Again

"Again" is a song by American rock musician Lenny Kravitz, being the only new song from his first Greatest Hits album, released in 2000. Written, arranged and produced by himself, "Again" was initially set to be on his sixth studio album; however, Kravitz found that the song didn't fit the tone of the album, releasing it instead as the lead single from the compilation on September 22, 2000, through Virgin Records. The mid-tempo rock ballad finds Kravitz wondering if he will ever see his former lover again and if they will reunite once more. "Again" received generally favorable reviews from music critics, who called it a magnificent and anthemic pounder. "Again" also won Kravitz a Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance in 2001, a feat he had already achieved twice consecutively, with "Fly Away" and "American Woman". Commercially, the single reached number four on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming Kravitz's first top-five hit in nearly nine years. "Again" was also successful internationally, topping the charts of Iceland and Italy, reaching number five in New Zealand, and becoming a top-10 hit in Austria, Croatia, Portugal, Spain, and Switzerland. The song's music video was directed by Paul Hunter and stars Lenny and actress Gina Gershon as two-thirds of a romantic triangle. Background and release In 1998, Lenny Kravitz released his fifth studio album, 5. The album received mixed reviews from critics, who praised the revitalization of his sound, but believed the album was not as enjoyable as his previous offerings. Despite the negative reviews, the album sold six million copies worldwide and spawned one of Kravitz's most successful singles, "Fly Away", which peaked inside the top 10 in many countries and topped the UK Singles Chart, While releasing 5s final single, "Black Velveteen", Kravitz announced the release of his first greatest hits album. Driven by the approach of the holiday shopping season, Virgin Records released the compilation featuring one new song, "Again," and 14 old tracks. "Again" was one of the several tracks Kravitz wrote for his then-upcoming album, but he decided to release it separately, deciding it did not fit in with the album's tone. There was an aggressive media campaign for the release of the song utilizing the Internet.