Kings of Leon

Kings of Leon is a rock band from Nashville, Tennessee.c The group (comprised of brothers Caleb, Jared, and Nathan Followill and cousin Matthew) formed in 2000.c The brothers, raised by two generations of Pentecostal leaders, were not allowed to listen to non-religious music, but they took an interest in music at church early in life.c 

After their parents' divorce, Caleb and Nathan relocated to Nashville, hoping to become professionally involved in music.c They named their band after their father, Leon.c This was also their grandfather's first name.c

The band's sound has been described as garage fused with southern 70s rock.c Their earlier albums utilized the quartet's basic guitar, drums and bass setup without much accompaniment.c

• 2003: Youth and Young Manhood
• 2005: Aha Shake Heartbreak
• 2007: Because of the Times
• 2008: Only by the Night
• 2010: Come Around Sundownc

In 2001, just a year after they formed, Kings of Leon signed to RCA.c Their first release was an EP, Holy Roller Novocaine.c An LP, Youth and Young Manhood, soon followed (both came out in 2003).c Initially, the band found much more success in the United Kingdom than at home.c Youth and Young Manhood included the band's first notable single, "Molly's Chambers."c 

They released their second album, Aha Shake Heartbreak, in 2005.c Three songs from the album appeared on the Billboard charts in the United Kingdom.c Also in 2005, the band was chosen as the opening act on U2's tour.c This exposed them to U.S. audiences, and their third album, 2007's Because of the Times, charted in both the United States and the United Kingdom.c Every Kings of Leon release has charted in Europe, where they were recognized from the beginning.c

In 2008, Kings of Leon opened for Pearl Jam.c They also released their highest-selling album up to that point, Only by the Night.c The record went platinum in eight countries, including the United States.c Several of its singles charted worldwide, including "Sex on Fire," "Use Somebody," and "Notion."c The band had been gradually experimenting with form and instrumentation with each album, remaining on RCA and working with the same producer, Angelo Petraglia.c Only by the Night included more ballads and slower-paced songs than earlier albums.c

They continued to branch out with the 2010 release of their fifth studio album, Come Around Sundown.c As of November 27, 2010, the album peaked at number two on the Billboard 200, and it had already hit number one on the Rock Album, Alternative Album, Canadian Album, and Tastemaker Album charts.c