2005 in British Music

The Story of 2005

Arctic Monkeys changed everything. Their demo CDRs circulated at gigs, their MySpace following grew without any traditional promotion, and by the time 'I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor' was released in October, it was an event. It went straight to number one, the fastest-selling debut single of the year. Their debut album was recorded for release in January 2006, but the hype had already peaked. The internet was changing music discovery forever. The rest of the year was rich: James Blunt's 'Back to Bedlam' with 'You're Beautiful' was a phenomenon, selling millions despite the backlash. Kaiser Chiefs' 'Employment' was a Britpop revival, 'I Predict a Riot' and 'Oh My God' massive indie anthems. Coldplay's 'X&Y' was huge but critically questioned. Gorillaz' 'Demon Days' was a masterpiece, 'Feel Good Inc.' and 'Dare' showing Damon Albarn's versatility. Kate Bush returned with 'Aerial' after twelve years. The Libertines split. Grime was building its infrastructure independently. The British music scene in 2005 was defined by the tension between traditional guitar music and the digital future.