All Songs Considered: Our No. 1 Songs—2005

Podcast: All Songs Considered (NPR)
Episode Date: August 21, 2025
Host: Robin Hilton
Guest: Stephen Thompson

Overview

In celebration of the show’s 25th anniversary, hosts Robin Hilton and Stephen Thompson revisit 2005, picking their number one songs and reminiscing about some of the defining music and cultural shifts of the year. The episode dives deep into the emotional resonance of certain tracks, the impact of the early internet music era, and the ways that songs from 2005 have endured—or changed meaning—over time. The banter, full of humor and nostalgia, recalls the power of music discovery and the unique musical landscape of the mid-2000s.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. 2005: A “Big Year” in Music

• Format: Robin kicks off by explaining the mini-series theme—revisiting each year since the podcast launched and picking a top song for each ([00:41]).
• Stephen Thompson: New Music Friday and Pop Culture Happy Hour host joins Robin for the 2005 recap.

2. Stephen’s No. 1 Song: The Mountain Goats – “This Year”

• Personal Impact:
  • Stephen calls “This Year” a song that has “lost nothing in the process” ([01:14]) and remains eternally relatable.
  • Quote ([02:45]):
    “This is a song that remains 100% relatable no matter where you are in your life. Even though the song is recounting this kind of this big, tragic teenage drama, the emotions in this song remain completely timeless. And it's amazing how many seemingly unendurable life events are made better by the presence of this song.”
  • Emotional resonance and catharsis for listeners at Mountain Goats concerts.
• Community Significance:
  • Robin notes listener responses—this song always comes up as a go-to for getting through tough times ([03:25]).

3. Robin’s Picks: From Spoon to LCD Soundsystem

A Nod to Spoon

• Robin reminisces about Spoon’s Gimme Fiction album, especially “I Turn My Camera On," calling it “easily my favorite album of 2005” ([04:10]), though not his No. 1 song pick.

Top Pick: LCD Soundsystem – “Daft Punk Is Playing at My House”

• Cultural Impact:
  • Robin describes this as the “ultimate party song,” emblematic of musical change and experimentation of the early 2000s ([05:15]).
  • Quote ([05:15]):
    “When LCD Soundsystem burst onto the scene with this song… it was everywhere. It was incredible.”
• Contrast in Taste:
  • Stephen reflects LCD was “a little too cool for where my headspace was”—preferring more emotionally intense music at the time ([05:41]).
  • Quote ([06:18]):
    “This song is having a better time than I was in 2005, but a complete jam.”

4. More 2005 Standouts and Deep Cuts

Stars – “Your Ex-Lover Is Dead”

• Stephen picks Stars’ “Your Ex-Lover Is Dead” as “one of the best breakup songs ever written” ([09:14 - 09:59]).

  • The song’s structure, trading verses between Torquil Campbell and Amy Milan, offers a nuanced character sketch and emotional arc ([10:44]).
  • Quote ([10:44]):
    “This song aches in such a beautiful way. And as that song kind of blooms, there’s this point in the song where their voices come together…”

• Personal Context:

  • Stephen candidly shares his difficult 2005, discussing unemployment after leaving The Onion and life transitions ([11:49]).

Reflecting on More 2005 Albums

• Brief mentions of other landmark albums:
  • Sufjan Stevens – Illinois
    • “Illinois came out that year.” ([12:26])
  • Fiona Apple – Extraordinary Machine
    • Robin: “Fiona Apple's Extraordinary Machine came out that year.” ([12:56])
    • Stephen: “Talk about phenomenal albums.” ([12:59])

5. Blogs & Music Discovery: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah – “Upon This Tidal Wave of Young Blood”

• Robin spotlights Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and their breakthrough via music blogs ([15:24]).
• Quote ([15:35]):
  • “This was such a huge example of how music blogs reshaped the way people discover new music. Clap your hands say yeah really blew up on blogs… all of a sudden the whole nature of music gatekeeping was really shifting in the early to mid aughts... this band that didn’t necessarily have this huge label apparatus behind them was still able to blow up and find an audience.”
• The band’s self-titled debut is called a “tidal wave of young blood” ([15:24])—a musical and cultural signpost for DIY and internet discovery.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Robin’s dry humor:
  • “[03:25] Well, we've talked about this before on the show. You know, whenever we do a call out to listeners to tell us about a song that, you know, like, either lifts them up or gets them through. This song always comes up.”
• Stephen’s frankness on nostalgia:
  • “[11:49] 2005. Man, I was unemployed … and was not my best self. And several of these songs from this era really, really helped me.”
• On music’s emotional utility:
  • “[02:45] This song has helped a lot of people… it's very cathartic.”
• On the blog era’s impact:
  • “[15:35] ... all of a sudden the whole nature of music gatekeeping was really shifting in the early to mid aughts..."

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:41 — Overview of the year-by-year retrospective series
• 01:14 — Stephen picks The Mountain Goats – “This Year”
• 04:10 — Robin reminisces about Spoon’s Gimme Fiction
• 05:15 — Robin’s top pick: LCD Soundsystem – “Daft Punk Is Playing at My House”
• 09:14 — Stephen on Stars – “Your Ex-Lover Is Dead”
• 12:26 — Mentions of Sufjan Stevens’ Illinois and Fiona Apple’s Extraordinary Machine
• 15:24 — Clap Your Hands Say Yeah – “Upon This Tidal Wave of Young Blood” and discussion of early blog-era discovery

Recap: The Emotional & Cultural Heart of 2005

Robin and Stephen’s warm, reflective conversation captures how 2005 was a turning point—for both indie music and the ways listeners discovered and related to songs. Hits like “This Year,” “Daft Punk Is Playing at My House,” and “Your Ex-Lover Is Dead” encapsulated the catharsis, celebration, and reinvention of the era, while blog-driven discoveries like Clap Your Hands Say Yeah hinted at the seismic changes ahead for music fandom.

Closing quote ([16:11], Stephen):
“...the whole nature of music gatekeeping was really shifting in the early to mid aughts and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah were kind of a beneficiary… able to blow up and find an audience.”

For any listener seeking a snapshot of 2005’s musical landscape—or insights into how songs become lifelines and cultural landmarks—this episode is a rich, funny, and heartfelt guide.