Because of the Times

Because of the Times is the third studio album by American rock band Kings of Leon. It was released April 2, 2007 in the UK and April 3, 2007 in the United States.[1] The album has received generally positive reviews and has appeared in numerous Top-10 lists for "Album of the Year.[2] In 2009, Clash named the album number 3 on the "Clash Essential 50", a list of the most important albums released since the magazine's inception in 2004.[3]

Because of the Times
Studio album by Kings of Leon
Released	April 2, 2007
Recorded	2006 at Blackbird in Nashville; Sunset Sound in Hollywood
Genre	Alternative rock garage rock Southern rock
Length	51:33
Label	HandMeDown, RCA
Producer	Ethan Johns, Angelo Petraglia
Kings of Leon chronology
Day Old Belgian Blues (2006) Because of the Times (2007) Only by the Night (2008)
Singles from Because of the Times
"On Call" Released: March 26, 2007 "Fans" Released: July 9, 2007 "Charmer" Released: October 29, 2007

Reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	79/100[4]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[5]
The A.V. Club	A−[6]
Entertainment Weekly	A−[7]
The Guardian	[8]
The Independent	[9]
NME	8/10[10]
Pitchfork	5.4/10[11]
Q	[12]
Rolling Stone	[13]
Spin	[14]

The album was #6 in NME albums of the year, as well as #31 on Rolling Stone's Top 50 Albums of 2007. NME said that the album "cements Kings Of Leon as one of the great American bands of our times"[10] and Entertainment Weekly called Because of the Times "an epic wide-screen movie of a CD and the band's best to date."[15] Another reviewer described Because of the Times as, "an accomplished album of unbelievable beauty and familiar, loveable grit. Kings of Leon is maturing wonderfully and with patience, not forcing anything musically or lyrically that doesn’t sound natural."[16] However, some critics found the album inferior to the band's previous efforts.[17] Dave Hood of Artrocker gave the album one star out of five, finding that "Kings of Leon are experimenting, learning, and getting a bit lost."[18] Pitchfork contended that "Because of the Times sound[s] suspiciously like a counterattack on womankind, launched from somewhere in the mid-1990s, deep inside a bruised, stadium-sized ego."[11]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Kings of Leon.

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Knocked Up"	7:10
2.	"Charmer"	2:56
3.	"On Call"	3:21
4.	"McFearless"	3:09
5.	"Black Thumbnail"	4:00
6.	"My Party"	4:10
7.	"True Love Way"	4:02
8.	"Ragoo"	3:00
9.	"Fans"	3:35
10.	"The Runner"	4:16
11.	"Trunk"	3:57
12.	"Camaro"	3:09
13.	"Arizona"	4:50

US iTunes, Japanese and deluxe edition bonus track

No.	Title	Length
14.	"My Third House"	4:03

UK iTunes bonus track

No.	Title	Length
14.	"On Call" (AOL Music Sessions)	3:21

Personnel

• Caleb Followill – guitar, vocals
• Matthew Followill – guitar, background vocals
• Jared Followill – bass guitar, background vocals
• Nathan Followill – drums, background vocals

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts Chart (2007) Peak position Australian Albums (ARIA)[19] 4 Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[20] 35 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[21] 20 Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[22] 39 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[23] 62 French Albums (SNEP)[24] 88 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[25] 32 Irish Albums (IRMA)[26] 1 New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[27] 1 Scottish Albums (OCC)[28] 2 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[29] 86 UK Albums (OCC)[30] 1 US Billboard 200[31] 25 US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[32] 4

Year-end charts Chart (2007) Position Australian Albums (ARIA)[33] 46 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[34] 99 New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[35] 25 UK Albums (OCC)[36] 31 Chart (2008) Position Australian Albums (ARIA)[37] 46 UK Albums (OCC)[38] 66 Chart (2009) Position Australian Albums (ARIA)[39] 83 UK Albums (OCC)[40] 90

Certifications

Sales certifications for Because of the Times

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[41]	2× Platinum	140,000^^
Belgium (BEA)[42]	Gold	15,000^*
France	—	4,000[43]
Germany (BVMI)[44]	Gold	100,000^^
Ireland (IRMA)[45]	3× Platinum	45,000^^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[46]	Platinum	15,000^^
United Kingdom (BPI)[47]	3× Platinum	900,000^^
United States	—	226,000[48]
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

1. Wormwood, Vladmir (April 2, 2017). "Kings of Leon: Because of the Times". PopMatters. Retrieved July 10, 2017.
2. "Because Of The Times Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic". Metacritic.com. Retrieved 2012-01-15.
3. "Clash Essential 50 - Number 3 | Clash Music Exclusive Best of Clash". Clashmusic.com. 2009-04-22. Retrieved 2012-01-15.
4. "Reviews for Because Of The Times by Kings of Leon". Metacritic. Retrieved December 28, 2015.
5. Collar, Matt. "Because of the Times – Kings of Leon". AllMusic. Retrieved December 28, 2015.
6. Murray, Noel (April 3, 2007). "Kings Of Leon: Because Of The Times". The A.V. Club. Retrieved December 28, 2015.
7. Collis, Clark (March 30, 2007). "Because of the Times". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on January 17, 2016. Retrieved December 28, 2015.
8. Cooper, Leonie (March 30, 2007). "Kings of Leon, Because of the Times". The Guardian. London. Retrieved December 28, 2015.
9. Gill, Andy (March 23, 2007). "Kings of Leon: Because of the Times (RCA)". The Independent. London.
10. Nicolson, Barry (April 4, 2007). "Kings Of Leon: Because Of The Times". NME. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 15, 2012.
11. Strew, Roque (April 5, 2007). "Kings of Leon: Because of the Times". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 13, 2012.
12. "Kings of Leon: Because of the Times". Q (250): 119. May 2007.
13. Sheffield, Rob (March 21, 2007). "Because Of The Times". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 28, 2015.
14. Beaujon, Andrew (April 2007). "Dharma Bums". Spin. 23 (4): 95. Retrieved December 28, 2015.
15. Collis, Clark. "Because of the Times". Entertainment Weekly, March 30, 2007. Retrieved on February 05, 2008.
16. Harper, Alana.""Because of the Times"". Archived from the original on 2008-05-05. Retrieved 2009-02-08.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) . Okayplayer.com, 2007. Retrieved on February 05, 2008.
17. "Kings of Leon - Because of the Times - Review". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on 2010-02-02. Retrieved 2012-01-15.
18. "Reviews | Slash The Seats". Artrocker.com. Archived from the original on 2011-08-07. Retrieved 2012-01-15.
19. "Australiancharts.com – Kings Of Leon – Because Of The Times". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
20. "Austriancharts.at – Kings Of Leon – Because Of The Times" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
21. "Ultratop.be – Kings Of Leon – Because Of The Times" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
22. "Danishcharts.dk – Kings Of Leon – Because Of The Times". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
23. "Dutchcharts.nl – Kings Of Leon – Because Of The Times" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
24. "Lescharts.com – Kings Of Leon – Because Of The Times". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
25. "Offiziellecharts.de – Kings Of Leon – Because Of The Times" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
26. "Irish-charts.com – Discography Kings Of Leon". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
27. "Charts.nz – Kings Of Leon – Because Of The Times". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
28. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
29. "Swisscharts.com – Kings Of Leon – Because Of The Times". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
30. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
31. "Kings Of Leon Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
32. "Kings Of Leon Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
33. "ARIA End of Year Albums Chart 2007". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
34. "Jaaroverzichten 2007". Ultratop. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
35. "Top Selling Albums of 2007". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
36. "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2007". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
37. "ARIA End of Year Albums Chart 2008". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
38. "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2008". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
39. "ARIA End of Year Albums Chart 2009". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
40. "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2009". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
41. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2009 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 10 August 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
42. "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – albums 2009". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
43. Les Meilleures Ventes de CD / Albums "Tout Temps" at the Wayback Machine (archived 24 October 2020)
44. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Kings of Leon; 'Because of the Times')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
45. "The Irish Charts - 2007 Certification Awards - Multi Platinum". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
46. "New Zealand album certifications – Kings of Leon – Because of the Times". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
47. "British album certifications – Kings of Leon – Because of the Times". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 24 October 2020. Select albums in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type Because of the Times in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
48. Followill, Nathan (21 February 2009). "Kings of the Road" (PDF). Billboard. worldradiohistory.com: 22. Retrieved 24 October 2020.