"Sex on Fire" | ||||||||||
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Single by Kings of Leon | ||||||||||
from the album Only by the Night | ||||||||||
Released | September 4, 2008 | |||||||||
Format | Digital download, 7", CD single | |||||||||
Recorded | 2008 | |||||||||
Genre | Alternative rock | |||||||||
Length | 3:24 (album version) 3:33 (radio edit) |
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Label | RCA, Sony Music | |||||||||
Writer(s) | Caleb Followill, Nathan Followill, Jared Followill, Matthew Followill | |||||||||
Producer(s) | Angelo Petraglia, Jacquire King | |||||||||
Kings of Leon singles chronology | ||||||||||
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"Sex on Fire" is the first single released from American alternative rock band Kings of Leon's fourth studio album Only by the Night. The song gave Kings of Leon their first number-one single in Australia, Finland, Ireland and the United Kingdom, charting at the top spot on digital downloads alone in the latter country, before its physical release. In September 2009 it was Britain's second most-downloaded digital single ever. The song has sold 1.2 million copies in the United Kingdom as of November 2012. It has also gained significant popularity in the band's native United States, reaching number one on the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart and number 56 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it their second highest charting song in their homeland on the former chart.
In 2008, the song earned the band their first Grammy nominations. The song was nominated for Best Rock Song, and won the award for Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group. In addition, the album earned a nomination for Best Rock Album. Channel V Australia named the song as the third biggest hit of 2008. It was voted number one in Triple J Hottest 100 countdown for 2008. Following the success of the follow-up single "Use Somebody" in the United States on pop radio, the track was re-serviced to U.S. pop radio in November. Remixes of both songs were used for the runway soundtrack in the 2009 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.
The song was written about lead singer Caleb's then-girlfriend, model Lily Aldridge.