The Best Pop Music of 2005
In 2005, the pop music scene was thriving. There were so many good songs released that it was hard to keep track of them all. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the best pop songs of 2005.
Introduction
Even though it’s been more than a decade since 2005, the music from that year still holds up today. From Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl” to The Black Eyed Peas’ “My Humps,” 2005 was a great year for pop music.
Other noteworthy songs from 2005 include Kelly Clarkson’s “Because of You,” Justin Timberlake’s “SexyBack,” and Nelly’s “Grillz.” There were also some great ballads, like Mariah Carey’s “We Belong Together” and Carrie Underwood’s “Inside Your Heaven.”
If you’re looking for a blast from the past, or just want to hear some good pop music, check out our list of the best pop songs from 2005.
Best Pop Albums of 2005
It’s hard to believe that it’s already been fifteen years since 2005, but the music from that year still holds up today. While there were a lot of great pop albums released that year, we’ve compiled a list of what we think are the best of the best.
#1 – Madonna – Confessions on a Dance Floor
Confessions on a Dance Floor is the tenth studio album by American singer and songwriter Madonna. It was released on November 9, 2005, by Maverick Records and Warner Bros. Records. The album received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised it as one of her strongest effortsto date, and it won a Grammy Award for Best Electronic/Dance Album in 2006.
The album debuted atop the charts in a number of countries, including Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom; in the United States, it peaked at number three on the Billboard 200. It spawned four successful singles: “Hung Up”, “Sorry”, “Get Together” and “Jump”. A world tour was launched to promote the album; it ended as the highest-grossing tour ever by a solo artist with estimated revenues of US$260 million.
#2 – Gwen Stefani – Love. Angel. Music. Baby.
Gwen Stefani’s debut solo album was nothing short of a phenomenon. Spawning five massive hit singles, “What You Waiting For?,” “Rich Girl,” “Hollaback Girl,” “Cool” and “Sweetescape,” the record was inescapable, whether you loved it or hated it. Stefani pushed all of the right buttons with this one, creating an indelible pop classic that still sounds fresh and vital today.
#3 – Kelly Clarkson – Breakaway
When Kelly Clarkson’s sophomore album Breakaway was released in late 2004, fans and critics didn’t know what to expect. After the massive success of her debut album Thankful, which had spawned the hit singles “Miss Independent” and “The Trouble with Love Is,” Clarkson took a more pop/rock direction with her follow-up, working with producer Max Martin and co-writing several of the tracks. The result was an album that was bigger, better, and more confident than Thankful, and it quickly went platinum. The first single, “Since U Been Gone,” was an electrifying blast of pure pop perfect for radio, and it topped the charts for two weeks. The second single, “Behind These Hazel Eyes,” was another huge hit, reaching the Top 3. But it was the third single, “Because of You,” that really cemented Clarkson’s place as one of the top pop stars of the 2000s. The song — a searing ballad about her tumultuous relationship with her father — showcased her powerful voice to its fullest extent, and it became her biggest hit to date, reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also won a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. With Breakaway, Kelly Clarkson proved that she was here to stay.
#4 – Mariah Carey – The Emancipation of Mimi
The Emancipation of Mimi is the ninth studio album by American singer Mariah Carey, released through Island Records on April 12, 2005. The album was her first release since Glitter (2001), and marked Carey’s musical comeback after the commercial and critical failure of that album. Carey worked with Jermaine Dupri, James “Skyy Gordy” Smith, the Neptunes, Twista, Kanye West, and guest Lil’ Kim on The Emancipation of Mimi.
Carey employed a more contemporary R&B sound with hip hop and neo soul influences on The Emancipation of Mimi. Much like her earlier work Daydream (1995), the singer wrote or co-wrote all of the tracks on The Emancipation of Mimi; several songs were collaborations with other writers and producers. Lyrically, The Emancipation of Mimi contains themes of love and relationship transparency; it earned Carey several accolades, including five Grammy Awards.
The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart with 527,000 copies sold in its first week of release; it marked Carey’s sixth US number-one album and was her highest first-week sales since 1995’s Daydream. In Japan, it became Carey’s second consecutive number one album; it sold more than one million units in its first week there. Internationally, The Emancipation of Mimi reached number one in twelve countries including Germany, Italy and Australia; it also reached the top ten in several other countries such as France and Switzerland.
#5 – Hilary Duff – Most Wanted
On Duff’s second greatest-hits album, the 21-year-old former Disney star compiles her greatest hits from her four studio albums, as well as five new tracks. “Wake Up,” co-written by Duff and produced by Kristian Lundin (Shakira, Avril Lavigne) is the first single from the album.
Best Pop Songs of 2005
It’s hard to believe that it’s been fifteen years since Britney Spears released her classic album “Oops!… I Did it Again.” It’s even harder to believe that there was any pop music worth listening to in the year 2005. But believe it or not, there were a few diamonds in the rough. Here are the best pop songs of 2005.
#1 – “We Belong Together” – Mariah Carey
“We Belong Together” is a song by American singer Mariah Carey. The song was released on March 29, 2005, as the second single from her tenth studio album, The Emancipation of Mimi (2005). “We Belong Together” was written by Carey, Jermaine Dupri, Manuel Seal, and Johntá Austin, and produced by the former three. It spent fourteen non-consecutive weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, tying with Carey’s own “One Sweet Day” as the longest-running US number-one single of all time. The song became Carey’s eighteenth topper on the Hot 100, placing her in fifth place among female recording artists with the most US number-one singles. With “We Belong Together”, she also became only the second artist to have their first eighteen chart toppers in fifteen years or less; Michael Jackson being the other one with eighteen in twelve years (1983–1995) and eleven months (August 1983 – July 1995). It won a Grammy Award for Song of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
#2 – “Pon de Replay” – Rihanna
Rihanna’s breakout hit “Pon de Replay” was one of the biggest songs of 2005. The track, which was produced by Vynek and features a sample of the 1996 song “Pon de Floor” by Major Lazer, helped put Rihanna on the map as a pop star. The song peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and went on to be certified 4x Platinum by the RIAA.
#3 – “Hollaback Girl” – Gwen Stefani
Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl” was the first single from her solo album Love. Angel. Music. Baby. The song is an ode to female empowerment and was a breakout hit, spending seven weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart. “Hollaback Girl” helped to make Stefani one of the biggest pop stars of the early 2000s.
#4 – “Since U Been Gone” – Kelly Clarkson
Since U Been Gone is a song recorded by American singer Kelly Clarkson from her second studio album, Breakaway (2004). The song, written by Max Martin, Lukasz Gottwald, and Kara DioGuardi, was released as the lead single from Breakaway on November 16, 2004. Clarkson recorded the song in Sweden.
“Since U Been Gone” is an uptempo rockabilly pop song with buckets of attitude. Like fellow teen idol Avril Lavigne’s “Complicated”, the song is an ode to independence (“Now you wanna come back / Now you wanna come back / Well maybe you should’ve thought about that before you left”). The verses are punctuated by a snarky “Yeah!” while the chorus soars with empowerment. It’s no wonder this became one of Clarkson’s signature songs and one of the biggest hits of 2005.
#5 – “Feel Good Inc.” – Gorillaz
“Feel Good Inc.” is a song by the British virtual band Gorillaz, featuring English singer-songwriter De La Soul. It was released on 11 April 2005 as the lead single from the group’s second studio album, Demon Days. The song peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart and became Gorillaz’ first top 10 single in the United States, peaking at number six on the Billboard Hot 100.
The song’s music video was directed by Jamie Hewlett and Pete Candeland. It depicted the band members 2-D, Murdoc Niccals, Noodle and Russel Hobbs as animatronic puppets trapped in a forced labour camp below a city filled with pollution called “Happy Land”.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the best pop music of 2005 was a wide variety of music that encompassed a number of different genres and styles. From the soulful sounds of Mariah Carey to the danceable beats of Gwen Stefani, there was something for everyone in 2005. While some may argue that other years were better for pop music, 2005 was definitely a great year for the genre.
