Songs From 2005 That Made Burned CDs a Love Language

In the ’00s, burnt CDs were the love letters of the day. Why come up with some heartfelt speech when countless musicians have already said exactly how you feel better than most of us ever could? There’s a ’00s song for every stage of a romance, and they made their way onto many a burnt CD. Below, revisit three 2005-released songs that were staples on custom CDs.

Videos by American Songwriter

[RELATED: No Matter How Old You Get, These 3 Songs From the 2000s Will Always Leave You in Tears]

“We Belong Together” (Mariah Carey)

Even today, Mariah Carey’s “We Belong Together” is a strong song of romantic devotion. It hasn’t lost its power by a single iota over the last several decades. It’s still pop perfection and will likely remain so for the foreseeable future.

In 2005, if you or your crush were R & B fans, there was only one song to use on the tracklist for your burnt CD. “We Belong Together” succinctly wrapped up your feelings into an earworm melody. Many high school flings were born with this song playing in the background.

RELATED: Mariah Carey’s Signature Christmas Song Just Hit the Charts Earlier Than Ever]

“Fix You” (Coldplay)

Crushes aren’t all smiles. Heartache can often rear its head, prompting a marathon listening session of sad songs. If you set out to make a burnt CD that would earn the forgiveness of your crush, Coldplay’s “Fix You” was likely on the shortlist of songs to include.

This melancholy track was released in the latter half of 2005, earning Coldplay a generation-defining hit. To this day, this song is one breakup away from going platinum in individual listeners’ houses. A truly great song never goes out of style, and “Fix You” is strong evidence of that.

[RELATED: How Neil Young’s Ever-so Unique Voice Inspired Chris Martin To Write Coldplay’s “Yellow”]

“Better Together” (Jack Johnson)

If you wanted to covertly tell someone how you felt via a burnt CD, Jack Johnson’s “Better Together” would’ve been a noncommittal choice of love song. If you didn’t know any better, you could assume whoever made the CD just thought this was a good song, but the context of burgeoning love is there.

This song never truly goes out of the rotation for Johnson’s fans. It’s certainly timestamped in the mid-’00s, but the message in the lyrics is timeless enough to make it listenable decades after its release.

(Photo by Anthony Harvey/Shutterstock)