Kings Of Leon kicked off the 2021 NFL Draft to much controversy. Fans asked if it was ‘2008,’ while others were getting moody that the band ‘played too long’ and thus delayed the first pick.
Tough crowd. Kings Of Leon opened the 2021 NFL Draft in Cleveland with a grand performance, but not everyone appreciated this throwback to the late aughts — or how long it took. While the Grammy-nominated band continues to put out new music — in fact, they just released a new album in 2021 — the four-member band made up of brothers Caleb, Nathan, and Jared Followill and cousin Matthew Followill is primarily known for their late-2000’s hits like “Use Somebody.” Ironically, which is what they performed at the draft, which is partially why fans thought the band was an odd choice for an event in which many college football stars (AKA, Gen Z athletes) are moving up to the NFL.
“Kings of Leon performing “Use Somebody” at the #NFLDraft. Is it 2008?,” one fan asked on Twitter, while another viewer tweeted, “Kings of Leon kicking off tonight’s 2021 NFL draft coverage with their 2008 smash hit ‘Use Somebody’ is a perfect reminder of how in touch the league is with their fans.”
Meanwhile, other fans didn’t take issue with who was on the NFL stage. They did take issue with the fact that the Kings Of Leon’s performance went past 8 p.m. ET — which is when the draft was scheduled to begin. “Less Kings of Leon, more draft picks, please,” ESPN reporter Courtney R. DraftScout tweeted, while others posted GIFs of Judge Judy impatiently tapping her wristwatch.
About 20 or so minutes past 8 p.m., fans finally got to watch as the Jackson Jaguars, who had No. 1 pick in the draft, select Trevor Lawrence as the team’s new quarterback. “Why did it take 25 mins for Lawrence to be announced is my question,” one fan grumpily tweeted, to which news anchor David Wade quipped, “Because we needed to hear music from the up and coming Kings of Leon.”
Of course, there were also people more than happy to see the Kings of Leon performing live once again, their first time doing so in over a year due to the pandemic. And it was unsurprising that the NFL picked a Grammy-winning alternative rock band to play right nearby the Rock Hall of Fame. The family band even took a mini field trip inside the museum before their performance, where they checked out an exhibit about cryptocurrency that the rock stars were featured in.