Kings Of Leon have hit back at critics who claim their new album is an attempt to appeal to a bigger audience.

‘Come Around Sundown’, which is on course to top the UK album chart this weekend, has been described as “anthemic” and “stadium-friendly”.

But singer Caleb Followill downplayed the descriptions, and said he didn’t think first single ‘Radioactive’ was enough even strong enough to be released.

"I didn't think it would be a single, let alone the first one,” he said. “I mean, the vocal, I mess up on the first verse, I mess up on the second verse, I mean, my voice is off, so I really didn't think the label would want that as a single, but they wanted it first.

He added to MTV News: “I don't know, I think at this point, we could do something with me tapping my foot and singing into a can and [critics] would be like, ‘Oh, it's so anthemic" or "Oh, it's so stadium-friendly’. "

As previously reported, ‘Come Around Sundown’ is set to become the fastest selling record of 2010.

It is Kings Of Leon’s fifth effort and follow-up to 2009’s ‘Only By The Night’.

(by Jason Gregory)