Kings of Leon

Artist Image: Kings of Leon
Attribution
Image Credit: https://www.flickr.com/people/69880995@N04 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/raph_ph/35701157141/), CC BY 2.0

Biography

Kings of Leon is an American rock band that formed in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2000. The band is composed of brothers Caleb Followill (b. January 14, 1982, lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Nathan Followill (b. June 26, 1979, drums, percussion, backing vocals) and Jared Followill (b. November 20, 1986, bass guitar, backing vocals), with their cousin Matthew Followill (b. September 10, 1984, lead guitar, backing vocals). The band's early music was a blend of Southern rock and blues influences, but it has gradually expanded throughout the years to include a variety of genres and a more alternative, arena rock sound. Kings of Leon achieved initial success in the United Kingdom with nine Top 40 singles, two BRIT Awards in 2008, and all three of the band's albums at the time peaked in the top five of the UK Albums Chart. Their third album, Because of the Times, also reached the number one spot. After the release of Only by the Night in September 2008 the band achieved chart success in the United States. The singles "Sex on Fire", "Use Somebody", and "Notion" all peaked at number one on the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart. The album was their first Platinum-selling album in the United States, and was also the best-selling album of 2008 in Australia, being certified platinum nine times. The band's fifth album, Come Around Sundown, was released on October 18, 2010. Their sixth album, Mechanical Bull, was released on September 24, 2013.

Details

Item Name Item Details
Year Formed 1999
Number of Albums 20
Record Label RCA
Website
Wikipedia Kings of Leon on Wikipedia
Social Networks

Trivia

Who contributed to this story?

Taylor Rivers

...Story by Taylor Rivers Contributing Writer Photos by NME Kings of Leons newly released album, When You See Yourself, is the mellowed tune we didnt kno...
What is a way for artists to generate revenue?

NFTs

...ew concept helps artists fight back against the devaluing of their work. NFTs are also a way for artists to generate revenue in a concertless era of s...
Who is the lead singer and guitarist of 100,000 People?

Caleb Followill

...d by soft vocals and aching guitar riffs. Lead singer and guitarist Caleb Followill implements personal and intimate elements within the song. In an i...
What was the name of the band's first EP?

Holy Roller Novocaine

...he band formed in 2000 in Tennessee, putting out their first EP, Holy Roller Novocaine , three years later through RCA. Novocaine established the bands...
How many years after the release of Holy Roller Novocaine did the band release their first EP through RCA?

three

...in 2000 in Tennessee, putting out their first EP, Holy Roller Novocaine, three years later through RCA. Novocaine established the bands sonic building...
How long after Novocaine did Kings of Leon's SouthernFried debut appear?

six months

... on the bands fulllength debut. A SouthernFried Debut Appearing about six months after Novocaine, Youth & Young Manhood revealed that Kings of Leon we...
What was the name of the band's fulllength debut?

Novocaine

...rs and a swinging rhythm section that had a swampy, stormy vibe to it. Novocaine contained a few songs that would soon reappear on the bands fulllengt...
Manhood failed to even break the top 100 of what chart?

Billboard album charts

...e Black Crowes. Manhood failed to even break the top 100 of the Billboard album charts , but the band began attracting a loyal audience. Loosening Up a...
What album came out in the U.K. several months before its debut in the United States?

Loosening Up a Little 2005s Aha Shake Heartbreak

...s, but the band began attracting a loyal audience. Loosening Up a Little 2005s Aha Shake Heartbreak came out in the U.K. several months before its deb...
What influences did the band's early music have?

blues influences

...nd's early music was a blend of Southern rock and garage rock with blues influences , but it has gradually evolved throughout the years to include a va...
How many BRIT Awards did Kings of Leon win in 2008?

two

... achieved initial success in the United Kingdom with nine Top 40 singles, two BRIT Awards in 2008, and all three of the band's albums at the time peak...
What was the name of their third album?

Because of the Times

...eaked in the top five of the UK Albums Chart. Their third album, Because of the Times , also reached the number one spot. After the release of Only by ...
When was Only by the Night released?

September 2008

...ched the number one spot. After the release of Only by the Night in September 2008 , the band achieved chart success in the United States. The singles ...
How many Top 40 singles did Kings of Leon release in the UK?

nine

...sound. Kings of Leon achieved initial success in the United Kingdom with nine Top 40 singles, two BRIT Awards in 2008, and all three of the band's alb...
How many of the band's albums peaked in the top five of the UK Albums Chart?

all three

... United Kingdom with nine Top 40 singles, two BRIT Awards in 2008, and all three of the band's albums at the time peaked in the top five of the UK Alb...
What was the name of the first platinum selling album by the band?

Only by the Night

... the Times, also reached the number one spot. After the release of Only by the Night in September 2008, the band achieved chart success in the United ...
When was 'Come Around Sundown' released?

October 18, 2010

...imes. The band's fifth album, Come Around Sundown, was released on October 18, 2010 . Their sixth album, Mechanical Bull, was released on September 24,...
What was the name of the band's sixth album?

Mechanical Bull

...The band's fifth album, Come Around Sundown, was released on October 18, 2010. Their sixth album, Mechanical Bull , was released on September 24, 2013....
When was Mechanical Bull released?

September 24, 2013

...The band's fifth album, Come Around Sundown, was released on October 18, 2010. Their sixth album, Mechanical Bull, was released on September 24, 2013 ....
What was the name of the 2003 album?

Youth & Young Manhood

...ed with the quartet's earliest records, such as their 2003 debut Youth & Young Manhood and 2004's Aha Shake Heartbreak, which were steeped in retro so...
When did Kings of Leon form?

1999

...well as first cousin Matthew Followill (guitar), Kings of Leon formed in 1999 . The Followill siblings had spent their youth traveling across America's...
What was Caleb Followill's first cousin's name?

Matthew Followill

...(guitar), Nathan (drums), and Jared (bass) as well as first cousin Matthew Followill (guitar), Kings of Leon formed in 1999. The Followill siblings ha...
When did their father resign from the church and divorce his wife?

1997

...ard. When their father resigned from the church and divorced his wife in 1997 , the boys relocated to Nashville and embraced rock music (not to mention...
Where did the boys relocate to?

Nashville

...d from the church and divorced his wife in 1997, the boys relocated to Nashville and embraced rock music (not to mention the accompanying lifestyle) t...
What was added to the lineup and a Southern garage rock sound emerged?

Cousin Matthew

... mention the accompanying lifestyle) they'd previously been denied. Cousin Matthew was added to the lineup, and a Southern garage rock sound quickly e...
Who signed the band in 2001?

RCA

...as added to the lineup, and a Southern garage rock sound quickly emerged. RCA took note, signing the band in 2001 and facilitating a partnership with ...
What was the name of their sophomore album?

Aha Shake Heartbreak

...ccess in the U.K. However, it was their sophomore effort, 2004's Aha Shake Heartbreak , that made them European stars, with three songs cracking the U....
In what year did the band win two BRIT Awards?

2008

...ccess in the United Kingdom with nine Top 40 singles, two BRIT Awards in 2008 , and all three of the band's albums at the time peaking in the top five ...
What was the name of the father of the Followill brothers?

Ivan Leon Followill

...th traveling around the Southern United States with their father, Ivan Leon Followill , a traveling Pentecostal Church preacher and their mother, Betty...
What were the Followill's childhoods spent driving through the south in?

a purple 1988 Oldsmobile

...Followill's childhoods were spent driving through the south in a purple 1988 Oldsmobile , decamping for a week or two wherever Leon was scheduled to pr...
How long did the followings live in Jackson, Tennessee?

fiveyear

...oled or enrolled in small parochial schools at this time. Except for a fiveyear period when they settled in Jackson, Tennessee, the Followill's childh...
What color was Leon's 1988 Oldsmobile?

purple

...e, the Followill's childhoods were spent driving through the south in a purple 1988 Oldsmobile, decamping for a week or two wherever Leon was schedule...
Who helped the siblings hone their songwriting skills?

Angelo Petraglia

... they had previously been denied. While there, they met songwriter Angelo Petraglia , who helped the siblings hone their songwriting skills and introdu...
How long did it take for a young rock act to gather a mass of fans?

7 years

...Gathering a mass of fans within 7 years itself is pretty hard to imagine for such young rock act swimming in music industry, let alone ruling the char...
Who was the oldest brother?

Nathan

...ence from traveling with their evangelist father to churches. Later on, Nathan the oldest and Caleb the second child worked with Label Pistol Creek Pr...
What company did Nathan work with to sing at rodeos?

Label Pistol Creek Production

...on, Nathan the oldest and Caleb the second child worked with Label Pistol Creek Production to sing at rodeos while juggling time with their newly form...
When was the band formed?

2000

...on to sing at rodeos while juggling time with their newly formed band in 2000 . Caleb who has a distinctive voice took the role of the vocalist while N...
Jared and Matthew took the position of who?

bass guitarist and lead guitarist

...rum set. Jared and Matthew meanwhile, took the position of bass guitarist and lead guitarist respectively. They were soon discovered by producer Angel...
What was Angelo Petraglia's profession?

producer

...uitarist and lead guitarist respectively. They were soon discovered by producer Angelo Petraglia who immediately saw the potential and introduced them...
How many people did the Kings of Leon play in concert halls in the United States and Europe?

thousands

...ttle bars in front of a handful of people, instead playing in front of thousands . With two successful albums and a large following in the United Kingd...
Who learned about rock 'n' roll while traveling the American countryside with their evangelist father during the 1980s and 1990s?

Caleb, Nathan, and Jared Followill

...create a new form of Southern Rock in the new millennium. Caleb, Nathan, and Jared Followill learned about rock 'n' roll while traveling the American ...
What did Caleb Followill say was against our religion?

to do just about everything you could ever imagine

...nd 1990s. It was against our religion pretty much to do just about everything you could ever imagine , Caleb Followill told Stephen Kiehl in the Baltim...
What band did the boys learn to love?

Rolling Stones

...l during the family's long road trips, the boys learned to love the Rolling Stones and Neil Young. We all figured we would end up being preachers, Fol...
When was Youth and Young Manhood released?

2003

...ll) and a cousin (guitarist Matthew Followill). Youth and Young Manhood ( 2003 ) offered a brilliant summary of decades of saloonoriented rootsrock. Red...
Morning Light is a cross between what two genres?

13th Floor Elevators and Free

...of the 1960s and hardrock of the 1970s, like a cross between 13th Floor Elevators and Free . The aching lament Dusty plunges into a smoky ghetto joint ...
Dusty plunges into a smoky ghetto joint of what decade?

1940s

...d Free. The aching lament Dusty plunges into a smoky ghetto joint of the 1940s . Nothing is original, but everything is delivered with passion and in s...
What is the name of the hysterical hoedown on Pistol Of Fire?

Velvet Snow

...deas. Pistol Of Fire, with its propulsive drums and vitriolic vocals, Velvet Snow , a hysterical hoedown, and Four Kicks, a virulent garage raveup, ret...
What is the name of the virulent garage raveup?

Four Kicks

...ve drums and vitriolic vocals, Velvet Snow, a hysterical hoedown, and Four Kicks , a virulent garage raveup, return to the first album's immediate appe...
What did the album turn them into?

stars

... first album's immediate appeal. Nonetheless, the album turned them into stars . What they do best is match alcoholicacid vocals and alternating dynami...
Who did the band almost accidentally hit on?

Trunk

...), and they almost accidentally hit on the languid oneiric jazzy soul lament Trunk that doesn't seem to belong to this album. Less noisy songs follow....