See also:
Events
- January 22 - Tsunami Relief concert held at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales - the largest live music event in the UK since the Live Aid concert of 1985. Performers included Madonna, Eric Clapton, Jools Holland, Manic Street Preachers, Lulu, Aled Jones, Charlotte Church, Katherine Jenkins, Feeder, Snow Patrol, Liberty X.
- January 29 - Avril Lavigne, Chantal Kreviazuk, the Barenaked Ladies, Raine Maida, and Sarah MacLachlan conducted a concert in Vancouver, British Columbia for tsunami relief.
- February 7 - Brit Awards held in London. Scissor Sisters, Keane, Franz Ferdinand and Joss Stone are among the winners.
- February 22 - The pop punk group blink-182 announced that they would be taking an indefinite hiatus, but did not completely become in-active, according to frontman Tom DeLonge.
- February 22 - Brian Welch, guitarist of KoЯn, leaves the band due to his rebirth into Christianity.
- March 3- 50 Cent releases The Massacre, the follow-up to his 6x platinum debut Get Rich or Die Tryin'. The album sells over 1 million copies in its first week, and goes 4x platinum in 2 months. The success of the album gives 50 Cent five top-five singles in 2005.
- March 22- Jars of Clay releases a worship album after ten years since their first release from Essential Records. The worship album is called Redemption Songs.
- In April, country music legend Kenny Rogers signed a major world-wide deal with Capitol Records.
- April 3 - Alice in Chains original bass player Mike Starr was arrested for "investigation of property destruction and theft". He was also sentenced to 30 years for misdemeanor drug possession in April of 1994, 2 years after being replaced from the group during the recording of Dirt.
- April 12 - Mariah Carey releases The Emancipation of Mimi. It debuts at number one and goes six times platinum in less than a year, making it the most successful album of 2005. It is re-released on November 15.
- May/June - Operation Ivy/Rancid's bassist Matt Freeman has been diagnosed with lung cancer and in no position to perform with his other bands.
- May 2, 3, 5, 6 - Legendary blues-rock group Cream reunited for four shows in London's Royal Albert Hall.
- May 6 - Audioslave became the first American rock group to perform a free outdoor concert in Cuba.
- May 21 - The Los Angeles, California radio station KROQ airs the 13th Annual Weenie Roast show with Alkaline Trio, Audioslave, Bloc Party, The Bravery, The Dead 60s, Foo Fighters, Hot Hot Heat, Interpol, Jimmy Eat World, The Killers, The Mars Volta, Mötley Crüe, MxPx, My Chemical Romance, Queens of the Stone Age and The Transplants.
- June 13 - Michael Jackson found not guilty of child molestation
- June 14 - The Backstreet Boys made their dramatic return with Never Gone after over four years.
- June 15 - The members of Destiny's Child announced they would be disbanding upon completion of their current world tour.
- June 16 - Motorhead celebrate their 30th anniversary with a concert in the Hammersmith Apollo Later released on DVD.
- June 18-19 - Green Day film their first ever live CD/DVD "Bullet in a Bible" at Milton Keynes National Bowl in Milton Keynes, England. They played to over 130,000 fans in these 2 days alone.
- June 21 - On the day Billy Corgan released his debut solo album The Future Embrace, he has revealed that he wants to reform his popular alternative rock group The Smashing Pumpkins, which disbanded on December 2, 2000.
- Summer - Crazy Frog ringtone released as single.
- Summer - Mariah Carey's We Belong Together becomes the #1 song of the decade so far, remaining atop the Hot 100 for 14 weeks. The song reaches #1 on 9 different charts in the same week and breaks the record for most played single in America. Follow up "Shake It Off" reaches #2 while "We Belong Together" is #1, making Carey the first female artist to hold the #1 and #2 spots on the Hot 100 simultaneously (and only 6th artist ever).
- July 2 - Live 8 benefit concerts are held.
- July - The Blackbirds form in Auckland, New Zealand
- August - The Cure frontman Robert Smith announces that the band has planned to record their thirteenth studio album in the fall and release it in the following
- August 9- Hootie and the Blowfish release their album Looking for Lucky and release a top five single and another single in 2006 that is on the brink of becoming a hit. April.
- November 6 - Madonna earns her 36th Top Ten single with Hung Up. This ties her with Elvis Presley as the act with the most Top Ten singles. The Beatles have 34. Hung Up is also Madonna's 47th Top Forty single - the most for any female artist.
- November 7 - Kate Bush returns after a 12-year absence with the acclaimed double album Aerial, which returns her to No. 3 in the UK album chart.
- November 22 - The 33rd annual American Music Awards are held. Multiple winners are Destiny's Child, Tim McGraw, Kelly Clarkson, The Black Eyed Peas, and Green Day.
- November - Madonna's new album Confessions On A Dance Floor, goes to #1 in 40 countries. This is a new record. The Beatles previously held this record when The Beatles 1 went to #1 in 36 countries in 2000.
- December 8 - The nominations for the 48th Grammy Awards were announced. The top nominated artists included Mariah Carey, John Legend, and Kanye West, with 8 nominations each. Other nominated artists include Gwen Stefani, Beyonce (Beyonce had 2 of her own, plus 4 for Destiny's Child), Kelly Clarkson, and 50 Cent.
- December 10 - The Los Angeles, California radio station KROQ will air the sixteenth annual of the Acoustic Christmas. On November 10, 2005, KROQ's official website announced that it will include Avenged Sevenfold, Fall Out Boy, Korn, Nine Inch Nails, Rise Against, System of a Down and Thrice for the first night. The second night will be the following day, as also announced at KROQ's official website on November 15, 2005 including The Bravery, Coldplay, Death Cab for Cutie, Depeche Mode, Hot Hot Heat, Jack Johnson, Nada Surf and The White Stripes.
- December 15 - Madonna's single Hung Up sets a new record in the download charts by staying at #1 for 7 consecutive weeks.
- December 21 - Elton John marries David Furnish in London. This marriage comes in the wake of new British laws affording gay unions the same legal protection enjoyed within straight marriages.
- December 31 - Mariah Carey earns her 17th #1 single with "Don't Forget About Us", tying her with Elvis as the act with the 2nd most #1's. The Beatles have 20. She also becomes the first act to perform live in Times Square on the Dick Clark New Year's Eve Special on this day.
- Late - Glue Gun reforms after eight years of absence and frontman Bob Oedy is the now the only remaining member. The new line-up is Bob Oedy (vocals), Joey Rimicci (guitars) and Brian Priess (bass) and Andy (drums). Rimicci and Priess were previously in Jughead's Revenge.
Bands disbanded
Albums released
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Top 100 Best-Selling Albums of the Year (US)
- The Emancipation of Mimi — Mariah Carey (4,968,606)
- The Massacre — 50 Cent (4,852,744)
- Breakaway — Kelly Clarkson (3,496,192)
- American Idiot — Green Day (3,360,394)
- Monkey Business — The Black Eyed Peas (3,037,251)
- X&Y — Coldplay (2,615,280)
- Feels Like Today — Rascal Flatts (2,511,209)
- Love. Angel. Music. Baby. — Gwen Stefani (2,505,390)
- Late Registration — Kanye West (2,413,580)
- The Documentary — The Game (2,275,646)
- Now That's What I Call Music 20 — Various Artists (2,059,767)
- Hot Fuss — The Killers (2,040,933)
- Now That's What I Call Music 19 — Various Artists (1,971,716)
- All the Right Reasons — Nickelback (1,957,189)
- The Road and the Radio — Kenny Chesney (1,817,196)
- In Between Dreams — Jack Johnson (1,758,058)
- Be Here — Keith Urban (1,713,571)
- From Under the Cork Tree — Fall Out Boy (1,654,320)
- Mezmerize — System of a Down (1,645,980)
- Some Hearts — Carrie Underwood (1,636,689)
- Rebirth — Jennifer Lopez (1,561,032)
- Fireflies — Faith Hill (1,531,656)
- Goodies — Ciara (1,530,368)
- Demon Days — Gorillaz (1,528,489)
- Twice the Speed of Life — Sugarland (1,510,879)
- Honkytonk University — Toby Keith (1,446,821)
- Now That's What I Call Music 18 — Various Artists (1,400,063)
- Encore — Eminem (1,385,256)
- The Hits — Eminem (1,381,896)
- Get Lifted — John Legend (1,377,246)
- Stand Up — Dave Matthews Band (1,333,781)
- Thug Motivation 101 — Young Jeezy (1,314,291)
- Who Is Mike Jones? — Mike Jones (1,288,377)
- It's Time — Michael Buble (1,229,916)
- Here for the Party — Gretchen Wilson (1,214,383)
- Confessions — Usher (1,210,379)
- ...Something to Be — Rob Thomas (1,206,436)
- ''Seventeen Days — 3 Doors Down (1,204,330)
- Genius Loves Company — Ray Charles (1,196,040)
- In Your Honor — Foo Fighters (1,144,881)
- Most Wanted — Hilary Duff (1,125,198)
- Reloaded — R. Kelly (1,110,854)
- Get Rich or Die Tryin' (soundtrack) — Various Artists (1,103,354)
- Confessions on a Dance Floor — Madonna (1,102,802)
- Be as You Are — Kenny Chesney (1,078,559)
- Il Divo — Il Divo (1,053,483)
- Red Light District — Ludacris (1,041,939)
- Greatest Hits 2 — Toby Keith (1,023,188)
- Greatest Hits — Shania Twain (1,018,991)
- Make Believe — Weezer (995,790)
- Destiny Fulfilled — Destiny's Child (987,393)
- Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge — My Chemical Romance (982,117)
- Greatest Hits — Guns N' Roses (974,315)
- Beautiful Soul — Jesse McCartney (972,672)
- Free Yourself — Fantasia (972,230)
- Out of Exile — Audioslave (968,981)
- All Jacked Up — Gretchen Wilson (947,388)
- Crunk Juice — Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz (945,990)
- Timeless — Martina McBride (929,512)
- The Breakthrough — Mary J. Blige (922,397)
- Songs About Jane — Maroon5 (894,767)
- Songs About Me — Trace Adkins (882,850)
- ''I Am Me — Ashlee Simpson (877,501)
- U.S.A. (United State of Atlanta) — Ying Yang Twins (874,038)
- PCD — Pussycat Dolls (857,952)
- Horse of a Different Color — Big & Rich (857,945)
- Trouble — Akon (852,673)
- The Legend of Johnny Cash — Johnny Cash (847,645)
- Ten Thousand Fists — Disturbed (844,525)
- Live Like You Were Dying — Tim McGraw (840,385)
- With Teeth — Nine Inch Nails (838,920)
- Amarantine — Enya (836,052)
- Wanted — Bow Wow (833,430)
- Hypnotize — System of a Down (831,680)
- How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb — U2 (828,722)
- The One — Frankie J (817,792)
- Fijacion Oral Vol. 1 — Shakira (804,924)
- Unpredictable — Jamie Foxx (799,425)
- Thanks for the Memory...The Great American Songbook Volume IV — Rod Stewart (791,351)
- Have a Nice Day — Bon Jovi (785,268)
- The Phantom of the Opera — Soundtrack (773,150)
- Lyfe 268-192 — Lyfe Jennings (767,954)
- #1's — Destiny's Child (766,058)
- Guero — Beck (758,023)
- Urban Legend — T.I. (751,894)
- Mind, Body & Soul — Joss Stone (751,222)
- When the Sun Goes Down — Kenny Chesney (750,004)
- Barrio Fino — Daddy Yankee (747,412)
- Modern Day Drifter — Dierks Bentley (745,924)
- Time Well Wasted — Brad Paisley (744,893)
- Lifehouse — Lifehouse'' (740,100)
- I Am Me — Ashlee Simpson (735,718)
- Be — Common (734,944)
- Ray — Soundtrack (727,143)
- Somewhere Down in Texas — George Strait (722,059)
- BlueStars — Pretty Ricky (712,279)
- 50 Number Ones — George Strait (710,833)
- Getting Away with Murder — Papa Roach (706,798)
- Never Gone — Backstreet Boys (703,827)
- Crossfade — Crossfade (702,319)
Metacritic's Top-Rated Albums of the Year
- Illinois — Sufjan Stevens
- Z — My Morning Jacket
- Wearemonster — Isolée
- Hypermagic Mountain — Lightning Bolt
- The Woods — Sleater-Kinney
- Clap Your Hands Say Yeah — Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
- I Am A Bird Now — Antony and the Johnsons
- Arular — M.I.A.
- Minimum-Maximum — Kraftwerk
- Thunder, Lightning, Strike — The Go! Team
- The Mysterious Production Of Eggs — Andrew Bird
- Black Sheep Boy — Okkervil River
- LCD Soundsystem — LCD Soundsystem
- Extraordinary Machine — Fiona Apple
- Chavez Ravine (album) — Ry Cooder
- I'm Wide Awake It's Morning — Bright Eyes
- Blinking Lights and Other Revelations — Eels
- Mezmerize — System Of A Down
- Beauty And The Beat — Edan
- Twin Cinema — The New Pornographers
- Oceans Apart — The Go-Betweens
- Live in Chicago — Wilco
- Late Registration — Kanye West
- Separation Sunday — The Hold Steady
- Lookaftering — Vashti Bunyan
- Oh You're So Silent Jens — Jens Lekman
- This Right Here is Buck 65 — Buck 65
- These Were The Earlies — The Earlies
- Takk... — Sigur Ros
- Lost and Safe — The Books
Top hits on record
See also: Hot 100 No. 1 Hits of 2005 (USA).
- One Life: A Musical Story of the Life of Joseph Smith - Written and Directed by Kari Skousen
Births
Deaths
- January 11 - Spencer Dryden, 61, American drummer for American rock group Jefferson Airplane
- January 11 - Jimmy Griffin, co-founder of Bread
- January 11 - Miriam Hyde, Australian composer, 91
- January 14 - Alfred Hause, German composer and conductor, 84
- January 15 - Victoria de Los Angeles, 81, Catalan soprano
- January 24 - June Bronhill, singer
- January 28 - Jim Capaldi, 60, British drummer and vocalist
- January 30 - Martyn Bennett, 33, Scottish bagpiper
- February 1 - Franco Mannino, Italian composer, 80
- February 3 - David Hönigsberg, composer and conductor, 45
- February 8 - Helmut Eder, Austrian composer, 88
- February 8 - Jimmy Smith, 77, American jazz organist
- February 9 - Tyrone Davis, 66, American soul singer
- February 13 - Sixten Ehrling, 86, Swedish conductor
- February 16 - Marcello Viotti, 50, Swiss conductor
- February 29 - Edward Patten, 65, R&B/soul singer (Gladys Knight & the Pips)
- February 28 - Chris Curtis, 63, British drummer and vocalist
- March 4 - Una Hale, soprano, 82
- March 6 - Tommy Vance, DJ
- March 9 - Chris LeDoux, country music singer, 56
- March 9 - Kathie Kay, big band singer, 86
- March 10 - Danny Joe Brown, 53, former lead singer of Molly Hatchet
- March 21 - Bobby Short, singer
- March 22 - Rod Price, guitarist, 47
- March 26 - Paul Hester, drummer, 46
- March 27 - Grant Johannesen, pianist, 83
- March 27 - Rigo Tovar, Mexican singer and composer, 58
- March 28 - Moura Lympany, pianist, 88
- March 30 - Derrick Plourde, 33, former drummer of 2 California punk groups: Lagwagon and the Ataris
- April 2 - Alexander Brott, conductor and composer, 90
- April 7 - Grigoris Bithikotsis, Greek singer, 82
- April 10 - Norbert Brainin, Austrian violinist, 82
- April 12 - Ehud Manor, Israeli songwriter, 63
- April 13 - Johnnie Johnson, American pianist, 80
- April 14 - John Fred Gourrier, pop singer, 64
- April 18 - Kenneth Schermerhorn, conductor, 75
- April 19 - Bryan Ottoson, guitarist of American Head Charge, 27
- April 19 - Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Danish jazz bassist, 58
- April 23 - Robert Farnon, composer, arranger, 87
- April 25 - Hasil Adkins, American rockabilly musician, 67
- April 28 - Percy Heath, jazz musician, 81
- May 8 - Nasrat Parsa, Afghan singer, murdered, 36
- May 10 - David Wayne, former singer of Metal Church, 47
- May 14 - Jimmy Martin, bluegrass musician, 77
- May 22 - Thurl Ravenscroft, US singer
- May 25 - Ruth Laredo, pianist, 67
- May 25 - Domenic Troiano, guitarist The Guess Who, 59
- May 29 - George Rochberg, composer, 86
- June 4 - Helju Tauk, Estonian musician, 75
- June 13 - David Diamond, American composer, 89
- June 14 - Carlo Maria Giulini, conductor, 91
- June 17 - Karl Mueller, bassist of Soul Asylum, 41
- July 1 - Luther Vandross, R&B singer, 54
- July 1 - Renaldo "Obie" Benson, R&B/soul singer (Four Tops), 69
- July 11 - Frances Langford, US singer and actress, 91
- July 21 - Long John Baldry, R&B singer, 64
- July 27 - Robert Wright, songwriter
- July 29 - Hildegarde, US singer
- August 4 - Little Milton, blues musician
- August 13 - Arnold Cooke, British composer, 98
- August 20 - Stevo, singer of the early-Vandals-era, 46
- August 21 - Bob Moog, electronic music pioneer
- August 22 - Luc Ferrari, composer
- August 26 - Denis "Piggy" D'Amour, guitarist of Voivod, 45
- September 1 - R. L. Burnside, blues musician, 78
- September 10 - Clarence Gatemouth Brown, blues musician, 81
- September 15 - Jeronimas Kacinskas, Lithuanian-born composer and conductor, 98
- September 15 - Sidney Luft, ex-husband of Judy Garland, father of Lorna Luft, and producer of A Star Is Born, 89
- September 17 - Alfred Reed, American composer of concert band music, 84
- September 18 - Chas Smit, vocalist and guitarist of Plush, 23
- September 18 - Joel Hirschhorn, American songwriter, 66
- October 31 - John "Beatz" Holohan, drummer for Bayside, 31
- November 4 - Mana Nishiura, drummer for Shonen Knife and DMBQ
- November 6 - Minako Honda, Japanese singer, 38
- November 10 - Gardner Read, American composer, 92
- November 20 - Chris Whitley, singer-songwriter, 45
- November 26 - Mark Craney, ex-drummer for Jethro Tull, Jean-Luc Ponty, 53
- November 26 - Joe Jones, 79
- November 28 - Tony Meehan, drummer for The Shadows, 62
- November 29 - Deon van der Walt, tenor, 47
- December 6 - Stephen L. Mosko, American composer, 58
- December 6 - Danny Williams, singer, 63
- December 24 - Constance Keene, American pianist, 84
- December 25 - Derek Bailey, guitarist, 75
- December 25 - Birgit Nilsson, Swedish soprano, 87
Awards
See also
External links
For a more detailed list of hits or albums by month, see:
2005 in music
2005 en musique | 2005 (muziek) | 2005年の音楽 | 2005 - muzyka | 2005 в музыке | Musikåret 2005