43 - 13/12/2004 Green Day - Boulevard Of Broken Dreams

Chart Run: 02-02-01-01-01-02-04-05-06-09-13-16-22-25-31 (15 weeks)

I've already spoken about how much I loved American Idiot in the post for its title track, so its no surprise that its follow-up Boulevard of Broken Dreams also makes in appearance. If anything is surprising, it's that it didn't enter at the top, but 3 weeks in each of the top 2 positions made it a huge hit. The Good Riddance to American Idiot's Basket Case, it was fully deserving of its status. The follow-ups from the album charted at #4, #17 and #15 and then that was it for them in my chart.

It's a song which still brings back memories, and is still great, but possibly suffered a bit for me from overplay. I'd rank it a level below their Big 3.

2025 Rating: 8/10

Songs Kept From #1: Razorlight - Rip It Up
Rip It Up started in my chart with a run of 05-04-03-02-02 to become their third #2 of the year, spending 8 of its 52 weeks as runner-up, a position they wouldn't get that close to reaching again. As it was the Christmas weeks there was the usual very little in the release schedule. Two follow-ups to much more successful songs were the only two to enter the top 10 in these three weeks: The Streets - Could Well Be In and Jet - Get Me Out of Here

2024 Rank and Review

A reduction in songs which reached the top this year, 20 from 23 in 2003. It seemed like a more consistent year with fewer songs I didn't enjoy this time, but only three would I consider to be absolute greats. Before doing this and putting in any great thought, I'd have probably said 2004 would've been one of my favourite years for music, with the birth of the new wave of indie bands hitting the charts, but in truth it was pretty average. The wave of indie was definitely not at its peak yet, and there was precious little else to get excited about. The list of UK number ones is more dire than usual, and there isn't much (if any) other mainstream stuff that I look back on fondly.

I do think that this period marked a bit of a change in my music taste, there was definitely a move away from the rockier stuff which took up a lot more time at the top of my charts in the previous year, but there was a lack of variety to what I enjoyed, whereas it feels like that would change over the next couple of years.

1. Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out

2. The Libertines - Can't Stand Me Now

3. Wolfman feat. Pete Doherty - For Lovers

4. blink-182 - I Miss You

5. Green Day - American Idiot

6. Graham Coxon - Freakin' Out

7. The Killers - All These Things That I've Done

8. Basement Jaxx feat. Lisa Kekuala - Good Luck

9. Green Day - Boulevard of Broken Dreams

10. The Killers - Mr Brightside

11. Jimmy Eat World - Pain

12. Babyshambles - Killamangiro

13. Keane - Somewhere Only We Know

14. The Streets - Fit But You Know It

15. Jet - Look What You've Done

16. Snow Patrol - Spitting Games

17. Basement Jaxx feat. JC Chasez - Plug It In

18. U2 - Vertigo

19. Ash - Starcrossed

20. Lostprophets - Last Train Home

2005 will begin on Friday.

Green Day was one of my faves of theirs, while with some acts I am not as fond of the ballads, with Green Day I tend to prefer them more, mayeb it's cos they don't do many so it's a treat when one comes along.

44 - 03/01/2005 Scissor Sisters - Filthy/Gorgeous

Chart Run: 01-02-04-03-05-06-08-13-20-27-33-37 (12 weeks)

Kicking off 2005 then, and as usual, after a Christmas lull anything decent had a chance of entering at the top, and Scissor Sisters took that crown for 2005, with the 5th single from their self-tiltled debut album, Filthy/Gorgeous. It took advantage of the post-Christmas lull to become their first top 10 UK hit, and performs a similar feat here after each of the previous four made the top 15 with Laura charting highest at #3. Like many of the super-successful debuts of this time, they were a band I liked at the time but wasn't massive on - this was always my favourite of theirs so a deserving number one.

Scissor Sisters aren't a band I've listened to much in the last decade or so, and I enjoyed very few of their singles after their debut (having said that, more to come...) but Filthy/Gorgeous has always remained wonderful and I've continued to listen to it a lot.

2025 Rating: 8/10

Green Day fell to the runner-up spot during its week at the top, Kasabian and Interpol both had top 10 new entries with Cutt Off and Evil also being first week of the year releases.

45 - 10/01/2005 The Killers - Somebody Told Me

01-03-04-07-11-09-16-18-21-27-32-34-35-37 (14 weeks)

And here we are, completing the trio of Killers number ones from Hot Fuss. It became the first album to host two #1 singles, which is a feat that's only been matched twice since. They largely picked their singles from this album very well, I think it's half brilliant and half ok album, Smile Like You Mean It wouldn't even chart (I was pretty bored of it a year after the album), whereas Jenny Was a Friend of Mine or On Top would've almost certainly been top 10s had they followed Somebody Told Me. They wouldn't come close to the top spot after this, whilst I think I've undercharted their best efforts (Human #10, Read My Mind #23) they've released precious little that I've had an interest in, to the point I haven't actively listened to anything of theirs in years.

I'd rank this behind All These Things now, but would still much rather listen to this than Mr Brightside.

2025 Rating: 8/10
The sisters fell to the runners-up spot, Kings of Leon's Four Kicks the pick of the other new songs but fell a few places short of matching 2004s The Bucket.

46 - 17/01/2005 The Chemical Brothers - Galvanize

Chart Run: 01-01-01-03-04-09-14-17-22-27-30-31-35 (13 weeks)

A second number one for The Chemical Brothers, as their big return really hit the spot for me. Featuring rapper Q-Tip on vocals, Galvanize was a huge hit in the UK becoming their biggest hit for a few years, and has gone on to be one of their 'Big 3' as a streaming hit, with way more streams than the rest of their catalogue. As I said in the post for The Golden Path, I'd become a big fan of The Chemical Brothers and by this point was getting into their back catalogue more. I was never as fussed with Push The Button as other albums, but it still produced some great singles.

One thing is notable so far for 2005 is how the chart runs of the songs is shorter than previous, the exposure to more music - half a year into regularly processing on CoolClarity and beginning to get into Zane Lowe's evening Radio 1 show - means that 2005 is the year with the most song entering my chart, particularly near the top, so small falls within the top 10 and spending 2-3 months in it became much rarer.

I've seen them live at festivals a couple of times in recent years, and this song is always a highlight of their live set. I'd always enjoyed it but probably rate it higher within their work than I did a decade ago. It still gets plenty of listens from me and I always think it's great.

2025 Rating: 9/10

Songs kept from #1: Athlete - Wires, Eminem - Like Toy Soldiers

As Galvanize entered at 3 in the UK, Wires entered behind it at 4. They were also together for me, but a couple of places higher. A fortnight later Like Toy Soldiers would take its runner-up spot, falling short of the top spot it got in the UK. Wires is absolutely wonderful, I'd rank it above Galvanize now but both are fully deserving #1 hits. Bloc Party got their first decent sized hit with So Here We Are charting at #4, and the underrated Beating Heart Baby (just missed the UK top 40) by Head Automatica #3, both of which I still love.

47 - 07/02/2005 Doves - Black And White Town

Chart Run: 01-01-05-08-09-11-12-12-15-17-18-21-25-31-35 (15 weeks)

2002s There Goes The Fear and Pounding had been big favourite singles of mine, the former would have certainly been in this thread had I been recording a year earlier. Doves follow-up Black and White Town followed TGTF to become their second and final UK top 10 hit. It was a single I loved at the time, a real sing-a-long anthem that was a perfect song to come back with in the style of their two previous biggest hits. I bought its parent album Some Cities upon release and whilst I listened to it a lot, I do prefer their earlier two.

They're a band I have continued to enjoy a lot, and will always listen to anything they put out, particularly now their releases are much less frequent. Black and White Town remains a true anthem from this period, a great single from a great band. There Goes The Fear would be their only 10/10 song, but this joins a good few of theirs as a superb 9.

2025 Rating: 9/10
Songs kept from #1: Eminem - Like Toy Soldiers, Willy Mason - Oxygen

Eminem held at #2 as the #1s changed, before Willy Mason made #2 the week after with his only UK top 40 hit, Oxygen - he was truly underrated for a period of time and Oxygen is still fantastic. U2's Vertigo follow-up, Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own, the other new entry of note during this fortnight.

3 top choices, Somebody Told Me topped my charts, Galvanise was a banging tune, and The Doves at their best, probably my fave of the three these days.

48 - 21/02/2005 The Futureheads - Hounds Of Love

Chart Run: 01-01-02-02-02-02-03-04-06-06-07-10-11-14-19-19-22-25-27-28-31-35-34-38-40 (25 weeks)

The Futureheads were very much a forerunner in the mid-00s indie scene, despite not having the success of some of their peers they first charted in the UK in the summer of 2003. A first top 40 followed a year later before a re-release of their album at the beginning of 2005 gave them an extra push, although it didn't contain any new songs, just with a DVD and alternative cover. The single at the beginning of 2005 to promote that with was their Kate Bush cover, Hounds of Love.

I remember this being a big Zane Lowe favourite, and it was one of mine too. The Futureheads had such a unique style compared to most bands of the time, with three of members of the band all providing vocals on multiple songs, creating some great harmonies. Hounds of Love was probably the peak of that, with its added 'oh oh' lyrics allowing perfect vocal harmonisation across the group. It was a truly wonderful sound and they hit the top 10. It ended the year as my single of the year and its parent album wasn't far off top spot either.

It's been a strong start to 2005s chart toppers, but that quality only improves. Hounds of Love remains an exceptional cover version and one of my favourite and most listened to tracks of this period. They've a band I've retained a lot of fondness for, and whilst later albums were typically 'more of the same' their consistency has been exceptional. Their newly released Christmas album is one I'm looking forward to listening to throughout December.

2025 Rating: 10/10
There was a different #2 behind this in each week and both of them would end up at #1, one with a re-release later in the year and the other would knock Hounds of Love to runner-up for 4 weeks. 21st February was a busy release week, with Doves being knocked down to #5 by four new releases - KT Tunstall debuting with Black Horse & The Cherry Tree, and Idlewild returning with Love Steals Us Frome Loneliness. Kaiser Chiefs - Oh My God, Girls Aloud - Wake Me Up, Kano - Typical Me and The Bravery - An Honest Mistake would all chart in the top 10 in this fortnight in what was an exceptionally strong period for releases - the latter being particularly unlucky to only peak at #3, as four of my top 12 of the year were released in a 2 week period - all four of which I'd rank at least as high two decades on.

oh oh oh oh oh

Prefer the Kate Bush version though.

On 28/11/2025 at 16:32, TheSnake said:

oh oh oh oh oh

Prefer the Kate Bush version though.

A great song in both versions, which is what makes it such a good cover.

49 - 07/03/2005 Stereophonics - Dakota

Chart Run: 02-01-01-01-01-05-06-08-08-10-13-15-19-21-26-29-34-36-36-39 (20 weeks)

I professed my love of Stereophonics in 2003s entry, but after that fourth album they were probably at their lowest, the first time they'd released an album and hadn't got bigger and more successful as a band, and quite significantly their weakest. It was a short turnaround for their 5th album Language. Sex. Violence. Other. with lead single Dakota being released at the end of February.

Quite simply, it was phenomenal. A complete contrast in sound after recent years being very MoR in their sound and certainly their hits, back to a more rocky sound and embracing the synths more than they had ever before. It's so rare for any act to reach either a commercial or creative peak so far into their career but the 'Phonics definitely did with Dakota, a UK number one, by far their most popular song and something which was huge at the time and still is today. I adored it at the time, and thought the album was a return to form to. Not hitting the heights of their first two, but a huge improvement on the couple that came before it.

Dakota has never stopped being my favourite single of theirs, it still sounds completely fantastic every time I hear it. A song that always makes me smile when I think of the success it had and brought the band.

2025 Rating: 10/10
Hounds of Love remained as #2 for its entire run at the top, the highest charting entries really a sign of the times as multiple indie bands would reach the UK top 40 - The Subways - Oh Yeah, Beck - E-Pro, Nine Black Alps - Shot Down

Dakota - classic chart-topper for me, and Kate's Hounds Of Love was too, Futureheads less so but it was good and anything that brings Kate to a new audience is great. Talking of which, Stranger Things is still fabulous.

I tend to see 2005 as a bit of a chart nadir, I guess because of physical sales going down the pan, the Elvis fiasco and downloads coming in so late. But this reminds me that there was actually plenty to love - the last 5 are all brilliant.

50 - 04/04/2005 Feeder - Feeling A Moment

Chart Run: 01-01-03-03-05-08-12-20-24-29-32-39 (12 weeks)

After spending a few years reaching the lower end of the UK charts with regularity, Feeder's popularity exploded in 2001 with the release of album Echo Park, led by their biggest single Buck Rogers, with both Seven Days In The Sun and Just a Day (although only originally a b-side to the former) also becoming sizeable hits for them. This is when I first remember hearing them properly, and was certainly a fan for a while. Their return in 2005 was poor, Tumble & Fall became their joint-highest charting hit in the UK but it... well, tumbled and fell like any high charting 'fanbase' release did. It made a small dent in my chart but I didn't like it much, I think part of the reason the follow-up Feeling a Moment went all the way to the top was because I was pleased they had released a good song again.

They're not a band I've listened to loads in the last decade or so, although there have been a couple of surprising high charting entries for me in 2017 & 2019. Feeling a Moment is still a decent song and it gets the occasional play, but it's a level below my favourites of the band. Shatter, which came later in the year, and also interestingly only originally a B-Side again, remains my favourite of theirs from this era and anything since, but didn't quite go this far - #3 with 18 weeks in the chart total.

2025 Rating: 7/10
Songs kept from #1: The Departure - Lump In My Throat, Daft Punk - Robot Rock

It might be my least favourite number one of this year so far, but I'd still have it over those. The Departure very much this period in an essence - indie band that had a couple of small UK hits that I haven't thought about in years, and a Daft Punk return I was excited about at the time, but don't feel has aged especially well.

On 30/11/2025 at 11:41, Julian_ said:

I tend to see 2005 as a bit of a chart nadir, I guess because of physical sales going down the pan, the Elvis fiasco and downloads coming in so late. But this reminds me that there was actually plenty to love - the last 5 are all brilliant.

Yes, I think that despite the odd really good #1, there was a lack of things to be excited about in 2005, proven by Chez Wombat's rank thread. I think this was the last year I actively purchased any physical singles.

51 - 18/04/2005 Nine Inch Nails - The Hand That Feeds
Chart Run: 01-01-01-03-05-08-10-12-15-18-19-20-25-31-33-39 (16 weeks)

This was definitely a number one with a huge influence from Zane Lowe's evening Radio 1 show, I remember him playing The Hand That Feeds loads and I soon loved it. I may have heard of Nine Inch Nails before this, but given the type of people who spoke fondly about them, assumed I wouldn't like them and they weren't a band I'd naturally come across before. A #39 hit was their only UK chart entry during the time I'd have been actively listening to music and following the charts.

The industrial sound was something I'd never really heard before, such a unique (to these ears) sound that took no time at all to really grow on me, Trent Reznor's vocal fits the music so well too. It felt like entering at the top was always going to happen, and its parent album With Teeth would go on to be one of my favourites of the year.

Nine Inch Nails are still an act I enjoy listening to occasionally, and With Teeth is still my go to album from them. The Hand That Feeds still sounds as good as it always did.

2025 Rating: 9/10

Songs kept from #1: Editors - Munich, Maximo Park - Graffiti

A pair of the indie bands which peaked with more mid-range of success, with a pair of great singles, both still sound fabulous and amongst the best of those acts today. Maximo Park's debut album would shortly follow and I'd like them even more than a pair of #2 singles. The Chemical Brothers follow-up Believe charted at #3, and the underrated Jerk It Out by the Swedish Ceasars was also a top 5 hit.

52 - 09/05/2005 Gorillaz - Feel Good Inc.

Chart Run: 01-01-02-06-06-05-08-13-13-17-22-25-23-25-30-36 (16 weeks)

When Gorillaz emerged in 2001, they were a breath a fresh air, a band hidden behind cartoon aliases, with a familiar voice in Damon Albarn a part of it, incredibly unique and very successful. I never bothered with their debut album but did think the main two singles, Clint Eastwood and 19/2000, were both great. A follow-up was always going to be interesting to see what they did, and they certainly delivered in Feel Good Inc. I loved it from first listen, and it felt like a step up in quality from what had come before - it certainly felt like an obvious number one. In the UK it became their biggest hit, a limited edition picture disc was released to allow it to chart on what was essentially downloads only for four weeks between #22 & #20, before five weeks in the top 5 upon physical release, falling just short of becoming their first number one behind Akon's Lonely.

I've been surprised at the longevity of Gorillaz, and whilst I've found they've always been a bit hit and miss, their hits have continued to be great. I'd say that Feel Good Inc. has always been their best song, and is still something I love hearing.

2025 Rating: 9/10
Songs kept from #1: System of a Down - BYOB, Kaiser Chiefs - Everyday I Love You Less and Less

A pair of worthy runners up were behind Feel Good Inc. - for a time I was a big fan of System of a Down, and with two albums released in 2005 were quite possibly my most listened to act of the year, and whilst I'm far less into that type of thing now, BYOB remains one of the few songs of theirs I still love. As for the Kaiser Chiefs, whilst I did enjoy their debut Employment a lot, they've never been a band I've fully clicked with. I have always thought Everyday... was better than I Predict A Riot, and it remains the only song of theirs to reach my top 5. Also charting highly in these weeks were the Futureheads with their #1 follow-up, a re-release of Decent Days and Nights, and the years Mercury Prize winner, Antony and the Johnsons with Hope There's Someone.

53 - 23/05/2005 The Magic Numbers - Forever Lost

Chart Run: 01-02-03-04-07-09-12-18-24-27-29-32-36 (13 weeks)

A band which were very much of the time in The Magic Numbers, one of those bands that seemed to fit on all radio stations - one of those bands where both me and my mum would enjoy - and as such received massive airplay and a hugely successful debut album. Featuring a pair of brothers and sisters, the male/female vocal juxtaposition was great and their big breakthrough hit Forever Lost was a great singalong hit. Slightly surprised to know it knocked Feel Good Inc. to runner-up, but it was something I remember enjoying a lot.

They're not a band I've listened to loads over the years, but this is one of probably four songs of theirs that still get some rotation. I don't love it as much as most #1s of this year, but it's still decent and a good listen.

2025 Rating: 7/10
Feel Good Inc. was #2 behind it, with Coldplay's return Speed of Sound perhaps surprisingly only managing #3, although it's never been one of my favourites of theirs - probably only charted so high because of who they were and how much I'd liked them previously. The pick of the other entries now is Amerie's One Thing, which has comfortably gone on to become one of my favourite mainstream R&B hits of all-time, a pair of weeks at #7 feels far too low for it now.

Oh it's been a while since I commented in here so I'll let you know I'm still reading haha!

We've had a few shared #1s since I last posted with Black & White Town, Somebody Told Me, Galvanize, Feel Good Inc and Forever Lost all topping my chart too. I've liked pretty much everything else that's featured too - Filthy/Gorgeous was somehow the only single from their debut album that didn't make #1 for me so we have a complete set between us(!), I think it lost out to Evil by Interpol but could have been Somebody Told Me, both of which are classics for me so it was unlucky to run in to them and peak at #2. Dakota is another I rate highly and it's easily my favourite Stereophonics track too, if I remember correctly it peaked at #2 for me and had the enormous misfortune of running into An Honest Mistake which blocked it every week and was an obsession for me as it ruled for 7 weeks and was the biggest song of the year.

I'm really intrigued to see what else crops up as I remember we had very similar tastes back then, I would have always checked out anything that did well on your chart <3