Review of 2005: The Year's Best Albums

  Helen Wright - Opera and Classical Editor:

1. Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds - B Sides & Rarities
For filling in the gaps and giving us an infinitely superior version of Neil Young's Helpless.

2. Richard Hawley - Cole's Corner
For giving us a huge and glorious slice of up-to-the minute nostalgia.

3. Depeche Mode - Playing The Angel
For producing an album that makes pain and suffering postively gorgeous.

4. The Bravery - The Bravery
For sounding as good as Franz Ferdinand and even The Killers at times.

5. Franz Ferdinand - You Could Have It So Much Better
For coming up with a second album that could have been so much worse.

  Vik Bansal - Editor-at-large:

1. Switchfoot - The Beautiful Letdown
Released two years late in the UK but worth the wait - an unexpectedly triumphant mix of mainstream pop and rock with thought-provoking lyrics.

2. Paradise Lost - Paradise Lost
A return to form from the most miserable band in the world. This is how gothic rock really sounds!

3. Extol - Blueprint
Norwegian thrashers bring in more melody, alienating diehard "fans" but winning over a good many more.

4. Life Of Agony - Broken Valley
Proving that band reformations really can work, Broken Valley is how Velvet Revolver would sound if they'd grown up in New York's hardcore punk scene.

5. Korn - See You On The Other Side
The band who inadvertently spawned "nu metal" evolve into dancefloor-shaking heaviness instead.

  Michael Hubbard - Editor-in-Chief:

1. Madonna - Confessions On A Dancefloor
Stuart Price is little short of genius with his production here, and the Abba sample dominated Hung Up is just one of many highlights. But credit too for Her Madgesty - she really knows how to pick 'em, and this record proves her innate ability to entertain is still intact as she heads towards the big 5-0.

2. Arcade Fire - Funeral
One of the best debut albums ever. The Canadians were a word of mouth hit, but before long Bryan Ferry, Chris Martin and sundry other celebs were singing their praises and showing up at gigs. Funereal for sure, but misery never sounded so powerfully uplifting.

3. The Boy Least Likely To - The Best Party Ever
A sublime debut full of cutesy song titles and even more cutesy drawings, The Boy started the year unknown and finished it runner-up in the Smash Hits Newcomer award and supporting James Blunt on tour. Dubious honours aside, they're still excellent, and entirely in their own way.

4. Antony and the Johnsons - I Am A Bird Now
That voice. Comparisons with Nina Simone only hint at its depth. And in reality Antony Hegarty was born in Chichester. This, his second record, featured Rufus Wainwright, Lou Reed, Devendra Banhart and Boy George. It became a triumph for a likeable outsider as the Mercury Music Prize was duly awarded and tours sold out.

5. Gorillaz - Demon Days
If the first album was stunning, Damon Albarn and his loose collective of all sorts proved it could be bettered. With guests ranging from child choirs to Shaun Ryder, Demon Days successfully genre-hopped with gay abandon - and never forgot to lavish songs with hooks and killer beats.

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