Follow the Leader is the third studio album by the American nu metal band Korn. It was released on August 18, 1998, through Immortal and Epic Records. The album marked the band’s first release not produced by Ross Robinson, instead being produced by Steve Thompson and Toby Wright. The album reached number one on several national charts, including the US Billboard 200, with 268,000 units sold in its first week. It became Korn’s most commercially successful album and was certified five-times Platinum by the RIAA. Singles from the album included "Got the Life" and "Freak on a Leash," both of which charted internationally. Their music videos received significant rotation on MTV, and have been noted for their prominence during the era of programs such as "Total Request Live." "Follow the Leader" generally received positive critical reception. AllMusic described it as an effective follow-up to the band’s first two albums. The record is frequently cited as a major release in bringing nu metal into broader mainstream popularity. In later years, it has appeared in retrospective rankings of notable nu metal albums, including a 2018 reader poll by Revolver and a 2025 list published by Loudwire. The album was supported by the Family Values Tour and a total of five singles. The song "Freak on a Leash" received multiple nominations at the MTV Video Music Awards, winning awards for Best Rock Video and Best Editing. Its music video also won Best Short Form Music Video at the 2000 Grammy A