Every year after the marching season ends (after Grand Nationals), our panel gets together and decides which bands to name “Bands of the Year”. Results may or may not be scientific or even accurate. Special emphasis is given to the Illinois State, University of Illinois, and BOA Competitions in creating this list. Schools are divided into Divisions by school size, with Divisions III and IV combined together.

We had 7 judges in each Division, mostly made of band directors and IL Marching Staff. They each picked five bands from the ballot (or write-ins), and those bands were scored as follows:
First in Division – 5 points
Second in Division – 4 points
Third in Division – 3 points
Second in Diviison – 2 points
First in Division – 1 point

Honorable Mention bands are listed alphabetically, rather than in score order. We recognized at most 3 Honorable Mention bands in each division.

Here are your 2005 Bands of the Year:

Division I (1501+ Students)
Marian Catholic (35 points, 7 first-place votes)
Prospect (24 points
Lake Park (18 points)
Lincoln-Way East (13 points)
Lincoln-Way Central (9 points)

Honorable Mention: Naperville North, United Township, Warren Township

Division II (801 to 1500 Students)
Morton (35 points, 7 first-place votes)
Lemont (21 points)
Mahomet-Seymour (17 points)
Washington (11 points)
Normal West (8 points)

Honorable Mention: Dunlap, Galesburg, Geneseo

Division III (451 to 800 Students)
Murphysboro (27 points, 2 first-place votes)
Macomb (26 points, 3 first-place votes)
Herscher (22 points, 1 first-place vote)
Illinois Valley Central (20 points)
Eureka (6 points)

Honorable Mention: Mater Dei, Monticello

Division IV (1 to 450 Students)
Atwood-Hammond (34 points, 6 first-place votes)
Tri-Valley (23 points)
Watseka (20 points)
Farmington (9 points, 1 first-place vote)
Dwight (8 points)

Honorable Mention: Carthage, El Paso/Gridley, Winchester

2004 Bands of the Year
2003 Bands of the Year
2002 Bands of the Year