The Strokes Is This It ((install)) Jun 2026
Best for: Showing off your setup or a high-quality photo of the iconic cover.
The hit. The riff that launched a thousand garage bands. If you only know one song from , it's this one. Many critics noted its similarity to Tom Petty’s "American Girl," but The Strokes stripped away the heartland earnestness and replaced it with NYC grit. The music video—a single shot of the band playing in a small, hot room—became iconic. the strokes is this it
This is the controversial track. In the original US release, the song follows "Hard to Explain." However, due to the September 11th attacks (the album was due to be released just weeks after), the band voluntarily removed the track from the US version out of respect, replacing it with "When It Started." The lyric "New York City cops / They ain't too smart" felt tactless in the wake of the tragedy. On the international version, the raw aggression of this track remains a highlight. Best for: Showing off your setup or a
In an age of hyper-produced, auto-tuned, algorithmic music, Is This It sounds human. It sounds like five guys in a room who hate everything except each other. It is the sound of the morning after the party, the walk home at 4 AM, the cigarette before work. It is not an angry album; it is a cool album. And cool, unlike anger, never goes out of style. If you only know one song from , it's this one
