"Only by the Night" is the fourth studio album by American rock band Kings of Leon, released in September 2008 through RCA Records. Writing for the album began shortly after their third album, Because of the Times, and it was recorded in April 2008 at Nashville's Blackbird Studio, produced by Jacquire King and Angelo Petraglia.
The album achieved significant commercial success, peaking in the top 10 in over 10 countries. It was certified nine times platinum in Australia, making it the best-selling album in the country and the highest-selling album of 2008 there. In the UK, it was the third best-selling album of 2008 and won two Brit Awards, while also ranking as the 18th best-selling album of the 2000s.
Two singles from the album, "Sex on Fire" and "Use Somebody," were particularly successful. "Sex on Fire" topped the charts in Ireland, the UK, Australia, and the U.S. Hot Modern Rock Tracks, while "Use Somebody" reached number two in the UK and Australia, and became the band's first top 10 hit in the U.S. The album was nominated for Best Rock Album at the 2009 Grammy Awards, with "Sex on Fire" receiving two nominations. Worldwide sales exceeded 6.2 million copies.
In addition, "Sex on Fire" topped the Triple J Hottest 100 of 2008, while "Use Somebody," "Closer," and "Crawl" ranked third, 24th, and 70th, respectively.
In September 2007, Caleb Followill, the lead singer of Kings of Leon, announced to NME that the band was already working on tracks for their fourth album, shortly after the release of their third album, Because of the Times. Recording for the new album began in February 2008 at Nashville's Blackbird Studios, with assistant engineer Lowell Reynolds. Producer Jacquire King revealed that the main parts of each song were captured during live performances on 16-track analog tape, which were then transferred to a Pro Tools system for overdubbing and mixing. On June 23, 2008, the band confirmed the release date of September 22, 2008, along with the announcement of the album's title.
