505 (song)

Release and promotion

"505" was released on 23 April 2007 as the closing track from Arctic Monkeys' second studio album Favourite Worst Nightmare (2007). The song became a frequent closer of the band's live shows since 2007. It has been performed several times with Miles Kane, including during Arctic Monkeys' headline set at TRNSMT in 2018 and the last night of the band's three-days residency at the Emirates Stadium in London in June 2023. Turner and Kane also performed the song as The Last Shadow Puppets during their 2016 headline Rockwave Festival set.

On 19 November 2020, the band released a live version of "505" ahead of their second live album Live at the Royal Albert Hall. It was recorded on 7 June 2018 at the Royal Albert Hall in London. All of the proceeds from that project were donated to War Child.

A fan favourite, "505" became popular on TikTok in August 2022 when it was associated to a variety of videos, including some by users showcasing the soft grunge, 2014 Tumblr aesthetic. Following that viral success, the song surged on Spotify where it became the band's third most popular song with an average of 1.7 million plays a month. It reached a new peak in the UK Singles Chart and was number 64 on the 2022 annual chart. It was also the biggest indie song in the UK in 2022.

Composition

"505" is composed in the key of C major with a time signature of (common time), and follows a tempo of 140 beats per minute. The track predominantly features an organ chord progression inspired by Ennio Morricone's The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, played by Turner himself, as well as a guitar played by long-time collaborator Miles Kane.

The song's lyrics prominently focus on a relationship, and the protagonist yearningly returning to a place for a certain moment or individual, "505" is ambiguous in its meaning, but some have suggested it could represent a real or metaphorical hotel room number. The track is often referred to as one of the first love songs by the band, with Turner stating in an interview with NME, "the first proper love song we've done ... as in like, 'Oh, it's that one person. In the same interview, Turner admits the song centres on an ex-lover of his, which fans have theorised refers to Turner's then-girlfriend, Johanna Bennett.

Personnel

Personnel taken from Favourite Worst Nightmare liner notes. Arctic Monkeys

• Alex Turner
• Jamie Cook
• Nick O'Malley
• Matt Helders

Additional performer

• Miles Kane – guitar Technical Personnel
• Mike Crossey – production
• James Ford – production
• Alan Moulder – mixing
• George Marino – mastering

Reception

"505" received mainly positive reviews from critics. Marc Hogan of Pitchfork referred to it as "one of Turner's first proper love songs" stating further, "the closing '505', [sic] draped with an apparent Ennio Morricone organ sample, poignantly if none too adventurously describes Turner's longing to get back to a hotel room where his lover awaits".

In an article revisiting the track, Harry Fortuna of The Edge praises Turner's maturity in the song's lyrics, commenting "lyrically, Turner is at his poetic best, as he makes his pilgrimage back to his awaiting lover in hotel room 505, he displays his tendency for the explicit as he croons over the lines 'I'm always just about to go and spoil the surprise / Take my hands off of your eyes too soon. "The song is way before its time", he further states, "evoking a romanticism and air of class that can be seen in much larger volumes in 2013's AM, contrasted with the rustic authenticity that harks back to the band's roots that are grounded in the nightclubs of Sheffield. '505' epitomises everything about the band".

Alexis Petridis of The Guardian states the track "discusses how touring plays havoc with one's love life ... It's so heartfelt and riven with insecurity that it transcends the dreary genre to which it should by rights belong, that of songs in which rock stars complain about being rock stars. That stuff this mature and thoughtful was written by someone barely 21 years old genuinely gives you pause for thought". In another article ranking all the band's songs, Petridis ranks "505" at number three, stating "the belated progress of 505 from overlooked album track to one of Arctic Monkeys' biggest songs... is fascinating. TikTok clearly played a role, but so did the sheer quality of the song: over chords borrowed from Ennio Morricone, it deals in beautifully understated melancholy".

In 2023, Rolling Stone and Paste ranked the song number five and number six, respectively, on their lists of the greatest Arctic Monkeys songs. The song was voted number four on the 2023 edition of Radio X's annual "Best British Song of All Time" poll.

Cover versions

American singer Nessa Barrett released a dream pop cover of "505" as part of the extended version of her debut album Young Forever.

British singer Louis Tomlinson covered "505" during the opening night of his sophomore tour "Faith in the Future" at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut on 26 May 2023. He continued to cover the song at every show of his world tour.

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

References

References

1. Skinner, Tom. (21 October 2022). "Alex Turner tells us about Arctic Monkeys' '505' going viral on TikTok".
2. Williams, Sophie. (21 October 2022). "Arctic Monkeys: "We know more tricks now, but we're still rolling on that same instinct"". [[NME]].
3. Trendell, Andrew. (6 June 2016). "The Last Shadow Puppets Perform Arctic Monkeys' "505" for the First Time". [[Gigwise]].
4. Thomas-Mason, Lee. (2 July 2018). "Watch as Miles Kane Joins Arctic Monkeys on Stage for "505" Rendition". Far Out.
5. Dunworth, Liberty. (19 June 2023). "Watch Arctic Monkeys Reunite with Miles Kane for "505" in London". [[NME]].
6. Marie, Laura. (19 November 2020). "Quand les Arctic Monkeys interprétaient ''505'' en live à Londres en 2018". [[Les Inrockuptibles]].
7. David, Mathieu. (23 November 2020). "Arctic Monkeys : un extrait de leur prochain album live". [[Oüi FM]].
8. Dodds, Emma. (7 July 2023). "The Meanings Behind 18 of Arctic Monkeys' Biggest Songs". Planet Radio.
9. Goldberg, Madison E.. (13 October 2022). "10 Rock Songs from the Mid-2000s That Have Gotten TikTok Revivals".
10. Skinner, Tom. (21 October 2022). "Alex Turner Tells Us About Arctic Monkeys' "505" Going Viral on TikTok". [[NME]].
11. "End of Year Singles Chart 2022". [[Official Charts Company]].
12. (14 November 2022). "More Growth for U.K. Indie Sector". [[Hits (magazine).
13. "Key and BPM for 505 by Arctic Monkeys {{!}} Tunebat".
14. Thomas-Mason, Lee. (6 July 2020). "What's That Sound? When Arctic Monkeys Sampled the Great Ennio Morricone". Far Out.
15. (23 June 2023). "Where Was "505" in the Arctic Monkeys Song". [[Radio X (United Kingdom).
16. (9 May 2018). "Rewind: Arctic Monkeys – '505'".
17. Maplethorpe, Dale. (2025-04-14). "The Arctic Monkeys line that sums up modern romance".
18. Haynes, Gavin. (10 May 2018). "Arctic Monkeys – Who are the real life characters behind Alex Turner's early lyrics?".
19. Leatham, Thomas. (5 September 2022). "The Real People Behind Some of Arctic Monkeys' Best Characters". Far Out.
20. (2007). "Favourite Worst Nightmare". [[Domino Recording Company]].
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22. Petridis, Alexis. (20 April 2007). "Arctic Monkeys, Favourite Worst Nightmare". [[The Guardian]].
23. (25 August 2023). "The 30 Best Arctic Monkeys Songs".
24. Mitchell, Matt. (1 September 2023). "The 40 Greatest Arctic Monkeys Songs".
25. Morton, Dennis. (12 April 2023). "Radio X Best of British 2023: Oasis Dominates as Wet Leg and Arctic Monkeys Claims Top 10 Spot in New Poll". Manchester World.
26. Lane, Lexi. (18 November 2022). "Nessa Barrett Reimagines Arctic Monkeys' "505" in a Dreamy New Cover". [[Uproxx]].
27. Richards, Will. (27 May 2023). "Watch Louis Tomlinson Cover Arctic Monkeys' "505"". [[NME]].
28. Russell, Calum. (28 May 2023). "Louis Tomlinson Covers "505" by the Arctic Monkeys". Far Out.
29. Ackroyd, Stephen. (27 May 2023). "Watch Louis Tomlinson Kick Off His World Tour with a Cover of Arctic Monkeys Classic "505"". [[Dork (magazine).
30. "IFPI Charts".
31. "End of Year Singles Chart – 2023". [[Official Charts Company]].
32. "Hot Rock & Alternative Songs – Year-End 2023".
33. "Billboard Global 200 – Year-End 2025".