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The White Stripes were an American rock duo formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1997. The group consisted of Jack White (guitar, keyboards, piano, vocals) and Meg White (drums, percussion, vocals). They were a leading group of 2000s indie rock and the decade's garage rock revival.

Key Information

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.

The White Stripes used a low-fidelity approach to writing and recording. Their music featured a melding of garage rock and blues influences and a raw simplicity of composition, arrangement, and performance. The duo were noted for their mysterious public image, their fashion and design aesthetic which featured a simple color scheme of red, white, and black—which was used on every album and single cover they released—and their fascination with the number three. They made selective media appearances, including Jim Jarmusch's anthology film Coffee and Cigarettes (2003) and the documentary Under Great White Northern Lights (2009).

The White Stripes released six studio albums, two live albums, one compilation album, and one extended play. They received numerous accolades, including six Grammy Awards from eleven nominations. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame included White Blood Cells on their "200 Definitive Albums" list. Rolling Stone ranked White Blood Cells and Elephant on their list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time", and named the band the sixth greatest duo of all time in 2015. The White Stripes were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2025, after being nominated in 2023 (the band's first year of eligibility).

History

[edit]

1997–1999: Early years, formation and The White Stripes

[edit]

In high school, Jack Gillis (as he was then known)[1] met Meg White at the Memphis Smoke—the restaurant where she worked and where he would read his poetry at open mic nights.[2] The two started dating and began frequenting the coffee shops, local music venues, and record stores of the area.[3] Gillis was an established drummer during this period, performing with his upholstery apprenticeship mentor, Brian Muldoon,[4][5] the Detroit cowpunk band Goober & the Peas,[6][7][8] the garage punk band the Go, the Hentchmen, and Two-Star Tabernacle.

Gillis and White were married in 1996.[9][10] Contrary to convention, he took his wife's surname.[4][11] On Bastille Day 1997,[12] Meg started learning to play the drums. In Jack's words, "When she started to play drums with me, just on a lark, it felt liberating and refreshing. There was something in it that opened me up."[4] The couple then became a band and, while they considered calling themselves Bazooka and Soda Powder,[13] they settled on the White Stripes.[14]

The White Stripes had their first live performance on August 14, 1997, at the Gold Dollar bar in Detroit.[15] They began their career as part of the Michigan underground garage rock scene, playing with local bands such as the Hentchmen, the Dirtbombs, the Gories, and Rocket 455.[16] In 1998, Dave Buick—owner of an independent, Detroit-based, garage-punk label called Italy Records—approached the band at a bar and asked if they would like to record a single.[17] Jack initially declined, believing it would be too expensive, but he eventually reconsidered when he realized that Buick was offering to pay for it.[18] Their debut single, "Let's Shake Hands", was released on vinyl in February 1998 with an initial pressing of 1,000 copies.[19] This was followed in October 1998 by the single "Lafayette Blues" which, again, was only released on vinyl with 1,000 copies.[20][21][22]

In 1999, the White Stripes signed with the California-based label Sympathy for the Record Industry.[23][24] In March 1999, they released the single "The Big Three Killed My Baby", followed by their debut album, The White Stripes, on June 15, 1999.[23] The self-titled debut was produced by Jack and engineered by American music producer Jim Diamond at his Ghetto Recorders studio in Detroit.[25] The album was dedicated to the seminal Mississippi Delta blues musician Son House, an artist who influenced Jack.[26][27] The track "Cannon" from The White Stripes contains part of an a cappella version, as performed by House, of the traditional American gospel blues song "John the Revelator". The White Stripes also covered House's song "Death Letter" on their follow-up album, De Stijl. Looking back on their debut during a 2003 interview with Guitar Player, Jack said, "I still feel we've never topped our first album. It's the most raw, the most powerful, and the most Detroit-sounding record we've made."[28] AllMusic said of the album: "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... Meg White balances out the fretwork and the fretting with methodical, spare, and booming cymbal, bass drum, and snare... All D.I.Y. punk-country-blues-metal singer-songwriting duos should sound this good."[23]

2000–2002: De Stijl and White Blood Cells

[edit]
The White Stripes at Club Shinjuku Jam, Tokyo in 2000, where they played to an audience of 10–20 people in their first Japanese tour.

The White Stripes released "Hand Springs" as a 7" split single with fellow Detroit band the Dirtbombs on the B-side in 2000; it was recorded in late 1999. Several copies came free with the pinball fanzine Multiball.[29] Jack and Meg divorced in March of that same year.[30] The White Stripes were scheduled to perform at a local music lounge soon after they separated. Jack assumed the band was over and asked Buick and nephew Ben Blackwell to perform with him in the slot that had been booked for the White Stripes. However, the day they were supposed to perform, Meg convinced Jack that the White Stripes should continue and the band reunited.[31]

The White Stripes' second album, De Stijl (Dutch for "The Style"), was released on the Sympathy for the Record Industry label on June 20, 2000.[32] The songs were recorded on an 8-track analog tape in Jack's living room,[33][34] De Stijl displays the simplicity of the band's blues and "scuzzy garage rock" fusion prior to their breakthrough success.[35][36] The album title derives from the Dutch art movement of the same name;[35] common elements of the De Stijl aesthetic are demonstrated on the album cover, which sets the band members against an abstract background of rectangles and lines in red, black and white.[26] The album was dedicated to furniture designer and architect Gerrit Rietveld of the De Stijl movement, as well as to the influential Georgia bluesman Blind Willie McTell.[37] De Stijl eventually reached number 38 on Billboard Magazine's Independent Albums chart in 2002, around the time the White Stripes' popularity began establishing itself. One New York Times critic at the time said that the Stripes typified "what many hip rock fans consider real music."[38]

Party of Special Things to Do was released as a 7" on Sub Pop in December 2000.[39] It comprised three songs originally performed by Captain Beefheart, an experimental blues rock musician.[40]

The White Stripes' third album, White Blood Cells, was released on July 3, 2001, on Sympathy for the Record Industry.[41] The band enjoyed its first significant success the following year with the major label re-release of the album on V2 Records.[42][43] Its stripped-down garage rock sound drew critical acclaim in the UK,[44] and in the US soon afterward, making the White Stripes one of the most acclaimed bands of 2002.[15][42] Several outlets praised their "back to basics" approach.[45][46] After their first appearance on network TV (a live set on The Late Late Show With Craig Kilborn), Joe Hagan of The New York Times declared, "They have made rock rock again by returning to its origins as a simple, primitive sound full of unfettered zeal."[47]

White Blood Cells peaked at number 61 on the Billboard 200, reaching Gold record status by selling over 500,000 albums. It reached number 55 in the United Kingdom,[48] being bolstered in both countries by the single "Fell in Love with a Girl" and its accompanying Lego-animation music video directed by Michel Gondry.[49] The video won three awards at the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards: Breakthrough Video, Best Special Effects, and Best Editing, and the band played the song live at the event.[12] It was also nominated for Video of the Year, but fell short of winning.[50] It also spawned the acclaimed singles "Hotel Yorba", "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground", and "We're Going to Be Friends".[51] Stylus Magazine rated White Blood Cells as the fourteenth greatest album of 2000–2005,[52] while Pitchfork ranked it eighth on their list of the top 100 albums from 2000 to 2004.[53]

In 2002, George Roca produced and directed a concert film about the band titled Nobody Knows How to Talk to Children.[54] It chronicles the White Stripes' four-night stand at New York City's Bowery Ballroom in 2002, and contains live performances and behind-the-scenes footage. Its 2004 release was suppressed by the band's management, however, after they discovered that Roca had been showing it at the Seattle Film Festival without permission.[55] According to the band, the film was "not up to the standards our fans have come to expect";[55] even so, it remains a highly prized bootleg.[56] Also in 2002, they appeared as musical guests on Saturday Night Live.[57]

2003–2006: Elephant and Get Behind Me Satan

[edit]

The White Stripes' fourth album, Elephant, was recorded in 2002 over the span of two weeks with British recording engineer Liam Watson at his Toe Rag Studios in London.[58] Jack self-produced the album with antiquated equipment, including a duct-taped 8-track tape machine and pre-1960s recording gear.[58] In a 2017 interview with The New Yorker, Jack said "We had no business being in the mainstream. We assumed the music we were making was private, in a way. We were from the scenario where there are fifty people in every town. Something about us was beyond our control, though. Now it's five hundred people, now it's a second night, what is going on? Is everybody out of their minds?"[24] Promotional work for the album was postponed after Meg broke her wrist in New York.[59] Elephant was released in 2003 on V2 in the US, and on XL Recordings in England.[24][60] It marked the band's major label debut and was their first UK chart-topping album, as well as their first US Top 10 album (at number six).[24] The album eventually reached double platinum certification in Britain,[61] and platinum certification in the United States.[62] To promote the album, they made several appearances on Late Night with Conan O'Brien in 2003, and they collaborated with Conan O'Brien frequently afterwards.[63]

Elephant garnered critical acclaim upon its release.[15] It received a perfect five-out-of-five-star rating from Rolling Stone magazine, and enjoys a 92-percent positive rating on Metacritic.[64][65] AllMusic said the album "sounds even more pissed-off, paranoid, and stunning than its predecessor... Darker and more difficult than White Blood Cells."[66] Elephant was notable for Jack's first guitar solos and Meg's first leading vocal performance on "In the Cold, Cold Night";[67] critics also praised Meg's drumming.[68][69] Rolling Stone placed Jack at number 17 on its list of "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" and included Meg on its list of the "100 Greatest Drummers of All Time".[70][71] Elephant was ranked number 390 on the magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.[72] In 2009, the album came in at number 18 in NME's "Top 100 Greatest Albums of the decade". NME referred to the album as the pinnacle of the White Stripes' time as a band and one of Jack White's best works of his career.[73][74]

The White Stripes performing at Bell Centre in 2005

The album's first single, "Seven Nation Army", was the band's most successful and topped the Billboard rock charts.[75] Its success was followed with a cover of Burt Bacharach's "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself". The album's third single was the successful "The Hardest Button to Button".[76] "There's No Home for You Here" was the fourth single. In 2004, the album won a Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album, while "Seven Nation Army" won a Grammy for Best Rock Song.[77] Also in 2004, the band released its first music film Under Blackpool Lights, which was shot entirely on super 8 film and was directed by Dick Carruthers.[78][79]

In 2005, Jack began working on songs for the band's next album at his home.[80] He played with different techniques than in past albums, trading in his electric guitar for an acoustic on all but a few of the tracks, as his trademark riff-based lead guitar style is overtaken by a predominantly rhythmic approach.[81] The White Stripes' fifth album, Get Behind Me Satan, was released in 2005 on the V2 label.[82] The title is an allusion to a Biblical quotation Jesus made to the Apostle Simon Peter from the Gospel of Matthew 16:23 of the New Testament (in the King James Version, the quotation is slightly different: "Get thee behind me, Satan"[83]). Another theory about this title is that Jack and Meg White read James Joyce's story collection "Dubliners" (published 1914) and used a line from the story "Grace" to title this album. The title is also a direct quotation from Who bassist John Entwistle's solo song "You're Mine".

With its reliance on piano-driven melodies and experimentation with marimba on "The Nurse" and "Forever For Her (Is Over For Me)", Get Behind Me Satan did not feature the explicit blues and punk styles that dominated earlier White Stripes albums.[84] However, despite this, the band was critically lauded for their "fresh, arty reinterpretations of their classic inspirations."[82] It has garnered positive reactions from fans, as well as critical acclaim, receiving more Grammy nominations as well as making them one of the must-see acts of the decade.[85][86] Rolling Stone ranked it the third best album of the year[87] and it received the Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album in 2006.

The White Stripes after a performance in 2005

Three singles were released from the album, the first being "Blue Orchid", a popular song on satellite radio and some FM stations.[88][89] The second and third singles were "My Doorbell" and "The Denial Twist", respectively, and music videos were made for the three singles. "My Doorbell" was nominated for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.[90] The White Stripes postponed the Japanese leg of their world tour after Jack strained his vocal cords, with doctors recommending that Jack not sing or talk for two weeks.[91] After a full recovery, he returned to the stage in Auckland, New Zealand to headline the Big Day Out tour.[82][92] While on the British leg of the tour, Jack changed his name from Jack White to "Three quid".[93]

On October 12, 2004, Jim Diamond—the owner and operator of Ghetto Recorders recording studio—filed a lawsuit against the band and Third Man Records for "breach of contract".[94] In the suit, he claimed that as the co-producer, mixer, and editor on the band's debut album, and mixer and engineer on De Stijl, he was due royalties for "mechanical rights".[94][95] The band filed a counterclaim on May 16, 2005, requesting damages against Diamond and an official court declaration denying him rights to the material.[94] Diamond lost the suit on June 15, 2006, with the jury determining that he was not instrumental in crafting the band's sound.[95][96] The White Stripes released a cover version of Tegan and Sara's song "Walking with a Ghost" on iTunes in November 2005. The song was later released in December as the Walking with a Ghost EP featuring four other live tracks.[97]

In October 2006, it was announced on the official White Stripes website that there would be an album of avant-garde orchestral recordings consisting of past music written by Jack called Aluminium. The album was made available for pre-order on November 6, 2006, to great demand from the band's fans; the LP version of the project sold out in a little under a day. The project was conceived by Richard Russell, founder of XL Recordings, who co-produced the album with Joby Talbot.[98] It was recorded between August 2005 and February 2006 at Intimate Studios in Wapping, London using an orchestra. Before the album went out of print, it was available exclusively through the Aluminium website in a numbered limited edition of 3,333 CDs with 999 LPs.[99]

2007–2008: Icky Thump and hiatus

[edit]
Promotional posters for the Icky Thump tour in Canada, 2007

On January 12, 2007, V2 Records announced that, due to being under the process of reconstruction, it would no longer release new White Stripes material, leaving the band without a label.[100] However, as the band's contract with V2 had already expired, on February 12, 2007, it was confirmed that the band had signed a single album deal with Warner Bros. Records.[101][102] Their sixth album, Icky Thump, was released on June 19, 2007.[49][103] Following the well-received Get Behind Me Satan, Icky Thump marked a return to the punk, garage rock and blues influences for which the band is known.[49] It was recorded at Blackbird Studio in Nashville and took almost three weeks to record—the longest of any White Stripes album. It would also be their first album with a title track. The album's release came on the heels of a series of concerts in Europe and one in North America at Bonnaroo.[104][105] Prior to the album's release, three tracks were previewed to NME: "Icky Thump", "You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do as You're Told)" and "Conquest". NME described the tracks as "an experimental, heavy sounding 70s riff", "a strong, melodic love song" and "an unexpected mix of big guitars and a bold horn section", respectively.[106]

On the US Billboard Charts dated May 12, 2007, "Icky Thump"—the first single—became the band's first Top 40 single, charting at number 26, and later charted at number 2 in the UK. Icky Thump entered the UK Albums Chart at number one,[107] and debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 with 223,000 copies sold.[107][108] By late July, Icky Thump was certified gold in the United States. As of March 8, 2008, the album has sold 725,125 copies in the US. On February 10, 2008, the album won a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album.

On April 25, 2007, the duo announced that they would embark on a tour of Canada, performing in all 10 provinces, plus Yukon, Nunavut and Northwest Territories. In the words of Jack: "Having never done a tour of Canada, Meg and I thought it was high time to go whole hog. We want to take this tour to the far reaches of the Canadian landscape. From the ocean to the permafrost. The best way for us to do that is ensure that we perform in every province and territory in the country, from the Yukon to Prince Edward Island. Another special moment of this tour is the show which will occur in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia on July 14, the White Stripes' Tenth Anniversary." Canadian fiddler Ashley MacIsaac opened for the band at the Savoy Theatre, Glace Bay show; earlier in 2007, MacIsaac and Jack had discovered that they were distantly related.[109] It was also at this time that White learned he was related to Canadian fiddle player Natalie MacMaster.[110]

The White Stripes giving an impromptu show for fans on a bus in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 2007

On June 24, 2007, just a few hours before their concert at Deer Lake Park, the White Stripes began their cross-Canada tour by playing a 40-minute set for a group of 30 kids at the Creekside Youth Centre in Burnaby. The Canadian tour was also marked by concerts in small markets,[13] such as Glace Bay, Whitehorse and Iqaluit, as well as by frequent "secret shows" publicized mainly by posts on The Little Room, a White Stripes fan messageboard. Gigs included performances at a bowling alley in Saskatoon, a youth center in Edmonton, a Winnipeg Transit bus and The Forks park in Winnipeg, a park in Whitehorse, the YMCA in downtown Toronto, the Arva Flour Mill in Arva, Ontario,[13] and Locas on Salter (a pool hall) in Halifax, Nova Scotia. They also played a historic one-note show on George Street in St. John's, Newfoundland, in an attempt to break a Guinness World Record for the shortest concert.[111] It was inducted briefly in 2009, but was discontinued the following year.[112] Media publications have continued to call it the shortest concert.[113][114] They played a full show later that night at the Mile One Centre in downtown St. John's.[113] Video clips from several of the secret shows have been posted to YouTube.[115] As well, the band filmed its video for "You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do as You're Told)" in Iqaluit.

After the conclusion of the Canadian dates, they embarked on a brief US leg of their tour, which was to be followed by a break before more shows in the fall.[13] But before their last show—in Southaven, Mississippi—Ben Blackwell (Jack's nephew and the group's archivist) says that Meg approached him and said, "This is the last White Stripes show". He asked if she meant of the tour, but she responded, "No. I think this is the last show, period."[13] On September 11, 2007, the band announced the cancellation of 18 tour dates due to Meg's struggle with acute anxiety.[91] A few days later, the duo canceled the remainder of their 2007 UK tour dates as well.[116] In his review of Under Great White Northern Lights for Vanity Fair, Bill Bradley commented on the tour cancellations, saying that it was "impossible" not to see Meg as "road-weary and worn-out" at the end of the film.[117]

The band was on hiatus from late 2007 to early 2011. While on hiatus, Jack formed a group called the Dead Weather, although he insisted that the White Stripes remained his top priority.[118] Dominique Payette, a Quebecois radio host, sued the band for $70,000 in 2008 for sampling 10 seconds of her radio show in the song "Jumble Jumble" without permission.[119] The matter was ultimately settled out of court.[120] In early 2008, the band released limited-edition Holga cameras stylized around Jack and Meg.[121]

2009–2011: Final years and breakup

[edit]

The White Stripes performed live for the first time since September 2007 on the final episode of Late Night with Conan O'Brien on February 20, 2009, where they performed an alternate version of "We're Going to Be Friends".[122][123][124] In an article dated May 6, 2009, with MusicRadar.com, Jack mentioned recording songs with Meg before the Conan gig had taken place, saying, "We had recorded a couple of songs at the new studio." About a new White Stripes album, Jack said, "It won't be too far off. Maybe next year." Jack also explained Meg's acute anxiety during the Stripes' last tour, saying, "I just came from a Raconteurs tour and went right into that, so I was already full-speed. Meg had come from a dead-halt for a year and went right back into that madness. Meg is a very shy girl, a very quiet and shy person. To go full-speed from a dead-halt is overwhelming, and we had to take a break."[125] The Conan gig proved to be their final live performance as a band.

In 2009 Jack reported that the White Stripes were working on their seventh album.[126][127] A concert film, Under Great White Northern Lights, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 18, 2009.[128][129][130] The film documents the band's summer 2007 tour across Canada and contains live concert and off-stage footage.[131] Jack and Meg White appeared at the premiere and made a short speech before the movie started about their love of Canada and why they chose to debut their movie in Toronto.[132] The tour was in support of the album Icky Thump, and they performed in every province.[133] Jack conceived the idea of touring Canada after learning that Scottish relatives on his father's side had lived for a few generations in Nova Scotia before relocating to Detroit to work in the car factories.[134] Additionally, their 10th anniversary occurred during the tour on the day of their show at the Savoy Theatre in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia,[133] and in this shot, Jack and Meg are dancing at the conclusion of the concert. The film was directed by a friend of the duo, Emmett Malloy.[135]

In an interview with Self Titled, Jack alluded to the creation of a White Stripes film, Under Nova Scotian Lights, to be released later in 2009.[136] In an interview with contactmusic.com, Jack claimed that working with the White Stripes would be "strange". "It would definitely be strange to go into the White Stripes again and have to rethink my game," adding: "But that would be the best thing about it, because it would be a whole new White Stripes."[137]

In February 2010, a Super Bowl ad by the US Air Force Reserve caused the White Stripes to "take strong insult and objection to the Air Force Reserve presenting this advertisement with the implication that we licensed one of our songs to encourage recruitment during a war that we do not support."[138] In November 2010, the White Stripes contributed a previously released cover version of the song "Rated X" to the compilation album Coal Miner's Daughter: A Tribute To Loretta Lynn.[139] In late 2010, the White Stripes reissued their first three albums on Third Man Records on a 180-gram vinyl along with 500 limited-edition, "split-colored" records to accompany it.[140][141] Jack hinted at a possible White Stripes reunion in a 2010 interview with Vanity Fair. He said, "We thought we'd do a lot of things that we'd never done: a full tour of Canada, a documentary, coffee-table book, live album, a boxed set ... Now that we've gotten a lot of that out of our system, Meg and I can get back in the studio and start fresh."[142]

On February 2, 2011, the duo announced that they had officially ceased recording and performing music as the White Stripes. The announcement specifically denied any artistic differences or health issues, but cited "a myriad of reasons ... mostly to preserve what is beautiful and special about the band".[143][144]

Post-breakup

[edit]
Jack (pictured in 2012) embarked on a solo music career following the breakup of the White Stripes, beginning with his debut album Blunderbuss (2012).

Following the band's breakup, Jack continued his music career while Meg retired and returned to Detroit.[145] In a 2014 interview, Jack told Rolling Stone that Meg's emotionally reserved nature had been a source of tension when the duo was together, as she had little to say about the band's success. He spoke positively, however, of her musical acumen, saying "She was the antithesis of a modern drummer. So childlike and incredible and inspiring. All the not-talking didn't matter, because onstage? Nothing I do will top that." He also said that he believes a reunion is unlikely.[146]

Several unreleased recordings and memorabilia of the band have been released through Third Man, typically through the Third Man Records Vault, a "rarity-excavating" quarterly subscription service.[147] This began with a 2009 package that included a mono mix of Icky Thump. The latest package is 2023's Elephant XX, a mono mix of the aforementioned album which celebrates its 20th anniversary.[148][149] In 2016, the previously unheard "City Lights" was released as a promotional single after Michel Gondry surprised Jack with a music video.[150] It was additionally featured on Jack's compilation album Acoustic Recordings 1998–2016 and received a nomination for Best American Roots Song at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards.[151][152]

During the campaigning for the 2016 United States presidential election, then Republican candidate Donald Trump used "Seven Nation Army" in a campaign video against the Stripes' wishes. Jack and Meg made a joint post on the White Stripes Facebook page, stating that they were "disgusted by this association, and by the illegal use of their song" and that they had "nothing whatsoever to do with this video".[153] They also released a limited edition T-shirt that read "Icky Trump" on the front.[154][155]

On October 6, 2020, a greatest hits album titled The White Stripes Greatest Hits was announced through Third Man not as a vault exclusive.[156] It consists of twenty-six songs including "Ball and Biscuit" which was released as a promotional single.[157][158] The band relaunched their Instagram account to promote the album.[159] It was released in the United States by Third Man and Columbia Records on December 4, 2020,[160][156] and was internationally released on February 26, 2021.[161][162] Wartella-directed music videos for "Let's Shake Hands" and "Apple Blossom" were released simultaneously.[163][164] AllMusic's Heather Phares wrote: "The White Stripes Greatest Hits is filled with the same detail, wit, and willingness to subvert expectations that made the band so dynamic when they were active ... the collection's hand-curated feel is much more personal than the average best-of or streaming play list."[165] The New Yorker's Amanda Petrusich called the album "a good reminder of how odd and inventive the band was ... It feels old-fashioned, even deliberately so, but it sounds awfully good."[166]

In May 2023, Third Man Books announced The White Stripes Complete Lyrics 1997-2007, a book featuring lyrics written during the band's activity in addition to rough drafts and unseen content.[167][168] When compiling the lyrics, Jack said that "I couldn't get through any of those songs; I would cry halfway through each of those songs... some of them are the first songs I really had ever written, or among the earliest... humbly, I don't really know why anyone would get anything out of them... but people reflect back at you and keep mentioning that and you go 'OK, I guess people are getting something out of that.'"[169] It was released in October of that same year.[170][171] Also in 2023, in their first year of eligibility, the White Stripes were nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame but were not inducted.[172]

The Trump campaign again used "Seven Nation Army" during the 2024 United States presidential election,[173][174] which resulted in Jack and Meg filing a copyright infringement lawsuit in September 2024.[175][176][177][178] Their complaint accuses Trump of "flagrant misappropriation" and clarifies that they "vehemently oppose the policies adopted and actions taken by Defendant Trump when he was President and those he has proposed for the second term he seeks".[179][180] The lawsuit was dropped in November 2024.[181]

In January 2025, the White Stripes were nominated a second time for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[182] Andy Greene of Rolling Stone remarked that the chances of a reunion were slim due to Meg retreating from the music industry and media, and wrote, "Let's hope that Meg at least watches the Disney+ livestream and smiles when the White Stripes are inducted. Great moments don't always need to play out in public. And Meg White doesn't owe us anything."[183] In November of that same year, they were inducted by Iggy Pop into the hall of fame.[184][185] Meg did not attend the ceremony; Jack accepted the award for the band and gave a speech written by him and Meg. He said, "she said she's very sorry she couldn't make it tonight, but she's very grateful for the folks who have supported her throughout all the years, it really means a lot to her tonight."[186] He also read a poem dedicated to her.[187]

Artistry

[edit]

Influences

[edit]

The White Stripes were influenced by blues musicians including Son House, Blind Willie McTell and Robert Johnson, garage rock bands such as the Gories and the Sonics,[188] the Detroit protopunk sound of bands like the MC5 and the Stooges, in addition to groups like the Cramps, the Velvet Underground, and the early Los Angeles punk blues band the Gun Club. Jack has stated on numerous occasions that the blues is the dominant influence on his songwriting and the roots of the band's music, stating that he feels it is so sacred that playing it does not do it justice. Of the Gun Club's music in particular, Jack said, "'Sex Beat', 'She's Like Heroin to Me', and 'For the Love of Ivy'...why are these songs not taught in schools?"[189] Heavy blues rock bands such as AC/DC and Led Zeppelin have also influenced the band, as Jack has claimed that he "can't trust anybody who doesn't like Led Zeppelin."[190]

Traditional country music such as Hank Williams and Loretta Lynn,[4] rockabilly acts like the Flat Duo Jets,[4] Wanda Jackson and Gene Vincent, the surf rock of Dick Dale, and folk music like Lead Belly and Bob Dylan have also influenced the band's sound.[191] Meg has said one of her all-time favorite musicians is Bob Dylan;[192] Jack has performed live with him, and has claimed "I've got three fathers—my biological dad, God and Bob Dylan".[193] In his acceptance speech for the band's induction into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame in 2025, Jack also paid tribute to Pavement, Jethro Tull, The Damned and Emerson, Lake & Palmer among many others.[194]

Equipment

[edit]
The White Stripes' signature instruments were the JB Hutto Montgomery Airline guitar and Ludwig Drums with Paiste cymbals.

With few exceptions, Jack displayed a continued partiality towards amps and pedals from the 1960s.[42] Jack used a number of effects to create his sound, such as a DigiTech Whammy IV to reach pitches that would be otherwise impossible with a regular guitar.[195] When performing live, Jack used a Randy Parsons custom guitar, a 1964 JB Hutto Montgomery Airline, a Harmony Rocket, a 1970s Crestwood Astral II, and a 1950s Kay Hollowbody. Also, while playing live, he used an MXR Micro Amp, Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi distortion/sustainer, and an Electro-Harmonix POG (a polyphonic octave generator). He also used a Boss TU-2 tuner pedal. He plugged this setup into a 1970s Fender Twin Reverb, and two 100-Watt Sears Silvertone 1485 amplifiers paired with two 6x10 Silvertone cabinets.[196] In addition to standard guitar tuning, Jack also used several open tunings. He also played other instruments such as a black F-Style Gibson mandolin, Rhodes bass keys, and a Steinway piano. He played a Musser M500 grand concert marimba on "The Nurse", "Forever for Her (Is Over for Me)". He played a custom-made red and white Musser M250 grand concert marimba for the Get Behind Me Satan tour.[197][198]

Meg extensively used the Ludwig Classic Maple kit with Paiste cymbals,[199][200] and also used Remo and Ludwig drumheads, various percussion instruments and Vater drumsticks. From the band's inception to Get Behind Me Satan, the resonant heads of the toms and bass drum featured peppermint swirls.[201][202][203] While recording From the Basement: The White Stripes, the design on the bass drum was switched to an image of her hand holding the apple from the Get Behind Me Satan cover. Beginning in 2006, White used a pair of Paiste 14" Signature Medium Hi-Hats, a 19" Signature Power Crash, and a 22" 2002 Ride.[201][204] On the Icky Thump tour, the bass drum head design was switched to a button inspired by the Pearlies clothing Jack and Meg wore for the album cover.

Style and technique

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The White Stripes have been described as garage rock,[205][206] blues rock,[205] alternative rock,[206] punk blues,[207] and indie rock.[208] They emerged from Detroit's active garage rock revival scene of the late 1990s and early 2000s.[12] 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.[12]

The White Stripes were notable for having only two musicians, limiting the instruments they could play live, and lack of a bass player.[26][209] 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."[4] Meg herself said that it was "difficult just being two people" but she was comfortable nonetheless.[210] Fans and critics drew comparisons between Jack's prowess on the guitar and Meg's simplistic, reserved drumming.[38] The band additionally drew attention for their preference for antiquated recording equipment. In a 2001 New York Times concert review, Ann Powers noted that Jack's "ingenious" playing was "constrained by [Meg's] deliberately undeveloped approach", and that "he created more challenges by playing an acoustic guitar with paper taped over the hole and a less-than-high-quality solid body electric."[38]

Meg's style of drumming is an enduring discussion among musicians and critics.

Meg's minimalistic drumming style was a prominent part of the band's sound. Meg never had formal drum lessons. She played Ludwig Drums with Paiste cymbals, and says her pre-show warm-up consisted of "whiskey and Red Bull".[211] Jack downplayed criticisms of her style, insisting: "I never thought 'God, I wish Neil Peart was in this band.' It's kind of funny: When people critique hip hop, they're scared to open up, for fear of being called racist. But they're not scared to open up on female musicians, out of pure sexism. Meg is the best part of this band. It never would have worked with anybody else, because it would have been too complicated... It was my doorway to playing the blues."[4] Of her playing style, Meg herself said: "I appreciate other kinds of drummers who play differently, but it's not my style or what works for this band. I get [criticism] sometimes, and I go through periods where it really bothers me. But then I think about it, and I realize that this is what is really needed for this band. And I just try to have as much fun with it as possible ... I just know the way [Jack] plays so well at this point that I always know kind of what he's going to do. I can always sense where he's going with things just by the mood he's in or the attitude or how the song is going. Once in a while, he throws me for a loop, but I can usually keep him where I want him."[211]

Although Jack was the lead vocalist, Meg did sing lead vocals for "In the Cold, Cold Night" (from Elephant)[195] and "Passive Manipulation" (from Get Behind Me Satan) among other tracks. She also accompanied Jack on the songs "Your Southern Can Is Mine" from De Stijl, "Hotel Yorba" and "This Protector" from White Blood Cells, "Rated X",[212] "You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do as You're Told)" and "Rag & Bone" from Icky Thump,[213] and accompanied Jack and Holly Golightly on the song "It's True That We Love One Another" from Elephant.[214]

Several White Stripes recordings were completed rapidly. White Blood Cells was recorded in less than four days, and Elephant and Get Behind Me Satan were both recorded in about two weeks.[215][216][210] For live shows, the White Stripes were known for Jack's employment of heavy distortion, as well as audio feedback and overdrive. The duo performed considerably more recklessly and unstructured live, never preparing set lists for their shows, believing that planning too closely would ruin the spontaneity of their performances.[217] Other affectations included Jack using two microphones onstage.[38]

Public image

[edit]

Aesthetic and presentation

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Jack explained the origin of the band's name: "Meg loves peppermints, and we were going to call ourselves the Peppermints. But since our last name was White, we decided to call it the White Stripes. It revolved around this childish idea, the ideas kids have—because they are so much better than adult ideas, right?"[218][219]

Early in their career, the band provided various descriptions of their relationship. Jack claimed that he and Meg were siblings, the youngest two of ten.[12][220][221] As the story went, they became a band when, on Bastille Day 1997, Meg went to the attic of their parents' home and began to play on Jack's drum kit.[12] This claim was widely believed and repeated despite rumors that they were, or had been, husband and wife.[222][223] In 2001, proof of their 1996 marriage emerged,[224][225] as well as evidence that the couple had divorced in March 2000, just before the band gained widespread attention.[226][227] Even so, they continued to insist publicly that they were brother and sister.[228] In a 2005 interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Jack claimed that this open secret was intended to keep the focus on the music rather than the couple's relationship: "When you see a band that is two pieces, husband and wife, boyfriend and girlfriend, you think, 'Oh, I see...' When they're brother and sister, you go, 'Oh, that's interesting.' You care more about the music, not the relationship—whether they're trying to save their relationship by being in a band."[229]

The White Stripes (pictured in 2007) exclusively donned red, white and black colors in public appearances and performances.

They made exclusive use of a red, white and black color scheme when conducting virtually all professional duties, from album art to the clothes worn during live performances.[4][24] Jack has explained that they used these colors to distract from the fact that they were young, white musicians playing "black music".[230] Early in their history, they turned down a potential deal with Chicago label Bobsled, because the label wanted to put its green logo on the CD.[13] He told Rolling Stone in 2005 that "The White Stripes' colors were always red, white, and black. It came from peppermint candy. I also think they are the most powerful color combination of all time, from a Coca-Cola can to a Nazi banner. Those colors strike chords with people. In Japan, they are honorable colors. When you see a bride in a white gown, you immediately see innocence in that. Red is anger and passion. It is also sexual. And black is the absence of all that."[4] He also explained that they aspired to invoke an innocent childishness without any intention of irony or humor.[12] Meg said that "like a uniform at school, you can just focus on what you're doing because everybody's wearing the same thing."[26] They also cited the minimalist and deconstructionist aspects of De Stijl design as a source of inspiration.[231] They also heavily used the number "three".[26]

The media and fans alike varied between intrigue and skepticism at the band's appearance and presentation. Andy Gershon, president of the V2 label at the time of their signing, was reluctant to sign them, saying, "They need a bass player, they've got this red-and-white gimmick, and the songs are fantastic, but they've recorded very raw...how is this going to be on radio?"[12] In a 2002 Spin magazine article, Chuck Klosterman wondered, "how can two media-savvy kids posing as brother and sister, wearing Dr. Seuss clothes, represent blood-and-bones Detroit, a city whose greatest resource is asphalt?"[12] However, in 2001, Benjamin Nugent with Time magazine commented that "it's hard to begrudge [Jack] his right to nudge the spotlight toward his band, and away from his private life, by any means available. Even at the expense of the truth."[232] Klosterman also commented that "his songs—about getting married in cathedrals, walking to kindergarten, and guileless companionship—are performed with an almost naive certitude."[233]

Film and television

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The White Stripes selectively made media appearances, and were noted for their general refusal to be interviewed separately.[26][49] Jack and Meg appeared in Jim Jarmusch's film Coffee and Cigarettes in 2003,[234][235] in a segment entitled "Jack Shows Meg His Tesla Coil". This particular segment contains extensions of White Stripes motifs such as childhood innocence and Nikola Tesla.[236] They appeared in the 2005 documentary The Fearless Freaks, which covers the band the Flaming Lips.[237] The band appeared as themselves in The Simpsons episode "Jazzy and the Pussycats" in 2006.[238] Meg had previously expressed interest in a Simpsons role in 2003, saying that "A guest appearance would be amazing. I wouldn't want to be in a Lisa episode. They're kind of boring. Maybe a Homer one would be better."[239][240] Jack is one of three guitarists featured in the 2009 documentary It Might Get Loud, and Meg appears in segments that include the White Stripes.[241]

Legacy

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Fans standing outside of a rebranded Tower Records in 2007, awaiting the physical release of Icky Thump.

The critical and commercial success of the White Stripes has established Jack and Meg White as key figures of both the garage rock and indie rock revival of the 2000s.[6][242] Following the release of White Blood Cells, Daily Mirror dubbed them "the greatest band since The Sex Pistols"[243][244] and Rolling Stone magazine declared "Rock is Back!" on its September 2002 cover.[245] Subsequently christened by the media as the "The" bands, the White Stripes, along with the Strokes and the Hives, are credited by NME for bringing about both a "new garage rock revolution" and a "new rock revolution".[246][247] They were deemed "the saviours of rock 'n' roll" by Chris Smith.[248] Q magazine listed the White Stripes as one of "50 Bands to See Before You Die".[249] Alternative Press hailed the White Stripes and the Hives for expanding the legacy of garage rock.[250] Profiling the band in 2025, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame wrote: "The White Stripes reimagined minimalist garage and punk rock for a new generation and brought blues into the twenty-first century. [...] They proved that a band could create massive, genre-defining sound with only two people, inspiring a wave of rock & roll revivalists and making a lasting mark on popular music."[251]

Established figures in the music industry have cited the White Stripes as an influence. Olivia Rodrigo is a fan of the band,[252] calling Elephant the record she listened to most,[253] Jack her "hero of all heroes",[254] and Meg "one of the best drummers of our time."[255] Beyoncé cited the White Stripes and Jack as influences on her 2024 album Cowboy Carter.[256] Nandi Bushell said the band "moved me at 5 years old to want to play the drums and still move me today!"[257] Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters and Nirvana called Meg "one of my favorite fucking drummers of all time. Like, nobody fucking plays the drums like that."[258] Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine said that Meg "has style and swag and personality and oomph and taste and awesomeness that's off the charts and a vibe that's untouchable".[259] The White Stripes' songs have also been covered and sampled by several artists. Those who have sampled their works include Jermaine Dupri, Pitbull, Rizzle Kicks, Jurassic 5, and "Weird Al" Yankovic.[260] Those who have covered their works include Grohl, Arctic Monkeys,[261] Ryan Adams, Kelly Clarkson (accompanied by a marching band),[262] Bob Dylan, Wanda Jackson,[263] of Montreal, Tracey Thorn, the Flaming Lips, the Golden Filter, Bright Eyes, First Aid Kit, Bigga Haitian, and Wanda Jackson.[264]

Music by the White Stripes was used by British choreographer Wayne McGregor for his production Chroma, a piece he created for the Royal Ballet in London, England.[265][266] The orchestral arrangements for Chroma were commissioned by Richard Russell, head of XL Recordings, as a gift to the White Stripes and were produced by the British classical composer Joby Talbot. Three of these songs, "The Hardest Button to Button", "Aluminium" and "Blue Orchid", were first played to the band as a surprise in Cincinnati Music Hall, Ohio.[267][268] McGregor heard the orchestral versions and decided to create a ballet using the music. Talbot re-orchestrated the music for the Royal Opera House orchestra, also writing three additional pieces of his own composition. The world premiere of the ballet took place on November 16, 2006, at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London. The ballet subsequently won the 2007 Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production.[269]

Several of the White Stripes' works have appeared in film, television, and advertising. The song "We're Going to Be Friends" appeared in the films Napoleon Dynamite in 2004, Wonder in 2017, and Mr. Harrigan's Phone in 2022.[270][271][272] The song "Instinct Blues" was used in the 2006 film The Science of Sleep.[273] The song "Why Can't You Be Nicer to Me?" was used in The Simpsons episode "Judge Me Tender" in 2010. The Academy Award-winning 2010 movie, The Social Network featured "Ball and Biscuit" in the opening scene.[274] The song "Icky Thump" was featured in the 2010 film The Other Guys, the 2021 film Zack Snyder's Justice League, and in a 2025 Dancing with the Stars performance by Robert Irwin and Witney Carson.[275][276][277][278] The song "Catch Hell Blues" is featured in the 2011 film Footloose, a remake of the 1984 film.[279][280] The song "Little Ghost" appears in the post credits scene for the 2012 Laika studios film, ParaNorman.[281] The songs "Hello Operator" and "Fell in Love with a Girl" were featured in the Academy Award-winning 2012 film Silver Linings Playbook.[282] In 2013, several songs by the White Stripes were featured in the first season of the television series Peaky Blinders.[283][284] The song "Apple Blossom" was featured in the 2015 Quentin Tarantino film The Hateful Eight.[285] The song "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself" was featured in a 2023 advertising campaign for Calvin Klein.[286]

Achievements

[edit]
See also: List of awards and nominations received by the White Stripes

The White Stripes have sold over 8 million units in the US,[287][288] where they have one Multi-platinum album, one Platinum album, and three Gold albums, as well as one Multi-platinum single and one Platinum single.[288] In the UK, the White Stripes have one Multi-platinum album, two Platinum albums, four Gold albums, and two Silver albums, as well as one Multi-platinum single, one Gold single, and three Silver singles.[289] In Canada, the White Stripes have three Platinum albums and one Gold album, as well as one Multi-platinum single and one Gold single.[290]

The White Stripes were the recipients of a Brit Award,[291] six Grammy Awards,[77][292][293][294] one Meteor Music Award,[295] five MTV Video Music Awards,[296][297][298] one MTV Europe Music Award,[299] one MuchMusic Video Award,[300] and one NME Award.[301] They also broke a brief Guinness World Record in 2009 for the shortest concert.[112] They were nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2023, their first year of eligibility, and inducted in 2025.[172][302]

The White Stripes have three albums on NME's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" list: De Stijl at 395,[303] Elephant at 116,[304] and White Blood Cells at 77.[305][a] The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame placed White Blood Cells at 178 on their "Definitive 200 Albums of All Time" list.[306] White Blood Cells and Elephant appear on various editions of Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" list: on its 2012 edition, White Blood Cells ranked 497 and Elephant ranked 391;[307] on its 2020 edition, Elephant ranked 449.[308] Rolling Stone also included "Seven Nation Army" on their "250 Greatest Songs of the 21st Century So Far" list and multiple editions of their "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" list.[309][310][311] In 2025, The Guardian included "Seven Nation Army" on their list of defining events in popular culture of the 21st century.[312]

In 2015, Rolling Stone dubbed the White Stripes the sixth greatest duo of all time.[313] 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.[314][71] In 2024, American Songwriter included the White Stripes on their list of the "Greatest (And Most Influential) Rock Music Duos Ever".[315] In 2025, Ultimate Classic Rock placed the band first on their list of "Top 20 American Rock Bands of the 2000s."[316]

Band members

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Discography

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For a more comprehensive list, see The White Stripes discography and List of songs recorded by the White Stripes.

Studio albums

See also

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Notes

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References

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Further reading

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

The White Stripes

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from Grokipedia
The White Stripes were an duo formed in , , in 1997 and active until their disbandment in 2011, consisting of on guitar, vocals, and various instruments and on drums. Jack and Meg, who married in 1996 and divorced in 2000, publicly maintained the pretense that they were siblings to cultivate an air of mystery and direct attention to their music rather than personal history. Known for their minimalist instrumentation, raw energy, and aesthetic limited to red, white, and black, the band eschewed traditional rock excess in favor of a stripped-down sound drawing from , punk, and traditions. The duo released six studio albums, with breakthrough success arriving via (2001) and (2003), the latter featuring the iconic riff-driven single "Seven Nation Army" and earning three , including Best Alternative Music Album. As pioneers of the early 2000s revival, The White Stripes influenced a resurgence of guitar-centric rock amid electronic and pop dominance, emphasizing live intensity and DIY ethos over polished production. Their career concluded after a recording hiatus, with announcing the end to preserve the band's legacy without dilution, amid reports of interpersonal strains including Meg's performance anxiety.

History

Formation and early years (1996–1999)

John Gillis met Meg White in Detroit during the mid-1990s; the two married in 1996, after which Gillis adopted her surname, becoming Jack White. In 1997, at Jack's urging, Meg began learning drums despite having no prior experience, prompting the couple to form The White Stripes that year as a raw duo with Jack on guitar, vocals, piano, and occasional bass, and Meg providing minimalist percussion. The band's name drew from Meg's preference for peppermint candies—initially considered "The Peppermints" but modified to "The White Stripes" to reflect their shared surname and the candy's red-and-white aesthetic. From inception, they cultivated a mythic persona by publicly presenting as brother and sister, a claim later disproven by records of their marriage, which persisted until 2000. The White Stripes debuted live on July 14, 1997, jamming informally at an night in Detroit's bar to mark , followed by their first proper concert on August 14, 1997, at the same venue. These early shows positioned them amid Detroit's burgeoning rock revival, characterized by lo-fi aesthetics and punk-blues influences, where they honed a stripped-down sound emphasizing Jack's frenetic guitar riffs and Meg's primitive, childlike drumming. Performances often featured covers of blues pioneers alongside original material, reflecting Jack's deep immersion in pre-war and local scenes from his prior band work. By 1998, the duo issued their inaugural singles—"Let's Shake Hands" b/w "Rated X" and "Lafayette Blues" b/w "Sugar Never Tasted So Good"—via local indie label Italy Records, gaining traction in Michigan's DIY circuit. The single "The Big Three Killed My Baby" emerged in 1999, critiquing the auto industry's dominance in . Culminating these efforts, their self-titled debut album arrived on June 15, 1999, through Sympathy for the Record Industry, recorded earlier that year at Ghetto Recorders with production by Jim Diamond and ; spanning 16 tracks in 43 minutes, it blended punk energy, covers like Johnson's "," and originals such as "Jimmy the Exploder," establishing their raw, elemental style amid limited distribution of under 1,000 initial vinyl copies.

Breakthrough and garage rock revival (2000–2002)

The White Stripes released their second studio album, De Stijl, on June 20, 2000, through Sympathy for the Record Industry. Named after the early 20th-century Dutch art movement emphasizing simplicity and abstraction, the album showcased the duo's raw garage rock sound influenced by blues, folk, and punk traditions, with Jack White handling guitar, vocals, and production. It received favorable underground attention for its lo-fi aesthetic and minimalist arrangements, building on the band's debut while refining their signature red-and-white visual motif and thematic focus on sibling-like dynamics between Jack and Meg White. Following , the band embarked on an extensive tour, performing over 80 concerts in 2000 across and , which helped cultivate a dedicated following in indie and garage rock scenes. This period solidified their reputation for high-energy live shows emphasizing Jack White's versatile guitar work—from blistering solos to slide techniques—and Meg White's primitive yet effective drumming, often drawing comparisons to 1960s garage progenitors like and . The duo's commitment to a no-frills, two-piece format rejected mainstream polish, aligning with a burgeoning revival of raw rock aesthetics amid the late-1990s dominance of nu-metal and . The breakthrough came with , released independently on July 3, 2001, via Sympathy for the Record Industry, which peaked at number 61 on the and achieved gold certification for sales exceeding 500,000 copies. Singles like "Hotel Yorba" and "Fell in Love with a Girl" gained traction on alternative radio and , propelled by innovative low-budget videos, including the Lego-animated clip for the latter directed by . Critics praised the album's urgent songwriting and thematic exploration of love, isolation, and Detroit's industrial grit, positioning it as a pivotal release in the early 2000s revival that also featured contemporaries such as and . By 2002, heightened media coverage in outlets like and amplified the band's profile, leading to a reissue of by V2 Records for broader distribution and tours exceeding 90 shows, including opening slots for on their . This surge reflected causal factors like the duo's relentless touring ethic, Jack White's multifaceted production rejecting overproduction, and a cultural appetite for authentic, unadorned rock countering polished pop-rock trends, establishing The White Stripes as vanguards of the revival without compromising their DIY ethos.

Mainstream success and critical acclaim (2003–2005)

The White Stripes' fourth studio album, Elephant, released on April 1, 2003, marked their breakthrough to mainstream audiences. It debuted at number six on the Billboard 200 with 126,000 copies sold in its first week and topped the UK Albums Chart. The album has sold over four million copies worldwide to date. The lead single "," released in 2003, peaked at number 76 on the but reached number one on the Alternative Songs chart and gained widespread popularity through sports events and media exposure. At the in 2004, won Best Alternative Music Album, while "" received Best Rock Song. The band supported the album with an extensive world tour, performing over 100 concerts in 2003 alone, including festivals like Voodoo Music Experience. Elephant earned widespread critical praise for its raw energy and Jack White's guitar work, with reviewers highlighting tracks like "" for their riff-driven intensity. Aggregated scores reflected universal acclaim, often citing the album's distillation of influences into concise, powerful songs. In 2005, the duo released on June 7, which debuted at number three on the and introduced more acoustic and piano elements while maintaining their minimalist ethos. The album received positive reviews for its experimental shift, later earning a Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album in 2006. This period solidified the band's commercial viability and artistic reputation amid the garage rock revival.

Final album and hiatus (2006–2008)

The White Stripes recorded their sixth and final studio album, Icky Thump, during 2006 and early 2007 at Blackbird Studio in Nashville, Tennessee, with producer Joe Chiccarelli handling recording and mixing in analog format. The album's completion was announced on February 28, 2007. Icky Thump was released on June 15, 2007, in Germany, June 18 in the rest of Europe, and June 19 worldwide through Warner Bros. Records and Third Man Records. To promote the album, the band undertook an extensive tour in 2007, beginning with festival appearances such as Rock am Ring in on June 1 and including numerous dates across and . The tour featured performances in unconventional venues and remote Canadian locations, emphasizing the duo's commitment to intimate, grassroots shows. However, on September 12, 2007, the White Stripes canceled their remaining fall tour dates, citing Meg White's acute anxiety that rendered her unable to travel. The tour cancellation marked the beginning of the band's indefinite hiatus, as they opted to rest and regroup rather than continue under strain. No further live performances or recordings by the White Stripes occurred through 2008, with Jack White focusing on other projects such as while Meg White withdrew from public activities. This period of inactivity preserved the duo's creative dynamic amid personal and health challenges, setting the stage for their eventual formal disbandment.

Breakup and immediate aftermath (2009–2011)

On February 2, 2011, The White Stripes formally announced their breakup after a period of hiatus that began following their 2007 tour supporting the album Icky Thump. The official statement, posted on the band's website and Jack White's Third Man Records site, explained that the decision stemmed from "a myriad of reasons, but mostly to preserve what is beautiful and special about the band and have it stay that way." It explicitly denied that the split resulted from artistic differences, personal conflicts between Jack and Meg White, or a lack of desire to continue as a band, instead framing it as a respectful end to safeguard the duo's legacy. The statement concluded by transferring ownership of the band's identity to its fans: "The White Stripes do not belong to Meg and Jack anymore. The White Stripes belong to you now and you can do with it whatever you want." This announcement came after years of inactivity, with the duo's last full tour ending in 2007 amid reports of Meg White's contributing to cancellations, though the band had not released new music or performed since. In the immediate aftermath, accelerated his solo endeavors and side projects, including production work at , which he founded in 2009, and contributions to The Dead Weather's 2010 album . , however, withdrew almost entirely from public view, maintaining a private life in with no further musical performances or appearances documented during this period. The breakup prompted reflections on the band's influence, but no legal disputes or public acrimony emerged between the former members.

Post-breakup developments (2011–present)

Following the White Stripes' official breakup on February 2, 2011, during which the band stated it would produce no further recordings or perform live, Jack White pursued an active solo career, releasing his debut album Blunderbuss on April 23, 2012, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and featured tracks recorded primarily in Nashville with a rotating cast of musicians. Subsequent solo releases included Lazaretto in 2014, which incorporated digital recording elements contrary to White's prior analog preferences; Boarding House Reach in 2018; dual albums Fear of the Dawn and Entering Heaven Alive in 2022; and No Name in 2024, marking a continued evolution toward experimental and genre-blending sounds distinct from the duo's raw garage rock style. White also maintained involvement with side projects like the Raconteurs and the Dead Weather, but emphasized the breakup enabled unencumbered solo output without conflicting band obligations. White expanded Third Man Records, originally founded in 2001, into a multifaceted operation post-2011, including a flagship store and live venue in Nashville opened in 2009 but significantly grown thereafter with innovations like the mobile "Rolling Record Store" launched in 2011 and reissues of vintage recordings alongside new artist signings. The label emphasized vinyl production, in-house pressing, and analog methodologies, hosting performances and releases that preserved the Stripes' DIY ethos while supporting emerging acts, though no new White Stripes material emerged. In contrast, Meg White retired from performing and public appearances after the breakup, residing privately in with her last documented media sighting around 2009 and no subsequent musical activities or interviews reported. She has maintained a low profile amid speculation about anxiety-related factors influencing her withdrawal, but no verified engagements in music or entertainment have surfaced since 2011. The duo's legacy endured through institutional recognition, with the White Stripes inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as part of the 2025 class, announced in April 2025; acknowledged the honor publicly, though Meg White's attendance at the ceremony remained uncertain given her reclusiveness. No reunion performances or new collaborations between White and Meg have occurred, despite occasional fan speculation, aligning with the band's 2011 declaration prioritizing preservation over continuation.

Musical style and artistry

Influences and genre fusion

The White Stripes drew primary inspiration from Delta blues traditions, with citing [Son House](/page/Son House) as his foremost influence after discovering the bluesman's recordings at age 18. The band's self-titled debut album, released on June 15, 1999, was explicitly dedicated to , reflecting White's admiration for the artist's raw techniques, emotional vocal intensity, and minimalist approach that emphasized personal struggle and authenticity. This blues foundation permeated their songwriting, as seen in covers like "Death Letter," where White adapted House's sparse arrangement into a high-energy rock rendition featuring driving guitar riffs, Meg White's primal drumming, and unadorned vocals. Punk and garage rock elements further shaped their aesthetic, with The Stooges providing aggressive riffing and DIY ethos—White famously recovered their debut album from a dumpster, leading to a cover of "" that infused punk's raw urgency into blues structures. Similarly, The Cramps influenced the bass-less duo format and lo-fi production, enabling a stripped-down sound that prioritized guitar distortion and rhythmic simplicity over complexity, as in tracks blending theatricality with garage grit. Local acts like The Gories added to this palette, reinforcing a scuzzy, unpolished garage-punk vibe through distorted tones and unconventional arrangements. The band's genre fusion manifested in a deliberate synthesis of these roots, layering punk's piercing energy and garage rock's rawness atop a blues core to produce a visceral, high-contrast sound suited to their minimal . This approach revived interest in pre-1960s rock primitives during the early 2000s garage revival, distinguishing The White Stripes through tracks like "Seven Nation Army" (), whose iconic, fuzz-laden riff evoked blues hypnosis while delivering punk-like stadium anthems via simple, repetitive structures. Their refusal of bass guitar forced innovative guitar-drum interplay, amplifying blues storytelling with punk immediacy and garage distortion, as White layered overdriven tones to mimic multi-instrumental density.

Songwriting and composition

Jack White handled the vast majority of songwriting duties for The White Stripes, receiving sole credit for the lyrics and music across their original discography, including key tracks like "Seven Nation Army" and "Fell in Love with a Girl." His process emphasized spontaneity and pressure, likening himself to a "clutch hitter" who thrives without extended preparation, as evidenced by roughly half of the 2007 album Icky Thump being written in the studio during sessions. White often revisited dormant ideas, such as "Bone Broke" from a decade earlier, adapting them to fit the band's evolving sound while maintaining a core methodology rooted in capturing raw intensity akin to blues and rock origins. Composition techniques favored minimalism, with songs frequently structured around a single, riff-driven motif to leverage the duo's limited instrumentation of guitar, drums, and occasional piano or keyboards played by White. This approach drew from blues progressions and garage rock, employing power chords under distortion for harmonic simplicity and aggressive tone, as analyzed in tracks like "Black Math" from Elephant (2003). White sometimes began with hummed melodies, building outward to guitar parts and drum patterns, inspired by Michael Jackson's pop methods to inject melodic hooks into otherwise raw frameworks, as in "You're Pretty Good Looking (For A Girl)" from De Stijl (2000), conceived via vocal melody while driving before adding supporting elements. The result emphasized causal directness in arrangement, where limitations—such as no bass player—fostered creative constraints that amplified riff prominence and rhythmic interplay. Meg White's role centered on arrangement through drumming, providing primal, instinctive patterns that shaped White's sketches into the band's signature urgency without formal co-writing credits; White noted bringing "Jack White" songs that Meg helped evolve into White Stripes material via her contributions. Lyrics, penned by White, blended personal introspection with vivid Americana imagery—such as "blood red cherries" in Icky Thump—often exploring themes of love, conflict, and transformation, grounded in influences like Detroit's Mexican folk traditions and classic blues narratives. Over the band's arc, compositions retained elemental purity despite growing acclaim, evolving from the lo-fi urgency of early releases like The White Stripes (1999) to slightly more layered efforts on Get Behind Me Satan (2005), yet always prioritizing live-feel execution over complex orchestration. This fidelity to basics ensured empirical sonic impact, with iconic examples like "Seven Nation Army" deriving power from an iterative, descending riff functioning as both verse and instrumental chorus hook.

Performance techniques

The White Stripes' live performances emphasized raw energy and , with on guitar and vocals and on drums positioned side-by-side to amplify their unified presence without a traditional frontman dynamic. This setup contributed to an electrifying atmosphere characterized by swagger, precise movements, and direct audience engagement, often drawing crowds into participatory elements while maintaining intense focus. Jack White approached guitar playing as an aggressive "attack," treating each note, solo, and song as a combative element to drive the music's primal force, frequently employing slide techniques on an modified to minimize feedback. His style prioritized lower-fret positions, power chords alongside open voicings, and methods like bending and , though the emphasis lay on tonal experimentation over virtuosic speed. Techniques such as stutter picking and riff-based constructions, as in "," underscored a ethos fused with aggression. Meg White's drumming relied on stripped-back, elemental grooves that provided urgent propulsion through simple, powerful patterns, often featuring "thumping" beats and double-stop hits—a single strike followed by two rapid ones—for rhythmic emphasis. Her approach avoided complexity, favoring raw volume and primal timing that complemented the duo's sparse arrangement, as evident in tracks like where steady, forceful strokes anchored Jack's leads. This technique, while critiqued for simplicity, aligned causally with the band's goal of evoking garage rock's unpolished vitality, enhancing the overall performance's directness.

Equipment and production methods

Instruments and gear

The White Stripes maintained a stripped-down instrumentation centered on , , and limited additional elements like or , eschewing to emphasize a raw, duo-driven sound. Jack White handled , vocals, and occasional keyboards, while Meg White provided and backing vocals. This minimalism extended to their gear, favoring affordable and budget instruments to achieve a gritty, unpolished tone. Jack White's primary guitars included the Reso-Glass JB Hutto model, a red-and-white semi-hollowbody often used for its distinctive slide and riff capabilities, as heard in recordings like (2003). He also employed hollowbody and Crestwood Astral II electrics early on, alongside acoustics for tracks like "Hotel Yorba." Amplification centered on a Silvertone 1485 combo with twin 6x10" Jensen-loaded cabinets, delivering high-volume distortion without modern high-gain features. Effects were analog-focused, with staples like the Pi fuzz for thick overdrive and a DigiTech Whammy pedal for octave effects in songs such as "." Meg White's drum kits were similarly basic, typically a Ludwig Accent or Classic Maple setup pared to essentials: 22" bass drum, 14" snare, 16" floor tom, , a single crash, and a 22" 2002 ride cymbal. She occasionally added Paiste Signature medium s, but avoided elaborate configurations, using minimal damping and no electronic augmentation to preserve a primitive, roomy . This setup, often in red-and-white finishes matching the band's aesthetic, supported her steady, elemental style across albums from The White Stripes (1999) to (2007). The band's gear choices prioritized tactile simplicity and sonic immediacy, influencing their ethos and contributing to the revival's revival of pre-amplifier-era textures.

Recording philosophy and analog focus

The White Stripes' recording philosophy centered on capturing raw, unpolished performances through minimalistic techniques that prioritized immediacy and human error over technical perfection. emphasized analog methods to impose creative constraints, arguing that limitations like tape saturation and limited tracks foster genuine expression rather than endless revisions enabled by digital tools. This approach stemmed from White's view that transmits the "sensations" of live interplay between musicians, preserving the uniqueness of each take without the sterility of overproduction. Early albums exemplified this ethos with lo-fi setups. Their self-titled debut (1999) and (2000) were tracked using an analog eight-track recorder in White's living room or foyer, relying on basic gear to achieve a garage-like intimacy that mirrored their blues-punk roots. (2001) followed suit at Easyrider Studio, maintaining analog fidelity to emphasize drum-guitar interplay without multi-tracking excess. White later described the band's process as lacking "safety nets," where songs were often committed in few takes to retain urgency. Later works intensified the analog commitment. (2003), recorded at London's Toerag Studios on eight-track tape, avoided digital intervention entirely, with tracks like "" captured in single-room sessions that highlighted spatial dynamics and tape warmth. (2005) and (2007) incorporated similar principles, though the latter involved more editing at Blackbird Studio; mixes were printed to analog tape for punch and depth, as Joe Chiccarelli noted the focus on "modern" yet organic sonics. White's analog preference extended to mastering, with 's 2024 reissue sourced from original analog masters to underscore the medium's superior capture of transients and harmonics over digital alternatives. This philosophy influenced White's post-Stripes ventures, reinforcing analog as a tool for causal authenticity in sound reproduction rather than nostalgic revivalism.

Public image and presentation

Visual aesthetic and symbolism

The White Stripes adhered to a rigid visual aesthetic defined by the exclusive use of red, white, and black across album covers, promotional materials, clothing, music videos, and live performances, creating a unified, instantly recognizable identity that complemented their stripped-down rock sound. This palette originated from peppermint candies, with the band's name drawn from the white stripes on red peppermint confections, symbolizing simplicity and childhood innocence. Jack White emphasized the potency of this combination, citing its historical effectiveness in branding such as Coca-Cola logos and noting its stark contrast for maximum visual impact. Symbolically, evoked passion and danger, represented purity, and conveyed mystery, aligning with the duo's themes of raw emotion and primal energy in their music. The aesthetic extended to choices, where members wore coordinated outfits like trousers with shirts or polka-dotted tops with pants, reinforcing the color restrictions onstage and in videos. Stage designs maintained , featuring simple setups with -and- amps and occasional thematic props, such as white palm trees and dolls during the tour in 2005, to evoke surreal, nostalgic elements without diluting the core palette. This deliberate constraint heightened symbolic focus, mirroring the band's philosophy of artistic limitation to amplify authenticity and intensity.

Media and film appearances

The White Stripes made selective appearances in media and film, prioritizing projects that aligned with their minimalist aesthetic and aversion to overexposure. In Jim Jarmusch's anthology film Coffee and Cigarettes (2003), Jack and Meg White portrayed themselves in the segment "Jack Shows Meg His Tesla Coil," where Jack demonstrates a homemade electrical device to a skeptical Meg over coffee, reflecting their sibling-like dynamic and interest in historical inventors like Nikola Tesla. The band's most prominent documentary is (2009), directed by Emmett Malloy, which chronicles their 2007 Canadian tour marking the 10th anniversary of their formation. The 92-minute black-and-white captures unconventional in non-traditional venues such as buses, cafes, and remote communities, including shows for Indigenous elders, culminating in a full in . It includes behind-the-scenes footage of band interactions and was released alongside a companion live album. Earlier documentaries include Candy Coloured Blues (2003), which features interviews exploring the duo's rise from Detroit's scene. An obscure early , Nobody Knows How to Talk to Children, documented three nights following the band in and had a limited screening at the before being withdrawn. On television, the White Stripes performed as musical guests on Saturday Night Live on October 19, 2002, during Season 28, Episode 3, delivering raw renditions of "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" and "We're Going to Be Friends" that highlighted their live intensity. Footage from this appearance was officially released online in December 2020 to promote their compilation album Greatest Hits. The band maintained a low profile in broader TV media, avoiding frequent talk show circuits in favor of controlled, performance-focused outings.

Controversies and criticisms

The sibling myth and personal relationships

The White Stripes initially presented and to the public as siblings, a that originated with the band's formation in 1997 and persisted despite their actual marital history. This portrayal emphasized a familial bond to underscore the duo's minimalist, raw aesthetic, allowing focus on their music rather than personal details. In reality, John Gillis (who adopted Meg's surname upon ) and wed in September 1996 after meeting through mutual friends in Detroit's music scene. Their lasted three and a half years, ending in on March 24, 2000, just months before the release of their album . The couple's decision to maintain the sibling story post- stemmed from a desire to shield their private life from media scrutiny, with later explaining it preserved the band's mystique and avoided tabloid distractions. The myth unraveled publicly on March 30, 2001, when the accessed Oakland County Circuit Court records confirming the marriage and divorce, prompting widespread media coverage. Despite the revelation, the Whites neither fully denied nor elaborated on the fabrication in interviews, continuing to perform and record together until the band's 2011 disbandment. This episode drew criticism for perceived deception, though supporters argued it protected their creative partnership, which relied on an intimate, sibling-like chemistry evident in their onstage interplay and songwriting. Their post-divorce collaboration highlighted a professional resilience, with Meg's reserved demeanor complementing Jack's dominant role, though underlying tensions occasionally surfaced in later accounts of band dynamics.

Drumming and band dynamics critiques

Critics have frequently targeted Meg White's for its simplicity and perceived technical shortcomings, describing it as rudimentary with basic patterns, limited fills, and occasional timing lapses that some viewed as detrimental to the band's polish. For example, in March 2023, Axios political reporter Josh Kraushaar tweeted that "the tragedy of the White Stripes is how great they would've been with a half decent ," igniting backlash but highlighting long-standing skepticism about her proficiency despite the duo's raw aesthetic. observed that White's style, honed from minimal prior experience starting around 1996, faced persistent derision for lacking complexity, even as it defined the band's primal energy on albums like (2003). The rhythm section's overall sparseness drew further critique, as the absence of a dedicated —Jack White emulating low-end tones via octave pedal on guitar—left Meg's percussion as the primary anchor, which detractors argued produced an unbalanced, choppy foundation prone to disjointed grooves. forum discussions and reviews have labeled this setup a flaw, contending it prioritized over rhythmic solidity, with Meg's unadorned beats exacerbating the limitations rather than compensating for them. Band dynamics faced examination for interpersonal strains, rooted in Jack and Meg White's private marriage from 1996 to 2000, which they publicly misrepresented as a bond to cultivate enigma—a exposed by media in 2002 that some analysts said eroded authenticity. , in a 2014 Rolling Stone interview, revealed minimal ongoing contact, stating "I almost never talk to her," and critiqued her introverted demeanor for stifling collaborative energy, such as her aversion to high-fives after successful performances, which he said hindered the duo's mutual momentum. These tensions reportedly contributed to the band's 2011 dissolution, announced on February 2 via an from Jack citing exhaustion from touring and internal pressures, though specifics on relational discord remained anecdotal.

Unauthorized political uses of music

In October 2016, Donald Trump's presidential campaign featured the White Stripes' song "Seven Nation Army" in a promotional video, prompting Jack White to issue a public statement on behalf of the band expressing disgust at the unauthorized use and its association with Trump's platform. The band emphasized that the song's themes did not align with the campaign's messaging, marking an early instance of their music being co-opted politically without consent. The issue resurfaced in August 2024 when a video posted by Trump campaign senior advisor Chris LaCivita on social media depicted Trump descending an airplane staircase to the riff of "Seven Nation Army," viewed over 1.4 million times before removal following White's complaint. Jack White condemned the post as "vulgar and racist" on Instagram, threatening legal action for copyright infringement and explicitly denying permission due to irreconcilable political differences. On September 10, 2024, Jack and Meg White filed a federal lawsuit in the Eastern District of Michigan against Trump, his campaign, LaCivita, and the Republican National Committee, alleging willful infringement and seeking damages, an injunction, and attorneys' fees; the suit highlighted the video's deceptive editing to imply endorsement. The lawsuit was voluntarily dismissed without prejudice on November 11, 2024, after the , with no public details on any settlement or resolution provided by the parties. Legal experts noted that while public performance licenses via organizations like ASCAP cover rally uses, direct video incorporations often require synchronization rights, which the campaign lacked, underscoring the challenges artists face in enforcing copyrights against high-profile political entities despite blanket licenses for live events. In contrast, White granted explicit permission for California Governor to use "Seven Nation Army" in an August 2025 anti-Trump advertisement, illustrating selective endorsement aligned with the artist's personal politics. Beyond formal campaigns, the song's iconic bassline riff has been adapted into chants for political rallies and protests without band involvement, such as "Oh, Jeremy Corbyn" during the Labour leader's 2017 events and anti-judicial reform demonstrations in in 2023, though these vocal adaptations typically evade direct infringement claims due to their transformative, non-recorded nature. The White Stripes have not publicly litigated such uses, focusing objections on explicit, commercial political appropriations.

Legacy and cultural impact

Influence on subsequent artists and genres

The White Stripes played a pivotal role in the early-2000s garage rock revival, blending raw , punk, and minimalistic production to inspire a resurgence of stripped-down rock aesthetics amid dominant nu-metal and pop trends. Their emphasis on lo-fi recording and duo instrumentation encouraged subsequent acts to prioritize authenticity over polished production, influencing the sound of 21st-century rock. This revival extended to indie rock, where the band's fusion of garage grit with accessible hooks helped bridge underground scenes to mainstream audiences, paving the way for groups emphasizing visceral energy over complexity. Acts like the drew early inspiration from The White Stripes, covering songs such as "The Union Forever" at their 2003 debut performance and later in concerts, reflecting the band's impact on post-punk revivalists. Other artists, including Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Bloc Party, echoed the White Stripes' raw intensity in their early work, contributing to a broader indie garage wave that favored primal rhythms and guitar-driven urgency. The duo's approach also revitalized blues elements in modern rock, though direct causation on players like Gary Clark Jr. remains debated, as their influence often manifested through genre hybridization rather than strict emulation. Comparisons to contemporaries like The Black Keys highlight stylistic parallels in blues-garage duos, but White himself contested derivative claims, underscoring the White Stripes' foundational role in legitimizing such formats commercially.

Enduring popularity of key songs

"," from the 2003 album , remains the band's most enduring track, with its distinctive bass-like guitar riff achieving over 1.5 billion streams on as of late 2024, far surpassing other White Stripes songs. The song's raw energy and simple, memorable structure have sustained its appeal, evidenced by consistent high placement in streaming playlists and radio rotations two decades after release. Its riff's adaptability as an acapella chant originated among fans of Belgian in the early , evolving into a global sports anthem by 2006 when Italian team adopted it during matches. This sports ubiquity expanded the song's reach, with chants heard at FIFA World Cup events, NFL games like Baltimore Ravens home openers, and MLB stadiums, generating grassroots momentum independent of traditional promotion. The track's Grammy win for Best Rock Song in 2004 reinforced its artistic credibility, while its non-lyrical riff's universality—evoking defiance without explicit words—has ensured replay value in high-stakes arenas, unlike many era-specific hits. By 2023, it had become a staple in over 20 major sports leagues worldwide, contributing to renewed chart entries on Billboard's rock and alternative lists during event spikes. Other key songs demonstrate selective longevity: "Fell in Love with a Girl" (2001) benefits from its Michel Gondry-directed Lego-animated video, which the band proactively pitched to Lego for mini-sets with singles, boosting cultural cachet and amassing hundreds of millions of YouTube views. The video's innovative stop-motion technique has inspired fan recreations and maintained the song's streams around 300 million on Spotify, with spikes tied to viral Lego nostalgia. "Ball and Biscuit" (2003), a blues-infused cover, holds steady at over 50 million streams, appealing to garage rock enthusiasts via its extended jam structure, though less ubiquitous than "Seven Nation Army." These tracks' persistence reflects the band's analog ethos yielding timeless riffs amid digital fragmentation, where algorithmic playlists favor hook-driven singles over full albums.

Commercial achievements

Album sales and chart performance

The White Stripes' breakthrough album (2001) peaked at number 61 on the US chart and was certified gold by the RIAA for sales of 500,000 units in the . Their follow-up (2003) marked a major commercial leap, reaching number 6 on the and achieving double platinum certification from the RIAA for 2 million units sold in the ; worldwide sales exceeded 3.6 million copies. Get Behind Me Satan (2005) debuted at number 3 on Billboard's Top Album Sales chart and received RIAA gold certification for 500,000 US units. The band's final studio album, Icky Thump (2007), entered the at number 2 with first-week sales of 223,000 copies and was certified gold by the RIAA; by 2008, it had sold over 725,000 units in the US. Earlier efforts like De Stijl (2000) saw modest performance, peaking at number 38 on the chart.
AlbumUS Billboard 200 PeakRIAA CertificationUS Sales (Certified)Worldwide Sales (Est.)
De Stijl (2000)-None--
White Blood Cells (2001)#61Gold500,0001.4 million
Elephant (2003)#62× Platinum2 million3.6 million
Get Behind Me Satan (2005)#3 (sales chart)Gold500,000-
Icky Thump (2007)#2Gold500,000+-
The band has sold over 7 million albums worldwide across their catalog, with US certifications totaling more than 3.5 million units.

Awards and recognitions

The White Stripes garnered several major accolades during their active years, primarily recognizing their innovative raw sound and breakthrough albums. They secured four across categories honoring and performance excellence. Additionally, the duo won a Brit Award for International Group in 2004, reflecting their global impact following the success of Elephant.
AwardYearCategoryWork
Grammy Award2004Best Alternative Music Album
Grammy Award2004Best Rock Song""
Grammy Award2006Best Alternative Music Album
Grammy Award2008Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal""
At the , the music video for "Fell in Love with a Girl"—directed by and featuring innovative animation—earned three wins: Breakthrough Video, Best Special Effects, and Best Editing. The band accumulated five overall in the . They also received an Award for Best Single for "" in 2004, underscoring the track's enduring anthem status. In April 2025, The White Stripes were announced as inductees into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, class of 2025, honoring their influence on revival and minimalist production aesthetics; the induction ceremony occurred on November 8, 2025, in .

Personnel

Jack White

John Anthony Gillis, born July 9, 1975, in southwest , , adopted the stage name in 1996 upon marrying his future bandmate , with whom he formed The White Stripes the following year. Raised as the youngest of ten children in a working-class Catholic family—his parents employed by the Archdiocese of Detroit—White initially apprenticed as an upholsterer under Meg's brother, a trade that later influenced the band's distinctive red, white, and black aesthetic drawn from peppermint candy stripes. Prior to the duo's formation, he played drums and guitar in 's underground scene, including stints with bands like the Hentchmen and , honing a raw style rooted in punk, , and folk influences. In The White Stripes, White served as , lead guitarist, , and , while also assuming primary responsibilities for songwriting, production, and mixing across all six studio albums. He taught Meg basic drumming techniques shortly before the band's debut, establishing a minimalist duo format that prioritized distorted guitar riffs, primitive percussion, and lo-fi recording methods to evoke pre-war and 1960s . White's compositions, such as "Seven Nation Army" from the 2003 album Elephant, featured simple yet anthemic structures with heavy riffing achieved through vintage gear like semi-acoustic guitars run through overdriven tube amps, often eschewing modern effects for organic distortion. White's production philosophy emphasized and rapid decision-making to capture spontaneous energy, as seen in early sessions tracked live to two-inch tape with minimal overdubs, fostering the band's signature urgency and emotional directness. He occasionally contributed or parts, expanding the sonic palette without diluting the core guitar-drum interplay, and his vocal style blended raw yelps with melodic croons, drawing from influences like and . While Meg provided essential rhythmic foundation, White shaped the band's creative direction, adapting his solo compositions into collaborative arrangements that highlighted her sparse style. This dynamic propelled The White Stripes from local gigs to global arenas, with White's multifaceted role cementing his status as the duo's driving force until their 2011 disbandment.

Meg White

Megan Martha White, born December 10, 1974, in , served as the drummer for the rock duo The White Stripes from its formation in 1997 until its indefinite hiatus in 2007. She began playing drums that year at the encouragement of , her then-husband, after the pair had been childhood friends in the area. White's entry into music came without prior formal training, contributing to her distinctive, minimalist approach characterized by raw, urgent grooves and elemental rhythms that emphasized simplicity over technical complexity. White married John Gillis (later Jack White) on September 21, 1996; he adopted her surname following the wedding. The couple divorced in March 2000 amid the band's rising profile, yet they maintained the public pretense of being siblings to preserve the group's mystique and avoid media scrutiny on their personal relationship. This dynamic persisted through The White Stripes' commercial peak, with White's drumming providing the rhythmic backbone for albums like (2003), where tracks such as "" showcased her steady, thumping beats that complemented Jack White's guitar work without bass support. Her style, often described as primitive and unpolished, drew mixed reactions: some critics labeled it incompetent or a "tragedy" due to its lack of fills or speed, while proponents, including , argued it captured an authentic, visceral energy essential to the duo's revival sound. In 2009, White married musician Jackson Smith, son of and Fred "Sonic" Smith. Following The White Stripes' final performance on July 7, 2007, at Chicago's Gigabit Lounge, she withdrew from public life, citing severe anxiety exacerbated by fame; she has not performed or appeared publicly since approximately 2009 and resides privately in . White has given few interviews, describing herself as inherently shy, and has pursued no solo recording career or other musical projects post-band. Despite critiques resurfacing in online debates, such as a 2023 controversy prompting defenses from musicians like and —who penned a poem decrying detractors as envious failures—her contributions remain credited with influencing a generation toward valuing instinct over virtuosity in rock drumming.

Discography

Studio albums

The White Stripes released six studio albums from 1999 to 2007, evolving from raw rooted in Detroit's punk and scenes to broader garage revival sounds while maintaining a minimalist duo setup of guitar, vocals, drums, and occasional or . Early releases on independent labels emphasized lo-fi production and influences from figures like and the Dutch art movement, gaining underground traction before major-label deals amplified their reach. Later albums incorporated varied instrumentation and recording techniques, such as eight-track analog in , culminating in their final effort before disbanding in 2011. The White Stripes (1999)
The band's self-titled debut album was released on June 15, 1999, initially on Italy Records. Recorded in a cold, amenity-free studio during the winter of 1999 with producer Jim Diamond, it captures unpolished with covers like "" and originals dedicated to pioneer . The 16-track LP sold modestly at first, reflecting the duo's early local scene status without significant chart presence. De Stijl (2000)
The second album, , named after the minimalist Dutch art movement, was released on June 20, 2000, by Sympathy for the Record Industry. It features 14 tracks blending folk, , and punk elements, including covers of and Dutch band Ghettobelly. Produced with a raw aesthetic similar to the debut, it reached number 38 on the Independent Albums chart, marking growing indie recognition. White Blood Cells (2001)
, the third studio album, was independently released on July 3, 2001, again by Sympathy for the Record Industry. Recorded quickly to preserve urgency, its 16 songs like "Fell in Love with a Girl" and "Hotel Yorba" propelled the garage rock revival, peaking at number 61 on the and achieving gold certification in the for over 500,000 units sold. The album's breakthrough status led to reissues on V2 Records. Elephant (2003)
The fourth album, , was released on April 1, 2003, through V2, , and . Recorded primarily at London's Toe-Rag Studios on eight-track reel-to-reel except one track at the , it includes hits like "" and debuted at number 6 on the , topping charts in multiple countries and earning multi-platinum status worldwide. Get Behind Me Satan (2005)
, released on June 7, 2005, by V2 Records, shifted toward acoustic and piano-driven tracks conceived in Jack White's home, with minimal overdubs across 13 songs like "." It debuted at number 3 on the , reflecting the band's experimental pivot while retaining raw energy. Icky Thump (2007)
The final studio album, , was released on June 15, 2007, via V2 and . Featuring , , and a mix of and country influences across 13 tracks, it topped the — the band's first number 1 there—and reached number 2 on the , earning US gold certification by July 2007 for 500,000 shipments.

Singles and EPs

The White Stripes began releasing singles in 1998 on independent labels such as Italy Records and Sympathy for the Record Industry, often as 7-inch vinyl with exclusive B-sides not featured on their albums, emphasizing their garage rock roots and limited production runs. Early examples include "Let's Shake Hands" backed with a cover of "Joltin' Joe," issued in February 1998. Subsequent indie singles like "Sugar Never Tasted So Good" (1999) and "The Big Three Killed My Baby" (March 1999) preceded their debut album and helped build a in Detroit's music scene. As their popularity grew with major-label distribution via V2 Records, singles from (2001) and (2003) achieved commercial breakthroughs, particularly in the UK where they secured multiple top-40 entries, driven by raw energy and Jack White's distinctive guitar . "Seven Nation Army" became their signature track, topping alternative charts worldwide despite modest US Hot 100 performance, due to its iconic bass-like originating from a cheap pedal. Later singles from (2005) and (2007) continued this trend, blending influences with experimental elements, though the band retired from touring and recording after 2007.
SingleRelease YearUK PeakUS Hot 100 PeakUS Alternative PeakAlbum
Hotel Yorba200126——White Blood Cells
Fell in Love with a Girl200221—12White Blood Cells
Seven Nation Army20037761Elephant
The Hardest Button to Button200323—4Elephant
Blue Orchid20059—7Get Behind Me Satan
My Doorbell200510—15Get Behind Me Satan
Icky Thump20072262Icky Thump
The duo released limited EPs, including Walking with a Ghost (2005), a promotional release tied to featuring alternate mixes and live tracks, and (2007), a mariachi-infused single from extended with remixes. These formats underscored their preference for and collector appeal over digital streaming dominance.

References

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  33. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Get-Behind-Me-Satan
  34. https://www.rhino.com/article/deep-dive-the-white-stripes-icky-thump
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  66. https://www.mojo4music.com/articles/new-music/jack-white-i-wanted-to-write-a-song-the-way-michael-jackson-did/
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