Editing The White Stripes (section)

==History==

===1996–1999: Early years, formation and ''The White Stripes''===
In high school, [[Jack White|Jack Gillis]] (as he was then known){{sfn|Dunn|2009|p=166}} met [[Meg White]] at the Memphis Smoke—the restaurant where she worked and where he would read his poetry at [[open mic]] nights.{{sfn|Handyside|2004|p=22}} The two became friends, and began to frequent the coffee shops, local music venues, and record stores of the area.{{sfn|Handyside|2004|p=25}} 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>{{AllMusic | class=artist | id=0000128873 | label=Jack White Biography | first=Andrew | last=Leahey | access-date=October 10, 2014 }}</ref><ref name=McCOLLUM>McCollum, Brian (September 2003), "Red, White, and Cool", ''[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]''. '''19'''(9):68–74</ref>{{sfn|Handyside|2004|p=31}} After dating for several years, Gillis and White married on September 21, 1996.{{sfn|Handyside|2004|p=32}}<ref name="White Stripes Marriage License">{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Jake |date=2002-05-23 |title=White Stripes Marriage License |url=http://gloriousnoise.com/2002/white_stripes_marriage_license |access-date=2025-03-11 |website=Glorious Noise |language=en-US}}</ref> Contrary to convention, he took his wife's surname.<ref name="WOW" /><ref name=":5">{{cite web |last=Ivory |first=Jane |date=August 9, 2007 |title=Second Baby for Jack White and Karen Elson |url=http://www.efluxmedia.com/news_Second_Baby_for_Jack_White_and_Karen_Elson_07595.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081025071136/http://www.efluxmedia.com/news_Second_Baby_for_Jack_White_and_Karen_Elson_07595.html |archive-date=October 25, 2008 |access-date=September 10, 2008 |work=Efluxmedia.com}}</ref> Shortly after, Goober & the Peas broke up, but Jack continued to play in other bands, such as the [[Garage punk (fusion genre)|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>{{cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p371524|pure_url=yes}}|title= The White Stripes: Biography| access-date=July 30, 2014|last= Handyside|first= Chris|website= AllMusic}}</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">{{cite web|url=http://www.whitestripes.net/faq.php#thename|title=THE WHITE STRIPES|work=whitestripes.net|access-date=September 9, 2005|archive-date=August 30, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090830022122/http://www.whitestripes.net/faq.php#thename|url-status=dead}}</ref>{{Better source needed|reason=The current source is insufficiently reliable ([[WP:NOTRS]]).|date=March 2025}} From the beginning, they established certain motifs: publicly pretending to be brother and sister,<ref name=":7">{{cite episode | title = Newsnight | series = Newsnight | airdate = March 20, 2012 |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01dq0g8 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Stubbins |first=Sinead |date=2020-03-16 |title=I Think About This a Lot: Jack and Meg White Pretending to Be Brother and Sister |url=https://www.thecut.com/2020/03/i-think-about-the-white-stripes-brother-sister-a-lot.html |access-date=2025-03-11 |website=The Cut |language=en}}</ref> outfitting their production in only black, red, and white,<ref name="Wilkinson">{{Cite magazine |last=Wilkinson |first=Alec |date=2017-03-05 |title=Jack White's Infinite Imagination |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/03/13/jack-whites-infinite-imagination |access-date=2025-03-11 |magazine=The New Yorker |language=en-US |issn=0028-792X}}</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">{{Cite journal |last=Mack |first=Kimberly |date=2015-03-15 |title="There's No Home for You Here": Jack White and the Unsolvable Problem of Blues Authenticity |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03007766.2014.994323 |journal=Popular Music and Society |volume=38 |issue=2 |pages=176–193 |doi=10.1080/03007766.2014.994323 |issn=0300-7766 |url-access=subscription}}</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>{{cite web|last=Leahey |first=Andrew |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/p371524 |title=The White Stripes |website=AllMusic |access-date=December 31, 2011}}</ref> They began their career as part of the Michigan [[underground music|underground]] garage rock scene, playing with local bands such as [[the Hentchmen]], [[the Dirtbombs]], [[the Gories]], and Rocket 455.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Maron |first=Marc |date=2012-06-18 |title=Episode 289 - Jack White |url=http://www.wtfpod.com/podcast/episodes/episode_289_-_jack_white |access-date=2025-03-11 |website=WTF with Marc Maron Podcast |language=en-US}}</ref> In 1998, Dave Buick—owner of an [[independent record label|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>{{Cite web |last=Coombe |first=Doug |date=April 30, 2008 |title=Motor City Cribs (Metro Times Detroit) |url=http://www.metrotimes.com/editorial/story.asp?id=12835 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080502061913/http://www.metrotimes.com/editorial/story.asp?id=12835 |archive-date=May 2, 2008 |access-date=April 12, 2024 |website=[[Metro Times]]}}</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>{{cite web |url=http://boogiechillindetroit.blogspot.com/2008/01/from-italy-with-love.html|title= From Italy With Love|access-date= August 26, 2008|last= Buick|first= Dave|date= January 3, 2008|work= BlogSpot.com}}{{dead link|date=May 2016|bot=medic}}</ref> Their debut single, "[[Let's Shake Hands]]", was released on vinyl in February 1998 with an initial pressing of 1,000 copies.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://metrotimes.com/editorial/story.asp?id=12835 |title=Motor City Cribs |access-date=August 26, 2008 |last= Coombe |first= Doug |work= [[Detroit Metro Times]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080502061913/http://www.metrotimes.com/editorial/story.asp?id=12835 |archive-date=May 2, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> This was followed in October 1998 by the single "[[Lafayette Blues]]" which, again, was only released on vinyl with {{formatnum:1000}} copies.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www-personal.umich.edu/~brt/expecting/discography/lafayette.html|title= Lafayette Blues|access-date= August 26, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Martin |first=Dan |date=2010-10-21 |title=White Stripes single sells for more than £10,000 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/oct/21/white-stripes-single |access-date=2025-03-11 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Perry |first=Andrew |date=14 November 2004 |title=The White Stripes uncut |url=https://www.theguardian.com/observer/omm/story/0,,1349947,00.html |access-date=2025-03-11 |website=www.theguardian.com |publisher=Observer Music Monthly}}</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 (album)|The White Stripes]]'', on June 15, 1999.<ref name="Allmusic review">{{cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r422015|pure_url=yes}}|title= The White Stripes|access-date= August 26, 2008|last= Handyside|first= Chris|work= AllMusic.com}}</ref> The self-titled debut was produced by Jack and engineered by American music producer [[Jim Diamond (music producer)|Jim Diamond]] at his [[Jim Diamond (music producer)#Ghetto Recorders|Ghetto Recorders]] studio in Detroit.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.motorcityrocks.com/jim.htm|title= Jim Diamond|access-date= August 26, 2008|last= Sult|first= Ryan|work= MotorCityRocks.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080113233400/http://www.motorcityrocks.com/jim.htm|archive-date= January 13, 2008}}</ref> The album was dedicated to the seminal Mississippi [[Delta blues]] musician [[Son House]], an artist who influenced Jack.<ref name=SWEET>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2003/mar/29/artsfeatures.popandrock |title= The Sweetheart Deal |access-date=October 23, 2008 |author=Cameron, Keith |date= September 8, 2005 |newspaper=The Guardian | location=London}}</ref><ref name=TOOMUCH>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/whitestripes/articles/story/5937502/too_much_too_soon |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090116033930/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/whitestripes/articles/story/5937502/too_much_too_soon |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 16, 2009 |title= Too Much Too Soon|access-date=October 23, 2008|author= Strauss, Neil|date= August 1, 2002 |magazine=Rolling Stone}}</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 (Blind Willie Johnson song)|John the Revelator]]". The White Stripes also covered House's song "[[Death Letter]]" on their follow-up album, ''[[De Stijl (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, [[Heavy metal music|metal]], blues, and [[Hillbilly|backwoods]] while his guitar work is grand and banging with just enough lyrical touches of [[Slide guitar|slide]] and subtle [[Guitar solo|solo]] work... Meg White balances out the [[fret]]work and the fretting with methodical, spare, and booming [[cymbal]], [[bass drum]], and [[Snare drum|snare]]... All [[DIY punk ethic|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>{{Cite web |last=Sokol |first=Cara Giaimo and Zach |date=2013-02-15 |title=The White Stuff: A Timeline of Almost Every Jack White Gimmick |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-white-stuff-a-timeline-of-almost-every-jack-white-gimmick/ |access-date=2024-05-23 |website=Vice |language=en}}</ref>

=== 2000–2002: ''De Stijl'' and ''White Blood Cells'' ===
[[File:White Stripes bw at Shinjuku Jam in Tokyo 2000.jpg|thumb|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>{{Cite web|last=Brown|first=Jake|date=June 9, 2002|title=White Stripes Divorce Certificate|url=http://gloriousnoise.com/2002/white_stripes_divorce_certific|access-date=June 19, 2020|website=Glorious Noise|language=en-US}}</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>{{Cite book|last=Handyside|first=Chris|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YS4wAAAAQBAJ&q=meg+white+jack+white+1999+didn%27t+know&pg=PA101|title=Fell in Love with a Band: The Story of The White Stripes|date=August 13, 2013|publisher=St. Martin's Publishing Group|isbn=978-1-4668-5184-9|language=en}}</ref> The White Stripes' second album, ''[[De Stijl (album)|De Stijl]]'' (Dutch for "The Style"), was released on the Sympathy for the Record Industry label on June 20, 2000.<ref>{{cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r484573|pure_url=yes}}|title= De Stijl Review|access-date= August 26, 2008|last= Phares|first= Heather|work= AllMusic.com}}</ref> The songs were recorded on an [[8-track tape|8-track]] [[analog recording|analog]] tape in Jack's living room,<ref name=AGE>{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/music/stripes-take-on-a-modern-slant/2007/06/14/1181414418013.html|title=Stripes take on a modern slant|access-date=October 23, 2008|author=Murfett, Andrew|date=June 15, 2007|newspaper=The Age}}</ref><ref name=VILLAGE>{{cite news|url=http://www.villagevoice.com/music/primary-colors|title=Primary Colors|access-date=October 23, 2008|author=Chute, Hillary|date=July 31, 2001|newspaper=The Village Voice}}{{Dead link|date=October 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</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>{{Cite magazine |last=Eliscu |first=Jenny |date=2000-11-23 |title=De Stijl |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/de-stijl-248359/ |access-date=2025-03-11 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</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 art|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 (U.S. state)|Georgia]] bluesman [[Blind Willie McTell]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://music.barnesandnoble.com/De-Stijl/The-White-Stripes/e/093624984313 |title=De Stijl |access-date=August 26, 2008 |publisher=Barnes & Noble |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090220195329/http://music.barnesandnoble.com/De-Stijl/The-White-Stripes/e/093624984313 |archive-date=February 20, 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> ''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."<ref name="powers">POWERS, ANN (February 27, 2001). "[https://www.nytimes.com/2001/02/27/arts/pop-review-intellectualizing-the-music-or-simply-experiencing-it.html POP REVIEW; Intellectualizing the Music Or Simply Experiencing It] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306202428/http://www.nytimes.com/2001/02/27/arts/pop-review-intellectualizing-the-music-or-simply-experiencing-it.html|date=March 6, 2016}}". Retrieved August 29, 2014.</ref>

''[[Party of Special Things to Do]]'' was released as a 7" on [[Sub Pop]] in December 2000.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.discogs.com/release/941629 |title=White Stripes, The&nbsp;– Party Of Special Things To Do |work= discogs.com |date=December 5, 2000 |access-date=August 30, 2008}}</ref> It comprised three songs originally performed by [[Captain Beefheart]], an [[experimental rock|experimental]] [[blues rock]] musician.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Barnes |first1=Mike |last2=Paytress |first2=Mark |author2-link=Mark Paytress |last3=White III |first3=Jack |author3-link=Jack White III |date=March 2011 |title=The Black Rider |url=http://www.mojo4music.com |journal=Mojo |publisher=Bauermedia |location=London |pages=65–73 |volume=208}}</ref>

The White Stripes' third album, ''[[White Blood Cells (album)|White Blood Cells]]'', was released on July 3, 2001, on [[Sympathy for the Record Industry]].<ref>{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r537413|pure_url=yes}} |title=White Blood Cells&nbsp;– Review |website=AllMusic |author=Heather Phares |access-date=August 30, 2008}}</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">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/whitestripes/biography|title=White Stripes Biography|access-date=October 23, 2008|author=Hoard, Christian|year=2004|magazine=Rolling Stone|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081028080730/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/whitestripes/biography <!--Added by H3llBot-->|archive-date=October 28, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Hochman |first=Steve |date=2001-11-18 |title=The White Stripes Take a Unique Major-Label Road |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-nov-18-ca-5471-story.html |access-date=2024-01-28 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref> Its stripped-down [[garage rock]] sound drew critical acclaim in the UK,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Branigan |first=Tania |date=August 7, 2001 |title=Britain's rock fans make stars of US White Stripes |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2001/aug/07/broadcasting.uknews |access-date=September 24, 2024 |website=[[The Guardian]]}}</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>{{cite web|url=http://www.whitestripes.net/band-info.php |title=The White Stripes |work= whitestripes.net |access-date=August 30, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tiscali.co.uk/music/biography/white_stripes_biog.html |title=White Stripes biography |publisher=tiscali.co.uk |access-date=August 30, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080625074759/http://www.tiscali.co.uk/music/biography/white_stripes_biog.html |archive-date = June 25, 2008}}</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">{{cite news |last=Hagan |first=Joe |date=August 12, 2001 |title=Hurling Your Basic Rock at the Arty Crowd |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/12/arts/music-hurling-your-basic-rock-at-the-arty-crowd.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306140312/http://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/12/arts/music-hurling-your-basic-rock-at-the-arty-crowd.html |archive-date=March 6, 2016 |access-date=August 30, 2014 |work=The New York Times}}</ref>

''White Blood Cells'' peaked at number 61 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]], reaching Gold record status by selling over 500,000 albums. It reached number 55 in the United Kingdom,<ref>{{Cite web |title=WHITE STRIPES {{!}} full Official Chart History {{!}} Official Charts Company |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/10968/white-stripes/ |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=www.officialcharts.com}}</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 (magazine)|Spin]]''. '''18''' (10):64–68</ref> It was also nominated for Video of the Year, but fell short of winning.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/2002/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080828092656/http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/2002/|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 28, 2008|title=2002 MTV Video Music Awards|work= MTV.com|access-date=October 23, 2008}}</ref> ''[[Stylus Magazine]]'' rated ''[[White Blood Cells]]'' as the fourteenth greatest album of 2000–2005,<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.stylusmagazine.com/articles/weekly_article/the-top-50-albums-2000–2005.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200809174929/http://www.stylusmagazine.com/articles/weekly_article/the-top-50-albums-2000%E2%80%932005.htm|url-status= dead|archive-date= August 9, 2020|title=The Top 50 Albums of 2000–2005 |magazine=Stylus Magazine|access-date=October 23, 2008}}</ref> while [[Pitchfork Media]] ranked it eighth on their list of the top 100 albums from 2000 to 2004.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/5956-the-top-100-albums-of-2000-04-part-one/10/|title=The Top 100 Albums of 2000–04|website=Pitchfork|date=February 7, 2005 |access-date=September 10, 2011}}</ref>

In 2002, George Roca produced and directed a concert film about the band titled ''Nobody Knows How to Talk to Children''.<ref>{{cite web|last=Gavin|first=Baker|title=Nobody Knows How To Talk To Children – Full Documentary |via= YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yPbopEeyA8| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201231729/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yPbopEeyA8&gl=US&hl=en| archive-date=February 1, 2014|publisher=glbracer|access-date=January 9, 2014}}</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>{{cite web |url=http://www.whitestripes.com/lo-fi/news.html?year=2004 |title=White Stripes' News |work=whitestripes.com |date=December 20, 2004 |access-date=August 30, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080501151136/http://www.whitestripes.com/lo-fi/news.html?year=2004 |archive-date=May 1, 2008 }}</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 recording|bootleg]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0488849/ |title=Nobody Knows How to Talk to Children (2004) |work= IMDb.com |access-date=August 30, 2008}}</ref> Also in 2002, they appeared as musical guests on ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Shaffer |first=Claire |date=2020-12-14 |title=The White Stripes Release Two Classic 'SNL' Performances Online |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/the-white-stripes-saturday-night-live-classic-performances-1103430/ |access-date=2024-06-28 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== 2003–2006: ''Elephant'' and ''Get Behind Me Satan'' ===
The White Stripes' fourth album, ''[[Elephant (album)|Elephant]]'', was recorded in 2002 over the span of two weeks with British [[recording engineer]] [[Liam Watson (record producer)|Liam Watson]] at his [[Toe Rag Studios]] in London.<ref name=Fricke>Fricke, David (April 17, 2003), [http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=afh&AN=9491694&loginpage=Login.asp&site=ehost-live "Living Color"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160513002200/http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=afh&AN=9491694&loginpage=Login.asp&site=ehost-live |date=May 13, 2016 }}. ''Rolling Stone''. (920): 102</ref> Jack self-produced the album with antiquated equipment, including a [[duct tape|duct-taped]] [[Multitrack recording|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 Records|V2]] in the US, and on [[XL Recordings]] in England.<ref name="Wilkinson" /><ref>{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r630295|pure_url=yes}} |title=Elephant&nbsp;– Review |website=Allmusic |author=Heather Phares |access-date=August 30, 2008}}</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 album|platinum]] certification in Britain,<ref>{{cite web|title=BPI |work=[[British Phonographic Industry]] |url=http://www.bpi.co.uk/index.asp?Page=stats/content_file_118.shtml |access-date=January 17, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071230171351/http://www.bpi.co.uk/index.asp?Page=stats%2Fcontent_file_118.shtml |archive-date=December 30, 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and platinum certification in the United States.<ref>[https://www.riaa.com/gp/database/default.asp RIAA] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070405210430/http://www.riaa.com/gp/database/default.asp |date=April 5, 2007 }} ''[[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>{{Cite web |title=White Stripes will play four nights on Conan |url=https://ew.com/article/2003/03/28/white-stripes-will-play-four-nights-conan/ |access-date=2024-06-28 |website=EW.com |language=en}}</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>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/271218/review/5940476/elephant |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071023004535/http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/271218/review/5940476/elephant |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 23, 2007 |title=Elephant: White Stripes&nbsp;– Review |magazine=Rolling Stone |author=Fricke, David |date=March 25, 2003|access-date=August 30, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/artists/whitestripes/elephant |title=The White Stripes: Elephant (2003): Reviews |work=metacritic.com |access-date=August 30, 2008 |archive-date=August 4, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080804050037/http://www.metacritic.com/music/artists/whitestripes/elephant |url-status=dead }}</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>{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r630295|pure_url=yes}} |title=Elephant&nbsp;– Review |website=Allmusic |author=Phares, Heather |access-date=August 30, 2008}}</ref> ''Elephant'' was notable for Jack's first guitar solos, and critics also praised Meg's drumming.<ref>{{Citation |title=The White Stripes - Elephant Album Reviews, Songs & More {{!}} AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/elephant-mw0000022228 |access-date=2023-04-07 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Qw8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA32 |title=Billboard |date=2003-03-29 |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc. |language=en}}</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>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5937559/the_100_greatest_guitarists_of_all_time/ |title=The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time |magazine=Rolling Stone |last= Townshend| first= Peter| author-link= Peter Townshend |date=August 27, 2003 |access-date=August 30, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080623212741/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5937559/the_100_greatest_guitarists_of_all_time/ |archive-date = June 23, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |last1=Weingarten |first1=Christopher R. |last2=Dolan |first2=Jon |last3=Diehl |first3=Matt |last4=Micallef |first4=Ken |last5=Ma |first5=David |last6=Smith |first6=Gareth Dylan |last7=Wang |first7=Oliver |last8=Heller |first8=Jason |first9=Jordan |last9=Runtagh |first10=Hank |last10=Shteamer |first11=Steve |last11=Smith |first12=Brittany |last12=Spanos |first13=Kory |last13=Grow |first14=Rob |last14=Kemp |first15=Keith |last15=Harris |first16=Richard |last16=Gehr |first17=Jon |last17=Wiederhorn |first18=Maura |last18=Johnston |author18-link=Maura Johnston |first19=Andy |last19=Greene |date=2016-03-31 |title=100 Greatest Drummers of All Time |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/100-greatest-drummers-of-all-time-77933/ |access-date=2023-04-07 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</ref> ''Elephant'' was ranked number 390 on the magazine's list of the [[Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time|500 Greatest Albums of All Time]].<ref name=":1">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5938174/the_rs_500_greatest_albums_of_all_time |title=The RS 500 Greatest Albums of All Time |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=November 18, 2003 |access-date=August 30, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080623212750/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5938174/the_rs_500_greatest_albums_of_all_time |archive-date= June 23, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</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>{{cite news|last1=Reneshaw|first1=David|title=500 Greatest Songs (Seven Nation Army)|issue=July 2014| work= NME}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/list/the-top-100-greatest-albums-of-the-decade/158049/page/9 |title=The Top 100 Greatest Albums of the Decade |work= NME.com |access-date=February 19, 2010}}</ref>

The album's first single, "[[Seven Nation Army]]", was the band's most successful and topped the Billboard rock charts.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Billboard Top Rock Charts|magazine=Billboard|date=2004}}</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>{{Cite web |date=2021-02-26 |title=Ranked: The White Stripes' Greatest Hits |url=https://blog.roughtrade.com/gb/ranked-the-white-stripes-greatest-hits/ |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=Rough Trade Blog}}</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">{{Cite web |title=Rock On The Net: 46th Annual Grammy Awards - 2004 |url=http://www.rockonthenet.com/archive/2004/grammys.htm |access-date=2023-03-03 |website=www.rockonthenet.com}}</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>{{cite news |last=Bradshaw |first=Peter |date=November 4, 2004 |title=The White Stripes Under Blackpool Lights |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2004/nov/05/thewhitestripes |access-date=June 24, 2019 |newspaper=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Murray |first=Noel |date=December 27, 2004 |title=The White Stripes: Under Blackpool Lights |url=https://www.avclub.com/the-white-stripes-under-blackpool-lights-1798200273 |access-date=June 24, 2019 |newspaper=The AV Club |archive-date=August 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190801163735/https://music.avclub.com/the-white-stripes-under-blackpool-lights-1798200273 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[File:The White Stripes (cropped).jpg|thumb|The White Stripes performing at [[Bell Centre]] in 2005|left]]In 2005, Jack began working on songs for the band's next album at his home.<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Fricke|first1=David|title=White on White|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=2005}}</ref> He played with different techniques than in past albums, trading in his electric guitar for an [[Steel-string guitar|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>{{Cite web |title=The White Stripes: Get Behind Me Satan |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/8653-get-behind-me-satan/ |access-date=2023-04-07 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}}</ref> The White Stripes' fifth album, ''[[Get Behind Me Satan]]'', was released in 2005 on the [[V2 Records|V2]] label.<ref name="allmusic1">{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r741928|pure_url=yes}} |title=Get Behind Me Satan&nbsp;– Review |website=AllMusic |author=Phares, Heather |access-date=August 30, 2008}}</ref> The title is an allusion to a Biblical quotation Jesus made to the [[Saint Peter|Apostle Simon Peter]] from the [[Gospel of Matthew|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>[http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/kjv/mat016.htm Matthew: XVI:XXIII, King James Bible.] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303193701/http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/kjv/mat016.htm |date=March 3, 2016 }}. 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 [[The Who|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>{{Cite web |title=The White Stripes: Get Behind Me Satan |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/8653-get-behind-me-satan/ |access-date=2023-04-01 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}}</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>{{cite news|last1=Nicholson|first1=Barry|title=White Out| work= NME New Musical Express|date=2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/w/white-stripes/get-behind-me-satan.shtml |title=Get Behind Me Satan |last= Murphy| first= Matthew |website=Pitchfork |date=June 6, 2005 |access-date=August 30, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080115175516/http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/w/white-stripes/get-behind-me-satan.shtml/ |archive-date=January 15, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> ''Rolling Stone'' ranked it the third best album of the year<ref>[https://www.rollingstone.com/special/8952414/the_top_50_records_of_2005 ''Rolling Stone'' Magazine's Top 50 Records of 2005] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070202234303/http://www.rollingstone.com/special/8952414/the_top_50_records_of_2005 |date=February 2, 2007 }}. Retrieved on August 30, 2008.</ref> and it received the [[Grammy Award|Grammy]] for [[Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album|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>{{Cite web |last=Benson |first=Ian|title=Jack White's Oddball Masterpiece: The White Stripes' last real hurrah |url=https://www.altpress.com/jack_whites_oddball_masterpiece_the_white_stripes_last_real_hurrah/ |access-date=2023-04-01 |website=Alternative Press Magazine |date=June 30, 2015 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Speed |first=Paul |date=2021-10-08 |title=A Wild And Windy Night When The White Stripes Rocked The Heavens |url=https://medium.com/the-riff/a-wild-and-windy-night-when-the-white-stripes-rocked-the-heavens-7b5e495cba10 |access-date=2023-04-01 |website=The Riff |language=en}}</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>{{Cite news |date=2005-12-08 |title=The Complete List of Grammy Nominations |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/08/arts/the-complete-list-of-grammy-nominations.html |access-date=2023-04-01 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

[[File:Whitestripes.jpg|thumb|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>{{cite web |last1=sanchez |first1=Lucas |title=Jack White changes his name |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/the-white-stripes-219-1365989 |website=NME |access-date=April 27, 2019 |date=November 6, 2005}}</ref> While on the British leg of the tour, Jack changed his name from Jack White to "Three quid".<ref>{{Cite web |last=NME |date=2005-11-06 |title=Jack White changes his name |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/the-white-stripes-219-1365989 |access-date=2024-05-23 |website=NME |language=en-GB}}</ref>

On October 12, 2004, [[Jim Diamond (music producer)|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>{{cite web |author1=Billboard Staff |title=White Stripes Win Lawsuit Over Royalties |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/white-stripes-win-lawsuit-over-royalties-58119/ |website=billboard.com |publisher=Billboard |access-date=1 April 2025 |date=15 June 2005}}</ref> The White Stripes released a cover version of [[Tegan and Sara]]'s song "[[Walking with a Ghost (song)|Walking with a Ghost]]" on iTunes in November 2005. The song was later released in December as the ''[[Walking with a Ghost (song)|Walking with a Ghost]]'' EP featuring four other live tracks.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The White Stripes: Walking With a Ghost EP |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/8654-walking-with-a-ghost-ep/ |access-date=2024-04-09 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}}</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 (album)|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 (XL Recordings)|Richard Russell]], founder of [[XL Recordings]], who co-produced the album with [[Joby Talbot]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/57051/white-stripes-meets-classical-on-aluminium |title=White Stripes Meets Classical On 'Aluminium' |work= billboard.com |date= October 4, 2006|access-date=August 30, 2008}}</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>{{cite web|url=http://www.glidemagazine.com/articles/51270/white-stripes-go-orchestral-on-aluminum.html |title=White Stripes Go Orchestral On Aluminum |work= Glide Magazine |date=October 5, 2006 |access-date=August 30, 2008}}</ref>

=== 2007–2008: ''Icky Thump'' and hiatus ===
[[File:HMP & White Stripes (749441118).jpg|left|thumb|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), [https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1063253/v2-restructured-white-stripes-moby-become-free-agents "V2 Restructured, White Stripes, Moby Become Free Agents"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160118172327/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1063253/v2-restructured-white-stripes-moby-become-free-agents |date=January 18, 2016 }}. ''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>{{cite web
 |url=http://pitchforkmedia.com/page/news/White_Stripes_Sign_to_Warner_Bros_#41119
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070214084013/http://pitchforkmedia.com/page/news/White_Stripes_Sign_to_Warner_Bros_
 |url-status=dead
 |archive-date=February 14, 2007
|title=White Stripes Sign to Warner Bros.
 |access-date=February 12, 2007
|author=Amy Phillips
 |date=February 12, 2007
|work=Pitchfork
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nylon/0607/index.php?startid=76 |title=NYLON&nbsp;– June/July 2007 |work= nxtbook.com |access-date=August 30, 2008}}</ref> Their sixth album, ''[[Icky Thump]]'', was released on June 19, 2007.<ref name="changing" /><ref>{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r1075093|pure_url=yes}} |title=Icky Thump&nbsp;– Review |website=Allmusic |author=Heather Phares |access-date=August 30, 2008}}</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">{{cite magazine| last= Pastorek| first= Whitney |date= May 25, 2007| title= Changing Their Stripes| magazine= [[Entertainment Weekly]]| volume= 935| pages= 40–44}}</ref> It was recorded at [[Blackbird Studio]] in [[Nashville, Tennessee|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>[http://www.whitestripes.com/lo-fi/news.html News page, The White Stripes website news] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150422022042/http://www.whitestripes.com/lo-fi/news.html |date=April 22, 2015 }}. Retrieved April 10, 2007.</ref><ref>[http://www.whitestripes.com/lo-fi/news.html News page, The White Stripes website show list] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150422022042/http://www.whitestripes.com/lo-fi/news.html |date=April 22, 2015 }}. Retrieved April 13, 2007.</ref> Prior to the album's release, three tracks were previewed to ''[[NME]]'': "[[Icky Thump (song)|Icky Thump]]", "[[You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do as You're Told)]]" and "[[Conquest (song)|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>{{cite web |date=March 2, 2007 |title=Exclusive&nbsp;– NME.COM hears new White Stripes songs |url=https://www.nme.com/news/the-white-stripes/26791 |access-date=August 30, 2008 |work=NME.COM}}</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">[http://acharts.us/album/26528 "The White Stripes&nbsp;– Icky Thump global chart positions and trajectories"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141012103336/http://acharts.us/album/26528|date=October 12, 2014}}. 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>{{cite web |last=Hasty |first=Katie |date=June 27, 2007 |title=Bon Jovi Scores First No.&nbsp;1 Album Since 1988 |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1051279/bon-jovi-scores-first-no-1-album-since-1988 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160119205121/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1051279/bon-jovi-scores-first-no-1-album-since-1988 |archive-date=January 19, 2016 |work=Billboard.com}}</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">{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/halifax-fans-chase-white-stripes-around-town-1.639459 |date= July 14, 2007| title= Halifax fans chase White Stripes around town| website= cbc.ca| publisher= CBC|url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090702190933/http://www.cbc.ca/arts/music/story/2007/07/14/whitestripes-halifax-bar.html |archive-date=July 2, 2009 }}</ref> It was also at this time that White learned he was related to Canadian fiddle player [[Natalie MacMaster]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.exclaim.ca/articles/multiarticlesub.aspx?csid1=111&csid2=778&fid1=25803 |title= The White Stripes: Manifest Destiny| first= Jason |last= Schneider |work= Exclaim.ca |access-date=April 5, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071015063231/http://exclaim.ca/articles/multiarticlesub.aspx?csid1=111&csid2=778&fid1=25803 |archive-date=October 15, 2007 }}</ref>

[[File:Jack & Meg, On The Bus.jpg|thumb|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, British Columbia|Burnaby]]. The Canadian tour was also marked by concerts in small markets,<ref name=eels/> such as [[Glace Bay, Nova Scotia|Glace Bay]], [[Whitehorse, Yukon|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, Winnipeg, Manitoba|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|Halifax]], Nova Scotia. They also played a historic one-note show on [[George Street, St. John's|George Street]] in [[St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador|St. John's]], [[Newfoundland and Labrador|Newfoundland]], in an attempt to break a [[Guinness World Records|Guinness World Record]] for the shortest concert.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hopper |first=Alex |date=2024-07-16 |title=On This Day: The White Stripes Play the Shortest Concert Ever |url=https://americansongwriter.com/on-this-day-the-white-stripes-play-the-shortest-concert-ever/ |access-date=2024-08-16 |website=American Songwriter |language=en-US}}</ref> Though it was denied induction as a record, media publications have called it the shortest concert.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-07-16 |title=The White Stripes and the shortest show of all time |url=https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/white-stripes-shortest-concert-ever/ |access-date=2024-08-16 |website=faroutmagazine.co.uk |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":8" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-05-17 |title=Guinness won't add Jack White's one-note concert as world's shortest |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/pop-culture-news/guinness-wont-add-jack-whites-one-note-concert-worlds-shortest-flna777761 |access-date=2024-08-16 |website=NBC News |language=en}}</ref> They played a full show later that night at the [[Mile One Centre]] in downtown St. John's.<ref name=":8">{{cite news |title=And on that note, The White Stripes tour is over |publisher=CBC News |date=July 17, 2007 |access-date=December 13, 2007 |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/and-on-that-note-the-white-stripes-tour-is-over-1.664256 }}</ref> Video clips from several of the secret shows have been posted to YouTube.<ref>[https://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070705.wstripes05/BNStory/Entertainment/home "Jack and Meg go back to school"]{{dead link|date=November 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, ''[[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">{{Cite news |last=Eells |first=Josh |date=2012-04-05 |title=Jack Outside the Box |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/08/magazine/jack-white-is-the-savviest-rock-star-of-our-time.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 |access-date=2025-03-11 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</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 disorder|anxiety]].<ref name=shelve>(September 12, 2007), [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6990982.stm "White Stripes shelve US concerts"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160802103554/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6990982.stm |date=August 2, 2016 }}. 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), [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6993047.stm "The White Stripes cancel UK tour"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306062318/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6993047.stm |date=March 6, 2016 }}. BBC. Retrieved November 24, 2014.</ref> In his review of ''Under Great White Northern Lights'' for [[Vanity Fair (magazine)|''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>{{Cite magazine |date=2010-03-15 |title=Buy It, Steal It, Skip It: The White Stripes' Under Great White Northern Lights |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2010/03/buy-it-steal-it-skip-it-the-white-stripes-under-great-white-northern-lights |access-date=2024-02-20 |magazine=Vanity Fair |language=en-US}}</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>{{cite web|url=http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/jack_white_works_with_bob_dylan.html |title=Jack White Works With Bob Dylan |work= Ultimate-Guitar.Com |date=February 26, 2008 |access-date=August 30, 2008}}</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), [https://www.nme.com/news/the-white-stripes/34127 "White Stripes sued for sampling radio show"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305011734/http://www.nme.com/news/the-white-stripes/34127|date=March 5, 2016}}. NME. Retrieved March 16, 2015.</ref> The matter was ultimately settled out of court.<ref>Schneider, Jason (April 30, 2012), [http://exclaim.ca/Music/article/jack_white-third_man "Jack White—The Third Man"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160104183853/http://exclaim.ca/Music/article/jack_white-third_man|date=January 4, 2016}}. ''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>{{cite web |title=Whitestripes.net |url=http://www.whitestripes.net/index.php |access-date=April 5, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-02-11 |title=Late Night With Conan O'Brien's Last Music Guest: The White Stripes |url=https://www.stereogum.com/52151/late_night_with_conan_obriens_last_music_guest_the/news/ |access-date=2024-06-28 |website=Stereogum |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-10-12 |title=Conan O'Brien Tells Story of How the White Stripes Closed "Late Night": Listen |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/conan-obrien-tells-story-of-how-the-white-stripes-closed-late-night-listen/ |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}}</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>{{cite web |date=May 6, 2009 |title=Jack White on The White Stripes' future |url=http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/jack-white-on-the-white-stripes-future-206044/ |access-date=May 4, 2010 |work=MusicRadar.com}}</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>[https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1045136/meg-white-surprises-with-raconteurs-in-detroit "Meg White Surprises With Raconteurs In Detroit"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160223010243/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1045136/meg-white-surprises-with-raconteurs-in-detroit |date=February 23, 2016 }}[[Billboard.com]]. Retrieved on June 9, 2008.</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.delawareonline.com/blogs/2009/02/i-just-dont-know-what-to-do-with-myself.html |title=Delawareonline.com |date=February 11, 2009 |access-date=April 5, 2010 |archive-date=January 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160104183855/http://archive.delawareonline.com/blogs/2009/02/i-just-dont-know-what-to-do-with-myself.html?from=global |url-status=dead }}</ref> A concert film, ''[[Under Great White Northern Lights]]'', premiered at the [[Toronto International Film Festival]] on September 18, 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.whitestripes.com/film/film.html |title=Whitestripes.com |access-date= May 4, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100421070540/http://www.whitestripes.com/film/film.html |archive-date=April 21, 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Dehaas |first=Josh |date=2009-07-22 |title=TIFF's documentary films observe an askew planet (ours) |url=https://torontolife.com/culture/tiffs-documentary-films-observe-an-askew-planet-ours/ |access-date=2024-01-28 |website=Toronto Life |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=July 21, 2009 |title=White Stripes Canadian tour doc to premiere at TIFF |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/white-stripes-canadian-tour-doc-to-premiere-at-tiff-1.785482 |access-date=January 28, 2024 |website=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)}}</ref> The film documents the band's summer 2007 tour across Canada and contains live concert and off-stage footage.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.whitestripes.com/news/newsExtra.html |title= News Extra |work= Whitestripes.com |access-date=May 4, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100403043219/http://www.whitestripes.com/news/newsExtra.html |archive-date=April 3, 2010 }}</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>{{Cite web |date=2010-02-26 |title=Q&A: Jack White, the sleepless songwriter |url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/movies/2010/02/26/qa_jack_white_the_sleepless_songwriter.html |access-date=2023-04-01 |website=thestar.com |language=en}}</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>{{cite news| last= Rayner| first= Ben | date= February 21, 2010| title= Red, white and new—Seeing sights, wooing strangers| work= [[Toronto Star]]}}</ref> Additionally, their 10th anniversary occurred during the tour on the day of their show at the [[Savoy Theatre, Glace Bay|Savoy Theatre]] in [[Glace Bay, Nova Scotia]],<ref name=jackpot>{{cite news| last= Schoepp| first= Trapper |date= March 15, 2010| title= Jackpot Art Gallery to preview new White Stripes roc doc| work= UWM Post| page= 10}}</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, [[The Malloys|Emmett Malloy]].<ref name=hoard>{{cite magazine| last= Hoard| first= Christian |date= April 1, 2010| title= Under Great White Northern Lights| magazine= Rolling Stone| number= 1101| page= 75}}</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>{{cite web |url=http://www.self-titledmag.com/home/2009/04/14/the-perfect-storm-st-corners-the-dead-weather-for-one-of-their-first-full-band-interviews |title=Self Titledmag.com |work= Self-Titledmag.com |access-date=May 4, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100206192047/http://www.self-titledmag.com/home/2009/04/14/the-perfect-storm-st-corners-the-dead-weather-for-one-of-their-first-full-band-interviews/ |archive-date=February 6, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</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">{{cite magazine |url=http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/story/jack-whites-strange-stripes_1135155|title=Jack White&nbsp;— Jack White's 'Strange' Stripes |date=March 12, 2010|magazine=Contactmusic.com|access-date=April 4, 2010}}</ref>

In February 2010, a [[Super Bowl XLIV|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>{{cite news |date=February 9, 2010 |title=White Stripes battle US Air Force |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8506042.stm |access-date=March 27, 2010 |work=BBC 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>{{cite web |last=Gold |first=Adam |url=http://www.nashvillescene.com/nashvillecream/archives/2010/09/09/forthcoming-loretta-lynn-tribute-to-feature-the-white-stripes-steve-earle-lucinda-williams-paramore-and-more |title=Forthcoming Loretta Lynn Tribute to Feature The White Stripes, Steve Earle, Lucinda Williams, Paramore & More &#124; Nashville Cream |work=Nashvillescene.com |date=September 9, 2010 |access-date=February 19, 2011 |archive-date=November 25, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111125174619/http://www.nashvillescene.com/nashvillecream/archives/2010/09/09/forthcoming-loretta-lynn-tribute-to-feature-the-white-stripes-steve-earle-lucinda-williams-paramore-and-more |url-status=dead }}</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>{{Cite web |last=Tennessean |first=Peter Cooper, The |title=Loretta Lynn, country music's iconic 'Coal Miner's Daughter,' dead at 90 |url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/music/2022/10/04/loretta-lynn-dead-country-musics-iconic-coal-miners-daughter-was-90/91991138/ |access-date=2023-04-01 |website=The Tennessean |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Evans |first=Greg |date=2022-10-04 |title=Loretta Lynn Dies: Country Icon And Coal Miner's Daughter Was 90 |url=https://deadline.com/2022/10/loretta-lynn-dead-country-icon-and-coal-miners-daughter-was-90-1235134713/ |access-date=2023-04-01 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref> Jack hinted at a possible White Stripes reunion in a 2010 interview with ''[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|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{{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>{{cite web |url=http://www.antiquiet.com/news/2010/11/white-stripes-reunion/attachment/jack-white-vanity-fair-full/ |title=Jack White Vanity Fair Interview |work= Antiquiet.com |access-date=February 19, 2011}}</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>{{cite web | last = Moody | first = Nekesa Mumbi | date = February 2, 2011 | title = The White Stripes Announce They're Breaking Up | work = ABC news |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=12822369 | access-date = February 2, 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last = Cochrane | first = Greg| date = February 2, 2011 | title = White Stripes announce 'split' after 13 years together | work = BBC News |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/12351234 | access-date = February 2, 2011 }}</ref>

=== Post-breakup ===
Following the band's breakup, Jack continued his music career while Meg retired and returned to Detroit.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lacy |first=Eric |date=2014-05-23 |title=Jack White says he 'almost never' talks to Meg White, says she's 'always been a hermit' |url=https://www.mlive.com/entertainment/detroit/2014/05/jack_white_says_he_almost_neve.html |access-date=2024-07-16 |website=mlive |language=en}}</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">{{cite web |author=Rolling Stone |date=May 23, 2014 |title=Where's Meg White? Jack Speaks Out on Elusive White Stripes Partner |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/wheres-meg-white-jack-speaks-out-on-elusive-white-stripes-partner-70496/ |access-date=January 15, 2015 |work=rollingstone.com}}</ref>

Several unreleased recordings and [[Souvenir|memorabilia]] of the band have been released through Third Man, typically through the [[Third Man Records#Third Man Records Vault|Third Man Records Vault]], a "rarity-excavating" quarterly subscription service.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McGovern |first=Kyle |date=January 3, 2013 |title=Jack White Spares 1999 Bowling Alley Gig for Third Man Vinyl Vault Series |url=https://www.spin.com/2013/01/jack-white-third-man-vinyl-vault-series/ |website=Spin}}</ref> This began with a 2009 package that included a [[Monaural sound|mono]] mix of ''Icky Thump''. The latest package is 2023's [[Elephant (album)#Release|''Elephant XX'']], a mono mix of the aforementioned album which celebrates its 20th anniversary.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-09 |title=The White Stripes' Elephant Gets New Mono Mix for 20th Anniversary |url=https://consequence.net/2023/01/the-white-stripes-elephant-20th-anniversary-mono-release/ |access-date=2024-07-16 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=THIRD MAN RECORDS ANNOUNCES VAULT PACKAGE #55: THE WHITE STRIPES - ELE – Third Man Records – Official Store |url=https://thirdmanrecords.com/blogs/news/third-man-records-announces-vault-package-55-the-white-stripes-elephant-xx |access-date=2024-07-16 |website=thirdmanrecords.com|date=January 9, 2023 }}</ref>

In 2016, the previously unheard "City Lights" was released as a promotional single after Michel Gondry surprised Jack with a music video.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Kreps |first=Daniel |date=2016-09-12 |title=See Michel Gondry's Captivating Video for White Stripes' 'City Lights' |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/see-michel-gondrys-captivating-video-for-white-stripes-city-lights-103037/ |access-date=2024-07-16 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</ref> It was additionally featured on Jack's [[compilation album]] ''[[Acoustic Recordings 1998–2016]]'' and received a nomination for [[Grammy Award for Best American Roots Song|Best American Roots Song]] at the [[59th Annual Grammy Awards]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-02-01 |title=Nominees And Winners {{!}} GRAMMY.com |url=http://www.grammy.com/nominees |access-date=2024-07-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120201120225/http://www.grammy.com/nominees |archive-date=February 1, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Levy |first=Joe |date=2016-09-08 |title=Review: Jack White's 'Acoustic Recordings' Is a Genreless Foot Stomper |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/review-jack-whites-acoustic-recordings-is-a-genreless-foot-stomper-113377/ |access-date=2024-07-16 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</ref>

During the campaigning for the [[2016 United States presidential election]], then [[Republican Party (United States)|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>{{Cite web |last=Krieg |first=Gregory |date=2016-10-06 |title=The White Stripes give Trump an Icky Thump {{!}} CNN Politics |url=https://www.cnn.com/2016/10/06/politics/donald-trump-white-stripes-icky-thump/index.html |access-date=2022-04-01 |website=CNN |language=en}}</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>{{Cite web |date=2016-10-06 |title=The White Stripes are now selling 'Icky Trump' t-shirts |url=https://consequence.net/2016/10/the-white-stripes-are-now-selling-icky-trump-t-shirts/ |access-date=2022-04-01 |website=Consequence |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=October 6, 2016 |title=Anti Trump Unisex T Shirt |url=https://thirdmanstore.com/products/anti-trump-unisex-t-shirt |access-date=April 1, 2022 |website=Third Man Store}}{{Dead link|date=June 2024|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</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">{{cite web |title=The White Stripes "Greatest Hits" |url=https://thirdmanstore.com/the-white-stripes-greatest-hits |accessdate=December 13, 2020 |publisher=[[Third Man Records]]}}</ref> It consists of twenty-six songs including "[[Ball and Biscuit]]" which was released as a [[Promotional recording|promotional single]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Monroe |first=Evan Minsker, Jazz |date=2020-10-06 |title=The White Stripes Announce Greatest Hits, Share Live Video |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/the-white-stripes-announce-greatest-hits-share-live-video-watch/ |access-date=2024-07-10 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-10-08 |title=The White Stripes Share Archival "Ball and Biscuit," Prep 'Greatest Hits' Compilation |url=https://jambands.com/news/2020/10/08/the-white-stripes-share-archival-ball-and-biscuit-prep-greatest-hits-compilation/ |access-date=2024-07-10 |website=Jambands |language=en-US}}</ref> The band relaunched their [[Instagram]] account to promote the album.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-10-06 |title=The White Stripes Announce First-Ever Greatest Hits Album |url=https://consequence.net/2020/10/the-white-stripes-greatest-hits-album/ |access-date=2024-07-10 |language=en-US}}</ref> It was released in the [[United States]] by [[Third Man Records|Third Man]] and [[Columbia Records]] on December 4, 2020,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Monroe |first=Evan Minsker, Jazz |date=2020-10-06 |title=The White Stripes Announce Greatest Hits, Share Live Video |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/the-white-stripes-announce-greatest-hits-share-live-video-watch/ |access-date=2024-07-08 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":03"/> and was internationally released on February 26, 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The White Stripes Celebrate Global Greatest Hits Release With Premiere Of From The Basement Live Session – Sony Music Canada |url=https://www.sonymusic.ca/press_release/the-white-stripes-celebrate-global-greatest-hits-release-with-premiere-of-from-the-basement-live-session |access-date=2024-07-08 |website=www.sonymusic.ca}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Sinclair |first=Paul |date=2 February 2021 |title=Out This Week / on 26 February 2021 |url=https://www.superdeluxeedition.com/news/out-this-week-on-26-february-2021/ |access-date=2022-03-05 |publisher=Superdeluxeedition.com}}</ref> [[M. Wartella|Wartella]]-directed music videos for "[[Let's Shake Hands]]" and "[[De Stijl (album)|Apple Blossom]]" were released simultaneously.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lavin |first=Will |date=2020-12-05 |title=Watch The White Stripes' animated new video for 'Let's Shake Hands' |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/watch-the-white-stripes-animated-new-video-for-lets-shake-hands-2832301 |access-date=2024-07-16 |website=NME |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Blistein |first=Jon |date=2020-11-13 |title=White Stripes Soundtrack an Animated Love Story in Video for 'De Stijl' Classic 'Apple Blossom' |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/white-stripes-apple-blossom-music-video-greatest-hits-track-list-1090113/ |access-date=2024-07-16 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</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 active{{nbsp}}... the collection's hand-curated feel is much more personal than the average best-of or streaming play list."<ref>{{Citation |title=The White Stripes Greatest Hits - The White St... {{!}} AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-white-stripes-greatest-hits-mw0003436445 |access-date=2024-07-11 |language=en}}</ref> ''[[The New Yorker]]'''s [[Amanda Petrusich]] called the album "a good reminder of how odd and inventive the band was{{nbsp}}... It feels old-fashioned, even deliberately so, but it sounds awfully good."<ref name="New Yorker">{{cite magazine |last=Petrusich |first=Amanda |date=December 4, 2020 |title=Long Live the Greatest-Hits Album |url=https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/long-live-the-greatest-hits-album |magazine=[[The New Yorker]] |accessdate=December 13, 2020}}</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>{{Cite web |last=Duran |first=Anagricel |date=2023-05-04 |title=The White Stripes' lyrics collected for new book |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/the-white-stripes-lyrics-collected-for-new-book-3438899 |access-date=2024-07-16 |website=NME |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-05-02 |title=The White Stripes Entire Lyrics Are Compiled in a New Book |url=https://consequence.net/2023/05/the-white-stripes-lyrics-book/ |access-date=2024-07-16 |language=en-US}}</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>{{Cite web |date=2023-10-19 |title=Jack White says new White Stripes lyrics book brought him to happy tears |url=https://www.theoaklandpress.com/2023/10/19/jack-white-says-new-white-stripes-lyrics-book-brought-him-to-happy-tears/ |access-date=2024-07-16 |website=The Oakland Press |language=en-US}}</ref> It was released in October of that same year.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hussey |first=Allison |date=2023-05-02 |title=The White Stripes' Lyrics Collected in New Book |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/the-white-stripes-lyrics-collected-in-new-book/ |access-date=2024-07-16 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Baetens |first=Melody |title=White Stripes release hardcover lyric book with rare rough drafts, essays and more |url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/entertainment/books/2023/10/03/the-white-stripes-complete-lyrics-book-comes-out-oct-3-on-third-man-books/71003260007/ |access-date=2024-07-16 |website=The Detroit News |language=en-US}}</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>{{Cite magazine |last=Unterberger |first=Andrew |date=2023-05-03 |title=Snubs & Surprises in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's 2023 Inductions |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-snubs-surprises-2023-1235320703/ |access-date=2024-01-28 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}}</ref>

The Trump campaign again used "Seven Nation Army" during the [[2024 United States presidential election]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=White |first=Jack |date=September 9, 2024 |title=This machine sues fascists. |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/C_tXSPEp678/?igsh=ZTlkYWM2NWhrd2Zj |access-date=September 9, 2024 |website=[[Instagram]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Patten |first=Armando Tinoco,Dominic |date=2024-09-09 |title=Donald Trump Hit With White Stripes Lawsuit, As Promised — Update |url=https://deadline.com/2024/09/jack-white-threatens-donald-trump-campaign-legal-action-music-1236073474/ |access-date=2024-09-09 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref> which resulted in Jack and Meg filing a [[Copyright infringement|copyright infringement lawsuit]] in September 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Torres |first=Eric |date=2024-09-09 |title=The White Stripes Sue Donald Trump |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/the-white-stripes-sue-donald-trump/ |access-date=2024-09-11 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Levin |first=Bess |date=2024-08-30 |title=You Can Add ABBA and the White Stripes to the Long List of Musical Acts Who Want Nothing to Do With Donald Trump |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/abba-and-the-white-stripes-want-nothing-to-do-with-donald-trump |access-date=2024-09-09 |magazine=Vanity Fair |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Wile |first=Rob |date=2024-09-10 |title=The White Stripes sue Trump for using 'Seven Nation Army' in a campaign video |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/white-stripes-sue-donald-trump-using-seven-nation-army-campaign-video-rcna170401 |access-date=2024-09-10 |website=www.nbcnews.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Specter |first=Emma |date=2024-09-10 |title=Trump Has Made a Powerful New Legal Enemy, and It's...the White Stripes? |url=https://www.vogue.com/article/trump-white-stripes-lawsuit |access-date=2024-09-11 |website=Vogue |language=en-US}}</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>{{Cite web |last=Wagmeister |first=Elizabeth |date=2024-09-09 |title=The White Stripes sue Trump campaign over use of 'Seven Nation Army' |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/09/entertainment/jack-white-meg-white-trump-seven-nation-army/index.html |access-date=2024-09-10 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bohannon |first=Molly |title=White Stripes Sue Trump For Using 'Seven Nation Army' In Campaign Video—Joining Complaints From These Artists |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollybohannon/2024/09/10/white-stripes-sue-trump-for-using-seven-nation-army-in-campaign-video-joining-complaints-from-these-artists/ |access-date=2024-09-11 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref> The lawsuit was dropped in November 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Snapes |first=Laura |date=November 12, 2024 |title=The White Stripes drop lawsuit against Trump campaign for unauthorised Seven Nation Army use |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/nov/12/the-white-stripes-drop-lawsuit-against-trump-campaign-for-unauthorised-seven-nation-army-use |access-date=December 3, 2024 |website=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref>

In January 2025, the White Stripes were nominated a second time for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The White Stripes, Spinners nominated for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame |url=https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/music/brian-mccollum/2023/02/01/rock-roll-hall-of-fame-detroit-nominees-white-stripes-spinners/69860096007/ |access-date=2024-01-28 |website=Detroit Free Press |language=en-US}}</ref> In April of that same year, they were announced [[List of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees|to be inducted]] into the Rock Hall during the November ceremony.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Grein |first1=Paul |date=28 April 2025 |title=Outkast, The White Stripes, Soundgarden, Chubby Checker & More to Join 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Class: Full List |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/rock-roll-hall-of-fame-2025-class-full-list-outkast-1235956268/ |access-date=28 April 2025 |magazine=Billboard}}</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>{{Cite magazine |last=Greene |first=Andy |date=April 28, 2025 |title=Will Meg White Show Up at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame? |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/meg-white-rock-hall-of-fame-1235325234/ |access-date=April 29, 2025 |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |language=en-US}}</ref> Jack believes a reunion is unlikely.<ref name=":3" />