Kings of Leon is an American rock band formed in 1999 in Mount Juliet, Tennessee, by brothers Caleb, Nathan, and Jared Followill along with their cousin Matthew Followill. Named after their grandfather Leon, the group blended Southern rock, garage rock, and blues influences, first finding major success in the UK before breaking big in the U.S. with their 2008 album Only by the Night.
Their lead single “Sex on Fire” became a global smash, topping charts in the UK, Australia, Ireland, and elsewhere while winning a Grammy for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. The song’s memorable riff was created while frontman Caleb Followill was recovering from shoulder surgery and limited in how he could play guitar; the provocative title started as a studio joke that stuck.
- Written by all four band members and produced by Angelo Petraglia and Jacquire King.
- Originally a placeholder lyric that evolved from phrases like “Set Us on Fire.”
- It became one of the UK’s biggest digital downloads of its era and has surpassed a billion streams.
- The track helped propel Only by the Night to multi-platinum status worldwide.
Nearly two decades later, “Sex on Fire” remains an explosive, anthemic crowd-pleaser that still ignites every time it plays.