ArtistDirect News
The Strokes New Album Reality Awaits Disses Anthony Fantano, Prompting Critics Response
The New York‑bred indie rock band The Strokes released their seventh studio album, Reality Awaits, on July 24, 2026. The album’s ninth track, “Lonely in the Future,” contains a line that directly references American music critic Anthony Fantano, prompting the critic to address the diss in a YouTube video posted the following week.
Reality Awaits was produced by Rick Rubin and issued through RCA and the band’s own label, Cult Records. The nine‑song LP follows the 2020 release The New Abnormal, which earned the band a Grammy for Best Rock Album. Prior to the album’s launch, the single “Going Shopping” was issued in late June, and the track “Falling Out of Love” was released as a promotional single in early July.
In “Lonely in the Future,” lead singer Julian Casablancas sings, “I heard that twenty (expletive) years ago, I did. Fantano, word for word, when I was a kid. Stick to the technical ‘cause that’s great. But you would not recognize art in any age.” The lyric is one of several that critics have noted in the song’s chorus, which also mentions contemporary pop figures such as John Legend, The Weeknd, and Josh Groban. The Strokes are not the first band to name Fantano in a lyric; the rapper Brockhampton referenced him in “Zipper,” and Post Malone mentioned him in “Sugar Wraith.”
Fantano, who runs the YouTube channel The Needle Drop, began as a podcast in 2007 and has built a following that includes the TikTok account The NeedleTok. He is known for his 0‑to‑10 rating system and for adding qualifiers such as “light,” “decent,” or “strong” before a score. In his video response, Fantano described the diss as “one‑sided at best” and emphasized that he has long been a fan of The Strokes. He noted that his criticism of the band’s work has always come from a place of fandom.
The critic also referenced a recent controversy involving Halsey, who had publicly criticized his review of her 2024 album The Great Impersonator. Fantano had defended his analysis of the album on his channel, arguing that the artist’s lyrical content was “main‑character syndrome.” The exchange with Halsey drew attention to the broader trend of musicians responding to critics on social media.
In addition to the Halsey incident, Fantano has addressed criticism of his commentary on the use of artificial intelligence in music. He has previously reviewed the 2024 album Like All Before You by The Voidz, a band fronted by Casablancas, and has expressed concerns about AI‑generated album art. The critic’s comments on AI usage were cited by Casablancas as a possible motive for the lyric in “Lonely in the Future.”
The episode illustrates the increasingly visible dialogue between musicians and critics in the digital age. While the Strokes’ new album has received mixed reviews from mainstream outlets, the diss track has sparked discussion among fans and industry observers about the role of criticism in shaping an artist’s public image. No further statements have been issued by either party beyond the initial YouTube video.
The Strokes’ Reality Awaits continues to chart on streaming platforms, and the band has announced a supporting tour that will begin in September. Fantano has indicated that he will purchase a physical copy of the album, noting that it contains a reference to him.
The incident underscores the complex relationship between artists and the critics who analyze their work, a dynamic that has become more pronounced as music consumption and commentary shift to online platforms.
Reality Awaits was produced by Rick Rubin and issued through RCA and the band’s own label, Cult Records. The nine‑song LP follows the 2020 release The New Abnormal, which earned the band a Grammy for Best Rock Album. Prior to the album’s launch, the single “Going Shopping” was issued in late June, and the track “Falling Out of Love” was released as a promotional single in early July.
In “Lonely in the Future,” lead singer Julian Casablancas sings, “I heard that twenty (expletive) years ago, I did. Fantano, word for word, when I was a kid. Stick to the technical ‘cause that’s great. But you would not recognize art in any age.” The lyric is one of several that critics have noted in the song’s chorus, which also mentions contemporary pop figures such as John Legend, The Weeknd, and Josh Groban. The Strokes are not the first band to name Fantano in a lyric; the rapper Brockhampton referenced him in “Zipper,” and Post Malone mentioned him in “Sugar Wraith.”
Fantano, who runs the YouTube channel The Needle Drop, began as a podcast in 2007 and has built a following that includes the TikTok account The NeedleTok. He is known for his 0‑to‑10 rating system and for adding qualifiers such as “light,” “decent,” or “strong” before a score. In his video response, Fantano described the diss as “one‑sided at best” and emphasized that he has long been a fan of The Strokes. He noted that his criticism of the band’s work has always come from a place of fandom.
The critic also referenced a recent controversy involving Halsey, who had publicly criticized his review of her 2024 album The Great Impersonator. Fantano had defended his analysis of the album on his channel, arguing that the artist’s lyrical content was “main‑character syndrome.” The exchange with Halsey drew attention to the broader trend of musicians responding to critics on social media.
In addition to the Halsey incident, Fantano has addressed criticism of his commentary on the use of artificial intelligence in music. He has previously reviewed the 2024 album Like All Before You by The Voidz, a band fronted by Casablancas, and has expressed concerns about AI‑generated album art. The critic’s comments on AI usage were cited by Casablancas as a possible motive for the lyric in “Lonely in the Future.”
The episode illustrates the increasingly visible dialogue between musicians and critics in the digital age. While the Strokes’ new album has received mixed reviews from mainstream outlets, the diss track has sparked discussion among fans and industry observers about the role of criticism in shaping an artist’s public image. No further statements have been issued by either party beyond the initial YouTube video.
The Strokes’ Reality Awaits continues to chart on streaming platforms, and the band has announced a supporting tour that will begin in September. Fantano has indicated that he will purchase a physical copy of the album, noting that it contains a reference to him.
The incident underscores the complex relationship between artists and the critics who analyze their work, a dynamic that has become more pronounced as music consumption and commentary shift to online platforms.