The Strokes are an American rock band from New York City, formed in 1998, and a leading group of the early-2000s garage rock revival. With their lean guitar sound, driving rhythms and Julian Casablancas's distinctive vocals, they helped put guitar rock back at the centre of popular music at the start of the new millennium.
The band have kept the same five members since they began, and their influence has lasted well beyond their breakthrough years. Their seventh album, Reality Awaits, was released on July 24, 2026, showing that The Strokes remain an active and important rock band more than 25 years after they formed.
Quick Facts
Band Name: The Strokes
Formed: 1998
Origin: New York City, USA
Members: Julian Casablancas (lead vocals), Nick Valensi (guitar), Albert Hammond Jr. (guitar), Nikolai Fraiture (bass), Fabrizio Moretti (drums)
Genres: Garage rock revival, post-punk revival, indie rock
Years Active: 1998-present
Labels: RCA, Cult Records
Early Life and Formation
The Strokes formed in New York City in 1998, and they have kept the same lineup since inception. The five members came together in the city and built a following with their tight, stripped-back live shows before they had released a full album.
Their debut EP, The Modern Age, was released in early 2001 and sparked a major-label bidding war. The attention around the EP made The Strokes one of the most talked-about new bands of the year, and they signed to RCA.
Career Highlights
The Strokes released their debut album, Is This It, in 2001 to widespread critical acclaim. Its direct songs and unpolished sound helped define the garage rock revival, and NME later named it the Greatest Album of the Decade for the 2000s.
The band followed it with Room on Fire in 2003 and First Impressions of Earth in 2006, which reached No. 1 in the UK. Later albums included Angles in 2011 and Comedown Machine in 2013, followed by the Future Present Past EP in 2016 on Cult Records.
The New Abnormal, released in 2020 and produced by Rick Rubin on Cult/RCA, brought the band renewed acclaim. It won Best Rock Album at the 63rd Grammy Awards in 2021, giving The Strokes their first Grammy Award.
Reality Awaits (2026)
The Strokes released their seventh album, Reality Awaits, on July 24, 2026, on Cult/RCA. It was produced by Rick Rubin in Costa Rica and was announced on April 6, 2026. The album was first delayed from June 26 to July 24 so that the streaming date matched the vinyl release, per Albert Hammond Jr. via NME.
The album's singles are "Going Shopping", "Falling Out of Love" and "Lonely in the Future". NME gave the album 4 stars.
The official video for "Going Shopping", released on June 28-29, 2026, stars actor Walton Goggins and was directed by Johann Rashid and filmed in Tenerife. It is a homage to Paul Simon's 1986 "You Can Call Me Al" video, with Goggins in the Chevy Chase role.
In 2026, The Strokes returned to Coachella after a 15-year absence, with a headline slot on April 11, 2026. They also took the Reality Awaits world tour through North America in August 2026 and the UK and Ireland in October 2026. On November 7, 2026, they performed "Lonely in the Future" and "Going Shopping" on Saturday Night Live, their fifth time as musical guests. Druski hosted, and Goggins joined the band on bongos for "Going Shopping".
According to a Parade report from April 2026, Casablancas had said he no longer speaks to guitarist Nick Valensi. That account is reported, not confirmed here as fact.
Hit Songs
- Last Nite
- Someday
- Reptilia
- You Only Live Once
- The Adults Are Talking
- Going Shopping
For more profiles of guitar bands from the same era, read the Green Day biography, The War on Drugs biography, Cage the Elephant biography and the Arctic Monkeys biography.
Watch the Official Video
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the members of The Strokes?
The Strokes are Julian Casablancas on lead vocals, Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond Jr. on guitar, Nikolai Fraiture on bass and Fabrizio Moretti on drums.
When did The Strokes form?
The Strokes formed in New York City in 1998, and they have kept the same lineup since then.
What is The Strokes' latest album?
Their latest album is Reality Awaits, their seventh album, released on July 24, 2026.
Did The Strokes win a Grammy?
Yes. The Strokes won Best Rock Album at the 63rd Grammy Awards in 2021 for The New Abnormal.
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