Kings of Leon

Band

Photo: Raph_PH · CC BY 2.0
Active 1999-present
Origin Mt. Juliet, Tennessee
Albums 9
Tracks 104
Most frequent collaborator Angelo Petraglia · 71 tracks
Genres Alternative RockSouthern RockIndie Rock
Artist
89%
Authorship

Holds writing credit on 93 of 104 tracks

Who writes Kings of Leon's songs?

The four members together, on every album since 2007. Caleb Followill is credited on all 93 tracks that publish writers, Nathan on 93 as a composer, and Jared and Matthew on 80 each. The debut is the exception: only Caleb, Nathan and Angelo Petraglia are on it.

By the Numbers

9
Studio Albums
104
Tracks Credited
89%
Self-Written
27
Years Active
5
Collaborators

Authorship Breakdown 93 / 104 self-written

Who wrote the songs?

Across all 104 tracks: how many Kings of Leon wrote alone, how many they co-wrote, and how many were written by others. The bracket marks every track they hold any writing credit on.

Kings of Leon has a writing credit89%
77%
13%
11%
Sole author80tracks77%
Co-written13tracks13%
Outside writers11tracks11%

Role Fingerprint how they contribute

Lyricist Performer Composer Producer
Kings of Leon's roles across the catalogue

Share of all 104 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.

Lyricist (words)89%
Composer (music)89%
Producer0%
Performer100%

Member Credit Breakdown share of tracks each member is credited on

Percentage of all 104 tracks, across every album, where each member holds a credit - split by role.

MemberPeriodLyricsMusicProductionPerformance
Caleb Followill 1999-present
89%
89%
0%
100%
Nathan Followill 1999-present
79%
89%
0%
100%
Jared Followill 1999-present
66%
77%
0%
100%
Matthew Followill 1999-present
66%
77%
0%
100%

Authorship Over Time writing credit per album

Kings of Leon's writing credit per album, in release order. Hover any bar for the album.

avg 89%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
0%
100%
2003Youth & Young Manhood
2004Aha Shake Heartbreak
2007Because of the Times
2008Only by the Night
2010Come Around Sundown
2013Mechanical Bull
2016Walls
2021When You See Yourself
2024Can We Please Have Fun
Early · 100% written
Mid · 100% written
Late · 100% written

Authorship by Decade track-weighted

100%
2000s
Youth & Young Manhood, Aha Shake Heartbreak +2 more
100%
2010s
Come Around Sundown, Mechanical Bull +1 more
100%
2020s
When You See Yourself, Can We Please Have Fun

Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author

Where Kings of Leon sits on the scale from a pure performer (0%, sings songs written by others) to a complete author (100%, writes everything). The bright marker is their catalogue authorship score, plotted against other artists on the site.

Kings of Leon
Other artists on the site

Reference artists spread across the scale, closest by genre and era.

Michael Bublé15%
Rascal Flatts29%
Jennifer Lopez46%
Sinéad O'Connor59%
Christina Aguilera74%
Smash Mouth83%
The Used92%
89%Kings of Leon
Pure Performer0%
Songwriter~50%
Complete Author100%

Who Really Wrote the Hits signature songs

Molly's Chambers
Youth & Young Manhood
Written by Caleb Followill, Nathan Followill, Angelo Petraglia
Co-wrote
Wasted Time
Youth & Young Manhood
Written by Caleb Followill, Nathan Followill, Angelo Petraglia
Co-wrote
California Waiting
Youth & Young Manhood
Written by Caleb Followill, Nathan Followill, Angelo Petraglia
Co-wrote
The Bucket
Aha Shake Heartbreak
Written by Caleb Followill, Nathan Followill, Jared Followill, Matthew Followill
Wrote it
Four Kicks
Aha Shake Heartbreak
Written by Caleb Followill, Nathan Followill, Jared Followill, Matthew Followill
Wrote it
King of the Rodeo
Aha Shake Heartbreak
Written by Caleb Followill, Nathan Followill, Jared Followill, Matthew Followill
Wrote it
On Call
Because of the Times
Written by Caleb Followill, Nathan Followill, Jared Followill, Matthew Followill
Wrote it
Fans
Because of the Times
Written by Caleb Followill, Nathan Followill, Jared Followill, Matthew Followill
Wrote it
Charmer
Because of the Times
Written by Caleb Followill, Nathan Followill, Jared Followill, Matthew Followill
Wrote it
Use Somebody
Only by the Night
Written by Caleb Followill, Nathan Followill, Jared Followill, Matthew Followill
Wrote it
Sex on Fire
Only by the Night
Written by Caleb Followill, Nathan Followill, Jared Followill, Matthew Followill
Wrote it
Notion
Only by the Night
Written by Caleb Followill, Nathan Followill, Jared Followill, Matthew Followill
Wrote it
Revelry
Only by the Night
Written by Caleb Followill, Nathan Followill, Jared Followill, Matthew Followill
Wrote it
Radioactive
Come Around Sundown
Written by Caleb Followill, Nathan Followill, Jared Followill, Matthew Followill
Wrote it
Pyro
Come Around Sundown
Written by Caleb Followill, Nathan Followill, Jared Followill, Matthew Followill
Wrote it
Back Down South
Come Around Sundown
Written by Caleb Followill, Nathan Followill, Jared Followill, Matthew Followill
Wrote it
Supersoaker
Mechanical Bull
Written by Caleb Followill, Nathan Followill, Jared Followill, Matthew Followill
Wrote it
Wait for Me
Mechanical Bull
Written by Caleb Followill, Nathan Followill, Jared Followill, Matthew Followill
Wrote it
Temple
Mechanical Bull
Written by Caleb Followill, Nathan Followill, Jared Followill, Matthew Followill
Wrote it
Waste a Moment
Walls
Written by Caleb Followill, Nathan Followill, Jared Followill, Matthew Followill
Wrote it
Reverend
Walls
Written by Caleb Followill, Nathan Followill, Jared Followill, Matthew Followill
Wrote it

Discography 9 albums

All nine studio albums. The EPs, the live records and the compilations sit outside this catalogue.

Collaborator Network who they worked with most

Kings of Leon104 tracks
AP71Angelo Petraglia, 71 tracks EJ36Ethan Johns, 36 tracks JK24Jacquire King, 24 tracks MD21Markus Dravs, 21 tracks 12Kid Harpoon, 12 tracks

Bubble size = tracks worked on together. AP Angelo Petraglia · EJ Ethan Johns · JK Jacquire King · MD Markus Dravs

Photo credits

Portraits in the web and the rail come from Wikimedia Commons. The artist's own photo carries its credit under the picture.

The Authorship Story

Data Insight

The band's credit line widens once and then never moves. Youth & Young Manhood in 2003 is Caleb, Nathan and the Nashville writer Angelo Petraglia on all eleven tracks, with Jared and Matthew not credited at all. Petraglia takes two more on Aha Shake Heartbreak and disappears, and from Because of the Times in 2007 every album is credited to the four of them together. Only by the Night splits it once, giving the lyrics to Caleb alone and the music to all four, which is the only album that separates the two. The 2021 record When You See Yourself publishes no writing credits anywhere, so eleven tracks sit uncredited.

Quick Facts

  • Caleb's shareAll 93 credited tracks
  • The debutCaleb, Nathan and Angelo Petraglia on all eleven
  • Studio albumsNine, from 2003 to 2024
  • GrammysFour wins from 12 nominations
  • Biggest single"Use Somebody", number 4 on the Hot 100
  • UncreditedWhen You See Yourself, eleven tracks with no writers published

Creative Fingerprint

One outside writer on the first two albums, then a four-way band credit on everything, with Caleb the only constant.

The Story

Caleb Followill is on all 93 credited tracks Kings of Leon have released. His brother Nathan is on 93 as a composer too, and the two younger members join from the second album onwards.

Awards & Recognition

Four Grammy Awards from 12 nominations
Grammy Award for Record of the Year for "Use Somebody", 2010
Brit Awards for Best International Band and Best International Album, 2009

Frequently Asked Questions Kings of Leon

Who writes Kings of Leon's songs?
The four members together, on every album since 2007. Caleb Followill is credited on all 93 tracks that publish writers, Nathan on 93 as a composer, and Jared and Matthew on 80 each. The debut is the exception: only Caleb, Nathan and Angelo Petraglia are on it.
Who is Angelo Petraglia?
The Nashville songwriter who co-wrote all eleven tracks on the 2003 debut and two on Aha Shake Heartbreak, and does not appear after that.
Who wrote "Use Somebody"?
Caleb Followill wrote the lyrics and all four members the music, which is how the whole of Only by the Night is credited. It won Record of the Year on January 31, 2010.
How many albums have Kings of Leon released?
Nine studio albums, from Youth & Young Manhood in 2003 to Can We Please Have Fun in 2024. The EPs and live records are counted separately.
Are the members related?
Yes. Caleb, Nathan and Jared Followill are brothers and Matthew Followill is their cousin.
How many Grammys have they won?
Four, from 12 nominations. On January 31, 2010, they took home Record of the Year, Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and Best Rock Song for "Use Somebody".
Why does one album have no writing credits?
When You See Yourself, from 2021, lists its tracks with no writers on the album page, and neither the Discogs release nor MusicBrainz carries them either.
Which album made them famous?
Only by the Night in 2008, with "Sex on Fire" and "Use Somebody". It was certified Platinum in the United States by the RIAA for selling one million copies in less than a year after its release.
Did the credits ever separate lyrics from music?
Once. Only by the Night gives the lyrics to Caleb Followill alone and the music to all four members. Every other album credits both to the same names.
Where are they from?
Mount Juliet, Tennessee. They broke through in the United Kingdom first, with nine top 40 singles and two BRIT Awards in 2008.

Sources

Wikipedia: Kings of Leon Wikipedia: Kings of Leon discography