Look Back To 2005: What Happened That Year

The Olympic bid, the 7 July bombings and the Ashes coming home.

Here's 2005 in full - the music, the news, the screen, the sport and the ordinary details. Good for a birthday card, a party quiz round or a reminiscence session.

In the charts in 2005

• Downloads began counting towards the official singles chart in April.
• 'Is This the Way to Amarillo' by Tony Christie and Peter Kay was the year's best-selling single, released for Comic Relief.
• Shayne Ward's 'That's My Goal' was the Christmas number one after he won The X Factor.

In the news in 2005

• London was awarded the 2012 Olympics on 6 July.
• Four bombs on London's transport network on 7 July killed 52 people.
• Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in August; the Live 8 concerts were held in July.

On screen in 2005

• Doctor Who returned in March with Christopher Eccleston.
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit were the films of the year.
• YouTube launched in the United States in February.

In sport in 2005

• England won the Ashes in September for the first time since 1987, and the team paraded through London.
• Liverpool won the Champions League in Istanbul after being 3-0 down at half-time.
• Chelsea won the league under Jose Mourinho.

Everyday life in 2005

• Camera phones, ringtones and Bluetooth file swapping were everywhere in schools.
• The Nintendo DS and the PSP arrived.
• Fixed-line broadband became the default at home.

If you were born in 2005

• Anyone born in 2005 is the same age as YouTube and the revived Doctor Who.
• They were born in the summer London won the Olympics and England won the Ashes.
• Anyone born in 2005 turns 30 in 2035, 40 in 2045, 50 in 2055, 60 in 2065 and 70 in 2075.
• For a milestone card, the strongest line is usually the number one from the week they were born rather than the year's biggest events - it's personal, and it takes two minutes to find.
• For a reminiscence session, read one section at a time and stop on whatever gets a reaction. The point is the conversation, not the facts.

Shop birthday cards

How to write it so it lands

• The number one from the week they were born beats the year's headlines on a card.
• Read one section at a time in a reminiscence session and stop where the conversation starts.
• Use it as a guess-the-year round by reading three facts and hiding the date.

Where to shop next

• Look back to 2008
• Look back to 2007
• Look back to 2006
• Look back to 2004
• Look back to 2003
• Look back to 2002
• The 2000s: the whole decade
• 2000s party playlist
• 00s quiz questions
• Dial-up, MSN and MySpace
• Adverts we can still recite
• Decade music round questions
• The 2020s so far
• The 2010s: the whole decade
• The 1990s: the whole decade
• The 1980s: the whole decade
• The 1970s: the whole decade
• The 1960s: the whole decade
• The 1950s: the whole decade
• The 1940s: the whole decade
• The 1930s: the whole decade
• The 1920s: the whole decade
• Decade calendar: every year from 1920
• Decade trivia: fun facts by era
• Decade trivia game: play for points
• Decade guides: books, films and TV by era
• Decade recipes: dishes and food trends by era
• Decade travel: destinations and holidays by era
• Decade tech: gadgets and computers by era
• Decade films: best movies and directors by era
• Decade art: artists, styles and trends by era
• Decade books: best novels, authors and reading trends
• Music by decade: albums, artists and songs
• Decade fashion: clothes, hair and accessories by era
• Nostalgia gift shop
• Retro party supplies
• Nostalgia birthday party by decade
• Nostalgia hamper and gift ideas
• Guess the year quiz
• Care home reminiscence quiz
• Reminiscence gifts for grandparents
• Milestone birthday cards
• Shop birthday cards
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• Pin badges
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

What was the Christmas number one in 2005?

'That's My Goal' by Shayne Ward.

Why is the 2005 Ashes series famous?

England won 2-1, their first Ashes win since 1987, after a series decided by very narrow margins including a two-run win at Edgbaston.

How old is someone born in 2005?

Subtract 2005 from the current year. They turn 40 in 2045, 50 in 2055, 60 in 2065 and 70 in 2075.

Do you sell anything to do with this year?

We make greeting cards, art prints and pin badges in the UK, including milestone birthday cards. This page itself is free to read and free to copy.