The 25 best indie tracks of 2005

8 February 2025, 14:00

Radio X turns back the clock 20 years to the era of Lyla, Dakota, Munich, An Honest Mistake and Best Of You.

1. Athlete - Wires: release date 17th January 2005

   Written about singer Joel Pott's baby daughter becoming ill - a story with a happy ending - this remains the Deptford band's biggest hit in the UK, making Number 4 in January 2005.

   

   Athlete - Wires (Official Music Video)

2. Bloc Party - So Here We Are: release date 31st January 2005

   Issued as a double A-side with Positive Tension, this was the most successful of the Silent Alarm singles, making Number 5 in the UK charts.

   

   Bloc Party - So Here We Are (2023 Video)

3. Doves - Black And White Town: release date 7th February 2005

   The lead single from the Wilmslow trio's third album Some Cities was their second Top 10 hit after 2002's There Goes The Fear. Black And White Town went straight into the UK charts at Number 6.

   

   Doves - Black And White Town (Director's Cut)

4. LCD Soundsystem - Daft Punk Is Playing In My House: release date 8th Februrary 2005

   James Murphy's tribute to the French dance duo peaked at Number 29 in the UK chart and was taken from the debut, self-titled LCD album.

   

   LCD Soundsystem - Daft Punk Is Playing At My House (Official Video)

5. Kaiser Chiefs - Oh My God: release date 21st February 2005

   Originally issued as the Leeds band's debut single under the Kaiser Chiefs name in May 2004, this anthemic tune made Number 66 on its first release, but went straight in at Number 6 on a re-release in February 2005.

   

   Kaiser Chiefs - Oh My God (Official Video)

6. Maxïmo Park - Apply Some Pressure: release date 21st February 2005

   The second single from Maxïmo's debut album A Certain Trigger peaked at Number 20 in the UK charts - it was the follow up to their debut, The Coast Is Always Changing.

   

   Maximo Park - Apply Some Pressure

7. The Bravery - An Honest Mistake: release date 28th February 2005

   The New York band's only UK hit peaked at Number 7 and was culled from their self-titled debut album. After two more LPs, the band went on hiatus, but reformed for more shows in 2021.

   

   The Bravery - An Honest Mistake (Official Music Video)

8. Stereophonics - Dakota: release date 28th February 2005

   The Welsh trio achieved their first Number 1 single with this breezy anthem, taken from their fifth album Language. Violence. Sex. Other?. Dakota has been certified triple Platinum by the BPI.

   

   Stereophonics - Dakota

9. Weezer - Beverly Hills: release date 28th March 2005

   Taken from the Californian geek rockers' fifth album, Make Believe, this classic peaked at Number 9 in the UK and made Number 10 on the Billboard Top 100.

   

   Weezer - Beverly Hills

10. Gorillaz - Feel Good Inc: release date 11th April 2005

    The lead single from Demon Days, which was the second outing for Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett's comic book superstars. It made Number 2 in the UK and achieved triple Platinum status, but topped the charts in Poland, Spain and Greece!

    

    Gorillaz - Feel Good Inc. (Official Video)

11. Razorlight - Somewhere Else: release date 11th April 2005

    Johnny Borrell's emotional ballad was the final single to be taken from Razorlight's debut album Up All Night. It went straight into the charts at Number 2, following the Top 10 placing for Golden Touch in June 2004.

    

    Razorlight - Somewhere Else

12. Editors - Munich: release date 18th April 2005

    The follow-up to the Birmingham band's debut single Bullets, Munich made Number 22 in the charts in 2005, but went to Number 10 on re-release the following year, in the wake of the debut album The Back Room.

    

    Editors - Munich

13. The Cribs - Hey Scenesters! Release date 18th April 2005

    The lead single from the Jarman brothers' second album, The New Fellas. It was The Cribs' first Top 40 single, making Number 27 in April 2005.

    

    The Cribs - Hey Scenesters

14. The Coral - In The Morning: release date 9th May 2005

    James Skelly and co didn't quite pip the Top 5 placing of their previous best-performing single, Pass It On - In The Morning made Number 6 and has been given Silver status by the BPI.

    

    The Coral - In the Morning (Video)

15. Oasis - Lyla: release date 16th May 2005

    The Gallagher brothers' seventh number 1 single was the lead track from their sixth album Don't Believe The Truth. It was the first Oasis tune to be released after the departure of drummer Alan White - he was replaced by Zak "Son Of Ringo" Starkey.

    

    Oasis - Lyla (Official Video)

16. Foo Fighters - Best Of You: release date 30th May 2005

    Dave Grohl launched the In Your Honor album with this fiery anthem, which remains their highest-charting single in the UK with a Number 4 placing. Best Of You has been given double Platinum status in the UK.

    

    Foo Fighters - Best Of You (Official Music Video)

17. The White Stripes - Blue Orchid: release date 30th May 2005

    Jack and Meg White's second UK Top 10 hit (after Seven Nation Army, of course), peaking at Number 9 in April 2005. It was taken from the album Get Behind Me Satan.

    

    The White Stripes - Blue Orchid (Official Music Video)

18. Green Day - Wake Me Up When September Ends: release date 13th June 2005

    Written about the death of Billie Joe Armstrong's father, the fourth single from the seminal American Idiot album remains one of Green Day's biggest-sellers in the UK, achieving Platinum status.

    

    Green Day - Wake Me Up When September Ends [Official Music Video] [4K Upgrade]

19. Hard-Fi - Hard To Beat: release date 20th June 2005

    The Staines heroes went Top 10 in the summer of 2005 with this anthemic tune. One of the b-sides is a cover of The White Stripes' Seven Nation Army. This track from the Stars Of CCTV albun broke onto the Billboard Modern Rock chart in the US, too.

    

    Hard-Fi - Hard To Beat [Official Video]

20. Babyshambles - F**k Forever: release date 15th August 2005

    The third single from Pete Doherty's post-Libertines project was their biggest hit, peaking at Number 4. It's from the band's debut album Down In Albion.

    

    Babyshambles - Fuck Forever (Official Video)

21. Coldplay - Fix You: release date 5th September 2005

    Chris Martin's gentle ballad was written for his wife Gwyneth Paltrow, who was grieving over the death of her father. The single has achieved four times Platinum status in the UK and made Number 4 in September 2005.

    

    Coldplay - Fix You (Official Video)

22. Franz Ferdinand - Do You Want To: release date 19th September 2005

    The lead single from the second album from the Scottish post-punk revivalists, You Could Have It So Much Better with Franz Ferdinand. It peaked at Number 18 on the UK chart.

    

    Franz Ferdinand - Do You Want To (Video)

23. Depeche Mode - Precious: release date 3rd October 2005

    The lead single from the British electronica outfit's eleventh album Playing The Angel made Number 4 in the UK charts, making it their highest placed song alongside Barrel Of A Gun and People Are People.

    

    Depeche Mode - Precious (Remastered)

24. Arctic Monkeys - I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor: release date 17th October 2005

    The Monkeys' debut single and the lead track from their album Whatever People Say I Am That's What I'm Not. It went straight into the British charts at Number 1 and remained in the Top 40 for sixteen weeks.

    

    Arctic Monkeys - I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor (Official Video)

25. The Rakes - 22 Grand Job: release date 31st October 2005

    The debut Single from the London indie band, fronted by Alan Donohoe. Originally issued in May 2004, a re-relase the following year saw the track break into the charts at Number 39.

    

    The Rakes - 22 Grand Job