The White Stripes | |
|---|---|
 The White Stripes performing at the Wireless Festival in 2007. From left to right: Jack White and Meg White. | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Discography | The White Stripes discography |
| Years active | 1997–2011 |
| Labels | |
| Past members | |
| Website | whitestripes |
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 the 2000s indie rock and 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 gave 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 has White Blood Cells on their "200 Definitive Albums" list. Rolling Stone included White Blood Cells and Elephant on their "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" list, and named the White Stripes the sixth greatest duo of all time in 2015. The band was nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2023, their first year of eligibility, but were not inducted.