The White Stripes

Template:Short description Template:For Template:Use mdy datesTemplate:Use American English Template:Infobox musical artist 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.

Beginning in the late 1990s, the White Stripes sought success within the Detroit music scene, releasing six singles and two albums. They found commercial success with their third album, White Blood Cells (2001), which received critical acclaim and propelled them to the forefront of the garage rock revival. Their fourth album, Elephant (2003), drew further success and won the band their first Grammy Awards. The band 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. 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, and were the subject of the documentary Under Great White Northern Lights (2009).

The White Stripes have released six studio albums, two live albums, one compilation album, and one extended play. They have 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 have been selected to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2025, after being nominated in 2023 (the band's first year of eligibility).

History

1996–1999: Early years, formation and The White Stripes

In high school, Jack Gillis (as he was then known)Template:Sfn met Meg White at the Memphis Smoke—the restaurant where she worked and where he would read his poetry at open mic nights.Template:Sfn The two became friends, and began to frequent the coffee shops, local music venues, and record stores of the area.Template:Sfn By this time, Gillis was already playing drums with musician friends, including his upholstery apprenticeship mentor, Brian Muldoon.<ref name="WOW"/><ref>White, Jack. Interview in It Might Get Loud, Sony Pictures Classics, 2008.</ref> In 1994, he got his first professional job as the drummer for the Detroit cowpunk band Goober & the Peas.<ref name=leahey>Template:AllMusic</ref><ref name=McCOLLUM>McCollum, Brian (September 2003), "Red, White, and Cool", Spin. 19(9):68–74</ref>Template:Sfn After dating for several years, Gillis and White married on September 21, 1996.Template:Sfn<ref name="White Stripes Marriage License">Template:Cite web</ref> Contrary to convention, he took his wife's surname.<ref name="WOW" /><ref name=":5">Template:Cite web</ref> Shortly after, Goober & the Peas broke up, but Jack continued to play in other bands, such as the garage punk band the Go (he played lead guitar on their 1999 album Whatcha Doin'), the Hentchmen, and Two-Star Tabernacle.

On Bastille Day 1997,<ref name="Klosterman2"/> 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."<ref name=WOW/> The couple then became a band and, while they considered calling themselves Bazooka and Soda Powder,<ref name=eels/> they settled on the White Stripes.<ref name=handyside>Template:Cite web</ref> Jack explained the name's origin: "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?"<ref name=":6">Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Better source needed From the beginning, they established certain motifs: publicly pretending to be brother and sister,<ref name=":7">Template:Cite episode</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> outfitting their production in only black, red, and white,<ref name="Wilkinson">Template:Cite magazine</ref> and heavily using the number "three".<ref name="SWEET" /> White has explained that they used these colors to distract from the fact that they were young, white musicians playing "black music".<ref name="Mack">Template:Cite journal</ref> They were also noted for their lack of a bass player, and their general refusal to be interviewed separately.<ref name="changing" /><ref name="SWEET" />

The White Stripes had their first live performance on August 14, 1997, at the Gold Dollar bar in Detroit.<ref name=allmusicTWS>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Jack initially declined, believing it would be too expensive, but he eventually reconsidered when he realized that Buick was offering to pay for it.<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Dead link</ref> Their debut single, "Let's Shake Hands", was released on vinyl in February 1998 with an initial pressing of 1,000 copies.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This was followed in October 1998 by the single "Lafayette Blues" which, again, was only released on vinyl with 1,000 copies.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1999, the White Stripes signed with the California-based label Sympathy for the Record Industry.<ref name="Allmusic review"/><ref name=Wilkinson/> 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.<ref name="Allmusic review">Template:Cite web</ref> The self-titled debut was produced by Jack and engineered by American music producer Jim Diamond at his Ghetto Recorders studio in Detroit.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The album was dedicated to the seminal Mississippi Delta blues musician Son House, an artist who influenced Jack.<ref name=SWEET>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=TOOMUCH>Template:Cite magazine</ref> 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."<ref>Fox, Darrin, "White Heat", Guitar Player, June 2003, p. 66</ref> 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."<ref name="Allmusic review" />

At the end of 1999, the White Stripes released "Hand Springs" as a 7" split single with fellow Detroit band the Dirtbombs on the B-side. 2,000 copies came free with the pinball fanzine Multiball.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

2000–2002: De Stijl and White Blood Cells

File:White Stripes bw at Shinjuku Jam in Tokyo 2000.jpg

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.

Jack and Meg divorced in March 2000.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The songs were recorded on an 8-track analog tape in Jack's living room,<ref name=AGE>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=VILLAGE>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead link</ref> De Stijl displays the simplicity of the band's blues and "scuzzy garage rock" fusion prior to their breakthrough success.<ref name=feb/><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

The album title derives from the Dutch art movement of the same name;<ref name=feb>Eliscu, Jenny (February 15, 2001) "THE WHITE STRIPES". Rolling Stone. 862':65</ref> 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.<ref name=SWEET/> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> De Stijl eventually reached number 38 on Billboard Magazines 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."<ref name="powers">POWERS, ANN (February 27, 2001). "POP REVIEW; Intellectualizing the Music Or Simply Experiencing It Template:Webarchive". Retrieved August 29, 2014.</ref>

Party of Special Things to Do was released as a 7" on Sub Pop in December 2000.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It comprised three songs originally performed by Captain Beefheart, an experimental blues rock musician.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

The White Stripes' third album, White Blood Cells, was released on July 3, 2001, on Sympathy for the Record Industry.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The band enjoyed its first significant success the following year with the major label re-release of the album on V2 Records.<ref name="RSB">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Its stripped-down garage rock sound drew critical acclaim in the UK,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and in the US soon afterward, making the White Stripes one of the most acclaimed bands of 2002.<ref name="allmusicTWS" /><ref name="RSB" /> Several outlets praised their "back to basics" approach.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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."<ref name="hagan">Template:Cite news</ref>

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,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref name="changing" /> 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.<ref name="Klosterman2">Klosterman, Chuck (Oct 2002). "The Garage", Spin. 18 (10):64–68</ref> It was also nominated for Video of the Year, but fell short of winning.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Stylus Magazine rated White Blood Cells as the fourteenth greatest album of 2000–2005,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> while Pitchfork Media ranked it eighth on their list of the top 100 albums from 2000 to 2004.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2002, George Roca produced and directed a concert film about the band titled Nobody Knows How to Talk to Children.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref name=nkhtttc>Template:Cite web</ref> According to the band, the film was "not up to the standards our fans have come to expect";<ref name=nkhtttc/> even so, it remains a highly prized bootleg.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Also in 2002, they appeared as musical guests on Saturday Night Live.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

2003–2006: Elephant and Get Behind Me Satan

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.<ref name=Fricke>Fricke, David (April 17, 2003), "Living Color" Template:Webarchive. Rolling Stone. (920): 102</ref> Jack self-produced the album with antiquated equipment, including a duct-taped 8-track tape machine and pre-1960s recording gear.<ref name=Fricke/> 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?"<ref name="Wilkinson" /> Elephant was released in 2003 on V2 in the US, and on XL Recordings in England.<ref name="Wilkinson" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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).<ref name="Wilkinson" /> The album eventually reached double platinum certification in Britain,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and platinum certification in the United States.<ref>RIAA Template:Webarchive Recording Industry Association of America.</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Elephant garnered critical acclaim upon its release.<ref name=allmusicTWS/> It received a perfect five-out-of-five-star rating from Rolling Stone magazine, and enjoys a 92-percent positive rating on Metacritic.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> AllMusic said the album "sounds even more pissed-off, paranoid, and stunning than its predecessor... Darker and more difficult than White Blood Cells."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Elephant was notable for Jack's first guitar solos, and critics also praised Meg's drumming.<ref>Template:Citation</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> 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".<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Elephant was ranked number 390 on the magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite magazine</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The album's first single, "Seven Nation Army", was the band's most successful and topped the Billboard rock charts.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> 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".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> "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.<ref name=":2">Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

File:The White Stripes (cropped).jpg

The White Stripes performing at Bell Centre in 2005

In 2005, Jack began working on songs for the band's next album at his home.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The White Stripes' fifth album, Get Behind Me Satan, was released in 2005 on the V2 label.<ref name="allmusic1">Template:Cite web</ref> 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"<ref>Matthew: XVI:XXIII, King James Bible. Template:Webarchive. Retrieved June 20, 2008.</ref>). 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 final story "The Dead" 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However, despite this, the band was critically lauded for their "fresh, arty reinterpretations of their classic inspirations."<ref name="allmusic1" /> 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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Rolling Stone ranked it the third best album of the year<ref>Rolling Stone Magazine's Top 50 Records of 2005 Template:Webarchive. Retrieved on August 30, 2008.</ref> and it received the Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album in 2006.

Three singles were released from the album, the first being "Blue Orchid", a popular song on satellite radio and some FM stations.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

File:Whitestripes.jpg

The White Stripes after a performance in 2005

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.<ref name="shelve" /> After a full recovery, he returned to the stage in Auckland, New Zealand to headline the Big Day Out tour.<ref name="allmusic1" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> While on the British leg of the tour, Jack changed his name from Jack White to "Three quid".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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".<ref name="jimdiamond">Dietderich, Andrew (June 20, 2005), "Studio owner sues White Stripes over album royalties". Crain's Detroit Business. 21 (25):37</ref> 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".<ref name="jimdiamond" /><ref name="chrisharris">Harris, Chris (June 16, 2006), "White Stripes Win Royalties Lawsuit". MTV. Retrieved March 16, 2015.</ref> The band filed a counterclaim on May 16, 2005, requesting damages against Diamond and an official court declaration denying him rights to the material.<ref name="jimdiamond" /> Diamond lost the suit on June 15, 2006, with the jury determining that he was not instrumental in crafting the band's sound.<ref name="chrisharris" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

2007–2008: Icky Thump and hiatus

File:HMP & White Stripes (749441118).jpg

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.<ref>Christman, Ed (January 12, 2007), "V2 Restructured, White Stripes, Moby Become Free Agents" Template:Webarchive. Billboard. Retrieved January 22, 2007.</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Their sixth album, Icky Thump, was released on June 19, 2007.<ref name="changing" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref name="changing">Template:Cite magazine</ref> 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.<ref>News page, The White Stripes website news Template:Webarchive. Retrieved April 10, 2007.</ref><ref>News page, The White Stripes website show list Template:Webarchive. Retrieved April 13, 2007.</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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,<ref name="acharts">"The White Stripes – Icky Thump global chart positions and trajectories" Template:Webarchive. aCharts.us. Retrieved June 30, 2007.</ref> and debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 with 223,000 copies sold.<ref name="acharts" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref name="macisaac">Template:Cite news</ref> It was also at this time that White learned he was related to Canadian fiddle player Natalie MacMaster.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

File:Jack & Meg, On The Bus.jpg

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,<ref name=eels/> 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,<ref name=eels/> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Though it was denied induction as a record, media publications have called it the shortest concert.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":8" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They played a full show later that night at the Mile One Centre in downtown St. John's.<ref name=":8">Template:Cite news</ref> Video clips from several of the secret shows have been posted to YouTube.<ref>"Jack and Meg go back to school"Template:Dead link, The Globe and Mail, July 5, 2007.</ref> 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 U.S. leg of their tour, which was to be followed by a break before more shows in the fall.<ref name="eels">Template:Cite news</ref> 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."<ref name=eels/> On September 11, 2007, the band announced the cancellation of 18 tour dates due to Meg's struggle with acute anxiety.<ref name=shelve>(September 12, 2007), "White Stripes shelve US concerts" Template:Webarchive. BBC. Retrieved November 24, 2014.</ref> A few days later, the duo canceled the remainder of their 2007 UK tour dates as well.<ref name=cancel>(September 13, 2007), "The White Stripes cancel UK tour" Template:Webarchive. BBC. Retrieved November 24, 2014.</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>NME New York staff (February 5, 2008), "White Stripes sued for sampling radio show" Template:Webarchive. NME. Retrieved March 16, 2015.</ref> The matter was ultimately settled out of court.<ref>Schneider, Jason (April 30, 2012), "Jack White—The Third Man" Template:Webarchive. Exclaim!. Retrieved March 16, 2015.</ref>

2009–2011: Final years and breakup

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".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>"Meg White Surprises With Raconteurs In Detroit" Template:WebarchiveBillboard.com. Retrieved on June 9, 2008.</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A concert film, Under Great White Northern Lights, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 18, 2009.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The film documents the band's summer 2007 tour across Canada and contains live concert and off-stage footage.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The tour was in support of the album Icky Thump, and they performed in every province.<ref name=jackpot/> 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.<ref name=wooing>Template:Cite news</ref> Additionally, their 10th anniversary occurred during the tour on the day of their show at the Savoy Theatre in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia,<ref name=jackpot>Template:Cite news</ref> 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.<ref name=hoard>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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."<ref name="Contactmusic - Strange">Template:Cite magazine</ref>

In February 2010, a Super Bowl ad by the U.S. 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."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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 setTemplate:Nbsp... 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."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Post-breakup

Following the band's breakup, Jack continued his music career while Meg retired and returned to Detroit.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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."<ref name=":3">Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2016, the previously unheard "City Lights" was released as a promotional single after Michel Gondry surprised Jack with a music video.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

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".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They also released a limited edition T-shirt that read "Icky Trump" on the front, which was wordplay on Trump's last name.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Dead link</ref>

On October 6, 2020, a greatest hits album titled The White Stripes Greatest Hits was announced through Third Man not as a vault exclusive.<ref name=":03">Template:Cite web</ref> It consists of twenty-six songs including "Ball and Biscuit" which was released as a promotional single.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The band relaunched their Instagram account to promote the album.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It was released in the United States by Third Man and Columbia Records on December 4, 2020,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":03"/> and was internationally released on February 26, 2021.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Wartella-directed music videos for "Let's Shake Hands" and "Apple Blossom" were released simultaneously.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> 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 activeTemplate:Nbsp... the collection's hand-curated feel is much more personal than the average best-of or streaming play list."<ref>Template:Citation</ref> The New Yorker's Amanda Petrusich called the album "a good reminder of how odd and inventive the band wasTemplate:Nbsp... It feels old-fashioned, even deliberately so, but it sounds awfully good."<ref name="New Yorker">Template:Cite magazine</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.'"<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It was released in October of that same year.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

The Trump campaign again used "Seven Nation Army" during the 2024 United States presidential election,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> which resulted in Jack and Meg filing a copyright infringement lawsuit in September 2024.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The lawsuit was dropped in November 2024.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In January 2025, the White Stripes were nominated a second time for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In April of that same year, they were announced to be inducted into the Rock Hall during the November ceremony.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> 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."<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Jack believes a reunion is unlikely.<ref name=":3" />

Artistry

Influences

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,<ref>Minnesota Public Radio Template:Webarchive Obscure 1960s rockers The Monks make comeback (accessed June 8, 2008), October 12, 2006. Robertson, Tom.</ref> 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?"<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Traditional country music such as Hank Williams and Loretta Lynn,<ref name=WOW/> rockabilly acts like the Flat Duo Jets,<ref name=WOW/> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Meg has said one of her all-time favorite musicians is Bob Dylan;<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Jack has performed live with him, and has claimed "I've got three fathers—my biological dad, God and Bob Dylan".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Equipment

Template:Multiple image With few exceptions, Jack displayed a continued partiality towards amps and pedals from the 1960s.<ref name="RSB" /> 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.<ref name="NYT">Ratliff, Ben (2003). "Rock Review: Contradictory and Proud of It" Template:WebarchiveThe New York Times. Retrieved February 5, 2006.</ref> 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.<ref name="bb1">Black Math tablature and notes Template:Webarchive. Broken Bricks. Retrieved May 8, 2006.</ref> 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 custom-made red and white marimba on "The Nurse", "Forever for Her (Is Over for Me)" as well as on the non-album tracks "Who's A Big Baby" and "Top Special".

Meg extensively used the Ludwig Classic Maple kit with Paiste cymbals,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref name="autogenerated12">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="porter">Porter, Tom (January 29, 2009). "White Stripes' Meg White auctioning Ludwig kit"</ref> 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.<ref name="autogenerated12"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> 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

The White Stripes have been described as garage rock,<ref name="Allmusic genres">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Sputnik genres">Template:Cite web</ref> blues rock,<ref name="Allmusic genres" /> alternative rock,<ref name="Sputnik genres" /> punk blues,<ref name="Punk Blues Genre">[[[:Template:AllMusic]] Punk Blues Genre] AMG Allmusic.com, Retrieved on June 22, 2019</ref> and indie rock.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They emerged from Detroit's active garage rock revival scene of the late 1990s and early 2000s.<ref name="Klosterman2" /> 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.<ref name="Klosterman2" />

The White Stripes were notable for having only two musicians, limiting the instruments they could play live.<ref name="FM">Hickman, Christopher (2005). The White Stripes – Get Behind Me Satan Template:Webarchive FlakMag.com . Retrieved September 27, 2006.</ref> 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."<ref name="WOW" /> Fans and critics drew comparisons between Jack's prowess on the guitar and Meg's simplistic, reserved drumming.<ref name="powers" /> 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."<ref name="powers" />

File:Meg White en Barcelona.JPG

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".<ref name="autogenerated1">Template:Cite web</ref> 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."<ref name="WOW">Template:Cite magazine</ref> 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."<ref name="autogenerated1" />

Although Jack was the lead vocalist, Meg did sing lead vocals for "In the Cold, Cold Night" (from Elephant)<ref name="NYT" /> 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",<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> "You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do as You're Told)" and "Rag & Bone" from Icky Thump,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and accompanied Jack and Holly Golightly on the song "It's True That We Love One Another" from Elephant.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Frampton, Scott (July 2007), "Jack & Meg White" Template:Webarchive. Esquire. 148 (1):p118-119</ref> Other affectations included Jack using two microphones onstage.<ref name="powers" />

Public image

Aesthetic and presentation

File:TheWhiteStripes 2007.jpg

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

The White Stripes had a carefully constructed image built around lore they created for themselves and visual motifs. 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.<ref name="eels" /> Their presentation was a subject of intrigue among the public and in the media. 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.<ref name="WOW" /> Jack 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."<ref name="WOW" /> He also explained that they aspired to invoke an innocent childishness without any intention of irony or humor.<ref name="Klosterman2" /> Meg said that "like a uniform at school, you can just focus on what you're doing because everybody's wearing the same thing."<ref name="SWEET" /> They also cited the minimalist and deconstructionist aspects of De Stijl design as a source of inspiration.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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?"<ref name="Klosterman2" /> 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?"<ref name="Klosterman2" /> 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."<ref name="nugent">Nugent, Benjamin (June 16, 2001). "Music: White Lies and The White Stripes" Template:Webarchive, TIME. Retrieved October 24, 2014.</ref> Klosterman also commented that "his songs—about getting married in cathedrals, walking to kindergarten, and guileless companionship—are performed with an almost naive certitude."<ref name="Cleveland">Template:Cite journal</ref>

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.<ref name="Klosterman2"/> 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.<ref name="Klosterman2" /> This claim was widely believed and repeated despite rumors that they were, or had been, husband and wife.<ref>"The White Stripes – Brief Article" Johnathan Moskowitz, Interview. Retrieved April 25, 2008.</ref><ref>"The White Stripes: Raw Rock Revivalists" Template:Webarchive BBC News UK, August 10, 2001, Retrieved April 26, 2008</ref> In 2001, proof of their 1996 marriage emerged,<ref>"White Stripes Marriage License" Template:Webarchive Glorious Noise Retrieved December 11, 2007</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> as well as evidence that the couple had divorced in March 2000, just before the band gained widespread attention.<ref name="MTV Marriage2">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Even so, they continued to insist publicly that they were brother and sister.<ref name="eels2">EELLS, JOSH (April 5, 2012). "Jack Outside the Box" Template:Webarchive, The New York Times. Retrieved October 15, 2014.</ref> 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."<ref name="WOW2">Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Other appearances

The White Stripes selectively made media appearances. Jack and Meg appeared in Jim Jarmusch's film Coffee and Cigarettes in 2003,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> 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.<ref name="comingsoon">Template:Cite web</ref> They appeared in the 2005 documentary The Fearless Freaks, which covers the band the Flaming Lips.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The band appeared as themselves in The Simpsons episode "Jazzy and the Pussycats" in 2006.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Legacy

File:Fans waiting for Icky Thump.jpg

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.<ref name="leahey" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Following the release of White Blood Cells, Daily Mirror dubbed them "the greatest band since The Sex Pistols"<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Rolling Stone magazine declared "Rock is Back!" on its September 2002 cover.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> 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".<ref name="Borthwick&Moy2004">S. Borthwick and R. Moy, Popular Music Genres: an Introduction (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2004), Template:ISBN, p. 117.</ref><ref name="Spitz2010">M. Spitz, "The 'New Rock Revolution' fizzles", May 2010, Spin, vol. 26, no. 4, ISSN 0886-3032, p. 95.</ref> They were deemed "the saviours of rock 'n' roll" by Chris Smith.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Q magazine listed the White Stripes as one of "50 Bands to See Before You Die".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Alternative Press hailed the White Stripes and the Hives for expanding the legacy of garage rock.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Medium called them "probably the greatest garage rock duo of the 2000s".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Established figures in the music industry have cited the White Stripes as an influence. Olivia Rodrigo is a fan of the band,<ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref> calling Elephant the record she listened to most,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Jack her "hero of all heroes",<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> and Meg "one of the best drummers of our time."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Brad Pitt named "My Doorbell" as one of his all-time favorite songs.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Beyoncé cited the White Stripes and Jack as influences on her 2024 album Cowboy Carter.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Nandi Bushell said the band "moved me at 5 years old to want to play the drums and still move me today!"<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> 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."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Those who have covered their works include Grohl, Arctic Monkeys,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Ryan Adams, Kelly Clarkson (accompanied by a marching band),<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Bob Dylan, Wanda Jackson,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> of Montreal, Tracey Thorn, the Flaming Lips, the Golden Filter, Bright Eyes, First Aid Kit, Bigga Haitian, and Wanda Jackson.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The song "Instinct Blues" was used in the 2006 film The Science of Sleep.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The song "Icky Thump" was featured in the 2010 film The Other Guys, and in Zack Snyder's Justice League in 2021.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The song "Catch Hell Blues" is featured in the 2011 film Footloose, a remake of the 1984 film.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The song "Little Ghost" appears in the post credits scene for the 2012 Laika studios film, ParaNorman.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The songs "Hello Operator" and "Fell in Love with a Girl" were featured in the Academy Award-winning 2012 film Silver Linings Playbook.<ref>Template:Citation</ref> In 2013, several songs by the White Stripes were featured in the first season of the television series Peaky Blinders.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The song "Apple Blossom" was featured in the 2015 Quentin Tarantino film The Hateful Eight.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The song "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself" was featured in a 2023 advertising campaign for Calvin Klein.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Achievements

Template:See also The White Stripes have sold over 8 million units in the US,<ref name="billboard2">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="RIAA">Template:Cite certification</ref> 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.<ref name="RIAA" /> 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.<ref name="BPI">Template:Cite certification</ref> In Canada, the White Stripes have three Platinum albums and one Gold album, as well as one Multi-platinum single and one Gold single.<ref name="MC">Template:Cite certification</ref>

The White Stripes were the recipients of a Brit Award,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> six Grammy Awards,<ref name=":2" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":4">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> one Meteor Music Award,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> five MTV Video Music Awards,<ref name="2002MTVVMA">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> one MTV Europe Music Award,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> one MuchMusic Video Award,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> and one NME Award.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2015, Rolling Stone dubbed the White Stripes the sixth greatest duo of all time.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite magazine</ref> They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2025.<ref name="rr25">Template:Cite web</ref>

The White Stripes have three albums on NME's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" list: De Stijl at 395,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Elephant at 116,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and White Blood Cells at 77.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Efn The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame placed White Blood Cells at 178 on their "Definitive 200 Albums of All Time" list.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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;<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> on its 2020 edition, Elephant ranked 449.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Rolling Stone also included "Seven Nation Army" on multiple editions of their "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" list.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2024, American Songwriter included the White Stripes on their list of the "Greatest (And Most Influential) Rock Music Duos Ever".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Band members

• Jack White – vocals, guitar, keyboards, piano
• Meg White – drums, percussion, vocals

Discography

Studio albums

• The White Stripes (1999)
• De Stijl (2000)
• White Blood Cells (2001)
• Elephant (2003)
• Get Behind Me Satan (2005)
• Icky Thump (2007)

See also

• Music of Detroit

References

Works cited

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Further reading

• Sullivan, Denise (2004). The White Stripes: Sweethearts of the Blues. Backbeat Books. Template:ISBN

External links

• Template:Official website