Kings of Leon- Only by the Night

In 2008, Kings of Leon changed their look completely. From looking like grunge style rockers to becoming more indie-like, their music seemed to follow.

Their 2008 album, ‘Only by the Night,’ has clearly brought them large amounts of fame, making their music popular among a more mainstream audience. However, more popular does not necessarily mean better. Although the album differs completely to ‘Because of the Times,’ which was released three years prior, it seems more as though it were written more for the album sales, rather than the band.

Songs like ‘Sex on Fire’ and ‘Use Somebody’ have clearly caught the attention of the public, both appearing in the top five in the UK single charts. It’s not hard to understand why these songs were chosen as the first two singles, as they are catchy and seem to be an obvious choice to grasp the attention of a more diverse audience.
Unfortunately for fans of the band that prefer the more hard core aspect of the back catalogue, the new album lacks the heavy riffs and strident screams that can be found on the bands earlier songs such as ‘Charmer’.

Overall, despite the change of sound to attract a larger audience, the band has certainly succeeded in gaining a wider appeal and enticing new fans. Although different to their earlier stuff, the music is just as engaging and has certainly helped to bring them into the mainstream.