Surely it hasn’t been 20 years since that came out? Time truly flies, and 20 years ago I was just 13, exploring my musical tastes amidst the constant soundtrack of my home as a child. My dad ignited my passion for Nu-Metal (not truly understanding what a chocolate starfish was), while my mom’s eclectic love ranged from Al Green to Garth Brooks, all the way to Marilyn Manson and Robbie Williams. Once I discovered rock music as my head banging home, it resonated deep within my soul! I was always flipping through music channels, jamming to Kerrang! Radio, and cranking up my CDs (mostly Nickelback’s ‘Silverside Up’). Now that time has zipped by, let’s dive into some of those iconic rock and metal albums that are celebrating their 20-year anniversaries!
Judas Priest – Angel of Retribution
To kick off 2005, a monumental album for heavy metal fans crashed into their lives, igniting an electrifying wave of excitement. After leaving the band 13 years previously, iconic leather and studded clad frontman Rob Halford returned to Judas Priest, and wow did they impress the metal masses!
On February 23, 2005, “Angel of Retribution” was released to largely positive acclaim from critics, except for Classic Rock magazine’s Geoff Barton, who stated that the track ‘Lochness’ caused the entire album to “crash down in flames” and argued that the song “single-handedly destroys what would otherwise have been a triumphant Halford-led return.” 1. For anyone who doesn’t know Geoff Barton, he gave us the iconic magazine that is Kerrang!
Upon its release, it debuted at #14 on the US Billboard 200, marking it as Judas Priest’s fourth highest release in the US! It peaked at an impressive #39 in the UK album charts but soared to a magnificent #2 on the UK’s Rock & Metal Album charts. Only one single was released from the album, called “Revolution”, and it continues to electrify audiences during live performances today!
Judas Priest, established in 1969, continues to forge ahead with unwavering momentum. Meanwhile, KK’s Priest emerged after KK Downing’s departure from the band in 2011, when he expressed a wish to retire and cited musical differences. Since then, he has achieved remarkable success, touring the UK and performing at major festivals like Stonedead in 2024.
More recently, the band has faced the somber news of former drummer Les Binks’ passing on 25th March 2025, yet there remains a spark of hope as they continue to write, hinting at new material expected to arrive in 2026.
Fall Out Boy – From Under the Cork Tree
Ahh yes! The emo movement is here! At first, I couldn’t understand the love for Fall Out Boy but after being mesmerised by the music video for “Sugar We’re Goin’ Down”, I was hooked and my crush for Pete Wentz went into overdrive!
“From Under the Cork Tree” was the band’s second album but it was their first release with a major label (Island Records). It was released on May 3 2005 and reached #12 on the UK Album Charts, while the single “Sugar We’re Goin’ Down” climbed to number 8 in the UK Singles chart. No surprise there—of course, the album spawned the other hit “Dance Dance”, which remains a party anthem to this day. I watched FOB headline Download last year, and it was a thrilling sight to see so many 30-somethings rejoicing in the rain, splashing about in pure muddy joy to this nostalgic hit from our teenage years!
Even though the band’s sound has changed… maybe matured over the years, we can always relive the high school dance and reminisce about the Kerrang! poster of Pete Wentz hanging on our walls!
The All- American Rejects – Move Along
This album dropped on July 11 2005, and included the great hits “It Ends Tonight”, “Move Along” (obviously), and the massive anthem “Dirty Little Secret”, a tune I still blast in my car today. Here in the UK, the album didn’t fare too well, peaking at a disappointing #45, while the previously mentioned banger “Dirty Little Secret” only reached #96 in the singles chart when it was first released in October 2005! Absolutely criminal, in my opinion! Eventually, it soared to #18 after its re-release, spurred by the success of “Move Along” in June 2006. it gave the band their second UK top 20 hit.
“Move Along” was only their second album, yet it marked a significant milestone as it introduced guitarist Mike Kennerty and drummer Chris Gaylor to the lineup. The album’s journey has been remarkable, achieving Gold certification in the UK and surpassing 1 Billion streams on Spotify as of December 21, 2024. With a new album on the horizon and a single titled ‘Sandbox’ set to release on April 24, which conveniently coincides with frontman Tyson Ritter’s birthday, the band continues to grow stronger and expanding their fanbase 20 years down the road.
30 Seconds to Mars – A Beautiful Lie
Oh, the wonderful early 00’s emo beauty that was Jared Leto… way before he became the Joker (Suicide Squad, it was a questionable performance), he was not just an established actor but also an amazing vocalist and musician and brought us the band, 30 Seconds to Mars!
This album is a bit controversial in terms of release date. “A Beautiful Lie” emerged in the USA on August 30 2005 but didn’t reach our British shores until February 26 2007. Either way the album was an absolute hit and despite the album and singles being thrown into the hard/ alternative and metal core genre, it is known for its emo aesthetic. Black studded clothes, dyed black hair with a huge side swiped fringe and excessive amounts of black eyeliner. “The Kill” (also known as “Bury Me”) is most notably the biggest track on the album in regards to nostalgia. The video was directed by Jared Leto himself and was constantly played on Kerrang! and Scuzz.
To celebrate its 20 year anniversary, 30 Seconds to Mars is doing a one off gig at the KIA Forum in Los Angeles on 16th August 2025 with limited edition merch available. Hit the link to get tickets if you are lucky enough to have the money and the means to be there.
Personally, I have never been a huge fan of the band, except for the popular tracks, and over the last 20 years, they have changed and adapted their sound to suit the members’ creative vibes at the time. Jared will always be an emo girl’s pin-up and has definitely made his mark on the emo nostalgia collectors’ book.
Disturbed – Ten Thousand Fists
Released on September 20, 2005, this was Disturbed’s third album and it achieved significant commercial success, becoming their second consecutive #1 debut on the Billboard 200 in the United States and going on to be certified 3x platinum. In stark contrast, the album only reached a low position of #59 on the UK album charts, which many fans found surprising. Notably, it was the band’s first album without a parental advisory sticker and served as a tribute to Dimebag Darrel, who was tragically murdered a year before the album’s release.
The album received a mixed reception from the critics upon its release, including NME giving the album a 1/10 saying that “you’ll find nothing more despicable this year”. 1 and AllMusic said “Ten Thousand Fists does start to sound the same after a while”. 2 but music critic Jedd Beaudoin remarked: “Ten Thousand Fists ultimately reminds us that Disturbed refuse to relent in their journey toward greatness”.3
Ten Thousand Fists also gave us the glorious cover of Genesis’s track “Land of Confusion”. The music video remains an iconic part of this album, featuring its cover character (and now band mascot) “The Guy” in a captivating animated feature created by Todd MacFarlane. As Disturbed continues to inspire and connect with audiences worldwide through their electrifying live performances, they also invite moments of reflection, especially given singer David Draiman’s controversial stance on the Gaza conflict, stirring both admiration and dismay amongst fans.
Panic! At the Disco – A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out
The opening cello notes are a sound that haunt every 30 something emo, it’s only a sound that they can hear but it also brings them such joy. Yes, “A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out” spawned one of the greatest emo tracks of all time, “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” and threw Panic! At the Disco into constant rotation on Kerrang! TV and radio.
I remember at school it became a huge debate as to whether you were a Fall Out Boy fan or a Panic! At The Disco fan and to me, I liked them both but like I’ve said before, I was only just finding myself in converse, skinny jeans and black hoodies so my lines were not drawn. Glam Metal would eventually find me, but that’s a story for a different day.
This debut album, received mixed reviews and some pretty harsh comments including Corey D. Byrom of Pitchfork (who clearly didn’t like direction the emo movement was taking) starting his review with, “Where does one begin to describe this steaming pile of garbage?” and ends with “The whining, the emotionally exposed lyrics, and the passionate choruses are there, but there’s no sincerity, creativity, or originality.”4. Not everyone was going to love it but Jesus?!
For me Brandon Urie has always been an amazing vocalist and of course he had his Vine channel to entertain the masses for years. But sadly PATD came to an end after Brandon announced in 2023 that he was disbanding the band to concentrate on his wife and new baby. He currently plays drums for PATD touring guitarist Mike Viola’s band.
Nickelback – All The Right Reasons
I have never hidden the fact of my love for Nickelback. I stated earlier that in 2005, at the tender age of 13, I was only just understanding the masterpiece that was “Silverside Up” so when “All the Right Reasons” was released on October 4 2005, it just passed me by.
Years later I have grown to love this album and it released an amazing 7 singles out of 11 tracks on the album. One of these tracks was in the infamous “Rockstar”, love or hate it, it was everywhere! I have to admit, I began to hate the track after hearing it everywhere including a crappy SCS sofa advert! Like why? The video itself became iconic in its own right with cameos from stars and it included fans from all over the world. I have grown to love it again.
Upon its release, it initially peaked at #13 in the UK Album charts before dropping out of the top 75, with “Savin’ Me” being the first single not to enter the top 75 at all. At one point, the album was the least selling UK album since “Curb,” but it experienced an unexpected resurgence after the release of “Rockstar,” climbing back to an impressive #2 on the album chart and ultimately achieving Platinum certification.
The band went on to achieve even greater success with “Dark Horse” (my personal favourite album) in 2008, solidifying their status as a commercially successful group and sparking a love/hate relationship with the public long before social media and cancel culture became prevalent. Their 2024 documentary “Love to Hate: Nickelback” thrusted them back into the spotlight, captivating a new generation and generating massive excitement through TikTok challenges.
Bullet for My Valentine – The Poison
Welsh lovelies that are Bullet for My Valentine really packed a punch with their debut release “The Poison” released on October 3 2005. The album provided hits like “Cries in Vain” and everybody’s favourite “Tears Don’t Fall”. My school friend Deanna was obsessed with this song (and its unforgettable music video) and of course its vocalist Matthew Tuck… “Just look at his eyes…phwoar!” is an exact quote I remember to this day!
The album charted #23 in the UK Album charts, #1 in the Rock & Metal Album chart and #3 in the UK Independent Albums chart. It is also the band’s most successful commercial effort earning itself Gold Certification by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) and BVMI (Bundesverband Musikindustrie, Germany).
The band toured the UK and Europe in February and March 2025 to celebrate this milestone of the album with a 20th Anniversary re-release of the album and called the tour “The Poisoned Ascendency Tour”. This tour also coincided with tour mates Trivium who are celebrating 20 years of their album “Ascendency”. The tour is currently in the USA and BFMV will be taking to the stage at Download Festival in June.
Rammstein – Rosenrot
I was a late bloomer to Rammstein. My brother introduced them to me after seeing the band’s fiery performance in the pouring rain at Download in 2016. He played their cinematic videos on YouTube while I was recovering from acute alcohol poisoning (a story best saved for another day). After I watched a few videos, I remembered catching glimpses of them as I channel hopped on MTV2, Kerrang! and Scuzz, especially their track “Mein Land”. I remember the distinct difference between the theme of the video and the track playing. But that is not the album we are looking at.
“Rosenrot” was released on October 28 2005 and was made up of songs that didn’t make it onto their previous album “Reise, Reise” that was released a year earlier. Initially the album was going to be called “Reise, Reise Volume Two” but in August was given the name “Rosenrot” which translate to Rose Red. Three singles and music videos were released from the album but the band didn’t actively promote the album. No big campaign or tour, just subtly released the cinematic videos that they have become known for.
I have a great love for this band and have seen them twice. Their performances are out of this world, but personally, I am not a fan of this album aside from the three singles that were released. The fact that the tracks were leftovers from “Reise, Reise” explains a lot of the lackluster feeling I have for it, which may be reflected in the UK’s reception, as it has only achieved Silver Certification.
Korn – See You On The Otherside
I didn’t realise I actually had a love for nu-metal until later in life. To me, it was just metal music; to my mother, it was noise. My father blasted it from his car when he picked my brother and I up for our weekend visits. At the time, my brother thought it was the scary music where everyone would head bang with dreadlocks. To be fair, he wasn’t wrong, and he was only nine years old.
Johnathan Davis’s random noises and shouts were always floating around the house thanks to my dad loving them so when my parents divorced and he left the home, it got a lot quieter. But Korn were never far from my eyes and ears, they were on constant rotation on Kerrang! and Scuzz, especially when “Twisted Transistor” came out.
That single came off the album “See You on the Other Side” that was released on December 6 2005. it received a mixed reception from critics as they collaborated with pop producers The Matrix (worked with Shakira, Britney Spears and Avril Lavigne) which is said to have influenced the bands choice to experiment with different sounds. In the UK it reached #5 on the Rock & Metal Album chart but peaked at a mediocre #71 on the Album charts and staggered at a Silver Certification, a stark contrast to its Platinum Certification in its home country of the US.
I have to admit, I do not remember my dad playing much of this album and I have rarely given it a thought other than listening to “Twisted Transistor” (which reached #2 on the UK Rock & Metal Singles Chart) once in a blue moon. I don’t often hear many people talk about this album even in the nu-metal community. In an odd way, it silently passed everyone by.
What a Year
Oh, what a transformative year 2005 truly was. YouTube emerged as a powerhouse, revolutionising our approach to consuming video content on the internet, particularly in the realm of music videos. The phrase “video killed the radio star” (by The Buggles of course) never felt more accurate as YouTube gradually overshadowed the MTV culture, compelling it to seek innovative methods to keep audiences engaged—a different discussion for an entirely different day.
It was also the year that Kanye West (or Ye or whatever you want to call him) started showing signs of him being a bit odd, claiming “George Bush doesn’t care about black people” during a telethon trying to raise money for victims of Hurricane Katrina. Comedian Mike Myers looks clearly shocked and uncomfortable at this off-script moment and tries to defuse the situation.
Guitar Hero captured the hearts of many, allowing players to unleash their inner rockstar with nothing but a gaming console, particularly the Playstation. This exhilarating game opened the door for countless fans to discover iconic rock bands and unforgettable tracks like “Iron Man” by Black Sabbath, “Fat Lip” by Sum 41, “Ace of Spades” by Motorhead and many more! Who knew, coloured tabs on a guitar shaped remote would bring some much joy to budding rockstars?
Taking a look back 20 years certainly sparks memories that now resonate deeply within pop culture, despite the fact that we lived through it. I would have to say that 2005 was a milestone year for emo music, as it truly tapped into the feelings of teenagers who were a part of society that was often overlooked. Reflecting on that time, I look back with a glimmer of fondness, recognising that it was a formative year for discovering my musical identity. I still turned to glam metal, even with all the emo overflows from outlets such as radio, tv and even the internet.
Which album did you love? Who did I miss out? What are your memories of 2005? Please share your thoughts in the comments below!
GlamRat 