The Top Songs of 2005, from We Belong Together to Gold Digger

What was the number one song of 2005?

"We Belong Together" by Mariah Carey was the number one song of 2005 on Billboard's year-end Hot 100, after fourteen weeks at the top. Gwen Stefani's "Hollaback Girl" was second and Mario's "Let Me Love You" third. Kanye West's "Gold Digger" spent ten straight weeks at number one in the fall.

The top 20 songs of 2005

1. "We Belong Together", Mariah Carey: the comeback ballad that topped the year.
2. "Hollaback Girl", Gwen Stefani: a stomping, cheerleader-style number one.
3. "Let Me Love You", Mario: a smooth R&B ballad that spent nine weeks at number one.
4. "Since U Been Gone", Kelly Clarkson: the pop-rock breakup anthem.
5. "1, 2 Step", Ciara featuring Missy Elliott
6. "Gold Digger", Kanye West featuring Jamie Foxx: built on a Ray Charles sample.
7. "Boulevard of Broken Dreams", Green Day: the moody single from American Idiot.
8. "Candy Shop", 50 Cent featuring Olivia
9. "Don't Cha", the Pussycat Dolls featuring Busta Rhymes
10. "Behind These Hazel Eyes", Kelly Clarkson
11. "Disco Inferno", 50 Cent
12. "You and Me", Lifehouse: a gentle love song that became a wedding favorite.
13. "Don't Phunk with My Heart", the Black Eyed Peas
14. "Lose Control", Missy Elliott featuring Ciara and Fatman Scoop
15. "Shake It Off", Mariah Carey
16. "Mr. Brightside", the Killers: the indie rock song that never left the charts.
17. "Just a Lil Bit", 50 Cent
18. "Pon de Replay", Rihanna: her debut single.
19. "How We Do", the Game featuring 50 Cent
20. "Beverly Hills", Weezer

More top songs of the 2005 chart (21 to 40)

21. "Oh", Ciara featuring Ludacris
22. "Lonely No More", Rob Thomas
23. "Drop It Like It's Hot", Snoop Dogg featuring Pharrell
24. "Hate It or Love It", the Game featuring 50 Cent
25. "Lovers and Friends", Lil Jon and the East Side Boyz featuring Usher and Ludacris
26. "Soldier", Destiny's Child featuring T.I. and Lil Wayne
27. "Breakaway", Kelly Clarkson
28. "Switch", Will Smith
29. "Let Me Hold You", Bow Wow featuring Omarion
30. "Like You", Bow Wow featuring Ciara
31. "Rich Girl", Gwen Stefani featuring Eve
32. "My Humps", the Black Eyed Peas
33. "Obsession (No Es Amor)", Frankie J featuring Baby Bash
34. "Caught Up", Usher
35. "Listen to Your Heart", DHT featuring Edmee
36. "Scars", Papa Roach
37. "Feel Good Inc.", Gorillaz
38. "Let Me Go", 3 Doors Down
39. "Holiday", Green Day
40. "Sugar, We're Goin Down", Fall Out Boy

Every number one song of 2005

Only eight songs reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 during 2005, in order: "Let Me Love You" (Mario), "Candy Shop" (50 Cent featuring Olivia), "Hollaback Girl" (Gwen Stefani), "We Belong Together" (Mariah Carey), "Inside Your Heaven" (Carrie Underwood), "Gold Digger" (Kanye West featuring Jamie Foxx), "Run It!" (Chris Brown) and "Don't Forget About Us" (Mariah Carey). "We Belong Together" topped the chart twice, before and after Carrie Underwood's one-week debut at number one.

Mariah Carey's comeback

After a difficult few years, Mariah Carey returned in 2005 with The Emancipation of Mimi. "We Belong Together" spent fourteen weeks at number one, the longest run of the year, and finished as Billboard's song of the year, her first year-end number one. "Don't Forget About Us" closed the year at the top, giving her a 17th number one, and she spent more weeks at number one in 2005 than any other act.

Digital downloads arrive

2005 was the first full year in which paid digital downloads counted toward the Hot 100, after Billboard added them that February. Songs like "Hollaback Girl", "Since U Been Gone" and "Gold Digger" were among the first hits to sell huge numbers of downloads, and the iPod made the single a hit-making force again. By the end of the year, a hit's download sales could matter as much as its radio play.

Kelly Clarkson, Green Day and the Killers

Kelly Clarkson reinvented herself as a pop-rock star with Breakaway, placing "Since U Been Gone", "Behind These Hazel Eyes" and "Breakaway" on the year-end chart. Green Day's American Idiot made them bigger than ever with "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" and "Holiday", the Killers' "Mr. Brightside" began its long life as a singalong classic, and Fall Out Boy's "Sugar, We're Goin Down" brought emo-pop to the mainstream.

Hip-hop and R&B in 2005

50 Cent had three songs in the year-end top 20 and appeared on two big hits by the Game, Ciara followed her 2004 breakthrough with "1, 2 Step" and "Oh", and Kanye West's "Gold Digger" spent ten weeks at number one. Rihanna arrived with "Pon de Replay", and Chris Brown reached number one with his debut single, "Run It!". For more, see our hip-hop wedding songs.

Songs of 2005 for a party or an anniversary

For a throwback party, "Hollaback Girl", "Since U Been Gone", "1, 2 Step", "Mr. Brightside", "Feel Good Inc." and "Pon de Replay" bring back 2005 instantly. For a 2005 wedding anniversary, "You and Me", "We Belong Together" and "Let Me Love You" are perfect for a slow dance. For more, see our No Doubt songs.

Top songs of other years

For more year-by-year hits, see our top songs of 1985, 1991, 1993, 1999, 2002, 2004, 2012 and 2013.

A song as unforgettable as 2005

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