10 Perfect Albums That Defined The 2000s

After 1999, the rock community didn't have a lot to be proud of anymore. Although the waves of pop punk and nu metal were still riding strong, there wasn't any new trend that was itching to take over the scene at the time. As fate would have it though, the Strokes got their rocks off by throwing it back to the glory days of rock. No more effects...it was time to head back to the garage.

Coming out of the heart of New York City, Is This It arrived feeling like a '70s album that just happened to be released in the modern age. Across every single song, Julian Casablancas comes off as one of the most disaffected frontmen since Kurt Cobain, being both sarcastic and indifferent in his delivery at the exact same time. And while you wouldn't necessarily call what Albert Hammond Jr. does flashy, you can tell he knows his way around a hook, like leaving in space on the song Someday or blatantly taking a page from Tom Petty on the hook to Last Nite.

In this case, it's not so much about plagiarism. This was about tearing down the traditional rock sounds to make way for something new. With newer bands like the Arctic Monkeys following in their wake, The Strokes were announcing the new guard of rock and roll. It might be a bit off from your average rock outfit, but this was never a genre that was meant to make you comfortable, was it?