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 (2008), released on December 8, 2008.[3][4]

"Use Somebody"
Single by Kings of Leon
from the album Only by the Night
ReleasedDecember 9, 2008
Recorded2008
Genre
Length3:51
Label
Songwriter(s)
  • Caleb Followill
  • Nathan Followill
  • Jared Followill
  • Matthew Followill
Producer(s)
Kings of Leon singles chronology
"Sex on Fire"
(2008)		 "Use Somebody"
(2008)		 "Revelry"
(2009)

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.[5] 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.[6]

The song received positive reviews and won Grammy Awards for Record of the Year,[7] Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal[8] and Best Rock Song.[9] It was also nominated for Song of the Year.[10]

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".[11] 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'."[12] 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".[13]

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.[14][15] 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.[16] (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,[17] and later topped the Mainstream Top 40 chart as well. It reached over four million downloads in the US by July 2013.[18]

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 fifth longest runner of all time, just two places behind "Sex on Fire" with its 90 weeks.[19]

Along with "Sex on Fire", the song was one of two from Kings of Leon's Only by the Night to reach the top three in Australian radio station Triple J's Hottest 100 of 2008, coming in at number three.

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.[20][21]

  • 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)".[22]
  • 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.[23]
  • Country singer Margaret Durante did a cover and released it as a single in October 2009.[24]
  • English electronic music group Ultrabeat released their cover as a single in 2009. The song peaked at number 100 on the UK Singles Chart[25]
  • 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.
  • American singer Anastacia released this song on her fifth studio album It's A Man's World.
  • Trey Songz covered the song on his MTV Unplugged performance.
  • Shawn Mendes covered the song on his MTV Unplugged performance in 2018.
  • One Direction covered the song on their Up All Night Tour (2011-2012)
  • R&B duo dvsn released a cover of the song as a single from their 2021 project, Amusing Her Feelings

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 and certifications

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[77] 5× Platinum 350,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[78] Gold 15,000*
Belgium (BEA)[79] Platinum 30,000*
Denmark (IFPI Denmark)[80] Platinum 15,000^
Germany (BVMI)[81] Gold 150,000^
Italy (FIMI)[82] Gold 25,000
Mexico (AMPROFON)[83] 2× Platinum+Gold 150,000
New Zealand (RMNZ)[84] Platinum 15,000*
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[85] Gold 15,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[86] 3× Platinum 1,800,000
United States (RIAA)[87] Platinum 1,000,000[88]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

See also

References
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