Use Somebody

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title: "Use Somebody" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["2008-songs", "2008-singles", "2000s-ballads", "kings-of-leon-songs", "songs-written-by-caleb-followill", "songs-written-by-nathan-followill", "songs-written-by-jared-followill", "songs-written-by-matthew-followill", "ultratop-50-singles-(flanders)-number-one-singles", "grammy-award-for-record-of-the-year", "music-videos-directed-by-sophie-muller", "alternative-rock-ballads", "american-pop-rock-songs", "grammy-award-for-best-rock-song", "maggie-rose-songs", "song-recordings-produced-by-jacquire-king", "rca-records-singles", "sony-music-singles", "grammy-award-for-best-rock-performance-by-a-duo-or-group-with-vocal"] description: "2008 single by Kings of Leon" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Use_Somebody" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary 2008 single by Kings of Leon ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox song"]

Field	Value
name	Use Somebody
cover	Use Somebody.jpg
type	single
artist	Kings of Leon
album	Only by the Night
released	December 8, 2008
recorded	2008
studio	Blackbird (Berry Hill, Tennessee)
genre	* Alternative rock
* pop rock{{Cite web	url
length	3:51
label	RCA
writer
producer
prev_title	Sex on Fire
prev_year	2008
next_title	Revelry
next_year	2009
misc	{{Audio sample
type	single
file	Use Somebody sample.ogg
description	Kings of Leon – "Use Somebody"
::

| name = Use Somebody | cover = Use Somebody.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = Kings of Leon | album = Only by the Night | released = December 8, 2008 | recorded = 2008 | studio = Blackbird (Berry Hill, Tennessee) | genre = * Alternative rock

• pop rock | length = 3:51 | label = RCA | writer = | producer = | prev_title = Sex on Fire | prev_year = 2008 | next_title = Revelry | next_year = 2009 | misc = {{Audio sample | type = single | file = Use Somebody sample.ogg | description = Kings of Leon – "Use Somebody" | "Use Somebody" is a song recorded by the American rock group Kings of Leon. It was the second single from the band's fourth studio album Only by the Night, and it entered American and British charts in December 8, 2008, three weeks after the album release.

The single received heavy airplay in Scandinavia, the Republic of Ireland, Germany, the United Kingdom and Australia, where it was number one on the Official Airplay Chart for six consecutive weeks. It was a huge success in the U.S., where it topped multiple airplay formats and reached number four on the Hot 100 and number one on the Pop Songs chart.

The song received positive reviews and in 2010 at the 52nd Grammy Awardswon Grammy Awards for Record of the Year, Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and Best Rock Song. It was also nominated for Song of the Year. "Use Somebody" is written in the key of C major.

Critical reception

The song has received generally positive reviews from music critics. Mikael Wood of Entertainment Weekly called "Use Somebody" a highlight of the album, describing the song as "a too-cool hipster's cry for comfort". Nick Levine of Digital Spy said, "With its Springsteen-style 'oooah-woooah's, gathering storm of guitars and lusty, longing vocals from Caleb Followill, it's nearly as infectious as 'Sex on Fire'." Gavin Haynes of NME praised the song as "easily the best 80's power ballad of 2008", but cautioned that the band "may be in danger of mistaking bluster for brilliance".

Chart performance

In the United States, "Use Somebody" became the band's mainstream breakthrough. Peaking at number four on the Hot 100, it gave the band their first top five hit there, and spent 57 weeks on the chart. On United States radio, the song was a multi-format smash, becoming just the fourth song in history to top the Mainstream Top 40, Adult Top 40, Alternative Songs, and Triple A charts. (Preceding it were "Slide" by the Goo Goo Dolls, "Every Morning" by Sugar Ray, and "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" by Green Day.) The song first reached number one on the Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart (now called the "Alternative" chart), their second of three consecutive singles to top that chart. "Use Somebody" also reached number one on the Adult Top 40 chart, and later topped the Mainstream Top 40 chart as well. It reached over four million downloads in the US by July 2013.

In the United Kingdom, "Use Somebody" peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart and spent an unbroken 40 weeks on the chart, only dropping out due to the surge in sales of Michael Jackson titles immediately after his death; after an absence of just one week, it was back for another 20 weeks, peaking at number 25. It has reappeared on further occasions since, and has now spent 77 weeks on the top 75, making it the 14th longest runner of all time, six places behind "Sex on Fire" with its 90 weeks.

Music video

Directed by Sophie Muller, who also directed the video for "Sex on Fire" and would later direct "Radioactive", the video features tour footage of the band, in addition to Caleb singing while sitting on a sofa in a penthouse suite overlooking the New York City skyline at night.

Notable cover versions

The song has attracted many cover versions, with CBS affiliate Live 105 radio listing the top 10 covers and Stereogum website listing the top 15, both lists published in 2010.

• Pixie Lott performed a cover version of the song which peaked at number 41 on the UK Singles Chart, due to it being a B-side to her number one single "Mama Do (Uh Oh, Uh Oh)".
• Dutch singer Laura Jansen covered a piano ballad-version of "Use Somebody". The song debuted in the Dutch Top 40 chart. It entered the charts on the thirty-fifth spot but quickly rose towards number 14. Her cover was later remixed by Dutch DJ Armin van Buuren.
• English electronic music group Ultrabeat released their cover as a single in 2009. The song peaked at number 100 on the UK Singles Chart
• Scala & Kolacny Brothers covered the song with the all-girls choir for their album Circle. A video produced for their cover was nominated for an MTV Freshman Video Award.

Track listing

CD single

1. "Use Somebody" – 3:51
2. "Knocked Up" (Lykke Li vs. Rodeo Remix) – 5:34

iTunes exclusive EP

1. "Use Somebody" – 3:51
2. "Knocked Up" (Lykke Li vs. Rodeo Remix) – 5:34
3. "Frontier City" – 3:36
4. "The Bucket" (CSS Remix) – 3:43

Personnel

• Caleb Followill – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
• Nathan Followill – drums, backing vocals
• Matthew Followill – lead guitar, backing vocals
• Jared Followill – bass, backing vocals

Charts

Weekly charts

::data[format=table] | Chart (2008–2010) | Peak position | |---|---| | Japan (Japan Hot 100) | 42 | | Mexico Ingles Airplay (Billboard) | 13 | ::

::data[format=table] | Chart (2013) | Peak position | |---|---| | South Korea (Gaon) | 188 | ::

Year-end charts

::data[format=table]

Chart (2008)	Position
Australia (ARIA)	30
UK Singles (OCC)	51
::

::data[format=table]

Chart (2009)	Position	Chart (2010)	Position
Australia (ARIA)	38
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)	58
Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)	3
Belgium (Ultratop Wallonia)	55
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)	10
Germany (Official German Charts)	58
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)	13
Netherlands (Single Top 100)	41
New Zealand (RIANZ)	47
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)	22
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)	47
UK Singles (OCC)	13
US Billboard Hot 100	14
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)	3
US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard)	1
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)	11
UK Singles (OCC)	179
US Billboard Hot 100	87
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)	37
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)	34
::

Decade-end charts

::data[format=table]

Chart (2000–09)	Position
Australia Singles (ARIA)	27
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)	32
::

All-time charts

::data[format=table]

Chart	Position	US Adult Alternative Airplay (Billboard)	US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)	UK Singles (Official Charts Company)
15
24
118
::

Certifications

References

References

1. Wheeler, Brad. (October 15, 2010). "Kings of Leon: Bad boys, but good at playing the game".
2. (9 September 2010). "Welcome Back Kings Of Leon With 15 Covers Of "Use Somebody"". [[Stereogum]].
3. (October 11, 2008). "Hot Digital Songs".
4. (2008-11-05). "New Video: Kings of Leon, "Use Somebody"". Spin.com.
5. "Kings Of Leon — Use Somebody Contact Music". Contactmusic.com.
6. "Australian Music Report Weekly Hot 100". Aumreport.com.
7. "Music Albums, Top 200 Albums & Music Album Charts". Billboard.com.
8. https://www.grammy.com/awards/52nd-annual-grammy-awards
9. "Winners: Record of the Year".
10. "Winners: Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal".
11. "Winners: Best Rock Song".
12. "Grammy Awards 2010 Winners & Nominees".
13. (2008-12-29). "Use Somebody".
14. Wood, Mikael. (2008-09-16). "Only by the Night - Music Review".
15. (2008-12-08). "Music — Singles Reviews — Kings of Leon: 'Use Somebody'".
16. Haynes, Gavin. (2008-09-17). "Kings of Leon — Album Reviews". [[NME]].
17. "Music: Top 100 Songs - Billboard Hot 100 Chart".
18. "Music: Top 100 Songs - Billboard Hot 100 Chart".
19. Gary Trust. (30 September 2009). "Chart Beat Wednesday: Kings Of Leon, Toby Keith, Maxwell".
20. "Chart Beat Wednesday: Carrie Underwood, Kings Of Leon, Miley Cyrus — Chart Beat". [[Billboard.com]].
21. Grein, Paul. (July 17, 2013). "Week Ending July 14, 2013. Albums: Jay-Z Back On The Throne". Yahoo Music.
22. "Kings Of Leon — Use Somebody". [[Official Charts Company]].
23. (9 September 2010). "Welcome Back Kings Of Leon With 15 Covers Of "Use Somebody"".
24. "The Top 10 Cover Versions of "Use Somebody" « LIVE 105".
25. "UK Singles & Albums Chart Archive — Pixie Lott — Use Somebody". [[Official Charts Company]].
26. "Dutch Chart Stats : Dutch Top 40 - January, week 4". Top40.nl.
27. "The Official Charts Company – The home of UK Charts". Theofficialcharts.com.
28. "Kings of Leon - Artist - Billboard Japan". Billboard Japan.
29. "Kings of Leon History (Mexico Ingles Airplay)".
30. link. (2013-12-11 (in Korean). gaonchart.co.kr. Retrieved December 5, 2013.)
31. "ARIA Charts — End Of Year Charts — Top 100 Singles 2008". ARIA.
32. "Charts Plus Year-end 2008". [[UKChartsPlus]].
33. "ARIA Charts — End Of Year Charts — Top 100 Singles 2009". ARIA.
34. "Jahreshitparade Singles 2009".
35. "Jaaroverzichten 2009". Ultratop.
36. "Rapports Annuels 2009". Ultratop.
37. (2009). "Canadian Hot 100 Year-End 2009". Billboard.
38. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts". offiziellecharts.de.
39. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 2009". Dutch Top 40.
40. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 2009".
41. "RIANZ". RIANZ.
42. "Årslista Singlar – År 2009". Sverigetopplistan.
43. (2009). "2009 Year End Swiss Singles Chart". [[Swiss Music Charts]].
44. "Charts Plus Year-end 2009". [[UKChartsPlus]].
45. "Year End Charts — Year-end songs — The Billboard Hot 100". Billboard.
46. "Adult Pop Songs – Year-End 2009".
47. "Hot Rock Songs – Year-End 2009".
48. "Pop Songs – Year-End 2009".
49. "End of Year 2010". [[UKChartsPlus]].
50. "Year End Charts — Year-end songs — The Billboard Hot 100". Billboard.
51. "Adult Contemporary Songs – Year-End 2010".
52. "Adult Pop Songs – Year-End 2010".
53. (January 2010). "2009 ARIA End of Decade Singles Chart". ARIA.
54. Radio 1 Official Chart of the Decade, as broadcast on [[BBC Radio 1]] on 29 December 2009, presented by Nihal
55. "Greatest of All Time Adult Alternative Songs".
56. (March 18, 2016). "Greatest of All Time Adult Pop Songs : Page 1". US Adult Pop Songs.
57. "The UK's biggest selling singles of all time". Official Charts Company.
58. Grein, Paul. (January 31, 2015). "The 15 Most Downloaded Songs in Rock History". Yahoo! Music.

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