Follow The Leader is the album that turned Korn from cult favourites into global superstars. Released on 18 August 1998 via Immortal/Epic Records, it debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and went on to sell over 10 million copies worldwide. It remains one of the defining records of the nu metal era.
Background & Recording
After the raw aggression of their self-titled debut and the darker, more experimental Life Is Peachy, Korn arrived at Follow The Leader with a clearer sense of ambition. Produced by Steve Thompson and Toby Wright, the album was recorded in Los Angeles and marked a conscious step towards a bigger, more accessible sound — without sacrificing the band's signature heaviness.
The sessions saw the band at their most collaborative and confident. Guitarist Brian "Head" Welch and Munky refined their signature down-tuned, interlocking guitar style, while Jonathan Davis pushed his vocal range further than ever before — from guttural screams to melodic hooks that lodged themselves permanently in the brain.
Tracklist
- It's On!
- Freak on a Leash
- Got the Life
- Dead Bodies Everywhere
- Children of the Korn (feat. Ice Cube)
- B.B.K.
- Pretty
- All in the Family (feat. Fred Durst)
- Reclaim My Place
- Justin
- Seed
- Cameltosis (feat. Tre Hardson)
- My Gift to You
Key Tracks
Freak on a Leash became one of the most iconic nu metal singles ever recorded, winning a Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video in 2000. Its stop-start riff and Davis's unhinged vocal performance made it an instant classic. Got the Life was the radio-friendly counterpart — infectious, groove-driven, and impossible to ignore.
The album also featured high-profile collaborations with Ice Cube and Limp Bizkit's Fred Durst, cementing Korn's position at the centre of a new heavy music movement.
Legacy
Follow The Leader didn't just sell records — it reshaped what heavy music could look like commercially. It proved that aggressive, emotionally raw music could top mainstream charts, and it opened the door for a wave of nu metal acts that would dominate the late 1990s and early 2000s. Its influence can still be heard in the current nu metal revival, driven by a new generation discovering the genre through TikTok and streaming.
And Korn show no signs of slowing down — check out our coverage of their latest release: Korn Drop 'Reward the Scars' from the Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred Soundtrack.
Shop Korn Merch
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