Biography
Kings of Leon are an American rock band made up of the Followill brothers, Caleb, Nathan and Jared, along with their cousin Matthew. Their ninth studio album, Can We Please Have Fun, followed their departure from RCA Records and was recorded at Dark Horse Recording in Franklin, Tennessee, with producer Kid Harpoon.[1][2] Caleb Followill has said the band decided they were not ready to quit after a 2022 Australian tour.[1]
Caleb Followill has described the title of that album as a frustrated request to enjoy the creative process and stop overthinking whether a song will be a hit, and said making it was among the most fulfilling experiences of his career.[3]
Rolling Stone framed the record as a fresh start, with the band pairing its gritty Southern garage-rock roots with sleeker, more polished grooves, and portrayed the group as veteran musicians still searching for answers.[4]
The lead single from that album, "Mustang," grew out of the Followill children's interests, and Caleb Followill has described the record as an attempt to recapture the fun of making music rather than chasing hits.[3][4]
The band's tenth album, O My Beloved, due November 6, 2026, is their first produced entirely by themselves.[8] It grew out of a spring 2026 accident in which Caleb Followill fractured his foot playing tag with his children, cancelling European dates and prompting him to write quiet acoustic songs. The band shelved several heavier tracks to follow that direction.[7][8]
Followill has tied the lead single, "My Whole World," to lingering grief over his mother's death and the challenge of balancing fatherhood with 25 years in a touring band.[7]
References
- How Kings of Leon got their swagger back: "We're not ready to quit" (NME) — Interview covering the band's decision to continue, leaving RCA, the Dark Horse sessions and post-punk influences.
- Can We Please Have Fun (Wikipedia) — Release date, track listing, critical reception, singles and chart positions.
- Caleb Followill is "completely fulfilled" by Can We Please Have Fun (Radio X) — Caleb Followill on the album title and approach.
- Kings of Leon Ease Into a New Beginning on Can We Please Have Fun (Rolling Stone) — Framing of the album as a fresh start.
- Mustang by Kings of Leon (Songfacts) — Origin of the song in Caleb Followill's children.
- Caleb Followill is "completely fulfilled" by Can We Please Have Fun (Radio X) — The album title as a frustrated request to enjoy making records.
- My Whole World (Songfacts) — Caleb Followill on the injury, his mother's death, and fatherhood alongside 25 years of touring.
- Kings Of Leon Announce New Album 'O My Beloved' & Share 'My Whole World' Single (JamBase) — Tenth album details, first self-produced record, cancelled European dates.