1998 Chart-Topping Hit Ranked Among 'Worst Rock Songs of All Time'

Despite topping charts and selling hundreds of thousands of copies across the world, Lenny Kravitz' hit single "Fly Away" has been ranked at No. 11 on Consequence's list of the 25 Worst No. 1 Rock Songs Ever.

The song was a massive hit for Kravitz, marking a much-needed comeback for the artist after several years of failing to break through to the mainstream. With its heavy guitars and optimistic lyrics, the single immediately resonated with listeners across the world.

In the years since, however, "Fly Away" has lost much of that unwavering reputation. It's now seen as an oversimplified product of its time, with the grunge influences and '90s hard rock instrumentals sounding quite outddated.

"You’ve got some serious guitar-playing chops. But this song’s riff tows the line between funk rock and butt rock," Dan Caffrey of Consequence writes. He also criticized the song's lyrics, which offer an inspiring message but don't feel particularly complex.

"Look, we get the message of the song. Hell, we agree with it. But did Lenny Kravitz have to give us a laundry list of the most obvious things associated with flying? Further demerits for rhyming “fly” with “sky,” “high,” and “dragonfly" [...] Oh, and Lenny? Mars is inthe Milky Way," he writes.

While much of the critism leveled against Kravitz' song is fair, the track still deserves credit for riding the wave of '90s rock so effectively and revitalizing the singer's career after a period of inactivity. "Fly Away" was the spark that reignited Kravitz' popularity, which would continue to soar thanks to his showstopping performance of "All Along The Watchtower" less than one year later.

"Fly Away" peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it his best-performing track among general audiences since 1992's "It Ain't Over 'til It's Over". It reached No. 1 on the U.K. Singles Chart and topped the Billboard charts for Alternative Airplay and Mainstream Rock.

The song was an international hit, and much of that success came down to the enduring popularity of alternative rock and funk rock in the late '90s. Bands like Radiohead, Weezer, and Alice in Chains were pioneering the movement, and this came at the perfect moment for Kravitz.

Although "Fly Away" may not be his most revolutionary or creative track, it remains a staple of '90s and helped cement Kravitz as the undeniable rock star he remains today.