A Brief History of Kings of Leon

Kings of Leon are brothers Caleb, Nathan and Jared Followill along with their cousin Matthew Fellowill. They are renowned for their recreation of Dixie-style rock and roll and their gradual progression into an experimental rock outfit is driven by the sound of Deep South America. They are equally influenced by their religious upbringing, Neil Young and Bob Dylan and notorious for their face furniture, long hair and jeans so tight even The Horrors winced.

After arriving in 2003 with the album 'Youth and Young Manhood', which the Guardian described as making "the White Stripes sound about as bluesy as Wham!", second album 'Aha Shake Heartbreak' proved to be their critical breakthrough, with Rolling Stone magazine praising the "snort and snarl of the guitars". 2007's "Because Of The Times" made its way into many "top albums of the year" lists and earned the band a headline slot at Glastonbury.

Gritty bass lines and lead singer Caleb's rasping, accented vocals and the band's combination of soaring guitar licks and thrashing drums make the Kings of Leon a unique and impressive force in rock.

Test your knowledge with our amazing Kings of Leon quiz

Check out pictures of Kings of Leon

Back to 4Music