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As part of my Decades project, I counted down my own favorite albums of the year then explored other notable releases with which I was less familiar.

The year 2005 was one of the best of the whole Decades series, offering up stellar work by some of my favorite artists. The top four are all-timers.

Originally published: 2024 | Song of the Day posts featured: 20

My top ten albums of 2005:

#1. Nashville – Josh Rouse

#2. Extraordinary Machine – Fiona Apple

#3. Kerosene – Miranda Lambert

#4. Songs for Silverman – Ben Folds

#5. Devils & Dust – Bruce Springsteen

#6. The Forgotten Arm – Aimee Mann

#7. Time Well Wasted – Brad Paisley

#8. Fijacion Oral, Vol. 1 & Oral Fixation, Vol. 2 – Shakira

#9. Rebel, Sweetheart – The Wallflowers

#10. Guero – Beck

Other notable albums of 2005…

I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning – Bright Eyes

X&Y – Coldplay

The Cookbook – Missy Elliott

Demon Days – Gorillaz

LCD Soundsystem – LCD Soundsystem

Confessions On a Dance Floor – Madonna

Robyn – Robyn

Gimme Fiction – Spoon

Illinois (or Come On Feel the Illinoise!) – Sufjan Stevens

Get Behind Me Satan – The White Stripes