‘Use Somebody’: the Kings of Leon hit that pulled indie away from the mainstream
Something occurred during the mid-late 2000s that made indie feel less like a genre and more like a subculture. At the time, bands like The Strokes presented an alternative scene that rocked against the polished nature of mainstream music, offering something more raw and closer to authenticity. Central to this was also Kings of Leon, until their hit ‘Use Somebody’ inspired the kind of backlash that warned against the paradox of indie colliding with mainstream pop culture.
By the early 2000s, Kings of Leon had one foot ahead of most. At the time, they were exactly what was needed—a pure, unfiltered look back at everything rock stood for, but with a culturally relevant edge. To the unsuspecting mainstream music fan, Kings of Leon were the ultimate symbol of opposition, blending sounds that weren’t usually smoothed out with an undeterred stray from pretence.
To the trained loyalist, Kings of Leon were defiant in a different sense, with Youth and Young Manhood, Aha Shake Heartbreak, and Because of the Times showcasing a more forthcoming position to any other indie outfit where pandering to commercialism wasn’t just a cop out but completely unnecessary. On this path, Kings of Leon were cutting their own way to legacies akin to all those who shunned the mainstream in the name of independent artistic expression until one major decision changed everything.
Only by the Night wasn’t just an unexpected turn—it was a double-edged sword that ushered the band to mainstream success while sparking ba acklash in the indie circles that had once championed them. Most indie bands will always face a struggle when coasting the delicate line between the genre and commercialism, but with ‘Use Somebody’, Kings of Leon felt to many like the ultimate betrayal and a wrong move that undermined everything that earned them respect.
This is because, at its core, ‘Use Somebody’ sounded nothing like Kings of Leon’s usual game. For starters, it appeared far more anthemic than their usual approach, with an undeniably catchy hook destined for extensive radio play. While many would regard that as the ultimate commercial sway, for Kings of Leon, it seemed like a deliberate attempt to lose sight of everything that made them great to begin with.
It’s formulaic, though not in a way many regarded authentic, leading loyalists to believe they had only made the record to smash sales and disregard everything worthwhile about the indie subculture they led. Before this, there seemed to be some unspoken strive for indie to gain recognition on a broader scale, with fans and members of the subculture working hard to pull from all angles to get others to see the beauty of being a part of something so explosive.
A big part of this drive was seeing how indie tropes could make mainstream spaces feel more honest and alive, displacing the polished elements with something more gritty but just as fun. With ‘Use Somebody’, however, many saw that convergence in action, suddenly faced with the realisation that maybe, just maybe, this wasn’t actually what they wanted at all. After all, everybody champions what they love until it suddenly feels like it belongs to someone else, at which point things get lost in a haze of uncertainty.
With Kings of Leon, however, it didn’t just suddenly feel like they existed elsewhere, it felt like they had knowingly gazed back at their roots with the intent to dismiss, ‘Use Somebody’ becoming their weapon of choice. It attracted a mass of new fans, of course, but it also sent ripples through the entire indie music scene, serving as a cautionary tale against what could happen when they loosened the grip on its underground ethos.
As a result, many facets of the subculture refocused on why existing separately from the mainstream was the best route, shunning any temptations to crossover into spaces that seemed destined to tear them from everything that defined them. This might have positively impacted Kings of Leon in the moment, but it pushed the indie scene to keep its secrets well hidden and protected.
