Throwback Thursday: The Straight on March 3, 2005

Taking a look at some of week's best selling albums.

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      Throwback Thursday is a weekly online feature where we look back at an archived issue of the Straight to rediscover old stories and stir up a little nostalgia.

      The year 2005 may not feel like that long ago, but taking a look at the best-selling albums listed in the Straight's March 3 - 10, 2005 issue might make you feel a little old. Here's a little refresher on some of the albums that cracked the top 50 in the Greater Vancouver area. (Remember when buying CDs was a thing?)

      #1: Michael Buble, It's Time

      Local boy Buble scored big with this album, which went platinum in 11 countries worldwide. It featured covers of well-known classic tunes like "Feeling Good", "Quando, Quando, Quando", and "Can't Buy Me Love", but it was also the first album for which Buble actually wrote a song of his own. "Home" was the lead single—one that you probably still hear on the radio if you listen to QMFM. 

      #4: Greenday, American Idiot

      Ah, Greenday. This Grammy-award winning album provided teenagers everywhere with an excuse to rock studded belts and hate on George W. Bush based on the album's not-so-subtle nod to the then-American president's sloppy warmongering. Armstrong said of the concept album that "American Idiot [was] about taking those classic rock and roll elements, kicking out the rules, putting more ambition in and making it current." While it might have broached what was a current subject, calling it a concept album doesn't quite put it on the same level as The Wall. Nice try, though.

      #7: U2, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb

      How could anyone forget the album that sparked the beginning of U2's relationship with Apple? (Remember those iPod commercials with the band rocking out on brightly coloured backdrops?) It may have been the band's eleventh studio album, but Bono called it the band's "first rock album." U2's Vertigo Tour sold almost 5 million tickets, bringing in a total of $389 million—setting the record for one of the highest grossing tours of all time. (It's still in the top 10.)

      #10: Gwen Stefani, Love. Angel. Music. Baby

      No Doubt's leading lady topped the charts with this '80s-inspired solo album, which featured the work of a number of writers and producers including Dr. Dre, Andre 3000, Pharrell Williams, Linda Perry and the Neptunes. The album was released on the heels of the launch of Stefani's clothing line, L.A.M.B., and featured singles like "Hollaback Girl" and "What You Waiting For?"—a great track for anyone that has ever forgotten how to spell the word 'bananas'.

      #14: k-os, Joyful Rebellion

      Arguably the alternative rap artist's best album, Joyful Rebellion featured a handful of memorable tracks that centered around themes of the artist's frustration with the music industry. If you look beyond the tired clichés in his lyrics, the album's infusion of everything from reggae to flamenco makes for some very catchy tracks. k-os won the Juno Award for best single of the year for Crabbuckit, the first hip hop song to ever win in that category.

      Here's part of the full listing:

       

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