The Top 10 Best Hit Songs of 2005

 The Top 10 Best Hit Songs of 2005

In the following article, I take a look a weaker but slightly overhated year if the 2000s and see why I think this year is slightly overhated

Hey guys, welcome back to Fire’s Flaming Hot Takes for another year-end list. Today, we’re examining the top 10 best hit songs of 2005!

Okay, like I said in my worst list, the best way I can describe this year is an “expectations vs reality year”. Have you ever heard of those videos on YouTube where you have unrealistically high expectations for something, but the reality of it turns out to be kinda bad? That’s what this year was to me. Going into this year-end, I honestly thought this list would be filled to the brim with excellent indie rock, kinda a dumb expectation in hindsight, I’ll admit. And what we got...was hip hop where it felt like most of the artists watched p*rnhub.com and then aired out their horniness in their music, the lyrics of the worst hits this year were so explicit that my worst list actually got a content warning - it did shortly get removed though but still yikes. That said, there was a good crop of excellent indie rock on this year-end, but this year is just very polarizing in quality overall, with the lows matching the atrociousness of 2003’s by being among the worst songs I’ve ever heard while the highs are among my favorite songs of the 2000s and even of all time. I suppose you could make a comparison to 2013 with very different extremes of quality but I think this is maybe ever so slightly worse than 2013. So now, it’s time to get started on this list. There were 37 songs on the Hot 100 year-end list for 2005 that I found good or better, including repeats from 2004 - and as a reminder of the rule, the song had to debut on the year-end Hot 100 list for 2005 in order to qualify, so “She Will Be Loved” by Maroon 5 and “Breakaway” by Kelly Clarkson are ineligible for this list. So let’s dig into some of the fantastic highs that this year had...

HM #1: Eminem - Mockingbird (YE: #59, PEAK: #11)

We’re starting off with a flaming hot take already, wow. But seriously, after the awful 2004 that Eminem had, I think he rebounded pretty quickly, and yeah, this is probably the only Encore single that I’ve heard that I liked, not really a competition given that this is the same album that gave us “Just Lose It”. I know people don’t really like Em’s singing here but look, after the atrocity that was “My Band” anything would be an improvement. The song is a heartfelt song written for Em’s daughter Hailie and maybe it’s because of me finding Em’s delivery very sincere and the lyrics feeling very personal to Em - “Heh, it's funny/I remember back one year when Daddy had no money/Mommy wrapped the Christmas presents up and stuck 'em under the tree/And said some of 'em were from me 'cause Daddy couldn't buy 'em/I'll never forget that Christmas, I sat up the whole night cryin'” - but I don’t know, considering I’m one to willingly defend the singles from the Recovery era, my opinion probably doesn’t matter, I still really like this though.

HM #2: The Click Five - Just The Girl (YE: #89, PEAK: #11)

God damn, who can’t appreciate a cute little power pop jam like this? The vocals probably remind me more than they should of those of Nash Overstreet of Hot Chelle Rae, but given I’m one more inclined to defend that group, I hardly consider that a complaint! It’s such an adorable banger  with Eric Dill’s delivery being just sincere enough to keep the song from falling flat, the guitars have some nice power but I’ll admit the reason this missed the list proper is that synth, I just wish more was done with it, it doesn’t sound bad, but hey, I still really like this one

HM #3: Missy Elliott f/Ciara & Fat Man Scoop - Lose Control (YE: #14, PEAK: #3)

Obviously not on the same level as something like “Work It” but this is still a banger regardless. I dig the beat, an adrenaline-filling piano line going up and down, it just works so well. Helps that Missy Elliott has so much charisma and personality here as per usual. It’s to the point where even despite Ciara’s kinda lackluster performance here, I don’t really mind! Also Fat Man Scoop sounds great here, with so much personality and charisma like Missy Elliott! Yeah, an absolute banger!

HM #4: Natalie - Goin’ Crazy (YE: #70, PEAK: #13)

There’s not much to this song to be honest, but it’s still a really pretty song, with the piano keys supplying a beautiful melody and the string touches just sounding elegant, and that takes us to Natalie herself, being able to sell that longing sentiment in the content so well and her voice generally sounding nice overall. And in a year where so much of the hip hop and R&B felt excessively horny and uncomfortable, a straightaway breakup ballad that sounds nice and not overly needy is a breath of fresh air.

HM #5: Faith Hill - Mississippi Girl (YE: #98, PEAK: #51)

This is an underrated little gem of a song. I’m getting to think I like Faith Hill way way more than I had previously thought, she may be more remembered for “Breathe” which is good but kinda forgettable, which is unfair to be honest, because this is so much better, Faith Hill’s voice sounds really nice and is able to carry an admittedly forgettable and generic production to being great and memorable! And I like the content too. It’s about even how much Faith Hill tours she’s still proud of being a Mississippi girl and that she hasn’t changed - “'Cause a Mississippi girl/don't change her ways/Just 'cause everybody knows her name”, yeah this is a cute little song.

HM #6: Rihanna - Pon De Replay (YE: #18, PEAK: #2)

Gee, this Rihanna singer sure has potential, hope she can still make music and garner hits after this...I obviously kid, if you couldn’t tell, but this is a smash of a debut single, such a razor tight club jam with Rihanna’s slinky vocals, effortlessly riding the beat so well with so much personality and charisma that you get sucked in for the fun too! Not the best debut single on the year-end list for 2005 - we’ll get to that, but this is a great song regardless.

HM #7: Mariah Carey - We Belong Together (YE: #1, PEAK: #1)

Ah, the biggest hit of the entire year and decade and it’s absolutely deserving of that, because “We Belong Together” is a great song. It’s an elegant breakup ballad, just like “Goin’ Crazy” by Natalie, where Mariah is still clearly not over this clearly bad breakup that she seemingly started - “I didn't mean it when I said I didn't love you so/I shoulda held on tight, I never shoulda let you go/I didn't know nothing, I was stupid, I was foolish/I was lying to myself”  and she just walks through every aspect of her life affected, like her saying that when listening to Bobby Womack’s 1981 song “If You Think You’re Lonely Now” she has to stop and change the station only to land on The Deele’s “Two Occasions” - “Bobby/Womack's on the radio/Singing to me, ‘If you think you're lonely now’/Wait a minute, this is too deep/I gotta change the station/So I turn the dial, tryin' to catch a break/And then I hear Babyface, ‘I only think of you’” and coupling with Mariah Carey selling this song incredibly and production - with the soft piano keys and handclaps - being understated enough to put all the focus on Mariah’s powerhouse vocal range, and the final chorus is just magnificent, plus the reverb-drizzled outro just is a great touch tht I can’t help but appreciate. Alright, so if this song is so great, why is it only an honorable mention? Well I don’t know if I can call this one of her best songs over songs like “Fantasy” or “Emotions” or even “One Sweet Day”. Still a great song.

Alright, now for the list proper!

10...So even though “Number One Spot” was pretty bad, Ludacris is still making it on this list...

10. Ludacris - Get Back (YE: #77, PEAK: #13)

Unlike “Number One Spot”, also from this year, “Get Back”’s production isn’t grating, it goes pretty hard as a matter of fact - with the triumphant horns having so much energy - and Ludacris has so much charisma here. This just works for many of the same reasons I love “Party Up (Up In Here)” by DMX from 2000, it’s a hype anthem that’s perfect to let out some aggression to. And while this isn’t quite on the same level as that song, hell, this is still great.

9…Flaming hot take incoming...

9. DHT f/Edmee - Listen To Your Heart (YE: #35, PEAK: #8)

I’ve seen people compare this song to Calum Scott’s “Dancing On My Own” cover, and I can’t say that I agree. Calum’s cover sucked the life out of the original and completely missed the point of why the original song worked and it was also incredibly whiny, this cover of the original Roxette song, on the other hand, isn’t like that at all, first starting with Edmee’s vocals sounding way better than Calum’s in “Dancing On My Own” and she’s able to carry the sparse piano melody effectively, and I honestly think the piano melody sounds pretty nice! No, this is not better than the original, it’s very hard for a cover to be better than the original song in my books. Still, this is really nice, sue me.

8...I told you rock had a great year in 2005!...

8. Coldplay - Speed Of Sound (YE: #57, PEAK: #8)

This song just sounds majestic; it sweeps you off your feet from the very instant that beautiful guitar melody plays. And Chris Martin’s restrained delivery and delicate falsetto just allows you to melt in the song. Along with a great “Running Up That Hill” interpolation, it may not be Coldplay’s best song, but this is still a great one for sure.

7...So, you get why I called this an “expectations vs reality” year now, if I expected this year to completely be songs like this, right?...

7. Green Day - Holiday (YE: #39, PEAK: #19)

So, I feel like if you’ve read my past few worst lists, namely those for 2004 and 2003, you probably know my stance on the Iraq War, so I don’t think it should surprise anyone that this song is here. But honestly, I really liked this song well before I even listened to the lyrics for this, based on that guitar riff and Billie Joe Armstrong’s potent as hell delivery. Not Green Day’s best song, even from this year, but this is a great song regardless.

6...And yet another indie rock entry!...

6. Gorrilaz - Feel Good Inc (YE: #37, PEAK: #14)

I have many things I could possibly say about this song, but honestly, every listen I give it, I just get so lost in the song, from the infectious, funky bassline to the unbelievably positive chords it all comes together in such a great way where even the laughing throughout it all isn’t grating to me at all! This is a song where I don’t even pay attention to the lyrics and it’s still great! Now, I don’t think it’s worth wasting any more time trying to analyze this song, instead just listen to it and vibe.

5...Hey look, a song I used to find overrated that I grew to really like...

5. Gwen Stefani - Cool (YE: #76, PEAK: #13)

Yes, I did initially find this song overrated. I did still like it, but I never used to understand why people called it a great song, and now here I am, just a few years later, finding this song great. I’ve said before that I usually gravitate more to songs in the key of D major, and sure enough, that’s that’s the key this song is in. The production is nice even outside of that though, with the synths and the new wave touches. I like the content too, reflecting on the aftermath of a breakup and being genuinely happy for the ex that he’s with someone else that makes him happy and them still being on good terms with each other. It’s an adorable, genuinely sweet song that’s simultaneously mature. Great song.

4...These top 4 entries are pretty much the reasons that going into 2005, I had high expectations...

4. Fall Out Boy - Sugar, We’re Goin Down (YE: #40, PEAK: #8)

It’s the return of D major, yep that musical key that I’m a massive sucker for is back! That’s not to say the rest of the song isn’t good, though, because from Patrick Stump’s potent as hell delivery to the powerful percussion, this is excellent and easily Fall Out Boy’s best hit, my only real gripe with this is that initially the guitar melody feels like it’s an octave too low, but it fixes itself swiftly, so what 3 songs could be better? Maybe I underestimated you 2005...

3...Yet another rock entry coming in here...

3. Kelly Clarkson - Behind These Hazel Eyes (YE: #10, PEAK: #6)

So Kelly Clarkson’s biggest hit in 2005 was “Since U Been Gone”, a good song but one I never found great on account of the chorus not having the impact that I’d like. “Behind These Hazel Eyes'' on the other hand, is absolutely excellent, from Kelly’s amazing voice - some of those high notes just give me goosebumps - to the guitars having such an amazing sounding melody and the percussion having so much power, to the content which shows Kelly devastated after a breakup, where in the relationship, she had allowed herself to get extremely vulnerable, but now she has to put up a front to make it seem like she wasn’t hurt by the breakup, and allows for that extremely cathartic chorus to hit with full impact - “Now I can't breathe/No, I can't sleep/I'm barely hangin' on/Here I am, once again/I'm torn into pieces/Can't deny it, can't pretend/Just thought you were the one/Broken up, deep inside/But you won't get to see the tears I cry”, not to mention the entire song just feels so anthemic, when listening to this song to write this review, I was genuinely singing it so much haha. So what 2 songs could be better...?

2..Gonna be 100% honest here, if I did this back in like 2020 or something, this would’ve been my #1...

2. Green Day - Boulevard Of Broken Dreams (YE: #7, PEAK: #2)

There was a point in 2020 where I genuinely considered this my favorite song of the 2000s. The reason it’s no longer claiming that title? Well, my answer to that is that I actually went through the year-end lists for the 2000s and discovered the other fantastic quality there was this decade. But yeah, I’ve adored “Boulevard Of Broken Dreams” for years now, since the first time I heard it in like 2015. From the thunderous percussion to the minor key guitars that really bring out the sadness in this song and Billie Joe Armstrong once again having a very potent vocal delivery, to the content which shows the narrator walking down this “boulevard of broken dreams” , that being Sunset Boulevard in LA walking alone, possibly referring to how internally lonely the narrator feels to mentioning checking his vital signs to know if he’s still alive, it feels like the narrator is devastated and at his lowest point. One of my all-time favorites to this day, but still one song I found better...what could it be?

1..So, remember what I said about “Pon de Replay” - “Not the best debut single on the year-end list for 2005 - we’ll get to that, but this is a great song regardless.”? Yeah, this is why!...

1. The Killers - Mr. Brightside (YE: #16, PEAK: #10)

I’m so sorry to any UK people that are viewing this post right now, I know it must be agonizing as fuck that this song is still charting there, it’s made 6 UK year-end lists in the UK so far and likely will make more in the years to come. But there’s a reason this song has endured so much all these years later; it’s melancholic while being anthemic, I’ll actually start with the content here, reflecting the narrator being paranoid his partner is cheating on him and he just falls into despair more and more as the song goes on, it was honestly a detail I never noticed until watching YouTube content creator Alex Melton covered the song in half-time drums, he does a phenomenal job at keeping the song’s energy while bringing out more of its sadness. But going back to the original’s content, he’s trying to convince himself that he’s fine when he’s clearly not - “I've been doing just fine” with that voice-crack(?) on the “just”, it’s a miniscule detail, but one I can’t help but appreciate. But I feel like I’ve adequately discussed why lyrically this song is phenomenal, so onto the actual music! Admittedly this song may have worked better in half-time drums, as I mentioned earlier but the guitar melody does a fantastic job at being energetic yet melancholic enough to where if you did notice the despair in the lyrics, it’s not at all affected by tonal dissonance! Brandon Flowers also sells this song so well, he has a potent voice and genuinely sounds devastated here. An anthemic song for sure, and a classic without a doubt. And with that, “Mr. Brightside”  by The Killers is the best hit song of 2005, but wait, we’re not done?

0?..Before 2022, this was my favorite song of all time...

0. Coldplay - Fix You (YE: N/A, PEAK: #59)

I’d normally put this song as an “HM EX” entry, but I felt this song was well-known enough to justify putting this as a #0 entry. I initially was planning on writing a whole ass essay on why this song meant so much to me, but then 2022 happened and if you read my best list for that year, you know exactly what I was dealing with all year, and I just didn’t turn to this song the same way I did for “Rainbow” by Kacey Musgraves. Here’s the reason why: “Fix You” is a song that makes me feel like I’m facing any adversity I could be facing head on, and in 2022, I can’t say I felt ready to do that, sometimes I just needed to bawl my eyes out and be hugged instead, at least initially - which is exactly what “Rainbow” was to me, a safety blanket. But now, I have to say, this hits me quite hard, from the delicate falsetto from Chris Martin to the guitar solos which just sound fantastic. Then the line “And I will try to fix you” just the reassurance that someone would be there for me, this hit extremely hard for me even before my AVM rupture and all that shit happened, even if the adversities I faced back then feel kinda small now in comparison to what I went and am going through right now. Yeah, now being at a stage where I’m now firmly able to take on the adversity I’m facing with nothing but confidence, this is a beautiful song. Even if Coldplay never tops this song, At least this shines bright when you need it the most, and definitely my second favorite song of all time. And that’s the list, yeah, I know I ended this list kinda heavy note, but hey, sometimes that’s what happens. Maybe I shouldn’t have called 2005 a weaker year for the Hot 100 after all, because the highs delivered in spades to make up for the lows

Next stop on our journey through the 2000s is 2006! But first I’m gonna take a break for at least a week haha, I’ve been constantly pumping out these lists left, right, and center these last few weeks. Stay tuned for those 2006 lists and in the meantime, as always, Spotify playlist is below this article and if you wanna comment your own lists of the best hit songs of 2005 or predict what my 2006 worst list could be, please comment below, I’m eager to see them! But until then, you’ve been reading Fire’s Flaming Hot Takes, and I’ll see you next time!

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6TEdsrLiWNhNCeqHtHZaw3?si=c0502b13379343a8