The Strokes are an American rock band formed in New York City in 1998, consisting of Julian Casablancas (lead vocals), Nick Valensi (guitar, keyboard, backing vocals), Albert Hammond, Jr. (rhythm guitar, keyboard, backing vocals), Nikolai Fraiture (bass) and Fabrizio Moretti (drums, percussion). Following the conclusion of five-album deals with RCA and Rough Trade, the band are currently signed to Casablancas' Cult Records.
Met with widespread critical acclaim, the Strokes' 2001 debut, Is This It, helped usher in the garage rock revival movement of the early-21st century—and ranks number eight on Rolling Stone's 100 Best Debut Albums of All Time, number two on Rolling Stone's 100 Best Albums of the '00s, 199 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time and number four in the NME top 500 albums of all time.
After its members embarked on a variety of side projects, the band regrouped for a fifth album, Comedown Machine, released on March 26, 2013. The Strokes have sold over 5 million albums to date.