1. From Under The Cork Tree – Fall Out Boy
Released: May 3, 2005
The sophomore effort from Fall Out Boy that is responsible for their first mainstream breakthrough hits such as “Sugar, We’re Going Down” and “Dance Dance.” This album set up Fall Out Boy’s career in a big way, giving them plenty of radio play, chances at headlining tours and a much bigger commercial success, selling 68,000 copies its first week and now selling over 3 million worldwide. This album will bring you back to the days of sweet punk hooks and where most song titles are full sentences and contain obscure movie references.
Recently, Fall Out Boy released their current album American Psycho/American Beauty back in January and just finished a summer tour with Wiz Khalifa and Hoodie Allen.
2. A Beautiful Lie – Thirty Seconds To Mars
Released: August 30, 2005
Speaking of second albums that have given bands their “big break,” A Beautiful Lie also pushed Thirty Seconds To Mars into the limelight. With their extremely cinematic videos for their singles Attack, From Yesterday, and The Kill receiving heavy rotation and views and heavy radioplay; this set the band up for their extremely popular album This Is War which released a few years later. These aforementioned songs showcase a more hard rock/emo side of the band before they adopted a more areana/synth rock feel.
The last album they have released Love Lust Faith + Dreams came out back in the summer of 2013. So we are overdue to hear more tunes from Jared Leto and the gang. However, seeing him play The Joker in the upcoming Suicide Squad movie will do just fine for now.
3. Plans – Death Cab For Cutie
Released: August, 30, 2005
It took Death Cab five tries to reach breakthrough mainstream success. Even though the album before this one, Translantasism, was groundbreaking in its own right; Plans, however, is the album that put the band on the map. I’m sure you’ll remember the following hits: “Crooked Teeth”, “I will Follow You Into The Dark”, and “Soul Meets Body.” Death Cab earned a place to stay in the music industry with this powerful, dark, and moody indie album.
The band’s eighth studio album, Kinstugi, was released earlier this year in March.
4. A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out – Panic! At The Disco
The debut album from the alt-rock Las Vegas band was released in September of 2005. The band was signed on to Fueled By Ramen Records by Pete Wentz, of Fall Out Boy, the winter prior and he assisted in giving the band the resources to write and record their album. It should also be noted that, up to that point, the band never played a live show. This albums holds one of the most iconic songs from Panic!, “I Write Sins Not Tragedies.”
Check out this interview that Richie recently did with Brendon and Dallon. They discuss the new single “Hallelujah” and their new album.
5. Demon Days – Gorillaz
Released: May 23, 2005
The second release from the british rock virtual. You may have no idea what these songs are about(you’re not alone) but we are positive you have heard of their singles “Feel Good Inc” and “DARE.” These songs were all accompanied with their virtual, animated music videos of the band’s characters. Demon Days entered the UK charts at #1 and the US charts at #6.
Rumor has that the masterminds behind Gorillaz are back writing for their fourth album, however nothing has surfaced yet.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8Qp38qT-xI
6. X&Y – Coldplay
Released: June 6, 2005
Third studio release from Coldplay and the best-selling album of 2005. The album sold a little over 8 million copies in 2005 alone. This album marked a huge shift in Coldplay’s sound from the soft, acoustic feel of Parachutes and A Rush of Blood To The Head to the new synthpop and soaring atmospheric sounds of X&Y. Here some of the singles from the album: “Speed Of Sound”, “Talk”, “Fix You”, and “The Hardest Part.” That marks nearly a third of the album and those were just the US singles.
Last year, Coldplay released their sixth album Ghost Stories. Also, back in December, Chris Martin told Zane Lowe of BBC radio that the band is writing for their seventh album, A Head Full Of Dreams, which may be the band’s final album.
7. In Your Honor – Foo Fighters
Released: June 14, 2005
Offering hits like “Best Of You” and “Miracle” this album proved to be another milestone in Foo Fighters’ career. This was their first double record. The first disc being their normal hard rock sound and the second contains a collection of stripped down acoustic songs. Dave Grohl has described this as the difference from the “old Foo Fighters” and the “new Foo Fighters.” Good thing the band still has kept their dynamic sound. You can hear that from their most recent release, Sonic Highways.
8. Illinois – Sufjan Stevens
Released: July 4, 2005
Remember Chicago? How can anyone forget? Back in 2005, this song was all over the place. Following Sufjan’s plan of a fifty part project, started with Michigan back in 2003. Sufjan landed with one of his most commercially successful albums – Illinois.
9. Everything In Transit – Jack’s Mannequin
Released: August 23, 2005
Even though Andrew McMahon was hospitalized, being treated for leukemia, during the release of Everything In Transit, it still managed to sell over 25,000 copies its first week. Possibly the most well known album of McMahon’s career. You can find some of his newest material in his new solo project: Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness.
10. Never Take Friendship Personal – Anberlin
Released: February 1, 2005
The Sophomore release from the Alt-Rock band, Anberlin. This record gave Anberlin some of their initial breakthrough success with the single “Paperthin Hymn.” This album also contains the first recording of the bands hit “Feel Good Drag” before it was re-released on their 2008 release, New Surrender.
