The White Stripes
USA, 1997–2011
Detroit duo of Jack and Meg White (1997–2011) who stripped rock back to guitar, drums and voice. Steeped in Delta blues and 1960s garage, records like White Blood Cells and Elephant ('Seven Nation Army') made them the defining band of the early-2000s garage-rock revival.
MusicRoots documents 3 artists who influenced The White Stripes and 1 artist The White Stripes influenced in turn. Every connection cites a published source.
Who influenced The White Stripes?
- Son House — Son House was Jack White's deepest musical love: the White Stripes' debut was dedicated to him, they covered his 'Death Letter', and White has called House's a cappella 'Grinnin' in Your Face' his favourite song of all time.
- Robert Johnson — Delta bluesman Robert Johnson was among the old Mississippi masters Jack White absorbed as a teenager, feeding the White Stripes' raw blues-rock.
- The Stooges — The Stooges' primal Detroit garage-punk was part of the local lineage the White Stripes drew on for their stripped-down, high-energy attack.
Which artists did The White Stripes influence?
- Royal Blood — The White Stripes proved a stripped-down duo could make huge blues-rock — a direct model for Royal Blood's bass-and-drums attack.