via//chicago

This is the third in a four part series in which via//chicago looks back on the year in music. This time, I'll reveal my favorite one hundred singles of the year. Next time, we wrap up with the final part and reveal the top 50 albums of 2005

Part III: The Singles

100. "Girl" - Beck
99. "Sittin' Sidewayz" - Paul Wall f. Big Pokey
98. "Ain't No Easy Way" - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
97. "Sky Starts Falling" - Doves
96. "Little Sister" - Queens of the Stone Age
95. "Mercy Me" - Alkaline Trio
94. "Reunion" - Stars
93. "Side Streets" - Saint Etienne
92. "Lyla" - Oasis
91. "Mic Check" - Juelz Santana
90. "Ohio is For Lovers" - Hawthorne Heights
89. "Only" - Nine Inch Nails
88. "Wake Up" - Hilary Duff
87. "It's For You" - Out Hud
86. "Grass" - Animal Collective
85. "Tito's Way" - The Juan Maclean
84. "Oh My God" - Kaiser Chiefs
83. "I Feel Space" - Lindstrom
82. "Mandarine Girl" - Booka Shade
81. "DARE" - Gorillaz
80. "Off the Record" - My Morning Jacket
79. "I Feel Like A Child" - Devendra Banhart
78. "Black History Month (Alan Braxe & Fred Falke Remix)" - Death From Above 1979
77. "Breathe" - Erasure
76. "Juicebox" - The Strokes
75. "Ashes" - Embrace
74. "Ageless Beauty" - Stars
73. "The First Day of My Life" - Bright Eyes
72. "A.S.A.P." - T.I.
71. "Disco Infiltrator" - LCD Soundsystem
70. "Blue Orchid" - The White Stripes
69. "Destroy Everything You Touch" - Ladytron
68. "Lovefood" - Michael Mayer
67. "Four Kicks" - Kings of Leon
66. "Shine A Light" - Wolf Parade
65. "Hung Up" - Madonna
64. "Elan" - Justus Kohncke
63. "Neighborhood #2 (Laika)" - Arcade Fire
62. "In A Funny Way" - Mercury Rev
61. "Wires" - Athlete
60. "I Built This City (Michael Mayer Remix)" - Baxendale
59. "All These Things That I've Done" - The Killers
58. "Ibi Dreams of Pavement (A Better Day)" - Broken Social Scene
57. "Jetstream (JLC Remix)" - New Order
56. "Cool (Richard X Remix)" - Gwen Stefani
55. "America's Boy" - Broadcast
54. "Push The Button" - Sugababes
53. "Fuck Forever" - Babyshambles
52. "Do the Whirlwind" - Architecture in Helsinki
51. "Behind These Hazel Eyes" - Kelly Clarkson
50. "Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)" - Arcade Fire
49. "Pon De Replay" - Rihanna
48. "Tribulations" - LCD Soundsystem
47. "Dear Summer" - Memphis Bleek f. Jay-Z
46. "Inside & Out" - Feist
45. "Hideyaface" - Prefuse 73 f. Ghostface & El-P
44. "Albion" - Babyshambles
43. "We Belong Together (Remix)" - Mariah Carey f. Jadakiss & Styles P
42. "Helena" - My Chemical Romance
41. "Portions for Foxes" - Rilo Kiley
40. "Soul Meets Body" - Death Cab for Cutie
39. "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor" - Arctic Monkeys
38. "Diamonds from Sierra Leone (Remix)" - Kanye West f. Jay-Z
37. "Blood On Our Hands" - Death From Above 1979
36. "Your Little Hoodrat Friend" - The Hold Steady
35. "These Words" - Natasha Bedingfield
34. "Lose Control" - Missy Elliott f. Fatman Scoop & Ciara
33. "Hate It or Love It" - The Game f. 50 Cent
32. "Finding Out True Love is Blind" - Louis XIV
31. "Oh" - Ciara f. Ludacris
30. "Pass This On" - The Knife
29. "Apply Some Pressure" - Maximo Park
28. "Sister Jack" - Spoon
27. "Don't Save Us from the Flames (Superpitcher Remix)" - M83
26. "Turn Off Da Lights" - Tweet f. Missy Elliott
25. "Do You Want To" - Franz Ferdinand
24. "1 Thing" - Amerie
23. "Biology" - Girls Aloud
22. "Let's Get High" - Benjamin Diamond
21. "So Here We Are" - Bloc Party

















20. "Still Tippin' (Diplo Remix)" - Mike Jones f. Slim Thug & Paul Wall
One trick pony hits big with the perfect distillation of the Houston sound. Mike Jones never rises above mediocrity himself, but this track is saved thanks to a fantastic beat and some great guest verses from the other H-Town breakouts of '05.

















19. "Rebellion (Lies)" - Arcade Fire
The most joyful-sounding anthem on a single full of joyful-sounding anthems. In a just world, this would have been a Top 10 hit worldwide.

















18. "So Good" - Rachel Stevens
Yes it is Rachel, yes it is. The pulsating beat and Rachel's charm are just the start - the glorious chorus is when this one really gets started.

















17. "I Said Never Again (But Here We Are)" - Rachel Stevens
Another gem from Rachel, this was truly her year to shine. Great production sends this one into the stratosphere. But Rachel herself makes the track work, it would have been just a blip if a lesser pop star had sung it.

















16. "Hounds of Love" - The Futureheads
Man, if you would have told me that one of the best singles of 2005 would be a cover of an old Kate Bush song - I would have laughed in your face. The Futureheads get the last laugh in a version that trumps the original in every way.

















15. "Black and White Town" - The Doves
Doves float towards a more "organic" sound on the lead single from their third album and strike gold. Once again these guys prove that attention to detail is key when working their magic.

















14. "Love Me Like You" - The Magic Numbers
A little too sunshiney? Perhaps. Twee as hell? Probably. A classic summertime pop song? Definitely.

















13. "Stay Fly" - Three-6-Mafia f. Eightball, MJG, & Young Buck
These Southern rap vets set out to show the youngsters just how things are done and manage to knock out their best single ever in the process. Also features the only remaining member of G-Unit that matters.

















12. "I Turn My Camera On" - Spoon
These indie-poppers get their white-boy funk on and release a better Beck single than even Beck could manage in the 0-5.

















11. "Long Hot Summer" - Girls Aloud
The girls never stay gone long, thank God. It would have been a long, hot one if we'd have had to suffer throughout the season without another gem.

















10. "Dakota" - Stereophonics
The 'Phonics finally break it big in America, thanks to the strongest single of their career. Too bad there wasn't much to back that up.

















09. "Feel Good Inc." - Gorillaz
What does it mean when the side project starts releasing better singles than the main band? Damon, with a little help from De La Soul, works animated magic all over again.

















08. "Two More Years" - Bloc Party
The best single yet - and it wasn't even a part of the debut album. These guys just keep getting better and better.

















07. "Gold Digger" - Kanye West f. Jamie Foxx
Controvery aside, Kanye still managed to make a huge impact on the radio waves this summer. This Ray Charles sampling gem proves that 'Ye still manages to have a little fun in between pissing off world leaders and bitching about the Grammys.

















06. "Abel" - The National
Yeah, surprised the hell out of me too. It's nearly criminal that this band remains as underexposed as they've been.

















05. "Negotiate With Love" - Rachel Stevens
We couldn't finish off without another one from Rachel, now could we? This was the best of the bunch and the track that made me fall for her. Why are we Americans stuck with Gwen while the Brits get this great stuff?

















04. "Daft Punk is Playing at My House" - LCD Soundsystem
After that last album it may not be something worth bragging about, but James Murphy throws the hipster party of the year with this track. The Soulwax remix is just as hot.

















03. "Krafty" - New Order
Cheesetastic optimistic lyrics, a killer hook, and some glorious strings combine to make the best New Order single in over a decade.

















02. "Sugar, We're Goin' Down" - Fall Out Boy
There may have been a point around the 403rd viewing of the video where we got sick of this song, but any ill will was gone the next time we got to shout-along in the car. If only pop-punk could always be this much fun.

















01. "Since U Been Gone" - Kelly Clarkson
Was there really any doubt? The song that brought the masses - soccer moms and indie rockers alike - together in joyous pop harmony.