Kings of Leon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kings of Leon
Kings of Leon performing in 2024
Background information
Origin	Mount Juliet, Tennessee, U.S.
Genres	Alternative rock Southern rock indie rock garage rock revival
Years active	1999 (1999)–present
Labels	RCA LoveTap Capitol
Members	Caleb Followill Jared Followill Nathan Followill Matthew Followill

Kings of Leon is an American rock band that started in Mount Juliet, Tennessee, in 1999. The band is made up of three brothers, Caleb, Nathan, and Jared Followill, and their cousin Matthew Followill.

When they first started, their music mixed Southern rock and garage rock with some blues sounds. Over time, their style changed and became more like alternative rock. Kings of Leon first became popular in the United Kingdom. They had nine songs that made it into the top 40 on the UK Singles Chart. They also won two BRIT Awards in 2008. All three of their albums at that time reached the top five on the UK Albums Chart, with their third album, Because of the Times, reaching number one.

After their album Only by the Night came out in September 2008, the band became very successful in the United States. Songs like "... on Fire", "Use Somebody", and "Notion" all reached number one on the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart. Only by the Night was their first album to sell over a million copies in the U.S. It was also the best-selling album in Australia in 2008.

The band continued to release new music. Their fifth album, Come Around Sundown, came out in October 2010. Mechanical Bull was released in September 2013, followed by Walls in October 2016. Their eighth album, When You See Yourself, was released in March 2021. The band's ninth studio album, Can We Please Have Fun, was released in May 2024. Kings of Leon has won 4 Grammy Awards from 12 nominations, including Record of the Year for "Use Somebody" in 2010.

Band's Journey

How it Started: 1999–2002

The three Followill brothers, Caleb, Nathan, and Jared, grew up in Oklahoma and Tennessee. Their father, Ivan Leon Followill, was a preacher, and their mother was Betty-Ann. Matthew, their cousin, was born and raised in Mississippi. The boys were often homeschooled or went to small private schools. Their childhood involved a lot of travel across the southern United States as their father preached.

In 1997, their parents divorced, and Nathan and Caleb moved near Nashville. They were interested in country music at first. There, they met a songwriter named Angelo Petraglia. He helped them improve their songwriting and introduced them to bands like Thin Lizzy and the Rolling Stones. Jared, who had briefly attended public school, liked bands such as the Pixies. When Jared and Matthew also moved to Nashville in 1999, Kings of Leon was formed. They named the band after their grandfather, Leon.

Getting Signed and First Music: 2002–2003

By 2002, Nathan and Caleb had caught the attention of several music labels. They eventually signed with RCA Records. The record label first wanted to put a band together just for Nathan and Caleb. However, Nathan explained that they wanted to form a band with their younger brother and cousin. They told RCA that Caleb would learn guitar, Matthew already played, and Nathan would play drums. Jared, who was only 16 at the time, learned to play the bass.

The band's first recording, an EP called Holy Roller Novocaine, was released on February 18, 2003. This EP helped Kings of Leon gain a lot of attention. Rolling Stone magazine gave it a high rating. All the songs on the EP were co-written and produced by Angelo Petraglia. Four of the five songs from the EP later appeared on their first full album, Youth and Young Manhood. Some songs from Holy Roller Novocaine were also used in the movie Stuck on You.

First Albums and Growing Fame: 2003–2006

The band's first album, Youth and Young Manhood, was released in the UK in July 2003 and in the U.S. in August. It was recorded in Los Angeles and Malibu, California. The album was produced by Angelo Petraglia and Ethan Johns. Critics in the UK and Ireland loved the album, with NME calling it "one of the best debut albums of the last 10 years." However, it did not become as popular in the U.S. at first.

Their second album, Aha Shake Heartbreak, came out in the UK in October 2004 and in the U.S. in February 2005. This album continued their Southern-inspired garage rock sound and helped them reach more fans. Angelo Petraglia and Ethan Johns produced this album too. Songs like "The Bucket" became popular in Britain. "Taper Jean Girl" was featured in the films Disturbia (2007) and Cloverfield (2008). The band also toured with famous artists like U2, Bob Dylan, and Pearl Jam in 2005 and 2006.

Big Success with Because of the Times and Only by the Night: 2006–2010

The band's third album, Because of the Times, was released in April 2007. The song "On Call" was released before the album and became a hit in the UK and Ireland. The album quickly reached number one in the UK and Ireland album charts.

In 2008, Kings of Leon released their fourth album, Only by the Night. It was produced by Jacquire King and Angelo Petraglia. This album also went straight to number one on the UK Albums Chart. In the United States, the album reached number four on the Billboard 200 chart. Only by the Night became the third-biggest-selling album of 2008 in the UK and the biggest-selling album in Australia that year.

The song "... on Fire" was the first single from the album. It became the band's most successful song, reaching number one in the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. Kings of Leon won Best International Band and Best International Album at the Brit Awards in 2009. They also performed "Use Somebody" live at the awards show. In 2009, Kings of Leon headlined many music festivals around the world, including Reading & Leeds and Lollapalooza.

The band released their first DVD, Live at the O2 London, England, in November 2009. It showed their concert at London's O2 Arena in June 2009, where they played 22 songs for over 18,000 fans.

In 2009, Kings of Leon also started their own record label called Serpents and Snakes Records. On January 31, 2010, Kings of Leon won three Grammy Awards for "Use Somebody": Record of the Year, Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, and Best Rock Song.

Come Around Sundown and a Break: 2010–2011

The band's fifth album, Come Around Sundown, was released in October 2010. It was recorded in Nashville and New York. After the album's release in Australia, the band made all the songs available on their website.

In June 2010, the band started a tour that included over 50 cities in North America and Europe. During a concert in Dallas, Texas, in July 2011, singer Caleb Followill left the stage and did not return, causing the concert to end early. On August 1, 2011, the band announced that the rest of their U.S. tour would be canceled.

Time Off and Mechanical Bull: 2011–2014

On October 31, 2011, the band announced they would take a break after their Australian tour. Nathan Followill said the break would not last longer than six months.

In August 2012, Jared Followill and Nick Brown from the band Mona released a song together under the name Smoke & Jackal. Jared confirmed that Kings of Leon was still together and would soon work on their sixth album. The album, titled Mechanical Bull, was released on September 24, 2013. The first song from the album, "Supersoaker", came out in July 2013.

Walls Album: 2016–2019

After a New Year's Eve show in Nashville, Nathan Followill mentioned that the band planned to release their seventh album in 2016. Caleb Followill added that they enjoyed the process of making new music. They thought about recording in Los Angeles for new inspiration, as their first two albums were recorded there.

Kings of Leon performing in 2017

In August 2016, the band announced that the album would be called Walls. The title is an acronym for We Are Like Love Songs. It was released on October 14, 2016. The first song from the album, "Waste a Moment", was released in September 2016. The album reached number one on the Billboard 200 albums chart in the U.S.

To celebrate the tenth anniversary of Only by the Night, the band released a video with behind-the-scenes footage of the album's recording. Later, for the 15th anniversary of Aha Shake Heartbreak, a song called "Where Nobody Knows" was made available online for the first time.

When You See Yourself and New Ways to Share Music: 2020–2023

On March 31, 2020, the band released a live acoustic recording of a new song called "Going Nowhere" on YouTube. This song was later renamed "Supermarket" and included on their eighth album, When You See Yourself. On January 1, 2021, the band hinted at a new song, "The Bandit", on Instagram. The album title was announced on January 7, 2021, and the album was released on March 5, 2021. On the same day, they released "The Bandit" and "100,000 People" as lead singles.

Kings of Leon became the first band to sell a new album as a non-fungible token (NFT). NFTs are like unique digital items, such as music or art, that use cryptocurrency technology. The band offered three different types of NFTs in a series called "NFT Yourself." These included special album packages, live show packages, and audio-visual packages. The album was also the first NFT to be shown at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

New Labels and Can We Please Have Fun: 2024–Present

Kings of Leon announced their ninth studio album, Can We Please Have Fun, on February 22, 2024. It was released on May 10, 2024, by LoveTap Records and Capitol Records. This was their first album with these labels. The first song, "Mustang", was released on the same day as the album announcement. Other songs like "Splitscreen" and "Nothing To Do" followed.

In May 2025, the band had to cancel some shows in the UK and Europe. Caleb Followill explained in a video that he had broken his foot in an accident and could not tour for eight weeks. The band returned to performing on July 18, 2025, playing three nights in support of Zach Bryan at the Metlife Stadium in New Jersey. On the third night, Caleb Followill joined Zach Bryan and Bruce Springsteen on stage to perform a song by Springsteen.

Band Members

Albums Released

• Youth & Young Manhood (2003)
• Aha Shake Heartbreak (2004)
• Because of the Times (2007)
• Only by the Night (2008)
• Come Around Sundown (2010)
• Mechanical Bull (2013)
• Walls (2016)
• When You See Yourself (2021)
• Can We Please Have Fun (2024)

Awards and Nominations

Brit Awards

Grammy Awards

MTV Europe Music Awards

• 2009 - Best Rock, Best Group, Best Live, Best World Stage, Best Song ("Use Somebody")
• 2010 - Best Rock, Best Live
• 2011 - Best Rock, Best World Stage
• 2013 - Best Rock
• 2014 - Best World Stage
• 2016 - Best Alternative

Sweden GAFFA Awards

Concert Tours

• Come Around Sundown World Tour (2010-2011)
• Mechanical Bull Tour (2014-2015)
• WALLS World Tour (2017)
• When You See Yourself Tour (2021)
• Can We Please Have Fun World Tour (2024)

Kings of Leon in Other Media

In April 2011, a film called Talihina Sky was shown at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival in New York. This 87-minute movie documented the lives of the band members. The film's name comes from an early Kings of Leon song. It was later released on Blu-ray Disc and DVD in November 2011.

Caleb, Nathan, and Jared Followill appeared as guests in an episode of the TV show It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia called "The High School Reunion."

In 2016, the Northern Ireland national football team made history by reaching the finals of the UEFA European Championships, known as EURO 16. After their first goal and victory at the tournament against Ukraine, the team was sometimes called ‘The Kings of Lyon’ in Northern Irish media.

The singer Lana Del Rey mentions the band in her song "White Dress" from her 2021 album Chemtrails over the Country Club.

The cover of the Mechanical Bull album appears in the 2021 video game Life Is Strange: True Colors. Characters in the game also listen to the song "Don't Matter".

The band was chosen to perform as part of the 2021 NFL draft celebrations at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio.

See also

In Spanish: Kings of Leon para niños

• List of alternative rock artists
• List of Brit Awards ceremonies