Music History

Green Day won seven awards at the MTV Video Music Awards in Miami, including Video of the Year for “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” and the Viewer’s Choice Award. Gwen Stefani won Best Choreography for “Hollaback Girl”, while Gorillaz won Breakthrough Video for “Feel Good Inc.” Kanye West won Best Male Video for “Jesus Walks”. The ceremony took place despite concerns about Hurricane Katrina and a shooting at a pre-awards party.

Oasis reached No. 1 on the UK singles chart with “The Importance Of Being Idle”. It was their eighth No. 1 single and the song came from their sixth album “Don’t Believe the Truth”.

Rap producer Marion “Suge” Knight was hospitalized after being shot in the leg. The incident occurred at a party at a club in Miami, Florida, held in connection with that year’s MTV Video Music Awards and also as a party for Kanye West.

77-year-old Fats Domino was rescued from the flooding in New Orleans caused by Hurricane Katrina after being rescued from his home in the Ninth Ward. Beforehand, he had told his agent that despite the evacuation order, he planned to remain at home, mainly because his wife Rosemary was in poor health and traveling was difficult for her. After being rescued by boat, Domino and his family were taken to an emergency shelter on the LSU campus.

Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and caused extensive damage to the local music community.

Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age collapsed from exhaustion during a concert in Hamburg, Germany.

Journey released the album "Generations", one of the albums commemorated as part of the musical anniversaries for August 29.

Eric Clapton released the album “Back Home”, his first album of original material since the 2001 album “Reptile”. Guests on the album included his former Blind Faith bandmate Steve Winwood and Billy Preston. Clapton also included “Love Comes to Everyone” by his late friend George Harrison.

Kanye West released his second studio album “Late Registration”.

At the age of 17, Rihanna released her debut album “Music Of The Sun”. Its first single was the successful song “Pon De Replay”, which drew on her Bajan heritage and used Caribbean rhythms.

Toby Keith announced that he was founding his own record company, Show Dog Nashville Records.

Barry Cowsill, bassist for The Cowsills, died at the age of 51 in New Orleans due to drowning during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. His final phone messages to his family were left around Sept 1–2; his body was discovered on December 28, 2005, at a wharf and identified via dental records on January 3, 2006.

Kanye West criticized President George W. Bush’s response to Hurricane Katrina during a televised benefit concert in New York. The concert was raising funds to help victims of the disaster, and West made a controversial statement during the live broadcast about the president and his relationship with the Black community. The statement was broadcast live on the US East Coast, but was removed from the edited version for the West Coast.

Mariah Carey became only the fifth artist or group in history to simultaneously occupy the top two positions on the US singles chart. “We Belong Together” had been at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for ten consecutive weeks, while “Shake It Off” moved to number two.

Fats Domino was rescued from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina struck the city, following several days during which he was reported missing.

Hilary Duff began a two-week run at No. 1 on the US chart with her first compilation album Most Wanted. The album also reached No. 1 in Canada and the Top 3 in Japan and Australia.

Oasis scored their second UK No. 1 single of the year with “The Importance of Being Idle”. Earlier in 2005, they had topped the chart with “Lyla”.

The Rolling Stones released A Bigger Bang, their first studio album of new material in eight years and the last album of original songs recorded entirely with drummer Charlie Watts. The album reached number three in the US and was certified platinum.

Sir Bob Geldof was granted honorary citizenship of his native Dublin after the city council approved the honor in recognition of his campaign against global poverty and for debt relief in Africa.

The Rolling Stones released their 24th studio album, "A Bigger Bang", through Virgin Records. The album reached the Top 3 in both the UK and U.S. and No. 1 in ten countries. One million copies were sold in the U.S., relatively low by the band's standards, but the accompanying tour set a concert-tour revenue record by grossing $558 million.

Aretha Franklin received the Lady of Soul Award for lifetime achievement at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.

Kanye West debuted at No. 1 on the album chart with Late Registration.

Paul Wall reached No. 1 on the US album chart with his second studio album, “The Peoples Champ”.

Pete Doherty was arrested during a police drug operation in Shrewsbury, where his band Babyshambles was performing. Police said that a man and a woman were arrested for possession of Class A drugs, while another 17 people were searched. A subsequent Babyshambles concert in Norwich was canceled.

Fiona Apple released her third album, Extraordinary Machine, her first album since 1999's When The Pawn.... The album had been completed and ready for release as early as 2003, but Apple changed her mind and postponed its release. After a leaked version appeared online in 2005, she re-recorded the songs and eventually released the album.

Sony BMG Strategic Marketing Group released Hit Story, a three-CD collection containing 80 Elvis Presley hits.

Exodus released their seventh studio album, Shovel Headed Kill Machine.

Little Big Town released their second studio album, The Road to Here. The album produced four singles that reached the Top 20 of the country chart: “Boondocks,” “Bring It On Home,” “Good as Gone,” and “A Little More You.”

Welsh musician and Badfinger drummer Michael “Mike” Gibbins died in his sleep on October 4, 2005, at the age of 56 at his home in Oviedo, Florida. He was known for the band's hits Come And Get It, No Matter What, and Day After Day; Badfinger also had the hit Baby Blue, and members of the group worked with George Harrison on the album All Things Must Pass and The Concert for Bangladesh. Contemporary reports said the cause of death was unknown at the time, while some later sources described it as a natural death.

Nickelback released their fifth album, All The Right Reasons, featuring the hits “Photograph,” “Far Away,” and “Rockstar.” The album reached number one in both Canada and the US, where it sold more than 10 million copies.

The Rolling Stones' concert at the University of Virginia's Scott Stadium was interrupted after eight songs because of a bomb threat directed at the stage. Police conducted a 45-minute search, found nothing suspicious and the band completed the concert.

The Rolling Stones concert at Scott Stadium at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville was interrupted after eight songs because of a bomb threat directed at the stage. Police conducted an approximately 45-minute search using dogs and found nothing suspicious. The group then returned to the stage and completed the concert as part of the A Bigger Bang tour.

Boy George was arrested in New York after falsely reporting a burglary at his Manhattan apartment. Police discovered more than 3.5 grams of cocaine during a search. The drug charges were later dropped, while George pleaded guilty to filing a false report and was fined and sentenced to five days of community service cleaning streets.

Gwen Stefani's “Hollaback Girl” became the first song certified for sales of one million digital downloads, primarily through the iTunes Store, where it was available for 99 cents. It was also the first single to have more downloads than CD sales.

Disturbed's album “Ten Thousand Fists” reached No. 1 on the U.S. album chart.

A silver 1974 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow that belonged to Freddie Mercury was offered for sale on eBay by his sister and heir, Kashmira Cooke. The car had not been seen publicly since 2002, when it transported the Bulsara family to the premiere of Queen's musical We Will Rock You. A box of Kleenex Mansize tissues that Mercury had reportedly left inside was said to still be there.

Singer and Live Aid co-founder Midge Ure receives an honorary degree from the University of Abertay in Dundee. He says he never expected such an honor after leaving school at age 15.

Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee suffers minor burns in a pyrotechnics accident during a concert in Casper, Wyoming. At the time, he is suspended about 30 feet above the stage.