User Score
Generally favorable reviews- based on 223 Ratings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 154 out of 223
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Mixed: 29 out of 223
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Negative: 40 out of 223
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Oct 21, 2010def the worst album outta the five though its far from bad. still some great songs on this album, sex on fire, cold desert, manhattan, crawl and i want you are great kings songs.
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Mar 4, 2011kol have made a great soft rock album here. i do prefer the earlier sound but bands change, thats what bands do. Crawl, i want you, manhattan, cold desert and revlery are the stand out tracks.
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Oct 11, 2013
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GaryC.Oct 11, 2008Fantastic Revelry is probably song of the year.
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GrenL.Oct 8, 2008Took the risk to become stars. One of the best bands out now. Sex on fire is one the best rock songs in the last 5years.
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DmitrySAug 3, 2009Great album, remind me of u2 achtung baby and other great stuff. Very accessible, good music. don't care about words much though.
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JonGAug 28, 2009Comical that critics pounced on this for being, ohmygosh, commercially successful. Meaning if a lot of people like it it must be dumb, because all people besides me, the critic/hipster, are dumb. Actually, this is a fantastic album, not going to appeal to the NPR/Paste magazine set but great rock music, with well constructed well written songs. Not for fans of The Decemberists.
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fredr.Sep 24, 2009This album has been at or near the top of the Soundscan album sales chart since its release. KOL obviously know what they are doing. It makes me wonder whether their critics were paying customers.
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ZachPDec 21, 2008It's a shame that this is the album that will make them famous. It's solid and incredible but pails in comparison to the epic-ness of their three previous. Still, all 13 tracks (counting bonuses) are incredible and the album is probably perfectly mixed.
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LisaZ.Dec 4, 2008
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CoryB.Oct 4, 2008One of the strongest rock vocal albums in a while.
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MichaelM.Sep 23, 2008Not their best but certainly the best rock music around!
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DanielC.Sep 23, 2008Strong effort. After hearing "Sex on Fire," I felt like giving these guys another chane. My purchase was well worth it. Don't buy the negative reviews. These guys are trying to be nothing more than they are. Who cares if they have left garage-rock for arena rock? I consider this a better sound for them.
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zoySep 24, 2008Well i think it's great album,i can't get enough of specialy the first 3 tracks.in this album kings of leon look more relaxed and more focused.i think it deserves a little more appreciation and a good listen. enjoy it.
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NicoleG.Sep 25, 2008Love the depth & torque of this album!
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ColinR.Sep 26, 2008Not perfect, but the closest album to it that I've heard this year. No fillers, although some songs do take a while to grow on you but give it a few listens and you'll be hooked.
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MattL.Sep 30, 2008Sex on Fire, Be Somebody, Manhattan, Notion, I Want You, and Be Somebody are good.
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MegBJan 11, 2009Great album! They may have side stepped some of the down home grit that made their audience love them early on but the polish of this album showcases how they are maturing as musicians. Caleb Followill's vocals have never sounded better.
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OzzLMar 6, 2009
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JohnVMay 4, 2009Wow. One of the best albums I have ever heard. Very creative, groovy, and powerful all at the same time. Calebs voice is amazing.
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EvanT.Jul 23, 2009The songs are well crafted, but kings of leon take no risks with this album. The lyrics are completely mindless though. And they picked the worst song on the album as their lead single. But overall its pretty good, at least as in what i was expecting.
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HazHansonNov 10, 2008here is the deal. this album is good....at best. However, i just saw KOL live and they did play several songs on this album, including Closer, Crawl, Sex on Fire, Use Somebody, Manhattan and Cold Desert and the songs sounded amazing. They sounded a million times better live than on the album. The only way to appriciate this album, unlike the Kings last three efforts, is live.
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ChrisB.Nov 18, 2008
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RyanP.Oct 14, 2008Solid, not spectacular.
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JesJ.Oct 16, 2008Very strong record - catchy songs - good production - their best so far.
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ChKSep 23, 2008Pure greatness. It's almost as good as their debut.
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DanSep 26, 2008If this weren't by the Kings of Leon, I'd be impressed. However, after 3 outstanding albums, each one better than the last, this pretty good album is still a dissappointment.
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NickSep 29, 2008
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FilazaferXSep 29, 2008This album sounded like a classic the first time I heard it. Many critics don't like music that is radio-friendly. But, good music is good music, period. An excellent cd.
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MariaBMar 10, 2009This CD is raw, seductive and hypnotic. Love it, Love them.
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MateoGMar 22, 2009Very nicee record... One of my favs albums of the year... I know they've changed from their roots, but all bands need to change so we as fans don't get bored with the same music released with every new album... Very creative!
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MattH-CApr 23, 2009This is a very solid album, Caleb's vocals are on fire.
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SouthernRockerMay 25, 200910..an easy 10. This album is great all the way through. Excellent lyrics. Expertly produced. Some may not like the progression and changes bands go through, but if album 4 sounds just like album 3, wouldn't that be a little boring? I can't put the CD down. Guess I'll play it again!
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ChrisHMay 6, 2009One of the best rock albums in recent memory. with a taste of 80's beat and feel that somehow works. Well done
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StephenWJun 12, 2009
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danielcJul 11, 2009Having loved the first three records i wasn't impressed upon first listn and i still belive that the best album they made was Because of the Times but after a while this record has grown on me it's more experimental than before and if you forget about there other efforts that you find that it acctully suites them well. this album deserves more time and rewards it quite well.
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ethancDec 3, 2008Kings of leon are one of the best bands out there and this album is amazingly produced. they build the songs with their of the raw and thick sound. a perfect album some of the best tracks are "be somebody" "i want you" "closer" "revelry".
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FredP.Oct 24, 2008It's different than their previous albums but still a solid piece of recognizable music of a very talented band.
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JyotirmayaD.Oct 25, 2008I play this album much more than the previous two albums by KOL. I lke the fact that they sound different and have toned down the sometimes irritating "boogie-ing." Very good effort.
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MattJSep 23, 2008A brilliant album, but a grower. The only low mark i can partly agree with is mojo in that it will help when this is in context of future albums however this is still a great album!
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andyhSep 23, 2008To make it quick and easy - this is my favorite album of 2008. You must give it a listen.
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OwenP.Sep 23, 2008I really like the route they took on this album. Nothing wrong here. It's a pleasure to listen to straight through.
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LewisR.Sep 23, 2008
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TomBSep 23, 2008Loving it!!
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JoshKSep 23, 2008
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ReubenS.Sep 24, 2008It's the kangs. That's why.
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AlanL.Sep 24, 2008
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ArnA.Sep 24, 2008Great album...better than the poser band Coldplay and their disgraceful garbage of an album.
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sarahsSep 25, 2008Excellent cd - love it from beginning to end.
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DavisF.Sep 25, 2008Not their best ... but a couple of songs will rock as though they were!
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VincentB.Sep 26, 2008Grows on you, like all good music.
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JasonSep 26, 2008Not at all like what i was expecting. I can see why some people are a little turned off by the new direction but after a few listens its really growing on me a lot.
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Dec 15, 2010
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Mar 14, 2011Inconsistently excellent. Only By The Night is a good album with some good tracks, some great tracks, some outstanding tracks, and some terrible tracks.
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Dec 12, 2017
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Jun 29, 2012A very solid alternative rock album. Yes its sound is much more commercial then their previous efforts but to that I'd say, "so what". If an album is good it's good. An there is nothing wrong with change, those who alienate them were never really fans to begin with. Crawl is unequivocally the best song on this Lp.
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Nov 1, 2012Very good album. The songs are diversified, relaxing but still rocking. Caleb Followill's voice is groovy, the guitar and bass riffs are remarkable and the lyrics also got me. You should go and hear this!
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Oct 30, 2013There is no denying that kings of leon changed their sound on this one but it worked. Closer and crawl are two of the best songs they have ever created. Other stand out tracks are I want you and cold desert.
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Jun 21, 2018A lot of people complaining kinds of leon sold out on this one, I don’t see it. Great album from start to finish. Best songs, closer, crawl, I want you and cold desert.
Awards & Rankings
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MojoOnly By The Night is best viewed as a transitional record from a band who have quite literally done their growing up in public. [Oct 2008, p.98]
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The dreamy 'Cold Desert' is the perfect maudlin end to this short, sharp, 42-minute, no-filler album, revelling in every miserable blues-rocker cliché as Matthew's guitar goes all shoegazey and then briefly threatens to turn the whole thing into a 'Purple Rain' wig-out.
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As it is, it's a very fine record from a band who are seemingly growing in stature, confidence, and ability by the day.