The word nostalgia is a blend of the Greek words for “return” and “pain” – but judging by our current choices of music, at least, we could be considered a society of masochists.
We live in a world where ‘best of’ albums fly high among the top selling of the year, top BBC presenters are leaping to join a station called Greatest Hits Radio, vinyl is making a comeback, and even chart-baiting new music is now often derived from samples of the old.
In a sign of the current times (and old times), millions tuned in on New Year’s Eve to see in 2025 with early 2000s star Sophie Ellis-Bextor.
And that’s not to mention that Oasis are back.
Perhaps we shouldn’t be blamed for yearning for previous times, especially when considering that becoming a celebrity boxer is potentially a more sustainable path to music success than trying to gain momentum through gigs as small venues rapidly close.
With its portrayal of institutional elitism (as well as scenes of smoking inside pubs), it is unlikely that Emerald Fennell wanted to glorify mid-2000s Britain with Saltburn; but the next thing you know is that everyone on the 2023 film’s soundtrack has a second career. Ellis-Bextor is back in the charts, Bloc Party are smashing it at Glastonbury and the world is rightfully finally hailing Tomcraft’s Loneliness as the greatest dance track of the era.
What Saltburn tried (and apparently failed) to warn us about is that these were not necessarily better times and nor was every album released in 2005 a classic for the ages – do you honestly remember the Mercury prize-winning album Antony and the Johnsons – I Am a Bird Now?
Of course there are albums to look forward to in 2025 but, if recent trends are anything to go by, you might be more taken with what came out 20 years ago.
Nostalgia will never get old, so, here is a round-up of what to listen back to – and what to leave in the past.
Jamie Hewlett (right) and Cass Browne are seen with their Gorillaz artwork (PA)
The best and worst albums of 2005
Worthy of another spin
Bloc Party – Silent Alarm
Rightly hailed as one of the best indie albums from the era, Silent Alarm is still fresh and unique today – with the band recently shooting a new video for the Saltburn-used So Here We Are.
Gorillaz – Demon Days
What started off as a quirky side project for Damon Albarn became an essential for music with the release of career high Demon Days, an album that perfectly blends dub, rap and even gospel. Epic.
Coldplay – X&Y
Coldplay’s most rock-oriented project is one of their best and most overlooked with their live shows sadly swapping the pulsating Square One and reflective Little Shadows for the more tedious Fix You.
MIA and Diplo were quite the double act in the mid-2000s (Dave Benett)
M.I.A – Arular
Now more likely to be getting into a spat on Twitter than releasing a banger, Maya Arulpragasam could sonically do no wrong in 2005, and her debut album was (and still is) a thumping party starter.
Kaiser Chiefs – Employment
Not a genre-defining masterpiece, but Ricky Wilson and Co. delivered an indie debut for the ages with a tracklist that reads like a ‘greatest hits’.
Kanye West – Late Registration
Back when Kanye was Kanye and releasing ahead-of-the-curve hip hop, Late Registration built on his promise shown on The College Dropout and earned the Chicago native a seat at rap’s top table.
Oasis – Don’t Believe the Truth
Britpop had long had its day come 2005, but Oasis were arguably at their best with both Gallaghers accomplished songwriters at this point while Andy Bell and Gem Archer completed perhaps the band’s strongest ever line-up.
KT Tunstall – Eye to the Telescope
The likeable Scot came and conquered in 2005, delivering a 5x platinum-selling debut album that spawned hits such as Other Side of the World and Suddenly I See.
Madonna was back in her party form in 2005 (PA)
Jack Johnson – In Between Dreams
A gentle but surprisingly durable MOR offering from the laid-back Hawaiian whose songs gained immortality for being played at Nessa’s birth in Gavin and Stacey.
Hard-Fi – Stars of CCTV
The polo shirt and jeans image of the self-defined “band of the people” is very of its time but can you, off the top of your head, name a more energetic set closer than Living for the Weekend?
Madonna – Confessions of a Dancefloor
Madonna’s return to party form after the patchy and political American Life did not start off well with the Abba-sampling Hung Up, but grooves such as Sorry and I Love New York served as a reminder of what she can do.
Doves – Some Cities
Critically lauded third album from the Manchester outfit, which gave them their second consecutive number one as well as a Mercury nomination.
Mariah Carey – The Emancipation of Mimi
And finally, Carey delivered a standout comeback with her tenth album, which had the quality to match an exuberant press and party campaign tour that included reigniting a rivalry with Madonna.
Rihanna was far from her peak in 2005 but could immediately perform a hit (PA)
Treat with caution
Rihanna – Music of the Sun
Still a teenager in 2005, Rihanna was not the short-calling maverick of her Anti era, and Music of the Sun is a safe debut that gave the world Pon De Replay.
The Magic Numbers – The Magic Numbers
A bestseller 20 years ago but probably more likely to be found in a charity shop than on a re-released vinyl these days.
Babyshambles – Down in Albion
A post-Libertines Pete Doherty boldly added vocals from Kate Moss on the album opener and followed this up with a song called Fuck Forever. Ballsy but unmemorable.
50 Cent – The Massacre
The New York rapper still boasts about the 1.15 million copies of The Massacre sold in its first wee,k but it didn’t take fans long to realise this was not on par with debut Get Rich or Die Tryin’.
Nickelback – All the Right Reasons
Despite a Metacritic rating of 41 out of 100, this sold even more copies than The Massacre.
Intensive Care was not Robbie Williams’s worst album but failed to match his previous heights (PA)
Moby – Hotel
Moby rates this as a low and says he feels little attachment to any of its highly, and expensively, produced songs as his imperial phase came to an end.
Feeder – Pushing the Senses / Stereophonics – Language, Sex, Violence, Other?
Clumped together for being two Welsh bands who charted well with their respective fifth albums in 2005. Both of these had catchy singles (Feeling a Moment, Feeder / Dakota, Stereophonics) but are a grind in places to listen through.
Robbie Williams – Intensive Care
Having successfully left Take That, Robbie tried to make his mark without celebrated songwriter Guy Chambers but, other than the weirdly brilliant single Tripping, this proved a step too far.