Beginning in the late 1990s, the White Stripes sought success within the Detroit music scene, releasing six
singles and two albums. They first found commercial success with their acclaimed third album, White Blood Cells (2001), which propelled the band to the forefront of the garage rock movement. Their fourth album, Elephant (2003), drew further success, winning the band their first Grammy Awards. It produced the single "Seven Nation Army", which became a sports anthem and the band's signature song.
They experimented extensively on their fifth album, Get Behind Me Satan (2005). They returned to their
blues roots with their sixth and final album, Icky Thump (2007), which was praised like the band's earlier albums. By the end of the 2000s, the White Stripes accumulated three entries on the US Billboard Hot 100, eleven entries on the US Alternative Airplay chart, and thirteen entries on the UK singles chart. After a lengthy hiatus from performing and recording, the band dissolved in 2011.
With their unlikely but fascinating mix of arty concepts and raw sounds, the White Stripes were among the
leaders of the early-2000s garage rock revival and helped define the sound of 21st century rock as the decade progressed. Jack and Meg White's clever use of limitations -- from their lineup to their instrumentation to their red, white, and black color scheme -- maximized their creativity, allowing them to bring a surprising number of facets to their seemingly back-to-basics approach.
Meg's straight-ahead, minimalist drumming complemented Jack's freewheeling guitars and vocals
perfectly, and their music touched on not only on obvious forebears such as the Gories and the Stooges, but also Son House and Blind Willie McTell's mythic blues, Led Zeppelin's riffs, the Gun Club's unhinged punk, and the timeless storytelling of country and folk legends such as Loretta Lynn and Bob Dylan.
In 2015, Rolling Stone dubbed the White Stripes the sixth greatest duo of all time. The same publication
included Jack on its list of "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" in 2010, and Meg on its list of the "100 Greatest Drummers of All Time" in 2016. In 2024, American Songwriter included the White Stripes on their list of the "Greatest (And Most Influential) Rock Music Duos Ever". In 2025, Ultimate Classic Rock placed the band first on their list of "Top 20 American Rock Bands of the 2000s."
The White Stripes have been described as garage rock, blues rock, alternative rock, punk blues, and indie
rock. They emerged from Detroit's active garage rock revival scene of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Their contemporaries included bands such as the Von Bondies, the Dirtbombs, the Detroit Cobras, and other bands that Jack included on a compilation album called Sympathetic Sounds of Detroit, which was recorded in his living room. Jack wrote all of the band's lyrics, and he and Meg co-wrote the music.
The White Stripes were notable for having only two musicians, limiting the instruments they could play
live, and lack of a bass player. Jack, the principal writer, said that this was not a problem, and that he "always centered the band around the number three. Everything was vocals, guitar and drums or vocals, piano and drums." Meg herself said that it was "difficult just being two people" but she was comfortable nonetheless. Fans and critics drew comparisons between Jack's prowess on the guitar and Meg's simplistic, reserved drumming. The band additionally drew attention for their preference for antiquated recording equipment.
LINE - UP
Jack White – guitar, keyboards, piano, vocals
Meg White – drums, percussion, vocals
Meg White – drums, percussion, vocals
DISCOGRAPHY
The White Stripes (1999)
De Stijl (2000)
White Blood Cells (2001)
Elephant (2003)
Get Behind Me Satan (2005)
Icky Thump (2007)
01. THE WHITE STRIPES - THE WHITE STRIPES 1999
De Stijl (2000)
White Blood Cells (2001)
Elephant (2003)
Get Behind Me Satan (2005)
Icky Thump (2007)
01. THE WHITE STRIPES - THE WHITE STRIPES 1999
Minimal to the point of sounding monumental, this Detroit guitar-drums-voice duo makes the most of its aesthetic choices and the spaces between riffage and the big beat. In fact, the White Stripes sound like
arena rock as hand-crafted in the attic. Singer/guitarist Jack White's voice is a singular, evocative combination of punk, metal, blues, and backwoods while his guitar work is grand and banging with just enough lyrical touches of slide and subtle solo work to let you know he means to use the metal-blues riff collisions just so. Drummer Meg White balances out the fretwork and the fretting with methodical, spare, and booming cymbal, bass drum, and snare cracks.
The White Stripes – The White Stripes
Label: Sympathy For The Record Industry – SFTRI 577
Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: Jun 1999
Genre: Rock
Style: Indie Rock
TRACKS
01. Jimmy The Exploder 2:29
02. Stop Breaking Down 2:20
Written-By – R. Johnson
03. The Big Three Killed My Baby 2:29
04. Suzy Lee 3:22
Slide Guitar [2nd] – Johnny Walker
05. Sugar Never Tasted So Good 2:55
06. Wasting My Time 2:14
07. Cannon 2:31
08. Astro 2:42
09. Broken Bricks 1:51
Lyrics By – Jack White, Stephen Gillis
Music By – The White Stripes
10. When I Hear My Name 1:55
11. Do 3:05
12. Screwdriver 3:14
13. One More Cup Of Coffee 3:14
Written-By – B. Dylan
14. Little People 2:22
15. Slicker Drips 1:31
16. St. James Infirmary Blues 2:24
Written-By – J. Primrose
17. I Fought Piranhas 3:07
Slide Guitar [2nd] – Johnny Walker
NOTES
Recorded January '99 at Ghetto Recorders, Cass Corridor, Detroit.
Tracks 5, 8, 12, 16 recorded at Ferdinand Street, Southwest Detroit [Jack White's home at the time]
Flac Size: 307 MB
02. THE WHITE STRIPES - DE STIJL 2000
Despite the seemingly instant attention surrounding the White Stripes -- glowing write-ups in glossy magazines like Rolling Stone and Mojo, guest lists boasting names like Kate Hudson and Chris Robinson, and appearances on national TV -- on White Blood Cells, they stay true to the approach that brought them
this success in the first place. Jack and Meg White's third effort for Sympathy for the Record Industry wraps their powerful, deceptively simple style around meditations on fame, love, and betrayal. As produced by Doug Easley, it sounds exactly how an underground sensation's breakthrough album should: bigger and tighter than their earlier material, but not so polished that it will disappoint longtime fans. Admittedly, White Blood Cells lacks some of the White Stripes' blues influence and urgency, but it perfects the pop skills the duo honed on De Stijl and expands on them.
2021 Deluxe Release
For the 20th anniversary of the album, Third Man Records released White Blood Cells XX in April 2021, which is a reissue including home demos, early studio mixes, alternate takes, and a live show from September 6, 2001, at Headliner's in Louisville, Kentucky.
White Blood Cells (Deluxe Esition)
Label: Sony Music – 19439842381, Third Man Records – 19439842381
Reissue: April 2021
Country: USA
Released: 2001
Genre :Rock
Style: Indie Rock, Alternative Rock, Blues Rock, Garage Rock
CD1.
01. Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground
02. Hotel Yorba
03. I’m Finding It Harder To Be a Gentleman
04. Fell In Love With a Girl
05. Expecting
06. Little Room
07. The Union Forever
08. The Same Boy You’ve Always Known
09. We’re Going to Be Friends
10. Offend In Every Way
11. I Think I Smell a Rat
12. Aluminum
13. I Can’t Wait
14. Now Mary
15. I Can Learn
16. This Protector
01. Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground (Live at The Gold Dollar 6/7/2001)
02. Hotel Yorba (Live at The Gold Dollar 6/7/2001)
03. I’m Finding It Harder To Be a Gentleman (Live at The Gold Dollar 6/7/2001)
04. Fell In Love With a Girl (Live at The Gold Dollar 6/7/2001)
05. Expecting (Live at The Gold Dollar 6/7/2001)
06. Little Room (Live at The Gold Dollar 6/7/2001)
07. The Union Forever (Live at The Gold Dollar 6/7/2001)
08. The Same Boy You’ve Always Known (Live at The Gold Dollar 6/7/2001)
09. We’re Going to Be Friends (Live at The Gold Dollar 6/7/2001)
10. Offend In Every Way (Live at The Gold Dollar 6/7/2001)
11. I Think I Smell a Rat (Live at The Gold Dollar 6/7/2001)
12. Aluminum (Live at The Gold Dollar 6/7/2001)
13. I Can’t Wait (Live at The Gold Dollar 6/7/2001)
14. Now Mary (Live at The Gold Dollar 6/7/2001)
15. I Can Learn (Live at The Gold Dollar 6/7/2001)
16. This Protector (Live at The Gold Dollar 6/7/2001)
Flac Size: 248 MB
04. THE WHITE STRIPES - ELEPHANT 2003
Almost as much fun to analyze as it is to listen to, Elephant overflows with quality -- it's full of tight songwriting, sharp, witty lyrics, and judiciously used basses and tumbling keyboard melodies that enhance
the band's powerful simplicity (and the excellent "The Air Near My Fingers" features all of these). Crucially, the White Stripes know the difference between fame and success; while they may not be entirely comfortable with their fame, they've succeeded at mixing blues, punk, and garage rock in an electrifying and unique way ever since they were strictly a Detroit phenomenon. On these terms, Elephant is a phenomenal success.
The White Stripes – Elephant
Label: XL Recordings – XLCD 162, Third Man Records – XLCD 162
Format: CD, Album, Stereo, Sonopress
Country: Europe
Released: 2003
Genre: Rock
Style: Alternative Rock, Garage Rock, Southern Rock
TRACKS
01. Seven Nation Army 3:51
02. Black Math 3:03
03. There's No Home For You Here 3:43
04. I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself 2:46
Written-By – B. Bacharach & H. David
05. In The Cold, Cold Night 2:58
06. I Want To Be The Boy To Warm Your Mother's Heart 3:20
07. You've Got Her In Your Pocket 3:39
08. Ball And Biscuit 7:19
09. The Hardest Button To Button 3:32
10. Little Acorns 4:09
Voice [Spoken Word Intro], Written-By [Spoken Word Intro] – Mort Crim
11. Hypnotize 1:48
12. The Air Near My Fingers 3:40
13. Girl, You Have No Faith In Medicine 3:17
14. Well It's True That We Love One Another 2:42
Vocals [Special Guest] – Miss Holly Golightly
Flac Size: 378 MB
05. THE WHITE STRIPES - GET BEHIND ME SATAN 2005
According to Jack White, Get Behind Me Satan deals with "characters and the ideal of truth," but in truth,
the album is just as much about what people expect from the White Stripes and what they themselves want to deliver. Advance publicity for the album stated that it was written on piano, marimba, and acoustic guitar, suggesting that it was going to be a quiet retreat to the band's little room after the big sound, and
bigger success, of Elephant. Though Jack and Meg still find fresh, arty reinterpretations of their classic inspirations, this time the results are exciting in a different way than their usual fare; and while the album was made in just two weeks, it takes awhile to unravel and appreciate. Get Behind Me Satan may confuse and even push away some White Stripes fans, but the more the band pushes itself, the better.
The White Stripes – Get Behind Me Satan
Label: V2 – 63881-27256-2, Third Man Records – 63881-27256-2
Format: CD, Album, Stereo
Country: US
Released: Jun 7, 2005
Genre: Rock
Style: Alternative Rock, Rock & Roll, Indie Rock
TRACKS
01. Blue Orchid 2:37
02. The Nurse
Marimba – Jack White 3:47
03. My Doorbell 4:01
04. Forever For Her (Is Over For Me) 3:15
Marimba – Jack White
05. Little Ghost 2:18
Backing Vocals – Meg White
06. The Denial Twist 2:35
Tambourine, Percussion [Shakers] – Eddie Gillis
07. White Moon 4:01
08. Instinct Blues 4:16
09. Passive Manipulation 0:35
Vocals, Triangle – Meg White
10. Take, Take, Take 4:22
Bells – Meg White
11. As Ugly As I Seem 4:10
Bongos – Meg White
12. Red Rain 3:52
Bells – Meg White
13. I'm Lonely (But I Ain't That Lonely Yet) 4:19
Flac Size: 263 MB
06. THE WHITE STRIPES - ICKY THUMP 2007
Given the White Stripes’ reputation for powerful concerts, it’s a little surprising that they waited until
more than a decade into their career to release a live album. However, Under Great White Northern Lights was worth the wait: While nothing can really replace seeing the band live, this set captures most of their riveting on-stage presence. The album was recorded during the Stripes’ 2007 Canadian tour, which was such a special experience for them that they chronicled it with a DVD as well.
The White Stripes – Icky Thump
Label: XL Recordings – XLCD271, Third Man Records – XLCD271
Format: CD, Album
Country: Europe
Released: Jun 2007
Genre: Rock
Style: Blues Rock, Garage Rock, Indie Rock
TRACKS
01. Icky Thump 4:14
02. You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do As You're Told) 3:54
03. 300 M.P.H. Torrential Outpour Blues 5:28
04. Conquest 2:48
Trumpet – Regulo Aldama
Written-By – Corky Robbins
05. Bone Broke 3:14
06. Prickly Thorn, But Sweetly Worn 3:05
Bagpipes – Jim Drury
07. St. Andrew (This Battle Is In The Air) 1:49
Bagpipes – Jim Drury
08. Little Cream Soda 3:45
09. Rag And Bone 3:48
10. I'm Slowly Turning Into You 4:34
11. A Martyr For My Love For You 4:19
12. Catch Hell Blues 4:18
13. Effect And Cause 3:00
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