Kings of Leon formed in Mount Juliet, Tennessee in 1999 — three Followill brothers and their cousin Matthew — mixing Southern rock grit with arena-sized alternative. Only by the Night (2008), home to Sex on Fire and Use Somebody, was the global breakthrough, though plenty of fans swear by Because of the Times (2007). Browse Kings of Leon vinyl, CDs, and reissues at Wax Trax Records.
Kings of Leon formed in Mount Juliet, Tennessee in 1999 around the three Followill brothers (Caleb, Jared, Nathan) and their cousin Matthew. Their father Leon Followill was a Pentecostal minister who traveled extensively with his family across the South during the brothers' childhoods. The band's name honors the family patriarch. They were initially marketed in the early 2000s as part of the broader American garage rock revival movement (alongside the Strokes, the White Stripes, etc.), with commercial success in the UK before their American breakthrough. Only by the Night (2008) became a global commercial success with the singles Sex on Fire and Use Somebody. They have continued releasing material across multiple decades.
Kings of Leon's sound combines alternative rock, Southern rock, garage rock, indie rock, and arena rock with Caleb Followill's distinctive raspy vocal delivery, the band's signature dual-guitar arrangements, and arrangements drawing on Southern rock traditions alongside contemporary alternative rock approaches.
RCA and Capitol pressings of the Kings of Leon catalog have been issued in multiple color variant editions and limited deluxe pressings.
Listeners new to Kings of Leon typically start with Only by the Night (2008) or Because of the Times (2007).
