Best of the Rest of the Top 40: 2005

Cafe Society
1

The year is now 2005, and things are starting to look up. We’re nearly past the Age of Crunk and the Golden Age of Nu-Metal, and alternative is beginning to make a resurgence in the year-end chart. We have an astonishing 34 songs in this list.

What’s your favorite?

Previous polls: 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Best #1 single polls: 1955-56 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s All-time

2

For the first time in a long while, I was conflicted. I went with Gorillaz, but was torn between that and Mr Brightside.

3

I ended up with Gorillaz in the end, but I also considered putting in a vote for Kelly Clarkson. Lots of decent to good stuff on this list.

4

First good year in a long while. Tough choices, but I went with Fall Out Boy. Gorillaz shouldn’t need help, but it’s far from the only other song I still like today.

5

I went through the same dilemma. I wasn’t aware of the Gorillaz song at the time, but it somehow found its way into heavy rotation on our local alternative station a few years ago and has stayed there since.

I ultimately chose it over Mr. Brightside, which is nonetheless a great song and one that was instrumental in the New Wave revival of the 2000s, and has one of the best double entendres I’ve ever heard in a pop song (Now they’re going to bed, and my stomach is sick, and it’s all in my head, but she’s touching his chest). I couldn’t vote for it, though, because IMO it’s not even the best song from Hot Fuss, the album it came out on (that honor goes to the not-released-as-a-single murder ballad “Jenny Was a Friend of Mine”).

6

Gwen Stefani got my vote after much consideration, she also my vote the number 1 songs of 2005.

The Gorillaz song has not held up for me in the last ten years and for the Killers “Somebody Told Me” is my preference. BBD by Green Day was a strong choice also.

Congrats Gwen!

7

To the two people so far who voted for “My Humps”: ha ha very ironic. Unless you’re serious in which case: Get help before it’s too late, please.

8

Looks like I got through the early 2000s with only one year where there were no songs that I knew and liked. This year there are several, and I went with “Boulevard of Broken Dreams.”

9

This year is much better than the past few, with two exceptions.

This decision was tighter than a too-small bathing suit on a too-long ride back home from the beach. The contenders, in order that they are listed above, are “Lose Control,” “Mr. Brightside,” “Beverly Hills,” “Rich Girl,” and “Sugar We’re Going Down.” According to the world-famous Ponch8 Music Rating System, “Sugar We’re Going Down” is the best of these five songs.

Now for dead-ass last place. Unfortunately, it’s time for me to re-introduce the concept of the automatic zero score. “Since U Been Gone” and “Behind These Hazel Eyes” were both produced by mega-asshole Dr. Luke, and thus earn AUTOMATIC ZEROES, like all his songs that don’t feature Kesha. I’d rather listen to “My Humps” than these two piece-of-shit songs.

10

I’ve always wondered whether that was intentional or not. In any case, that line is a big reason why I’ve hated that song.

11

Gorillaz w/ De La Soul - *Feel Good Inc. *, easily.

12

It has to be intentional, not only as a joke but also because then the song can be played on the radio uncensored (thus avoiding the awkwardness usually associated with censored lyrics). I suspect when performed live (certainly by other bands, and perhaps even by The Killers themselves) the rhyming word is used instead. Shame it spoiled it for you - it’s the best song on the list :).