The year 2005 was one of promising debuts and comebacks in pop music. It was a period welcoming the next generation of stars, with acts such as Rihanna and the Arctic Monkeys releasing their debut singles.
Coldplay were well on their way to becoming the biggest band in the world, while the success of Foo Fighters and Green Day singles proved that rock was as popular as ever.
Rapper Kanye West also proved he could back his confidence with a blockbuster single, while Mariah Carey reminded us of her pedigree with a comeback hit for the ages. Here are 25 songs, arranged alphabetically, that will turn 20 years old in 2025.
1. Axel F by Crazy Frog
One of the biggest (and most divisive) songs of the year, Axel F by Crazy Frog – a CGI character – was a Euro-pop remake of Harold Faltermeyer’s instrumental hit, originally featured in the Beverly Hills Cop film franchise.
Produced by the German dance production team Bass Bumpers, it became a global sensation, dominating both pop charts and mobile phone ringtone sales.
2. Bad Day by Daniel Powter
It may have resulted in Canadian singer-songwriter being a one-hit wonder, but it’s sweet slice of piano-led pop that became the song of choice in that year’s season of American Idol when a contestant gets the boot off the talent show. A more chirpy version of the tune went on to be released by the animated group Alvin and the Chipmunks.
3. Best of You by Foo Fighters
By this stage in their career, Foo Fighters could compose a track like Best of You with their eyes closed. While it all sounds a tad too calculated, it doesn't diminish the song's power and emotional pull.
With Pat Smear joining the Foo Fighters as their third guitarist, the riffs sound heavier and razor sharp, while David Grohl's lyrics about overcoming adversity has made Best of You a favourite for television sporting montages.
4. Beverly Hills by Weezer
Is the track a sharp satire on the lives of the rich and famous, or simply pure novelty? That blurred distinction lies at the heart of both the appeal and indifference surrounding Weezer.
However, with Beverly Hills, the band struck gold. Featuring a stadium-ready chorus and a laid-back slacker vibe, the song became an unlikely hit, revitalising the band’s faltering momentum.
5. Candy Shop by 50 Cent featuring Olivia
It remains a mystery how this sultry track managed to slip past radio censors. Then again, 50 Cent has always had a gift for playful metaphors, peppered throughout this global hit.
Featuring a sinuous, Middle Eastern-inspired melody crafted by producer Scott Storch, the song's runaway success further cemented 50 Cent's status as hip-hop's biggest star since the rise of mentor Eminem.
6. Dakota by Stereophonics
The Welsh band’s persistence in grinding away long after their initial success faded paid off with this rejuvenating hit single. Dreamy and atmospheric, Stereophonics captured lightning in a bottle with Dakota, the song serving as an ode to freedom and the exhilaration of seizing the moment.
Not only did it reach number one in the UK, but it also became the band’s first song to chart in the US, introducing them to a new legion of fans across the Atlantic.
7. Feel Good Inc. by Gorillaz featuring De La Soul
It’s all about that irresistible bassline in this brilliant effort by the UK virtual band Gorillaz. There’s plenty to savour here, from the infectious funk groove and the razor-sharp rapping by hip-hop group De La Soul to Gorillaz frontman Damon Albarn’s detached, haunting vocals.
While the latter may be lamenting the ills of mass media consumption and the fleeting nature of happiness, the critique is overshadowed by the sheer energy and verve radiating throughout the track.
8. Fix You by Coldplay
Twenty-five years on, Fix You remains one of the most emotive highlights of Coldplay’s blockbuster Music of the Spheres tour, which lands in Abu Dhabi this month.
As one of the UK group’s most popular anthems, the song masterfully transitions from a gentle piano introduction to an epic, U2-like rock crescendo, driven by guitarist Jonny Buckland’s soaring riffs. While Chris Martin’s earnest promise to his distressed lover to “fix you” might feel overly sentimental, there’s no denying Coldplay’s ability to pull at heartstrings and their unrelenting ambition to be the biggest band in the world.
9. Gold Digger by Kanye West featuring Jamie Foxx
Comedy and social commentary come together in this star-making moment from Kanye West. At the time, West was known as a lively and ultra-confident artist emerging from hip-hop’s backpacker subgenre, but Gold Digger showcased his ability to craft music with broad, mainstream appeal.
With guest vocalist Jamie Foxx channelling his Oscar-winning portrayal of Ray Charles in Ray, West dissects the power dynamics between men and women, wealth and the middle class, all while delivering plenty of quotable lyrics.
A hit and a cultural milestone, Gold Digger represents the version of the now-controversial West that many fans miss the most.
10. Hung Up by Madonna
Sometimes even Madonna needs to ask permission. Such was the case when she sought approval to sample ABBA's Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! for this hit. It was a shrewd move, as the group’s iconic synth riff fits seamlessly into Hung Up, a track where Madonna perfects the blend of modern dance elements with vintage disco influences first explored in her 2020 Music album.
Twenty-five years later, the song's impact is evident in the works of a legion of retro-futurist artists like Lady Gaga, Dua Lipa and Chappell Roan.
11. I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor by Arctic Monkeys
Similar to Supersonic by Oasis, the debut single by the Sheffield band had a similar effect in galvanising British guitar music in the mid-2000s.
Urgent riffs dart around a pulsating rhythm section as singer Alex Turner’s conversational lyrics paint vivid pictures of nights out on the town and youthful dalliances. Arctic Monkeys helped usher in a new wave of raw and verbose guitar bands such as Kaiser Chiefs and Bloc Party.
12. Lyla by Oasis
Expect to hear this loud and proud when Oasis’s comeback tour kicks off this summer. At the time, Lyla was hailed as a return to form for the Manchester band after a string of less-than-stellar releases.
Stomping guitars from Noel Gallagher blend seamlessly with Liam’s soaring vocals, delivering a classic rock anthem that only Oasis could make sound so thrilling.
13. My Humps by Black Eyed Peas
Another contender for the most annoying song of the year, My Humps marks the moment when the Black-Eyed Peas truly crossed the Rubicon – from an earnest indie-hip-hop group to a full-blown commercial juggernaut, for better or worse.
Long-time fans of the group’s earlier lyrical finesse, as heard in tracks like Joints and Jam, might recoil at the brainless wordplay here. That said, there’s no denying the track’s feel-good energy, which made it a dance floor filler.
14. Nada Valgo Sin Tu Amor by Juanes
Latin artists were steadily making inroads into the US market, with genres like reggaeton and pop leading the charge. Latin rock, however, was also gaining traction, exemplified by this stellar track from Juanes.
The Colombian singer seamlessly fused native rhythms with power chords, creating a song that not only topped the US Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart but also received significant radio play on major American stations and in the process laid a path forward for fellow crossover Colombian acts Morat and ChocQuibTown.
15. Ordinary People by John Legend
A classic song sometimes relies more on an evocative phrase as much as a hook. This is what Will.i.am explained to Nile Rodgers in an episode of his podcast Deep Hidden Meaning.
The Black Eyed Peas rapper recalled collaborating with John Legend on music when the lyrics, now heard in the chorus “we're just ordinary people, we don't know which way to go” suddenly emerged.
Realising they had unearthed a gem, the duo went on to build an exquisite piano ballad exploring a more realistic version of relationships, one where best intentions often disguise the fact both parties are uncertain on how to move forward.
16. Photograph by Nickelback
“Nobody picks up a guitar to be the most hated band in the world,” Nickelback guitarist Ryan Peake said in the 2023 band documentary Hate to Love: Nickelback.
By the time this hit came around, the outrage was in full swing, with memes – and in some cases fellow bands – expressing their extreme distaste for the Canadian group. That said, a good song doesn't hide. Strip away the sonic gloss and singer Chad Kroeger's croaky histrionics and you still find a well-crafted track in Photograph, which has a timeless nostalgic message.
17. Pon de Replay by Rihanna
While commanding attention, Rihanna's debut single doesn't fully indicate her potential to become a successful pop star and burgeoning beauty mogul.
With Pon de Replay, Rihanna sounds happy to be in the studio and to inject some Barbadian flair into the already popularised dance hall scene. Dynamic and playful, the song peaked at second place in the US charts and established Rihanna as a fresh new voice. The rest is history.
18. Run It! by Chris Brown featuring Juelz Santana
Released just over a month after Rihanna's Pon de Replay, Chris Brown's debut also benefited from producer Scott Storch's Middle Eastern-influenced melodies, a signature sound also heard in 50 Cent's Candy Shop in 2005.
While only 16 at the time, Brown's R&B vocals sounded beyond his years, and the electrifying choreography in the accompanying video clip helped carry Run It! to the top of the charts. Interestingly, the song begins with a gritty verse by rapper Juelz Santana in a bid to reach beyond the teen pop market to hip-hop audiences. Following this debut, Brown would go on to have a lasting but controversial career, with a history of legal trouble over the years, specifically violence against women.
19. Shot You Down by Audio Bullys featuring Nancy Sinatra
This fusion of dance beats and familiar hooks from Nancy Sinatra’s classic track was very much in vogue at the time. Arriving a year after Eric Prydz sampled Steve Winwood's Valerie for his club anthem Call on Me, English duo Audio Bullys pulled off a similar trick with Shot You Down.
They leaned heavily into nostalgia, pairing Sinatra's sultry vocals with high-energy dance production, turning the track into a guaranteed club filler.
20. Switch by Will Smith
One of Smith’s last big hits, Switch is another of his signature party jams relying more on his charisma than on dynamic wordplay. Then again, as the crowd response to its airing during the 2023 Soundstorm festival in Riyadh proved, why mess with the enduring formula when it’s working?
21. Wake Me Up When September Ends by Green Day
The emotional peak of Green Day's current world tour, which arrives in Dubai on January 27, Wake Me Up When September Ends is one of the punk group’s most poignant tracks.
Originally written as a tribute to frontman Billie Joe Armstrong's late father, the song has been embraced by the masses as a meditation on loss and mourning. Beginning with sparse acoustic guitars before swelling into a soaring rock chorus, it remains one of Green Day’s most impactful works and became an unofficial anthem for grief following Hurricane Katrina in the US that year.
22. We Be Burnin' by Sean Paul
Sean Paul's breakthrough Gimme the Light signalled dancehall's emerging power. By the time he released We Be Burnin' three years later, the genre was established in the mainstream.
The track showcases Paul at his best – his silky flow shifting between rap and honeyed croon – creating an energetic club anthem that stays true to its Jamaican cultural roots.
23. We Belong Together by Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey's storied career has been one of numerous comebacks, but the chart-busting success of We Belong Together is arguably her biggest. Released after years of underperforming albums such as 2001's Glitter and the following year's Charmbracelet, Carey knuckled down in the studio with producers Jermaine Dupri and Manuel Seal to create a track befitting her stature.
We Belong Together is a sublime slice of modern R&B filled with luscious harmonies. Carey's vocal performance is a masterclass in dynamism and layering, beginning with a gentle conversational tone before gliding into an emotional climax.
The track emanates nostalgia and heartbreak with Carey admitting “I didn't mean it when I said I didn't love you so.” It's a major theme from the parent album The Emancipation of Mimi, which went on to become one of the biggest sellers of the year in the US.
24. Welcome to Jamrock by Damian Marley
While his musical progeny have kept Bob Marley's spirit alive, it is Damian Marley's music that comes closest to the socially conscious and revolutionary spirit of his father.
Welcome to Jamrock is one of modern reggae's most powerful tracks, with its gritty analogue sound production complementing Marley's rugged vocals as he explores social inequality and systemic corruption in his native Jamaica. The haunting refrain “Out in the streets, they call it murder” is the kind of potent lyricism his father would undoubtedly be proud of.
25. You're Beautiful by James Blunt
Sweet or sickly? While Blunt's breakout single continues to be divisive all these years later, there is no denying its impact, having topped the charts in the US and UK. A ballad about a chance encounter, Blunt would later describe the song as more about unhealthy infatuation rather than romance.
