#21. The Strokes – The Modern Age

Click on the turntable on the left to listen to a continuous stream of music featured on Pretty Much Amazing - updated every day. For more, you can check out the Best Songs of 2011, or our Best Albums of 2011.

#21. The Strokes   The Modern Age music feature Artwork by Adam Sarpalius

As 2009, and the decade come to a close, PMA will be looking back at our favorite songs of the last ten years. We will update a list with 75 empty slots until we reach that song that changed everything. You can keep track of this list by keeping an eye on this page. We make these lists in hopes that you guys will chime in the comments and share your favorite musical moments of the noughties.


#21. The Strokes   The Modern Age music feature After this wonderful debut single, The Strokes were lifted to global rock icon and savior-status, in a blink of an eye. The press surrounding Julian Casablancas and the guys was astounding, and unparalleled, even in this increasingly cynical and blog-happy age (or The Modern Age as the Strokes would call it). With a band lauded for its sense of style almost as much as its musical merits, it’s almost hard to imagine that the music in question is actually worth all the fuss.

Fortunately, The Strokes and every single off their debut album, Is This It? was an infallible force of genius. “The Modern Age” harbored everything great about New York’s rich musical heritage and delivered it in an enjoyable 3-minute salute to Velvet Underground, the Wrens, the Stooges, Talking Heads and the future of indie rock.


#22. Jay-Z & The Beatles – 99 Problems (Danger Mouse)
#23. Fleet Foxes – White Winter Hymnal
#24. The Knife – Heartbeats
#25. Lil Wayne – A Milli
#75-26: Various

Ed. Note: Are you interested in writing about music? We'd love to hear from you! Email us with samples and a short bio.

{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }

Dave December 7, 2009 at 2:22 am

not Last Nite?

Reply

Anonymous December 7, 2009 at 2:22 am

I’m loving your decade list. Fantastic choices so far. Can’t wait for the Top 25 podcast :)

Reply

Q December 7, 2009 at 2:26 am

Great, great track but I can’t help to feel that it has ranked a bit too high on the list. I’m also one of the people that prefers “Last Nite” over “The Modern Age”.

Reply

Andrew December 7, 2009 at 2:28 am

This is still so damn catchy. The Strokes are timeless.

Reply

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