(Credits: Far Out / Paul Banks)
Sat 8 November 2025 4:00, UK
Independent art crossing over into the commercial sector has long been a subject of contention, but Interpol has had no regrets over doing so at the very height of their popularity.
Few would dispute that their 2002 debut album, Turn On the Bright Lights, is their most influential work to date and was a pillar of NYC’s indie rock scene at the time, wherein those 11 songs positioned them right beside giants like The Strokes and LCD Soundsystem, helping them carve out a lane to call their own.
Interpol had a stronghold on what it meant to be ‘cool’ as an artist during that era, so a lot of their followers naturally became quite protective of them. After witnessing the commodification of punk in the 1990s, these bands offered some hope of autonomy and freedom from the machine. Interpol, of course, was always sure of its sincerity despite the looming threat of exploitation by the industry, and while they had multiple offers to sign away their souls, they stood firm in shielding their artistry from all the corrupting influences encircling them.
At the same time, they weren’t entirely opposed to collaborations that would bring them more recognition, to the point, the group allowed NBC sitcom Friends to use their song ‘Untitled’ in the finale of its ninth season.
In the summer of 2003, the show was more popular than ever before; the plot was getting messier and, as a result, more and more engrossing for audiences. In the final episode of the season, the doomed yet beloved pairing of Joey and Rachel came to fruition as both characters shared their first kiss. Despite the implications of an indie band partnering with a multinational media empire, Interpol’s music playing over the scene worked perfectly to create the ultimate Manhattan moment (even though the scene took place in Barbados).
During a 2024 interview with The Guardian, lead vocalist and songwriter Paul Banks discussed being selective in licensing the band’s music, and although they were particular about where they wanted their work featured, they were also keen on having it appear in the visual arts. In hindsight, it’s safe to say that joining forces with Friends did not compromise their artistic integrity in any way.
“It was something we were mindful of and we certainly avoided certain commercial licences because we didn’t want to undermine our legitimacy by being associated with some kind of product,” he said, adding, “But we were always interested in having our music in cinema or fiction. Friends was a lighthearted sitcom, but very iconic, and the proposed scene [Joey and Rachel’s first kiss] was a pretty hardcore moment in the course of that show. I liked the idea that the scene was a bit off. We asked ourselves: ‘Is this cool?’ And I’m very glad we said yes.”
In addition to making sense artistically, playing ‘Untitled’ on Friends was also timed to perfection, cementing the two as some of the most robust creative forces to come out of New York City back then. To witness them fuse into one was quite the thrill, as a moment that illustrated the essence of the metropolis in the early to mid-2000s.
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