Strokes – Is This it

The Strokes – Is This It is the debut album that announced one of the most consequential New York rock bands of the early 2000s, and this RCA CD pressing (catalog 0786 3681012) puts that record in your hands in a clean, widely accessible format. Recorded at Transporterraum in New York City with producer Gordon Raphael, the album arrived on July 30, 2001, first in Australia before rolling out globally, and it hit the ground moving fast: a number two entry on the UK Albums Chart and platinum certifications across multiple markets.

What Makes Strokes – Is This It Matter

The Strokes were five young New Yorkers who wanted to strip rock back to something lean and direct, and that intention is audible in every second of this record. Building on the momentum of their 2001 debut EP The Modern Age, the band shaped these songs largely through live takes in the studio, resisting the urge to overpolish. Julian Casablancas wrote lyrics grounded in the textures of urban life, young relationships, and the specific restlessness of city living. The result drew frequent comparisons to 1970s garage rock, and critics responded to the album’s charisma and rhythmic energy immediately. Singles “Hard to Explain,” “Last Nite,” and “Someday” each made a mark, and the album as a whole has since appeared on numerous best-of lists covering both the 2000s specifically and recorded music more broadly. Its influence on alternative rock’s development in the post-millennial era is widely documented and difficult to overstate without resorting to hyperbole. So we won’t. It changed the conversation. That’s enough.

Pressing and Format Details

This is the RCA Records CD release, catalog number 0786 3681012. Worth noting for collectors: the U.S. version of Is This It carries a different track listing from the international release. In the wake of the September 11 attacks, one track was swapped out for the American market, making the U.S. pressing a distinct artifact with its own specific context. The album cover was also altered for U.S. distribution after the original photograph, a close-up image considered too sexually explicit for American retail, was replaced. If you’re building a complete picture of this album’s release history, these regional variations matter and this pressing is part of that story.

Who Should Pick This Up

Collectors focused on early 2000s indie rock, completists tracking regional variations across the Is This It discography, or anyone who wants a solid copy of a genuinely important debut in a durable CD format. The RCA catalog number gives you a verified reference point for the pressing. It is a straightforward buy for what it is: a clean, legitimate copy of a record that holds up and belongs in a serious collection.