They're now in their 22nd year together, which is no mean feat for any modern rock band – but Kings of Leon continue to thrive and have just released their eighth studio album.
The Followills have certainly evolved over the years, as a spin of their 2003 debut 'Youth and Young Manhood' will attest to; if you have a particularly soft spot for their earlier material, you may have found yourself baulking at their more recent stadium-rock-oriented fare.
Nevertheless, with the release of 'When You See Yourself', it's a good a time as any to flick through the foursome's back catalogue to pick out ten of their best tracks.
In no particular order...
'The Bucket'
With their second (and arguably their best?) album 'Aha Shake Heartbreak', the band began to move away from the southern rock that coloured their debut. This is one of its most enduring songs (even if at first, nobody knew what the hell they were saying on the chorus. It's 'eighteen, balding, star', by the way.)
*
'Molly's Chambers'
For our money, this remains KoL's best song – a relentless, brilliant rock tune with an air of menace running through it – and even a nod to Thin Lizzy, too.
*
'Sex on Fire'
Some people – naming no names – have an irrational hatred of this song, a track born to soundtrack the shenanigans of drunken teenagers at festival campsites. Nevertheless, there's no denying that it's one of their biggest songs and we'd be crucified for leaving it out, so...
*
'Red Morning Light'
Another track from 'Youth and Young Manhood', this has to be one of the most fun opening tracks of any album from that era – and certainly the best opening track on any KoL album. Fight us.
*
'Waste a Moment'
Taken from their last album, 2016's 'Walls', this is a pacey little number that sums up what Kings of Leon do best: writing punchy alt-rock anthems to sing along with at festivals.
*
'Use Somebody'
That said, they've also evolved into the kind of band who are more than capable of those big emotive slow-burning ballads – like this one, from 2008's 'Only By the Night' aka the album where KoL went stratospheric.
*
'Pyro'
2010's 'Come Around Sundown' isn't cited as the band's finest album by many, but this heartache-infused number (“Everything I cherish is slowly dying, or is gone”) is an enjoyably moody little ditty with a big surging chorus.
*
'Knocked Up'
2007's 'Because of the Times' had a handful of great songs, but the way that the piercing guitar riff of this slow-building tune – combined with Caleb Followill's distinctive riffs – explodes halfway through undoubtedly makes it the best on the tracklist.
*
'King of the Rodeo'
Kings of Leon have had their critics over the years – and in some cases, deserved – but one thing you can't knock them for is their ability to write a damned catchy riff. This twangy little gem is 100% one of their best songs.
*
'Taper Jean Girl'
Yes, it's another track from 'Aha Shake Heartbreak', when the band were still mixing garage rock with southern rock and putting a modern twist on both of those genres.
*
