Only By The Night
by Kings of Leon
  • Record Label: RCA
  • Release Date: Sep 23, 2008
User Score
7.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 223 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 154 out of 223
  2. Mixed: 29 out of 223
  3. Negative: 40 out of 223

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  1. Horror2018
    Jun 21, 2018
    8
    A 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.
  2. Ricko
    Dec 12, 2017
    9
    Most people probably think this is where KOL went downhill. I can understand this stance but personally disagree. For sure it takes the polish to an extreme level and is more more soft rock and radio friendly than their previous efforts but it's still full of strong tracks. If the singles off of this album hadn't been played to death in a manner normally reserved for the likes of U2 itMost people probably think this is where KOL went downhill. I can understand this stance but personally disagree. For sure it takes the polish to an extreme level and is more more soft rock and radio friendly than their previous efforts but it's still full of strong tracks. If the singles off of this album hadn't been played to death in a manner normally reserved for the likes of U2 it would have a lot more credibility as a rock record. It's inevitable that the more mainstream fans you gain the more alternative ones you lose. KOL were laughing all the way to the bank with this but it doesn't make it a bad record. While you'll be sick of the sound of massively overrated "Sex on Fire" and the straightforward "Use Somebody", tracks like "Closer", "Manhatten", "Be Somebody" and "I Want You" are all up there with their best work.… Expand
  3. normankant
    Jun 9, 2015
    4
    Kings of Leon in this album are no longer a band, but a brand capable of making lots of money. There are stadium-rock silly songs, rock songs, pop songs and a lot of useless songs. It's really hard to feel this record. Its strength relies on the fact that there are some great songs, as the single Sex on Fire, or the languid opener of the record Closer.
  4. Herecomesyourma
    Oct 30, 2013
    8
    There 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.
  5. wade22fan
    Oct 11, 2013
    10
    Simply brilliant. All of the band's albums before this were genius and nothing has changed. Only by the Night is diverse and unique. Each track is totally different and it will be known as one of the best rock albums of our generation. It's truly one of the best albums I have ever heard by one of the best bands I have ever heard. Well done, Kings of Leon. My favorite tracks are BeSimply brilliant. All of the band's albums before this were genius and nothing has changed. Only by the Night is diverse and unique. Each track is totally different and it will be known as one of the best rock albums of our generation. It's truly one of the best albums I have ever heard by one of the best bands I have ever heard. Well done, Kings of Leon. My favorite tracks are Be Somebody, Closer, Crawl, Notion, Cold Desert and Revelry.… Expand
  6. axelkoch
    Nov 1, 2012
    8
    Very 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!
  7. Parera_Starr11
    Jun 29, 2012
    9
    A 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.
  8. WD1
    Apr 27, 2012
    5
    I see reviewers writing whole essays about this album, but I think one word can easily sum up Only By The Night: tame. "Crawl" is actually pretty good, though.
  9. j30
    Feb 19, 2012
    4
    To say Only By The Night is a horrible album would be a bit ignorant. Coming after their best album Because Of The Times this album feels underwhelming and very disappointing in the arena-rock direction they took.
  10. RoverJones
    May 29, 2011
    0
    Soul-crushingly bad.
  11. YFinnau
    May 6, 2011
    3
    First of all I'd like to thank KOL for the epic music gven to us in the first two albums (I haven't listened to the third one yet.) They were Rock n Roll at it's purest, just albums full of passion and fun and I couldn't get enough of them.

    Getting to Only By The Night, it is a dissapointment and it's a shame to see a band go down a path like this. The passion has gone and we're left    First of all I'd like to thank KOL for the epic music gven to us in the first two albums (I haven't listened to the third one yet.) They were Rock n Roll at it's purest, just albums full of passion and fun and I couldn't get enough of them.

    Getting to Only By The Night, it is a dissapointment and it's a shame to see a band go down a path like this. The passion has gone and we're left with an album that's designed to make money as opposed to tearing your face off. I dislike it. Revelry is a decent song but after a while gets boring and lifeless. There are many bands who do this kind of music but much better see Sigur Ros or early U2 or even some old british post punk bands (Joy Division, The Fall, New Order etc.)

    To finish I'd like to thank KOL for all the good music they have created and wish them a happy retirement    … Expand
  12. anonreview
    Mar 14, 2011
    7
    Inconsistently excellent. Only By The Night is a good album with some good tracks, some great tracks, some outstanding tracks, and some terrible tracks.
  13. kol25
    Mar 4, 2011
    10
    kol 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.
  14. Vampire25
    Dec 15, 2010
    8
    I don't agree with all the hate on this album. I personally love their sound on this album. They slowed their music down quite a bit. All the rip-roaring guitar riffs are cut out for the most part. It's more arena rock on this album and it sounds great. Caleb's voice just soars and it sounds the best on this album than any other album they have put out. The opener "Closer" is a dark songI don't agree with all the hate on this album. I personally love their sound on this album. They slowed their music down quite a bit. All the rip-roaring guitar riffs are cut out for the most part. It's more arena rock on this album and it sounds great. Caleb's voice just soars and it sounds the best on this album than any other album they have put out. The opener "Closer" is a dark song and it's a great way to start off the album with. "Be Somebody" is my personal favorite on the album and one of my favorite Kings Of Leon songs. The smash singles "Sex On Fire" and "Use Somebody" are good songs but there are a lot better on the album. All In All, Only By The Night has a great sound and I love The Kings transformation from Southern rockers to more "easy on the ear" rockers. B+… Expand
  15. DOWNEY2010
    Oct 21, 2010
    10
    def 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.
  16. Kernzzi
    Oct 10, 2010
    1
    absolutely **** terrible, to put it bluntly. because of the times was easily one of, if not THE best album of the decade. This would be one of the worst considering the potential this band has shown they have. only half decent song is Crawl which resembles because of the times
  17. boozm
    Oct 4, 2010
    0
    Never has an album stripped the credibility from a band in such dramatic fashion. 'Crawl' is probably the worst, weakest at the knees and ill-timed stab at political commentary ever written. Kings of Leon: I don't believe you.
  18. RickyP.
    Jan 25, 2010
    1
    This is perhaps one of the biggest sell out albums (if not THE biggest) of the past decade. A band with much talent goes and releases drivel in order to please people in clubs. There is no intelligence involved and no insight that made previous efforts worthwhile. Truly disappointing, in the context of their talent.
  19. Smitty
    Oct 15, 2009
    6
    For my 1st time listening to any of their albums, this was well composed. Every song offers a taste of their live performance whereas you could imagine seeing them on stage. It stands out b/c they have a sound almost bigger than any other band that's been out as long as they have.
  20. JoshH.
    Oct 15, 2009
    2
    I keep being told this album is a clean representation of a band selling out. "Sex On Fire" will be the thing that ultimately destroys what was a half-decent band. Commercial will love it though, god what don't they love.
  21. Rhys
    Oct 6, 2009
    1
    As a result of this album, I have completely lost faith in the Kings. It's a sell out that escapes into soft core stadium rock, almost completely lacking any of the original grit that defined the Kings as a band. The only throwback to that sound is the building tension in "Be Somebody," which is reminiscent of "Four Kicks," but is resolved with no dirty guitars or guttural vocals, As a result of this album, I have completely lost faith in the Kings. It's a sell out that escapes into soft core stadium rock, almost completely lacking any of the original grit that defined the Kings as a band. The only throwback to that sound is the building tension in "Be Somebody," which is reminiscent of "Four Kicks," but is resolved with no dirty guitars or guttural vocals, just a sweet, "easy" chorus. The only benefit of this album is that it made me able to appreciate "" as still retaining some of the magic seen on the first two albums, which is completely lost here. It's safe to say that after this, I'll be downloading the next album, if I bother with it at all.… Expand
  22. TomA
    Sep 25, 2009
    3
    At best, its fairly average. 2007's Because Of Times was one of the best albums of the last decade, but this fell along way short of that benchmark. There are 1 or 2 decent moments, but most of the songs are wastefully transparent, the lyrics are horribly cliched and any trace of that quirky edge ,which made the band so likeable in earlier albums, has been washed away in a tide of At best, its fairly average. 2007's Because Of Times was one of the best albums of the last decade, but this fell along way short of that benchmark. There are 1 or 2 decent moments, but most of the songs are wastefully transparent, the lyrics are horribly cliched and any trace of that quirky edge ,which made the band so likeable in earlier albums, has been washed away in a tide of indie-rock mediocrity. It seems that Kings of Leon have transcended from different but brilliant to uniform but sellable; pressure from their record company may not have helped, but the whole of this record seems to have slipped into the line of 'fashionable' music. A special mention, finally, for 'Use Somebody'. Quite simply, one of the worst songs ever written by any band with their level of talent. It really is awful - yet it has risen to new heights of adulation. And that, in a way, pretty much sums up this album.… Expand
  23. fredr.
    Sep 24, 2009
    10
    This 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.
  24. JonG
    Aug 28, 2009
    9
    Comical 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.
  25. DmitryS
    Aug 3, 2009
    8
    Great album, remind me of u2 achtung baby and other great stuff. Very accessible, good music. don't care about words much though.
  26. BrianB
    Jul 23, 2009
    3
    When you consider their their first 2 records, this is a zero. But rating it against the field, I still have to give it some credit, there are 3 or 4 songs I don't mind listening to. I call this record their "get laid and paid in America" record. Because that's all it's good for. Congratulations guys, you were my favorite band, and now you have 10x as many fans but they are When you consider their their first 2 records, this is a zero. But rating it against the field, I still have to give it some credit, there are 3 or 4 songs I don't mind listening to. I call this record their "get laid and paid in America" record. Because that's all it's good for. Congratulations guys, you were my favorite band, and now you have 10x as many fans but they are all douche bags. So disappointing. Y&YM remains one of the greatest albums EVER!… Expand
  27. EvanT.
    Jul 23, 2009
    7
    The 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.
  28. James
    Jul 20, 2009
    0
    I was a fan of Kings of Leon until this album. It represents the opposite of everything they were built on.
  29. danielc
    Jul 11, 2009
    7
    Having 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.
  30. VinceG.
    Jun 15, 2009
    1
    Use Somebody was one of the worst songs I've heard in years. The rest of the album wasn't much better. The music doesn't change, it's just the same thing over and over again. Overall this album is terrible.
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Awards & Rankings

17
#17 Most Discussed Album of 2008
60
#60 Most Shared Album of 2008

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
63

Generally favorable reviews - based on 30 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 30
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 30
  3. Negative: 3 out of 30
  1. Mojo
    60
    Only 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]
  2. Observer Music Monthly
    100
    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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  3. Sputnikmusic
    80
    As it is, it's a very fine record from a band who are seemingly growing in stature, confidence, and ability by the day.
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