Meg White: Rock’s Favorite Recluse Who’s Impossible to Ignore

In my 20+ years as a licensed driver, I’ve cranked enough music on the road to discover these two truths:

1. Blaring any death metal while driving through a rich neighborhood produces some of the best snooty glares ever.

And

2. No other drummer can rattle a rearview mirror quite like Meg White.

Over the course of their eight-year career (1999-2007, although they didn't announce their breakup until 2011), The White Stripes released six albums, and in the process turned the rock world on its ear. Their self-titled debut turned 25 in 2024, and it remains just as boisterous as it was upon its release.

While many will point to singer/guitarist Jack White as the main factor for this energy, Meg’s drumming cannot and should not be ignored. Actually, Meg’s drumming is impossible to ignore, especially if you’re driving and trying to glance at what’s behind you in your vibrating mirror.

Perhaps that might be one of the traits that truly defines her legacy. A lot has been said about Meg’s drumming over the years and whether it’s brilliant or awful or something else. This piece isn’t going to delve into that for a myriad of reasons. (One of which is because that topic has been done to death.) However, the main reason is because, frankly, it doesn’t matter. Why? Because when you can produce a noise that garners so much attention and debate, the technique behind it almost becomes irrelevant.

There’s a line of thinking in the world of professional wrestling where regardless of whether your character is "good" or "bad," if the crowd elicits some sort of reaction to you, you must be doing something right. If a crowd greets you with a big ol' "meh," you're in trouble. That can be applied to Meg White and her drumming. Some revere her, some dismiss her, but there is very little, if any, indifference around her.

Of course, in an irony of ironies, if there’s one thing Meg White seemingly wants more than anything, especially in the years since The White Stripes disbanded, it is to be left alone and not be talked about. While I certainly respect her desire for privacy, I just can’t avoid writing about her, and it’s because of how symbolic her playing is when cutting through the literal and metaphorical noise. No other drummer has been able to do that in the past two decades, and it may not happen again.

It's telling that when Jack White started doing solo tours and playing his old material, he put together a fairly large band. But when they played White Stripes songs, it somehow didn't match the power of Jack and Meg. Jack White is also a great drummer: he plays drums in the Dead Weather. And surely he could have played drums on the White Stripes' recordings, but he didn't. Meg has something that neither he nor any other drummer has. 

The White Stripes was one of the strongest debuts of the ‘90s and a mere peek at what was to come from this Detroit duo. After all these years, we’re all still talking about their influence and what Meg White and her playing mean to the rock genre.

Maybe when The White Stripes are eventually inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the impossible will happen, and we’ll see Jack and Meg together on stage again to remind us why the noise they made together was so beloved. If that does happen, one thing is for certain: That moment will be impossible to ignore.

There is a diverse selection of albums that turn 25 in 2024, showing that 1999 was quite a unique year.

For Santana, 1999 was an absolutely massive year. The band released its comeback album, Supernatural, in June. It was their eighteenth studio album, and it sold over 30 million copies worldwide. The album also won a staggering nine Grammys, including Album of the Year. Even 25 years later, there's a good chance you still have the hit "Smooth" stuck in your head.

Another band with a notable comeback was the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The band released their seventh studio album, Californication, in June. The album marked the first return of guitarist John Frusciante. Additionally, the album featured a number of songs that are still setlist mainstays for the band. They include the title track, "Scar Tissue," "Around the World" and "Otherside."

Three notable bands released debut albums in 1999: Slipknot, The White Stripes and Buckcherry. Meanwhile, a handful of bands churned out super-successful sophomore efforts. Limp Bizkit dropped Significant Other, Smash Mouth released Astro Lounge and Creed unleashed the wildly popular Human Clay.

Interestingly, three major bands released their third studio albums in 1999, and all three were hits. blink-182 released Enema of the State, which featured "What's My Age Again?," "All the Small Things" and "Adam's Song." Foo Fighters released There Is Nothing Left to Lose, which features the classic tunes "Stacked Actors," "Breakout," "Next Year" and "Learn to Fly." Lastly, Rage Against the Machine released The Battle of Los Angeles. The album won the Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance for "Guerrilla Radio." In addition to that track, the album features "Sleep Now in the Fire" and "Testify."

Keep scrolling to see the other albums that turn 25 in 2024. Again, it's a very diverse selection.

Released on November 2, 1999, There Is Nothing Left To Lose is the third studio album from the Foo Fighters. It features classic tunes like "Stacked Actors," "Breakout," "Next Year" and "Learn to Fly."

Enema of the State was a major hit for blink-182. Thanks to singles "What's My Age Again?," "All the Small Things" and "Adam's Song," the album sold 15 million copies worldwide.

Midnight Vultures is Beck's seventh studio album. Released on November 23, 1999, the album features "Sexx Laws," whose video is delightfully bizarre.

Californiacation was a massive hit and comeback album for the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Selling over 15 million copies worldwide, it was the first time John Frusciante returned to the band. Notable tracks include "Scar Tissue," "Otherside," "Around the World" and the title track.

Limp Bizkit's second studio album, Significant Other, was a huge hit for the nu metal band. Released on June 22, 1999, the album features "Break Stuff," "N 2 Gether Now" and, of course, "Nookie."

Issues was the fourth studio album from Korn, which came out on November 16, 1999. It features "Make Me Bad" and "Falling Away from Me."

Incubus released their third studio album, Make Yourself, on October 26, 1999. The album went double platinum and features the singles "Pardon Me," "Stellar" and "Drive."

Slipknot's self-titled debut album was released on June 29, 1999. The album went on to be certified double platinum and features the singles "Wait and Bleed" and "Spit It Out."

The White Stripes released their self-titled debut album on June 15, 1999. The album features notable tracks like "The Big Three Killed My Baby," "Astro," "When I Hear My Name" and the duo's cover of "Stop Breaking Down."

Buckcherry released their self-titled debut album on April 6, 1999. The album features "Lit Up," "For the Movies," "Dead Again" and "Check Your Head."

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers released their tenth studio album Echo on April 13, 1999. The album features the tracks "Room at the Top," "Free Girl Now," "This One's For Me" "Swingin'" and "Accused of Love."

Smash Mouth's Astro Lounge was released on June 8, 1999. The album went triple platinum and features the singles "All Star," "Can't Get Enough of You Baby" and "Then the Morning Comes."

Santana's eighteenth studio album, Supernatural, was released on June 15, 1999. The album was a massive hit, selling over 30 million copies worldwide. Additionally, it won nine Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year. It, of course, features the mega-hit "Smooth."

Creed's Human Clay was released on September 28, 1999. The album has sold over 20 million copies worldwide, with over 11 million being sold in the United States alone. It features the hit singles "Higher" and "With Arms Wide Open."

Rage Against the Machine released their third studio album, The Battle of Los Angeles, on November 2, 1999. The album won the Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance for "Guerrilla Radio." In addition to that track, the album features "Sleep Now in the Fire" and "Testify."