. "Barley Legal" was fire. 4/5

One of my fave albums growing up in my indie rock phase

Nice , poppy album

I wasn’t really that into The Strokes even tho I had a few songs from them that I really liked like calli it fate,call it karma. Even since I hear this album it has been on repeat The modern age must be my fave truck on there

This albums fucks. May have to get on vinyl

Monotonous but kinda hits

Straightforward rock and roll of its time but still very listenable. It is what it is and sometimes that's enough to be great.

Easy to listen start to finish

Great album! They always come off to me as a good mixture of catchy and almost needlessly cool.

It starts slow but after 2-3 songs it's picking up pace. Takes me back to my teenage years.

This album really does it for me. It just feels cool and carefree. Maybe a little snarky. Idk. I've always dug the sound of this album, and it doesn't disappoint whenever I go back to it.

Thinking 4

Love last night, and someday.

01) Is This It - 8,0 02) The Modern Age - 7,5 03) Soma - 7,5 04) Barely Legal - 7,5 05) Someday - 10,0 06) Alone, Together - 7,5 07) Last Nite - 10,0 08) Hard to Explain - 8,0 09) New York City Cops - 8,0 10) Trying Your Luck - 7,0 11) Take It or Leave It - 7,5 TOTAL: 8,05 (81/100) Current ranking: 156/495

I liked it! 4.

really good album with a couple greats

On the bleeding edge of the 2000s alt sound. Love it!

Lotta hype when these guys came on the scene. Love their sound, it was unique at the time. Great record

Lot of good jams on here

Blueprint for 2000s rock

It's interesting that for how, no matter how my taste keeps trending towards more weird and experimental music, I still just really enjoy this album (and most of The Strokes discography really). It's rare for a poppy rock album to hit right with me the way this one does but genuinely the way these songs sound just feel so timeless and of its time, it's weirdly nostalgic for me because of it. Maybe it's also the fact that it alludes to so much iconic 60s rock like The Velvet Undergound while also not being pure TVU worship and more it's own brand of garage rock that knew how to write good and interesting songs. This one is great, no notes, just great, even if the rest of their discography didn't hit for me the same until The New Abnormal which is a crazy amount of time to make something that can match your insane debut.

Jangly, and the greatest break up song ever.

Me on the first track: Wait, why am I not getting this? Were the Strokes never actually that good after all? Me for the rest of the album: Apologies, Mr Casablancas, I was not familiar with your game. Like, it's arguably a little samey at points, but it grooves, it's punchy, it doesn't overstay its welcome, it gave us Franz Ferdinand, and it's got Last Nite on it. It is once again a good day for dirtbag music.

Good little album, only 35 minutes but really solid.

легендарная группа. альбом крепкий, но не лучший, несколько хороших песен, чувствуется зарождение стиля

É um bom primeiro álbum do The Strokes, pena que hoje em dia The Strokes não tá mais roquinho. Meu primeiro vício foi em Soma, depois passou para Hard To Explain e hoje em dia é Trying Your Luck. Mas as músicas são legais, embora não seja meu álbum favorito do The Strokes.

This is an album that I always have a good time listening to. It's both chill and exciting at the same time. When listening, I can't exactly put my finger on what makes it good, but somehow it always just feels cool. Sounds incredible early 2000s but not tired in any way.

Really thought I was going to be on the high end of ratings for the one! You guys are wild! Anyway this album rocks and was one of the first few vinyl albums I bought from cheapies back in the day and so it holds a very special place in my heart. And New York City Cops is the best

This is an album I didn’t get into at the time. I enjoyed the songs I hward, but wasn’t an album i purchased, being in uni at the time available funds were spent on other vices. Definitely some cools songs and remains cool nearly 25 years later.

Too cool for me you or anyone else for that matter. Great lo-fi retro garagey sounds, bespoke for a musical spot on SNL.

interessante!

Classic

This album was very fun, however; i do believe it could’ve been better but for being a debut album it is very enjoyable, and it’s better than tom macdonald so i’ll take it.

Very good I like the strokes I like rock

An incredible example of tone based musicality

Good

Those melodies, raw / vintage sound and simple hooks still works after those years.

Torn here. There are some real bangers here. If it wasn't alternative that I already loved, would it be a 5? I dunno. The back half of this album especially is SO good. This entire album is tight and interesting, and I've listened to it so many times. But it's one of those - every time I listen to it it's a good idea, rather than something I'm always playing. I dunno. I think I'm going to regret not giving it a 5, but it's not perfect end to end. I may never give out any 5s and come back and regret (already do once), but fine for now saying this is a stellar, relistenable album. Send me Sgt Peppers pls so I can give a 5.

Un des albums les plus marquant et inspirant pour moi au début de ce siècle avec Aha Shake heartbrake de Kings of Leon, alors qu'on ne s'était pas encore remis de la décennie complètement incroyable qui venait de passer.

Yeah!!!!!

Well, this is something I really like. Good tempo, good rhythm. Nice variation in songs.

Way more fun than expected

What a bop

What a throwback. Great album. Not much more to say!

I have weirdly conflicted feelings about ‘Is This It’, even though I ultimately think it’s quite good. Its status as this all-time great, unimpeachable album though, is something I find slightly bemusing. First of all, I think this album made more sense at the time than it does now. In an era where everything was all about Travis and people moping around in beige T-shirts and combat trousers, a “cool” band who dressed like they’d made an effort and played snappy, CBGB-style post-punk would’ve seemed like a force for good, and one that helped lead the way to more exciting things like electroclash. Nowadays though, after living through decades of bands citing The Strokes and their brand of post-punk as major influences, it’s hard to view ‘Is This It’ in quite the same way. The album is basically ‘Some Weird Sin’ by Iggy Pop, covered by Television, over and over again for 37 minutes. The Strokes do a good job of this; it’s a collection of snappy, well-written indie pop songs. At the same time, all the excitement or beauty of the bands they’re influenced by is missing here. The songs are good enough to keep The Strokes from coming across as just a cooler Greta Van Fleet, but in some ways, that’s exactly what they are. Is This It sounds purposely nostalgic on first listen. You can almost hear the Polaroid flash in things like “Someday,” a song that sounds almost built to be played during a montage of 16-year-olds enjoying some memorable summer. This nostalgic element also helps create the idea that there’s more going on here or some deeper meaning, but I’m not sure there actually is. The best songs like “The Modern Age” and “Hard to Explain,” follow the formula perfectly and do all the right tricks to make you “feel” something, but I’m unconvinced there’s much actually behind that. It’s all a bit hollow. That’s not to say the album is bad — it’s not, and I like it (although I’d actively choose to erase “Last Nite” from existence). It just doesn’t quite deserve its ever-growing title as the GOAT indie album. Maybe my opinion should be taken with a grain of salt, though, since I seem to be alone in far preferring The Strokes post ‘Is This It’ period. Personally, I find The Strokes’ ill-conceived attempts at mimicking other genres far more interesting than the thing they’re actually good at. That’s why I’m especially fond of the hated, half hearted, and messy ‘Comedown Machine’. Despite it being everyone’s least favourite Strokes album, how anyone could prefer any of the perfectly competent songs on ‘Is This It’ to the mangled brilliance of ‘One Way Trigger’ is beyond me. Sure, the songs on here may be actually good, but which of them features Julian Casablancas wailing over the top of the synth line from ‘Take on Me’ in a bizarre falsetto? That’s right; none of them do. Aha ‘Comedown Machine’ is better. I win. Everyone else is wrong. (One Way Trigger has retrospectively become even funnier and more lovable to me, as a Strokes song reimagined as synth-pop with heavy musical influences from Take on Me is essentially ‘As It Was’ by Harry Styles. Well done boys. You got there first. Sort of…)

A pretty good template for much of the indie rock that followed and better than a lot of it.

The early 2000’s was truly the golden age of Indie Rock, and this album is absolutely no exception. I really liked listening to this record, and for some reason I’d never really paid any attention to the Strokes previously. I’ve always been a big fan of some of the indie bands from this era; Death Cab, Modest Mouse, and Franz Ferdinand to name a few. This particular album has all the same vibes that I’m used to, but this undercurrent of almost post-punk. The verging on monotonous vocals they employ at times fit the music so well. This is a record I’ll probably revisit in the future.

Julian Casablancas kinda comes off as a scumbag but i really help can’t help but love this album. It’s really fun to listen to, it feels cool and makes you want to feel cool in 2000 New York City, and it really set the tone for a lot of really good indie/alt rock for the next like… 10? years? The Strokes just now how to craft a really good rock song.

eu amo the strokes e não n poderia botar menos que 4 estrelas nesse album maravilhoso

pela importancia 4 estrelas . Inauguraram o "Post-Millenium rock"

Is This It by The Strokes is the soundtrack to a certain kind of youth—the restless, messy, effortlessly cool kind. For us noughties kids, it’s more than just an album; it’s a time machine. It takes you back to watching The Inbetweeners, discovering music through dodgy downloads, and daydreaming about a life that felt just out of reach. For me, every track feels like a burst of energy wrapped in cigarette smoke and neon lights. Someday and Last Nite still hit like anthems of reckless optimism, the kind of songs that made you want to start a band or just wander the streets at night, feeling like you were part of something bigger. The album doesn’t try too hard—it just is. Loose but tight, polished but raw, cool without caring. Maybe that’s why it still holds up. It doesn’t just remind you of being young—it makes you feel it all over again.

Yep, loved it lovely.

Great album, I think the later albums have the best strokes songs, but the songs here are all pretty consistently good throughout 👍 Fav song: Last Nite (/Trying your luck)

Who doesn't enjoy the Strokes?

indie people annoy me but this album's class cannot be denied

This album is absolutely electric! While it has it's worse songs, it still defines an era. Other The Strokes albums are good, but none come close to Is This It's impact. Best Songs: Someday, Last Nite, Hard to Explain Worst Songs: Barely Legal

The sound on this is really smooth and interesting

Sehr gutes Album 4/5

Tightly arranged songs, could do with a little less distortion on the vocals, but all-in-all solid album.

This album was just some good straightforward alt rock with solid production. A lot of fun, had my head bobbing and my feet tapping as I drove down the freeway with this music cranked up!

cool love the shitty mic they recorded this on. bro peaking the mic every other word, really adds to the indie/garage band vibe

Good times

I was waiting for this album to be recommended to me. "Is This It?" is considered a classic by many alt-rock fans. Among them is myself, a first-time listener. I have listened to "Someday", which is a good song. This week has started well. 4 stars for "Is This It?".

8.5/10

Pretty significant part of music journey as a youth. Love the sound, unique, Julian casablanca has a distinguished voice. It was nice revisit of the album

Laaaaaast niiite, i heard this album. It was very good. I really enjoy the clean guitars mixed with Julian Casablanca’s raspy vocals. Solid all around, will listen again

I like it, not enough for a 5 but a solid 4 Will I listen to again: 95%

Nostalgiefaktor

Super lit 🔥

Is this it?