It all started 20 years ago. The debut albums of 2005
Twenty years have passed from 2005 to 2025, a round figure that must be remembered. And so did all those artists who released their debut album in 2005.
Here are some who had a future, for whom the debut was then transformed into a more or less long career and which perhaps still continues now, twenty years later.
In July 2005, “All We Know Is Falling” the first album by Paramore (born in 2004) from which the single “Pressure” is taken. In 2006 the album was also distributed in the rest of the world and became a “long seller” and over time reached gold status in Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. The band, led by Hayley Williams in 2024 opened Taylor Swift’s concerts on the occasion of her European tour between spring and summer 2024. In January 2024 the single “Burning Down the House” was released, a reinterpretation of the Talking song Heads for the covers album “Stop Making Sense: A Tribute Album”. Paramore have six studio albums under their belt, two live, one remix, five EPs and thirty-two singles.
Also Chris Brown he released his first album of the same name in 2005. In addition to his stormy relationship with Rihanna, the Virginia rapper is known for having been compared to Michael Jackson for his stage skills as a singer-dancer. Since that debut Brown has sold 14 million albums worldwide and 50 million singles in the USA alone. His latest album “Indigo” dates back to 2019.
In 2005, a record was also released, unique in his life, published by John Cenabetter known for his activity as a wrestler than as a musician. “You can’t see me” was released under the name John Cena & Tha Trademarc. The album debuted at number 15 on the Billboard 200 chart. In the United Kingdom, as of October 8, 2010, 1,346,000 units have been certified sold.
“Music of the Sun” is the brilliant debut of the then seventeen-year-old Barbadian singer Rihanna. The album reaches tenth position on the Billboard charts with the single “Pon de Replay”, which reaches second position on the Billboard Hot 100. After her debut, Rihanna, who has become a world star, releases seven more albums. The last “Anti” dates back to 2016 while the single “Lift me up” was released in 2022
“The Rising Tied” is the hip hop ensemble’s debut studio album Fort Minor, the Linkin Park rapper’s side project Mike Shinoda. Their debut is also the only studio album of the project which in 2007 was put on hold until returning in 2014 with a single entitled “Welcome” which was released in 2015. After this release of the project there are no more traces.
First job also for deadmau5. “Get Scraped” is a collection of 15 tracks signed by Canadian disc jockey Joel Thomas Zimmerman, who hides behind his stage name. “KX5” is his latest album released in 2023.
“A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out” is the beginning of his recording activity of the American pop rock group Panic! at the Discoformed in Las Vegas in 2004 (and became Panic at the disco in 2008). On January 24, 2023, the band announced their official dissolution. In their career they have released seven studio albums, four live albums and two collections.
In 2005 there were also two solo debuts for the members of Bluea boy band that after the successes obtained in 2001 stopped their activity in 2005. In that year Lee Ryan releases a self-titled debut solo album as well as Simon Webbe with its “Sanctuary”. In 2021 the British group resumed activities with a series of concerts which also saw them travel to Italy where they will return again this year.
Twenty years ago it came out “Schrei”, the first album of the German boy band Tokyo Hotel. In 2006 they released a partially re-recorded and expanded version entitled “Schrei – so laut du kannst”. The 2005 album was distributed only in Germany, Italy, France, Canada and Japan, reaching high chart positions. In their career Tokio Hotel have sold over 10 million copies of records worldwide.
The frontman has left Matchbox Twenty on free leave Rob Thomas In 2005 he released his solo debut entitled “…Something to Be” which reached number one in the US and Australian charts.
Same fate for John Petruccithe guitarist of Dream Theater, who, free from commitments with the band, records and publishes “Suspended Animation”, his only entirely instrumental solo work.
The British career began with “The Back Room”. Editorswho released their debut album after the first live shows in 2002. Since then the band has released seven studio albums and three collections on the market. Preceded by the single “Bullets”, the album also had a good commercial response, reaching 13th place in the UK charts. The Editors are still active. “EBM” from 2022 is their latest work.
2005 is a lucky year for British indie rock. In fact, “Employment”, the debut album, is released Kaiser Chiefs which flies to second place in the UK and Irish charts and which is still a reference work for the band today. That album was followed by 7 other albums (the last “Kaiser Chiefs’ Easy Eighth Album” dates back to 2024) which brought the Leeds band to worldwide success.
In 2005 we note two other excellent debuts with homonymous albums signed by LCD Soundsystem and from Martha Wainwright. The American band has released a double work also containing remixes and previously released tracks. Their debut earned a nomination for best electronic album at the Grammy Awards in 2006. For the American singer-songwriter, daughter and sister of art, her first work opens a discography which to date includes six studio albums.
We remain in the world of rock, but we move to Australia where it was released in 2005 Wolfmother the band’s self-titled debut album, released worldwide in 2006. After overcoming a possible breakup, the band, inspired by 70s hard rock, continued its activity which continues today. Their sixth studio album “Rock Out” was released in 2021.
Let’s also see some of the debuts that took place in Italy during 2005.
Twenty years ago the first work of a young Roman singer-songwriter arrived on the market: Simon Cristicchi. Success came for him with the song “Vorrei canto come Biagio”, understood in the Antonacci sense (a song always misunderstood). The single is part of his first album “Song maker” where we also find another of his successes “University student”. Simone’s artistic activity continues: he won a Sanremo and we will see him competing again in the next 2025 edition of the event.
In June 2005 the Neapolitan rap duo made its debut with “Chi more pe’ mme”. Co’ Sangformed by Luché and Ntò. The album sung in Neapolitan and very focused on urban reality was very well received. In November 2009 the second album “Vita bona” arrived and then the group disbanded in 2012 and both members dedicated themselves to solo careers. In 2024 the two reunited and released their third album “Dinastia” followed by two live shows in Piazza Plebiscito in Naples.
Also in 2005 he made his first timid appearance Raphael Gualazzi with “Love Outside the Window”, a singer-songwriter and pianist from the Marche region, son of an artist (his father is the founder of the Anonima sound group with Ivan Graziani). In his debut album and in his career Gualazzi mixed pop with jazz, soul, blues and even Brazilian music, creating seven albums and two appearances at the Sanremo Festival.
“Tornare nella Terra”, the duo’s debut, is decidedly rock-oriented Stoneworms. The band’s first album was recorded in the crypt of the Church of Sant’Ippolito in Nizza Monferrato. They have released seven studio albums and one live album. The latest production, “Accetta & continua”, dates back to 2023.
