The Top 25 Eminem Songs of All Time (2024)

Emimien has been relatively quiet over the past few years. Amid his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, we decided to look back at the Detroit rapper's impressive catalog. But, we are getting ahead of ourselves.

If you don't know who the infamous Marshal Mathers is and his impact on hip hip, then you are either too young or are not from this planet. Eminem has had one of the most impressive career runs in hip hop history, selling millions of records, and winning countless accolades, all while pissing off the world.

Aside from the notorious antics and potentially problematic lyrics, Em has a tremendous passion for hip hop and history. With his own impressive lyricism and technical prowess, Em has added to that history, pushing the art form forward, giving us some of the best musical moments in the past two decades. The dude gave us the Slim Shady LP, The Marshall Mathers LP, and The Eminem Show— albums that have gone on to go diamond.

If you have only heard albums like Music to Be By or Revival, this list is for you. This is a reminder of why Em is one of the G.O.A.Ts.

Check out the best Eminem songs below.

25. “Encore/Curtains Down”

Eminem had every reason to rest on his laurels in 2004, so it is completely warranted that he would close out his full-length Encore with a title track that featured little more than he and Dr. Dre reminding us all of their awesomeness. Because when you're Eminem, and when you've spoken to "a generation of angry teenagers" and graced "the cover of Rolling Stone pages," you definitely get to relax and brag a bit.

24. “Shake That”

Greeted with derision upon its first release, time has been kinder to "Shake That." Many were upset with Eminem for dropping a booty-jam on his greatest hits collection that featured more of Nate Dogg than anyone else, which is a fairly justifiable complaint. Our counterpoint is - how can you listen to this and not get your ass moving?

23. “Not Afraid”

In which Eminem proves that he did not, in fact, need Rihanna to make a radio-smash in 2010. The instantly-memorable, very sing-alongable chorus propels this track from being just another 'veteran rapper encouraging his fans to never give up anthem,' which is really exactly what this is. But if you think "Not Afraid" is a farewell call, think again, this rapper is staying around "until he bows out or he sh*ts his bowels out of him."

22. “Houdini”

Guess who's back?
After some time of radio silence by Eminem, the man himself is back with "Houdini", the launch of the single from Eminem's 12th studio album, 'The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce).'

The track is named after Harry Houdini, a famous magician known for his deadly stunts such as the Chinese Water Torture Cell, which Eminem attempted to replicate in the video intro of his 1999 track, “Role Model.”

Eminem in this track revisits his catchy, morbid sound of the early 2000s and uses it to reflects on his past, critiques social norms and addresses his critics by reaffirming his place in the rap industry. “Houdini” is both a tribute to his earlier work, particularly the 2002 single “Without Me,” with a music video in which Slim Shady steps out of a portal and is immersed in modern times, and also an amazing comeback song in which he wonders what his old self (Shady) would say and how he would act in the modern era of of different sensitivity and culture.

21. “Rap God”

Hip-hop purists may shake their fist at this song's inclusion over other, perhaps more worthy tracks, from earlier Eminem songs. But say what you will about his foray into more trap-oriented sounds; you can't look over "Rap God" after its entry into the Guinness Book of World Records for most words in a radio single (since overtaken but we digress). In a single verse, Em raps 97 words in 15 seconds.

20. “Soldier”

There are few relationships more pure for the American man than the one between himself and his gun. Naturally, Eminem's love letter to his own weapon of choice is a track that gels beautifully. His flow here is on point - the breathless delivery of "If you feel it, kill it / if you conceal it, reveal it" is particularly exhilarating - and it is matched by a beat that brings a calm contrast to the anger of his delivery.

19. “Beautiful”

Another unexpected highlight from the much-maligned Relapse, "Beautiful" is among the more intriguing slow-paced Eminem songs. That we don't know the exact inspiration behind the track adds depth to the - dare we say - sweet delivery of the chorus, a quality you would be hard-pressed to find anywhere else in his aggressive catalogue.

18. “When I’m Gone”

Even those that have no issue with Eminem's more touchy-feely songs will have their patience tested with "When I'm Gone." It combines the ballad-driven work focused around his daughter Hallie with the ballad-driven work focused around his self-loathing, which makes for quite the emotional co*cktail. What saves it from careening into the abyss is his earnestness; he's not pulling any punches here.

17. "Just Lose It"

Does it retread old ground and sound a little too similar to singles that came before it? Surely, but it's a testament to the strength of Eminem's musical formula in his early 2000s hey-day that a track like "Just Lose It" can still hold its own. Even more impressive is that a song where the chorus is built around the rapper doing his best Chewbacca-impression is this pleasing to the ear.

16. “‘Till I Collapse”

How this song was never an official single is a mystery for the ages. "'Till I Collapse" pulses with a relentless energy, one that is felt even before Eminem tosses in the iconic stomp-and-clap sample from Queen's "We Will Rock You" - which is really the only sonic equivalent to a line like "rip this sh*t till my bone collapse."

15. “Mockingbird”

The catalogue of Eminem songs is riddled with tributes to his daughter Hailie, but "Mockingbird" is by far the most essential. The interpolation of the titular lullaby is - fortunately - only present in the chorus, as the magic of this track is found in the completely subdued, clear-eyed delivery of each verse. It is a poignant admission from a father to his daughter on one of life's more painful truths: that sometimes, relationships just aren't going to work.

14. “Love the Way You Lie”

Over a decade after Eminem first began drawing criticism for his language towards women, he delivered one of his most open-hearted analyses of his own short-comings with "Love the Way You Lie." While it is certainly not his most impressive lyrical outing (the window pane pun is cringe), the track succeeds in part by marrying painfully intimate portraits with high-caliber, pop-radio sheen. And let's all just take a moment to appreciate that massive, massive Rihanna hook.

13. "'97 Bonnie & Clyde"

It gets a bit confusing to remember which song is which in the Eminem subgenre of 'songs about dumping your wife in a car trunk,' but this one can be best remembered as 'the chill one.' For a song (almost) on par with "Kim"'s graphic content, it is remarkably subdued, where a beat tailor-made for blissing out with a blunt conceals the alarming lyrics being tossed around.

12. “Guilty Conscience”

Eminem and Dr. Dre battling. One of the best Eminem songs of all time. Enough said.

11. “Brain Damage”

Violence begets violence, and so it goes with Eminem's best songs. In this particularly gruesome song, he deftly weaves a heartbreaking tale ofadolescence punctuated by violent abuse at the hands of his peers. Wisely, he does not attempt to use his past as a victim of bullies as an explanation of his present behavior or why nearly all of Eminem's top hits are so forcefully violent; instead, he relies on his visceral tales of school-set trauma toweavehis origin story.

10. “Kim”

There is nothing, and we mean nothing, pleasant about "Kim." It is a horrifying document of abuse, one that is confined to the realms of the imagination but is made no less disturbing by this fact. And yet it would be remiss to look over this track in the timeline of the rapper. After all, years later it remains one of Eminem's top hits. It broke new ground for both the rapper and hip-hop as a whole, striding with unbelievably bold confidence into dark, dark new territory. And yet, much like the hardcore and punk movements of old, it is vital.

9. “White America”

Hearing our glorious nation referred to as "the Divided States of Embarrassment" feels alarmingly real in 2017, but that line just scratches the surface of the politics embedded in "White America," Eminem's musical molotov co*cktail to the establishment. Indicting the music industry, the federal government and the hypocrisy of his often-radical fan base in one fell swoop, Em very accurately sums up his statement of intent as an artist by referring to his work as "anger aimed in no particular direction."

8. “Cleanin’ Out My Closet”

There's a duality inherent in Eminem's best songs. His character swings like a pendulum between violent aggressor and piteous victim more often than not and on this track, he gives this chaotic dichotomy a thorough dissection. Keeping his vocal flourishes to a minimum, he deals with some profoundly disturbing admissions with as much humility as he can, though his righteous anger is unable to be kept to the background. Case in point: lamenting his behavior towards his mother before addressing her with "you selfish bitch!"

7. “Role Model”

You would be hard-pressed to find a better statement of Eminem's intent than the opening line of his first verse: "I'm cancerous / So when I diss, you wouldn't wanna answer this." As one of the centerpieces of his debut album proper, "Role Model" oozes with a mood of contempt, glazed over extra-thick with that haunting set of repetitive guitar chords. "You can try this at home / you can be just like me" he taunts, seemingly a direct tease to the millions of horrified parents whose children embraced this track.

6. “My Name Is”

It's fitting that one of Eminem's top hits would also give us one of his most versatile displays of performance throughthe idea of shifting identities. While creating the beat with Dr. Dre, he would say that the title "was the first thing that came out of my mouth that first day I was at Dre’s house." As far as improvising in the studio goes, that's about as good as it gets.

5. “The Way I Am”

Who could have possibly been prepared for this song to be the follow-up single to "The Real Slim Shady?" Where the latter track is goofy, catchy and glides along a G-funk groove, "The Way I Am" is like a jagged knife slipped through the ribs. It's dark, sure, but it is first and foremost a rhythmic anomaly, in Eminem's work or otherwise. Few have attempted - let alone succeeded - at upholding such a starkly uneven flow, one that finds him resting on the beat and inserting his words in between. That he makes it sound so effortless is another accomplishment entirely andmakes for one of themost iconic Eminem songs in his career.

4. “Without Me”

Because when you drop a return single, you might as well make fun of your mom and the vice-president of the United States while you're at it. At least that's the way it goes in the Eminem school of thought. Jokes aside, this is among his best beats (the saxophone tho) with one of his most impressive flows. Everything about this song is, not only working, but working overtime.

3. “The Real Slim Shady”

"The Real Slim Shady" is, hands down, one of thegreatest Eminem songs in his discography. It's also the supreme example of everything that made early-era Eminem great. It's squelching beat is the crown jewel of his numerous collaborations with Dr. Dre, and it is the launch pad for Detroit's finest to unleash his flow like a whirling dervish. The tongue-tied acrobatics of the chorus are nothing compared to the dexterity at work in each verse, verses that also happened to make enemies with the entire music business circa 2000. #SorryNotSorry Will Smith.

2. "Stan"

Much and more (and then some) has been written about the extremely problematic lyrical contentpacked into Eminem songs. It's safe to say that had he begun in his career in say, 2017, there is no way he would have reached such prominence without collapsing under the weight of the criticism one finds in today's blogosphere.

"Stan," aside from being a fantastic song, is a much-needed reminder that Eminem is more self-aware than many would give him credit for. Weaving a classic tale of a fan gone dangerously-obsesso, it arrived as a piercing, pointed response to those who condemned the effect his lyrics would have in inciting violence. Instead of denial, Eminem responds with a cautionary tale to his fans with such dispositions, in the process delivering the most stellar example of storytelling in his career.

1. "Lose Yourself"

Was there any question that this wouldn't take the top spot among all of the best Eminem songs? It is a song that has transcended culture both high and low; dominating the Billboard charts and winning the coveted Academy Award for Best Original Song (the first of only two rap songs to ever achieve this distinction).

Even if it hadn't have netted Eminem an Oscar, "Lose Yourself" would still rank among the most integral pieces of 2000s hip-hop, let alone as his most essential track. From the iconic lyrics (shout out Mom's spaghetti) to the haunting, jangly-guitar production to that chorus; the chorus that completely exemplifies the Eminem-school of vocal delivery and palpably produces adrenaline on each listen. It is - unquestionably - his crowning achievement.

For more like this, check out our ranking of the best Drake, Kanye West, J. Cole, and Rihanna songs.