28. The Strokes

From the powerful music scene of New York City, the Strokes ushered in a revival of the garage sound, yet did so with a musical precision far beyond that of their forefathers.

NYC gave the world the Velvet Underground, the Ramones, and Television, and the Strokes sounded like they were an early 2000’s band that could have only existed in that city.  It didn’t hurt that, despite their thrift-store vibe, it was a group that formed in a prep school, with members coming from elite parentage; Lead Singer Julian Casablancas was the son of Elite Model Agency Group head John Casablancas, and guitarist Albert Hammond Jr was the son of the singer/songwriter of the same name. 

With rapid-fire angular guitar attacks, the Strokes' sound was distorted, yet freakishly tight.  Their debut album, “Is This It” was a much-needed return to the ethos of pure rock, and a departure from nu-metal that was the rage of the past half-decade.  The album was the darling of 2001 and set the tone for American rock music for the first decade of the millennium.  Later efforts by the Strokes saw them develop other elements to their brand, but they never veered too far away from what cemented their legacy.

This is the type of band that the Hall of Fame usually loves.