5 (Lenny Kravitz album)

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1998 studio album by Lenny Kravitz

Studio album by

Lenny Kravitz

Released| May 12, 1998
Recorded| October 1997–February 1998
Studio| Ghetto Lounge Studios and Compass Point Studios
Genre|

* Funk rock
* psychedelic soul
* trip hop

Length| 66:00 (original)
75:00 (re-release)
Label| Virgin
Producer| Lenny Kravitz
Lenny Kravitz chronology
| Circus
(1995)  | 5
(1998)  | Greatest Hits
(2000)

|
|

Singles from  5

1. "If You Can't Say No"
Released: April 20, 1998
2. "Thinking of You"
Released: July 6, 1998
3. "I Belong to You"
Released: August 3, 1998
4. "Fly Away"
Released: November 9, 1998
5. "American Woman"
Released: May 10, 1999
6. "Black Velveteen"
Released: November 29, 1999

Professional ratingsReview scores

Source| Rating
AllMusic| [1]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music| [2]
Entertainment Weekly| C[3]
NME| 4/10[4]
Robert Christgau| C[5]
Rolling Stone| [6]
Spin| 3/10[7]

5 is the fifth full-length studio album by American rock musician Lenny Kravitz, released on May 12, 1998, by Virgin Records. The album produced six singles released over the course of 1998 and 1999.

## Writing and recording

[edit]

Pre-production work on 5 commenced during early 1997.[8] It began being recorded in Kravitz' New York carriage house studio in October 1997.[8] Celebrities including Madonna, Chris Rock, Bobby Brown, Marilyn Manson and Gwen Stefani visited this studio during the recording.[8] Later sessions took place at engineer Terry Manning's Compass Point Studios in The Bahamas.[8]

The album contained more of his '70s-inspired songs, funk and soul, mixed with his rock style. In the production of the album, Kravitz worked with digital technology such as synthesizers and tape loops providing the album with a more modern sound. It was his first album to be done using Pro Tools. In a 1998 interview with Audio Technology magazine, Manning said "we recorded the whole album on ProTools, we never went to tape, we just stayed in the digital domain. Which is a different tack for Lenny to take given his retro reputation, but it really worked well."[9][full citation needed] Regarding digital plug-ins, Manning said "that’s one area of ProTools that I’m not wild about. There are some plug-ins that work extremely well, for instance the [Antares] Autotune plug-in is amazing. But for the most part the plug-ins that function like outboard gear – such as compressors, EQ, chorus and flangers – I don’t generally like very much. I think that they have a harsh artificial sound. [Although] I’m not saying we didn’t use any plug-ins."[citation needed]

## Release and commercial performance

[edit]

The album featured such hits as "Fly Away" and "I Belong to You", which helped Kravitz to expand his success in Europe. The album won two Grammy Awards.[10]

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".

Initially, the album received mediocre reviews by some critics, and its rise to commercial success was quite slow, until it gained traction towards the end of 1998 and throughout 1999 producing a string of worldwide hits and becoming one of the most successful albums of 1999. Despite paling in comparison in US chart position with Kravitz'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".[10]

## Critical reception

[edit]

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic stated "Without hooks, melodies, and style, Kravitz's Sly, Mayfield, Hendrix, Lennon, and Prince pastiches are a bore. 5 has a few passable cuts, yet it falls short of the quirky hero worship and melodic smarts that made his first three records so enjoyable".[1] Jim Farber of Entertainment Weekly commented "It's useless to keep railing about Kravitz’ endless grave robbing. On 5, he shows no signs of halting his lifts from Sly Stone, Curtis Mayfield, and the Beatles. At least this time he targets some new catalogs (Gary Numan, Depeche Mode)".[3] Robert Christgau wrote "His racially convoluted formalism having long since come clean as a total absence of original ideas, he grabs the brass ring from the back of a tacked-on Guess Who cover best heard on the far more imaginative Austin Powers soundtrack. Lenny, your work here on earth is done".[5] A reviewer of Classic Rock Review added "This winner of two Grammy Awards, successfully found Kravitz both establishing himself as a genuine funk and R&B artist while also advancing his incredibly diverse fusion of rock and soul which he had established early on in his recording career. The result is an accessible and accomplished work that offers an array of sonic candy... While 5 is pretty solid throughout, the second half of the album is where real gems lie with rock, funk and soul musical diversity".[11] Stephen Thompson of The A.V. Club wrote "Kravitz's fifth album—appropriately enough, it's titled 5—has a few exhilarating fragments scattered throughout its 66 minutes. But those moments are too infrequent to be easily extracted... Kravitz's most forgiving fans will appreciate the diversity and sheer volume of 5; everyone else should give it a pass."[12]

## Track listing

[edit]

All tracks are written by Lenny Kravitz, except where noted. All tracks produced by Kravitz.

Standard editionNo.| Title| Writer(s)| Length

|
|
|

1.| "Live"|

* Kravitz
* Craig Ross

| 5:10
2.| "Supersoulfighter"|  | 4:59
3.| "I Belong to You"|  | 4:17
4.| "Black Velveteen"|  | 4:49
5.| "If You Can't Say No"|  | 5:17
6.| "Thinking of You"|

* Kravitz
* Lysa Trenier

| 6:24
7.| "Take Time"|  | 4:32
8.| "Fly Away"|  | 3:42
9.| "It's Your Life"|  | 5:02
10.| "Straight Cold Player"|  | 4:20
11.| "Little Girl's Eyes"|  | 7:45
12.| "You're My Flavor"|  | 3:48
13.| "Can We Find a Reason?"|  | 6:25
Total length:| 66:30

1999 re-release bonus tracksNo.| Title| Writer(s)| Length

|
|
|

14.| "American Woman"|

* Burton Cummings
* Jim Kale
* Garry Peterson
* Randy Bachman

| 4:24
15.| "Without You"|  | 4:46
Total length:| 75:40

## Personnel

[edit]

* Lenny Kravitz – vocals, all other instruments
* Craig Ross – electric guitar, slide guitar, keyboards
* Terry Manning – toy piano on "I Belong to You" and Screams on "Straight Cold Player"
* Cindy Blackman – drums on "Straight Cold Player"[13]
* Jack Daley – bass guitar
* Michael Hunter – trumpet
* Harold Todd – saxophone
* George Laks – keyboards
* Alex Alvarez – keyboards
* Stephen Dorff – 'uh' sounds on "American Woman"

Production

* Engineered by Terry Manning except "American Woman" engineered by Matt Knobel
* Recorded by Tom "T-Bone" Edmonds
* Mixed by Manning and Kravitz
* Pro Tools operation by Matt Knobel
* Programming by Kravitz, Knobel, Mark Browne and Eric Rehl
* Horn arrangements by Kravitz, Michael Hunter and Harold Todd
* Art direction and design by Len Peltier
* Photography by Mark Seliger

## Singles

[edit]

* "If You Can't Say No" – No. 48 UK[14]
* "Thinking of You"
* "I Belong to You" – No. 71 US,[15] No. 75 UK[14]
* "Fly Away" – No. 12 US,[15] No. 1 UK[14]
* "American Woman" – No. 49 US[15]
* "Black Velveteen" – No. 83 UK[14]

## Charts

[edit]

### Weekly charts

[edit]

Weekly chart performance for 5 | Chart (1998)  | Peak
position

|

Australian Albums (ARIA)[16] | 17
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[17] | 1
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[18] | 15
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[19] | 24
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[20] | 22
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[21] | 8
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[22] | 23
French Albums (SNEP)[23] | 9
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[24] | 6
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)[25] | 31
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[26] | 5
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[27] | 17
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[28] | 7
Scottish Albums (OCC)[29] | 42
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[30] | 3
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[31] | 3
UK Albums (OCC)[32] | 18
US Billboard 200[33] | 28
2008 weekly chart performance for 5 Chart (2008)  | Peak
position

|

Italian Albums (FIMI)[34] | 95

### Year-end charts

[edit]

1998 year-end chart performance for 5 | Chart (1998)  | Position

|

Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[35] | 21
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[36] | 84
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[37] | 88
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[38] | 42
French Albums (SNEP)[39] | 49
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[40] | 37
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[41] | 31
US Billboard 200[42] | 181
1999 year-end chart performance for 5 Chart (1999)  | Position

|

Australian Albums (ARIA)[43] | 77
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[44] | 30
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[45] | 71
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[46] | 22
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[47] | 36
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[48] | 32
US Billboard 200[49] | 43
2000 year-end chart performance for 5 Chart (2000)  | Position

|

US Billboard 200[50] | 142

## Certifications

[edit]

Certifications for 5 Region  | Certification | Certified units/sales

|
|

Argentina (CAPIF)[51] | Platinum  | 60,000^
Australia (ARIA)[52] | Platinum  | 70,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[53] | Gold  | 25,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[54] | Platinum  | 100,000^
France (SNEP)[55] | 2× Gold  | 200,000*
Germany (BVMI)[56] | Gold  | 250,000^
Japan (RIAJ)[57] | Platinum  | 200,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[58] | Platinum  | 100,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[59] | Platinum  | 15,000^
Norway (IFPI Norway)[60] | Gold  | 25,000*
Poland (ZPAV)[61] | Gold  | 50,000*
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[62] | Platinum  | 100,000^
Sweden (GLF)[63] | Gold  | 40,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[64] | Platinum  | 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[65] | Gold  | 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[67] | 2× Platinum  | 2,920,000[66]
Summaries
Europe (IFPI)[68] | 2× Platinum  | 2,000,000*
Worldwide  | —  | 6,000,000[69]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Lenny Kravitz: 5". AllMusic. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
2. ^ Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press. ISBN 9780857125958. Retrieved May 1, 2019.
3. ^ a b Farber, Jim (May 15, 1998). "5". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
4. ^ Cigarettes, Johnny (October 15, 2000). "LENNY KRAVITZ - 5 - 16/5/1998". NME. Archived from the original on October 15, 2000. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
5. ^ a b Christgau, Robert. "Consumer Guide Reviews". Retrieved July 13, 2018.
6. ^ Kot, Greg (May 18, 1998). "Rolling Stone : Lenny Kravitz: 5 : Music Reviews". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on January 18, 2007. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
7. ^ Lukas, Paul (June 1998). "Quick Cuts". SPIN. SPIN Media LLC: 136. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
8. ^ a b c d Manning, Terry (December 29, 2020). "Terry Manning on 5". Instagram. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
9. ^ Manning, Terry. "Digital Conversion" (PDF). AudioTechnology: 26.
10. ^ a b "Grammy awards and nominations". Grammy. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
11. ^ "Lenny Kravitz 5". Classic Rock Review. May 12, 2018. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
12. ^ Thompson, Stephen (March 29, 2002). "Lenny Kravitz: 5". The A.V. Club. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
13. ^ Nala and the team (December 2005). "Reportage: Cindy Blackman". La Toile des Batteurs. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved September 27, 2014.
14. ^ a b c d "Lenny Kravitz | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
15. ^ a b c "Lenny Kravitz Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
16. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Lenny Kravitz – 5". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
17. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Lenny Kravitz – 5" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
18. ^ "Ultratop.be – Lenny Kravitz – 5" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
19. ^ "Ultratop.be – Lenny Kravitz – 5" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
20. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 3573". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
21. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Lenny Kravitz – 5" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
22. ^ "Lenny Kravitz: 5" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
23. ^ "Lescharts.com – Lenny Kravitz – 5". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
24. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Lenny Kravitz – 5" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
25. ^ "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 1998. 22. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved November 26, 2021.
26. ^ "5" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on October 13, 2023. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
27. ^ "Charts.nz – Lenny Kravitz – 5". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
28. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Lenny Kravitz – 5". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
29. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
30. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Lenny Kravitz – 5". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
31. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Lenny Kravitz – 5". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
32. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
33. ^ "Lenny Kravitz Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
34. ^ "Italiancharts.com – Lenny Kravitz – 5". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
35. ^ "Jahreshitparade Alben 1998". austriancharts.at. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
36. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1998". Ultratop. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
37. ^ "Rapports Annuels 1998". Ultratop. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
38. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1998". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
39. ^ "Top de l'année Top Albums 1998" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
40. ^ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
41. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1998". hitparade.ch. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
42. ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1998". Billboard. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
43. ^ "ARIA Top 100 Albums for 1999". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
44. ^ "Jahreshitparade Alben 1999". austriancharts.at. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
45. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1999". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
46. ^ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
47. ^ "Top Selling Albums of 1999". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
48. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1999". hitparade.ch. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
49. ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1999". Billboard. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
50. ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2000". Billboard. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
51. ^ "Discos de Oro y Platino - 2000" (in Spanish). Cámara Argentina de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007.
52. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1999 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
53. ^ "Austrian album certifications – Lenny Kravitz – 5" (in German). IFPI Austria.
54. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Lenny Kravitz – 5". Music Canada.
55. ^ "French album certifications – Lenny Kravitz – 5" (in French). InfoDisc. Select LENNY KRAVITZ and click OK.
56. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Lenny Kravitz; '5')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
57. ^ "Japanese album certifications – Lenny Kravitz – Five" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved June 7, 2020. Select 1998年5月 on the drop-down menu
58. ^ "Dutch album certifications – Lenny Kravitz – 5" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Enter 5  in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 2000 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
59. ^ "New Zealand album certifications – Lenny Kravitz – 5". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
60. ^ "IFPI Norsk platebransje Trofeer 1993–2011" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway.
61. ^ "Wyróżnienia – Złote płyty CD - Archiwum - Przyznane w 1999 roku" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on December 7, 2024.
62. ^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. p. 950\. ISBN 8480486392.
63. ^ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1999" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 17, 2011.
64. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('5')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
65. ^ "British album certifications – Lenny Kravitz – 5". British Phonographic Industry.
66. ^ Basham, David (August 27, 2001). "Calling All Chart Freaks: Michael, Lenny, Bush Under The Microscope". Mtv. Archived from the original on January 17, 2018. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
67. ^ "American album certifications – Lenny Kravitz – 5". Recording Industry Association of America.
68. ^ "IFPI Platinum Europe Awards – 2005". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry.
69. ^ Flick, Larry (October 14, 2000). "Kravitz Looks Forward oN 'Hits' Set". Billboard. Retrieved September 1, 2018.

* v
* t
* e

Lenny Kravitz

Studio albums|

* Let Love Rule (1989)
* Mama Said (1991)
* Are You Gonna Go My Way (1993)
* Circus (1995)
* 5 (1998)
* Lenny (2001)
* Baptism (2004)
* It Is Time for a Love Revolution (2008)
* Black and White America (2011)
* Strut (2014)
* Raise Vibration (2018)
* Blue Electric Light (2024)

Compilations|

* Greatest Hits (2000)

Video albums|

* Video Retrospective (1991)

Singles|

* "Let Love Rule" (1989)
* "I Build This Garden for Us" (1990)
* "Mr. Cab Driver" (1990)
* "Always on the Run" (featuring Slash) (1991)
* "It Ain't Over 'til It's Over" (1991)
* "Fields of Joy" (1991)
* "Stand by My Woman" (1991)
* "What the Fuck Are We Saying?" (1991)
* "Are You Gonna Go My Way" (1993)
* "Believe" (1993)
* "Heaven Help" (1993)
* "Is There Any Love in Your Heart" (1993)
* "Heaven Help" / "Spinning Around Over You" (1994)
* "Rock and Roll Is Dead" (1995)
* "Circus" (1995)
* "Can't Get You Off My Mind" (1996)
* "If You Can't Say No" (1998)
* "I Belong to You" (1998)
* "Fly Away" (1998)
* "American Woman" (1999)
* "Black Velveteen" (1999)
* "Again" (2000)
* "Dig In" (2001)
* "Stillness of Heart" (2002)
* "Believe in Me" (2002)
* "If I Could Fall in Love" (2002)
* "Where Are We Runnin'?" (2004)
* "California" (2004)
* "Lady" (2004)
* "Calling All Angels" (2004)
* "I'll Be Waiting" (2008)
* "Love Love Love" (2008)
* "Stand" (2011)
* "Rock Star City Life" (2011)
* "Black and White America" (2011)
* "Push" (2011)
* "The Chamber" (2014)
* "Sex" (2014)
* "New York City" (2014)
* "The Pleasure and the Pain" (2015)
* "Low" (2018)
* "Johnny Cash" (2019)
* "Here to Love" (2019)
* "TK421" (2023)
* "Human" (2024)

Other singles|

* "The Buddha of Suburbia" (vs. David Bowie) (1993)
* "Deuce" (featuring Stevie Wonder) (1994)
* "Show Me Your Soul" (2003)
* "(I Can't Make It) Another Day" (featuring Michael Jackson) (2010)
* "Superlove" (vs. Avicii) (2012)

Related articles|

* Discography
* Roxie Roker (mother)
* Zoë Kravitz (daughter)
* Lisa Bonet (ex-wife)

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz release group

|

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