Published by Billboard magazine, the data are compiled by Nielsen SoundScan based collectively on each single's weekly physical and digital sales, and airplay.
During the year, five acts achieved their first US number-one single, either as a lead artist or featured guest: Mario, Olivia, Gwen Stefani, Carrie Underwood, and Chris Brown.
Other singles with extended chart runs include R&B singer Mario's "Let Me Love You", his best-performing song to date,[10] and rapper 50 Cent's "Candy Shop", each spent nine straight weeks at number one.
Carey is the only artist to have earned two number-one singles in 2005 after "Don't Forget About Us" topped the chart in the final calendar issue of Billboard Hot 100.
"Don't Forget About Us" is Carey's 17th number-one single, placing her third in the list of acts with most number ones in the United States at the time,[3] behind only The Beatles and Elvis Presley.