46.

The Strokes
Is This It?
(RCA, 2001)

That’s right, turn of the century garage revivalists The Strokes made the list. I had a really, really, really difficult time cutting the list down to 100 and in my initial drafts of the top 100 The Strokes really didn’t enter my mind as a serious contender for the list. It is amazing how longstanding the backlash hype has been for me with these guys. But, after revisiting This Is It?, there is simply no denying the simplistic glory of these perfectly crafted pop songs. Never stepping too far away from their influences (The Velvet Underground, Television, The Stooges), yet managing to maintain a healthy grip on their own take on the form, The Strokes debuted a perfect record and the first in my memory to really puncture the popular culture of my era with some actual noteworthy tunes.

-Thistle