Mechanical Bull (album)

This article is about the album by Kings of Leon. For the entertainment device, see Mechanical bull.
Mechanical Bull
Studio album by Kings of Leon
Released September 20, 2013
Genre
Length 42:31
Label RCA
Producer Angelo Petraglia
Kings of Leon chronology

Come Around Sundown
(2010)		 Mechanical Bull
(2013)
Alternative cover art
Deluxe edition cover
Singles from Mechanical Bull
  1. "Supersoaker"
    Released: July 17, 2013
  2. "Wait for Me"
    Released: August 6, 2013
  3. "Temple"
    Released: October 14, 2013
  4. "Beautiful War"
    Released: December 9, 2013
  5. "Don't Matter"
    Released: June 16, 2014
  6. "Family Tree"
    Released: June 17, 2014

Mechanical Bull is the sixth studio album by American rock band Kings of Leon, released in Ireland, Germany, Sweden and Australia on September 20, 2013,[1] in the United Kingdom on September 23, 2013, and in North America on September 24, 2013 by RCA Records. In late 2013 the album received a nomination at the 56th Grammy Awards for Best Rock Album.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Caleb Followill, Nathan Followill, Jared Followill and Matthew Followill. 

No. Title Length
1. "Supersoaker"   3:50
2. "Rock City"   2:56
3. "Don't Matter"   2:50
4. "Beautiful War"   5:09
5. "Temple"   4:10
6. "Wait for Me"   3:30
7. "Family Tree"   3:50
8. "Comeback Story"   3:59
9. "Tonight"   4:33
10. "Coming Back Again"   3:28
11. "On the Chin"   3:46

Personnel

Kings of Leon
Technical personnel

Promotion

The first single to promote the album, "Supersoaker", was released on July 17, 2013. This single was followed by the release of the second single titled "Wait for Me" on August 6, 2013.[3] During the Heineken Open'er Festival 2013, Kings of Leon performed "Don't Matter", another song from this album.[4] The third single "Temple" impacted US active rock and adult album alternative (triple A) radio on October 14, 2013[5][6] and modern rock radio on October 15, 2013.[7] The band released the Official Video for 'Beautiful War' on November 22, 2013. The song has been described by the Guardian as "a slow-grower about love and fighting," and a "distant cousin of U2's With or Without You".[8] "Beautiful War" and "Don't Matter" were released as singles exclusively in the United Kingdom on December 9, 2013 and June 16, 2014 respectively.[9][10] "Family Tree" was sent to US modern rock radio as the album's sixth overall single on June 17, 2014.[11] An adult album alternative release followed on July 1, 2014.[12]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source Rating
Metacritic 70/100[13]
Review scores
Source Rating
AllMusic [14]
Clash 9/10[15]
Consequence of Sound [16]
Spin 8/10[17]
Rolling Stone [18]
NU.nl

Critical reception was generally positive. At Metacritic, the album holds an average score of 70 out of 100, based on 30 reviews, indicating generally favorable reviews.[13]

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Chart (2013) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[19] 1
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[20] 2
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[21] 4
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[22] 13
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[23] 2
Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI)[24] 24
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[25] 3
Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[26] 2
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[27] 19
French Albums (SNEP)[28] 37
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[29] 2
Greek Albums (IFPI)[30] 9
Irish Albums (IRMA)[31] 1
Italian Albums (FIMI)[32] 8
New Zealand Albums (Recorded Music NZ)[33] 1
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[34] 7
Polish Albums (ZPAV)[35] 2
Portuguese Albums (AFP)[36] 4
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[37] 9
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[38] 21
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[39] 2
UK Albums (OCC)[40] 1
US Billboard 200[41] 2
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[42] 1
US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard)[43] 1

Year-end charts

Chart (2013) Position
US Billboard 200 Albums[44] 137
US Top Rock Albums[45] 31
US Alternative Albums (Billboard)[46] 22
Chart (2014) Position
US Top Rock Albums[47] 51
US Alternative Albums (Billboard)[48] 39

Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
Australia (ARIA)[49] Gold 35,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[50] Gold 7,500x
Canada (Music Canada)[51] Gold 40,000^
Ireland (IRMA)[52] Gold 7,500x
Poland (ZPAV)[53] Gold 10,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[54] Platinum 300,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone
xunspecified figures based on certification alone

Release history

Region Date Format Label
Australia[55] September 20, 2013 CD, digital download RCA Records
Germany
Ireland
Sweden[56]
United Kingdom September 23, 2013
United States[57] September 24, 2013

References

  1. ↑ http://www.amazon.de/Mechanical-Bull-Kings-Leon/dp/B00DZS9YZG/
  2. ↑ "Sony Music Entertainment (GER) Mechanical Bull (4 Live-Bon./Exclusiv MSD)" (in German). Saturn. Retrieved October 5, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Kings of Leon reveal new track 'Wait For Me' - listen". NME. August 6, 2013. Retrieved September 24, 2013.
  4. ↑ Grishkoff, Jason (July 17, 2013). "Kings of Leon - Supersoaker". Indie Shuffle. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
  5. ↑ "R&R Going For Adds: Active Rock (Week Of: October 14, 2013)". Radio & Records. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
  6. ↑ "R&R Going For Adds: Triple A (Week Of: October 14, 2013)". Radio & Records. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Alternative E-Weekly". All Access Music Group. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
  8. ↑ http://www.allaccess.com/alternative/future-releases/
  9. ↑ Lane, Daniel (December 9, 2013). "This week's new releases 09-12-2013". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
  10. ↑ Lane, Daniel (June 16, 2014). "This Week's New Releases 16-06-2014". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Future Releases on Alternative Radio Stations". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on 2014-06-12.
  12. ↑ "Future Releases on Triple A (AAA) Radio Stations". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on 2014-06-27.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Mechanical Bull Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved September 24, 2013.
  14. ↑ Collar, Matt. "Mechanical Bull – Kings of Leon". AllMusic. Retrieved September 29, 2013.
  15. ↑ Harper, Simon (September 6, 2013). "Kings Of Leon - Mechanical Bull". Clash. Retrieved September 29, 2013.
  16. ↑ Madden, Mike (Sep 30, 2013). "Album Review: Kings Of Leon - Mechanical Bull". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved Sep 30, 2013.
  17. ↑ Aswad, Jem (September 20, 2013). "Kings of Leon's 'Mechanical Bull' Warmly Settles Into the Conventional, Professional, and Focused". Spin. Retrieved September 29, 2013.
  18. ↑ Dolan, Jon (September 24, 2013). "Kings Of Leon 'Mechanical Bull' Album Review". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 29, 2013.
  19. ↑ "Kings of Leon – Mechanical Bull". Australiancharts.com. Hung Medien.
  20. ↑ "Kings of Leon – Mechanical Bull" (in German). Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved October 4, 2013.
  21. ↑ "Kings of Leon – Mechanical Bull" (in Dutch). Ultratop.be. Hung Medien. Retrieved October 4, 2013.
  22. ↑ "Kings of Leon – Mechanical Bull" (in French). Ultratop.be. Hung Medien. Retrieved September 29, 2013.
  23. ↑ "Kings of Leon Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Canadian Albums Chart for Kings of Leon.
  24. ↑ "Czech Albums – Top 100". ČNS IFPI. Note: On the chart page, select 201339 on the field besides the word "Zobrazit", and then click over the word to retrieve the correct chart data. Retrieved October 4, 2013.
  25. ↑ "Kings of Leon – Mechanical Bull". Danishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  26. ↑ "Kings of Leon – Mechanical Bull" (in Dutch). Dutchcharts.nl. Hung Medien. Retrieved September 29, 2013.
  27. ↑ "Kings of Leon: Mechanical Bull" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved October 4, 2013.
  28. ↑ "Kings of Leon – Mechanical Bull". Lescharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  29. ↑ "Top 100 Longplay". Officialcharts.de. GfK Entertainment. Retrieved October 4, 2013.
  30. ↑ "Official IFPI Charts - Top-75 Albums Sales Chart - Εβδομάδα: 41/2013" (in Greek). IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on October 25, 2013. Retrieved October 25, 2013.
  31. ↑ "GFK Chart-Track Albums: Week 39, 2013". Chart-Track. IRMA. Retrieved September 29, 2013.
  32. ↑ "Kings of Leon – Mechanical Bull". Italiancharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved October 10, 2013.
  33. ↑ "Kings of Leon – Mechanical Bull". Charts.org.nz. Hung Medien. Retrieved October 4, 2013.
  34. ↑ "Kings of Leon – Mechanical Bull". Norwegiancharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved October 10, 2013.
  35. ↑ "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLIS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved October 4, 2013.
  36. ↑ "Kings of Leon – Mechanical Bull". Portuguesecharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  37. ↑ "Kings of Leon – Mechanical Bull". Spanishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved October 2, 2013.
  38. ↑ "Kings of Leon – Mechanical Bull". Swedishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved October 4, 2013.
  39. ↑ "Kings of Leon – Mechanical Bull". Swisscharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved October 4, 2013.
  40. ↑ "Kings of Leon | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart
  41. ↑ "Kings of Leon Album & Song Chart History" Billboard 200 for Kings of Leon.
  42. ↑ "Kings of Leon Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Top Rock Albums for Kings of Leon.
  43. ↑ "Kings of Leon Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Top Alternative Albums for Kings of Leon.
  44. ↑ "Billboard 200 Albums: Year End 2013". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
  45. ↑ "Top Rock Albums: Year End 2013". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
  46. ↑ "Alternative Albums: 2013 Year-End Charts". Billboard. Retrieved 16 January 2015. (subscription required)
  47. ↑ "Top Rock Albums: Year End 2014". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
  48. ↑ "Alternative Albums: 2014 Year-End Charts". Billboard. Retrieved 16 January 2015. (subscription required)
  49. ↑ "ARIA Australian Top 50 Albums Chart - 07/10/2013". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on October 5, 2013. Retrieved October 5, 2013.
  50. ↑ "Austrian album certifications – Kings of Leon – Mechanical Bull" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved November 11, 2013. Enter Kings of Leon in the field Interpret. Enter Mechanical Bull in the field Titel. Select album in the field Format. Click Suchen
  51. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – Kings of Leon – Mechanical Bull". Music Canada. Retrieved November 29, 2013.
  52. ↑ "Irish album certifications – Kings of Leon – Mechanical Bull". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved February 7, 2014.
  53. ↑ "Polish album certifications – Kings of Leon – Mechanical Bull" (in Polish). Polish Producers of Audio and Video (ZPAV). Retrieved October 11, 2013.
  54. ↑ "British album certifications – Kings of Leon – Mechanical Bull". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved February 27, 2015. Enter Mechanical Bull in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Select Platinum in the field By Award. Click Search
  55. ↑ "Mechanical Bull by Kings of Leon". iTunes (AU). Retrieved September 29, 2013.
  56. ↑ "Mechanical Bull av Kings of Leon". iTunes (SE). Retrieved September 29, 2013.
  57. ↑ Waddell, Ray (September 23, 2013). "Kings of Leon Talk 'Mechanical Bull' Track-By-Track". Billboard. Retrieved September 29, 2013.