The Strokes - Someday

2002

The Strokes - Someday (2002) Director: Roman Coppola Era: Post-Punk Revival / Indie Rock Renaissance (2002) - Peak moment of The Strokes' cultural ascendancy following Is This It, set against a broader NYC-led garage rock resurgence reacting against late-90s nu-metal and pop dominance High curatorial priority. This video is a primary document of the early-2000s indie rock cultural moment, capturing The Strokes at peak cultural impact under the direction of Roman Coppola, one of the era's most significant music video auteurs. The multi-act cameo structure, retro-TV concept, and warm analog palette make it a rich source for research into the visual strategies of post-punk revival marketing, celebrity ecosystem dynamics, and the aestheticization of nostalgia in early digital video production. Context: Released in August 2002 at the height of the post-punk revival, 'Someday' arrived as The Strokes had already reshaped independent rock's mainstream standing with Is This It (2001). The video's Family Feud conceit cleverly repositioned the band within a broad pop-cultural frame, bridging indie-rock credibility (Guided By Voices) with classic-rock royalty, reinforcing The Strokes' role as a generational hinge point. The warm, deliberately retro-TV aesthetic visually echoed the band's broader project of reviving 1970s rock idioms for a post-grunge, post-nu-metal audience hungry for stylistic authenticity. Director notes: Directed under The Directors Bureau, his music video and commercial production company. 'Someday' was part of a four-video campaign Coppola helmed for The Strokes' debut album Is This It, the most extensive single-album music video collaboration between Coppola and any one act. The video deploys an elaborate game-show parody format, a fictional Family Feud match between The Strokes and Guided By Voices, consistent with Coppola's documented aesthetic of 'progressive narratives using abstract and often bizarre imagery.' Released August 5, 2002. Coppola's prior relationship with the band and his familiarity with ensemble/comedy formats (evident in his commercial and TV work) lend the video its confident hybrid of performance and sitcom staging. He also directed The Strokes: MTV $2 Bill TV special, confirming a deeper creative partnership with the band beyond this single video.