5 (Lenny Kravitz Album)

5 (Lenny Kravitz Album)

5 is the fifth studio album by American rock musician Lenny Kravitz, released on May 12, 1998 by Virgin Records America. The album featured hits such as "Fly Away" and "I Belong to You", which helped Kravitz to expand his success in Europe. The album won two Grammys.

5 was re-issued in 1999, including Lenny Kravitz's latest single from the soundtrack of Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, "American Woman," plus a bonus track called "Without You"- initially a B-side to the lead single "If You Can't Say No."

5 reached #28 on the Billboard 200 and #18 on the UK Album Chart. As of March 2008, 5 has sold 3 million units in the U.S, over 6 million units worldwide, becoming Kravitz's most successful studio album in commercial sales. Initially, the album received mediocre reviews by some critics and its rise to commercial success was quite slow up until the point were it gained tremendous success towards the end of 1998 and throughout 1999. However, the album received multi-platinum certifications in many countries, producing a mass string of worldwide hits and becoming one of the most successful albums of 1999. Despite paling in comparison in US chart position with the artist's other albums, it managed to have a remarkably long chart-life, charting for nearly three years straight on the Billboard 200, two of which were spent in the Top 100.

The album gained Kravitz multiple awards nominations and gave him his first two Grammy Awards in the Best Male Rock Vocal Performance category for the hits "Fly Away" and "American Woman".