The Strokes - Is This It

Is This It was released in 2001, with its UK release arriving in July and the US release following in October of that year. The album arrived at a time when mainstream rock was dominated by nu-metal and post-grunge, and it helped catalyze a garage rock and post-punk revival. Its impact was felt almost immediately across the indie and mainstream rock landscape.

The original UK cover featured a close-up photograph of a woman's hip and a gloved hand, which RCA Records deemed inappropriate for the US market. The American release replaced it with an image of particle collisions from a bubble chamber. The US track listing also replaced 'New York City Cops' with 'When It Started' following the September 11 attacks.

The most prominent singles from Is This It include 'Last Nite,' 'Hard to Explain,' and 'Someday.' 'Last Nite' became the band's breakthrough hit and received heavy rotation on MTV and alternative radio. These tracks remain among the Strokes' most recognized and frequently streamed songs.

Is This It was produced by Gordon Raphael, an American producer who worked out of his Transporterraum studio in New York City. Raphael's raw, unpolished production style was crucial to the album's distinctive stripped-down sound. He also produced the band's earlier EP The Modern Age, which initially attracted major-label attention.