TOP 10 NEW EMINEM SONGS
The 10 Best Songs Since the First Curtain Call Album
Eminem recently dropped his anticipated Greatest Hits Volume 2 album titled Curtain Call 2. There are some killer songs on there no doubt, but like most Greatest Hits, it’s missing some of his best work. Here are 10 songs of his that weren’t necessarily “hits” but packed a wallop nonetheless. Songs that showcase Eminem’s creativity and raw talent. Note: Some of these did land on the compilation, and rightfully so.
10. Chloraseptic - Remix
The world seemed to turn it’s back on Eminem after the release of Revival, his most panned album to date. Eminem heard the backlash and fires back at his detractors with a remix featuring new bars that summon his skills as a battle rapper. He eclipses guest rappers 2Chainz and Phresher with a cadence that changes up throughout his verse and punchlines that punch hard. Some believe this was a warning to Joe Budden, who had slammed Revival on his online talk show. The verse was so masterful that the YouTube reactors Slim mentions on it seemed to do an about-face after this dropped. All the naysayers were back on the Eminem train again.
9. My darling
One of Eminem’s darkest songs to-date is a bonus track from his darkest album Relapse. “My Darling” features Eminem going back and forth with the his inner demon (Slim Shady) throughout most of it. It’s not one his top tier lyrical tracks, but it’s pure creativity and storytelling make up for it. He covers everything from other white rappers, to his drug addictions, to coping with fame. It’s almost nightmarish, yet funny at times. The perfect blend of Eminem vs Slim Shady with an eerie nursery rhyme-like chorus. That’s the good stuff.
8. Speedom
People who were impressed by Eminem’s speed on “Rap God” need to hear this collaboration. Not only does he rap faster on this song, but his tongue-twisting acrobatics had also improved since that single dropped. Whenever Eminem jumps on a track with another MC he makes it a point not to be outshined. In this case, it’s Tech N9Ne, who is renowned for being a black belt in the genre of chopper rap (fast paced rapping). Of course Slim had to bring his A-game with his guest appearance and he doesn’t disappoint. Hearing these two juggernauts together on a song was a dream come true for fans of highly lyrical hip-hop. These two top tier MCs slice through the song’s accelerated beat tempo like a pair of razor-sharp katana blades.
7. CALM DOWN
6. the ringer
“The Ringer” is sort of the follow-up to Eminem’s “Chloraseptic Remix” and kicks off his surprise album Kamikaze. As he promised with that track, he’d be back at people’s throats, and he does just that. A few mumble rappers, such as Lil’ Yachty, Lil’ Xan, and Lil’ Pump get lightly smacked, while he fires shots at Vince Staples and Iggy Azalea. He follows up on his Donald Trump freestyle diss, and also makes a subliminal dig at NF (possibly?) This is that fiery rap battle Eminem that fans had been waiting for. Great production and sharp and assertive lyricism give this track very high replay value. Right off the bat you know that this is going to be a diss album through and through. This is exactly what everyone wanted.
5. Castle / Arose
Revival wasn’t a very highly regarded album amongst Stans or casual listeners. However, these two back-to-back tracks at the album’s end were pretty well received. They very much roll together as one, deep diving into Eminem’s battles with addiction and how it almost killed him. He goes deep here, painting a picture of his daughter by his bedside as he passes. Then suddenly he rewinds the tape, going backwards into the previous song, then changes his path, going sober instead. The instrumentals on both songs are some of his finest, and the storytelling is amongst his most creative. If you didn’t bother with this album, you need to at least add these two fan favorite songs to your Eminem playlist.
4. Darkness
3. From the D 2 the lbc
Two of Dr. Dre‘s protégés, same entourage, and yet only one song collaboration before this, which featured three other artists on the track. For nearly 23 years Dre’s two best buds never hopped on another song together. Em would do multiple collabs with other labelmates and non-labelmates. Snoop Dogg would go on to do tracks with unlikely white rappers such as Kid Rock, Fred Durst, ICP, Everlast, and Lil’ Dicky. Something seemed way off. Then, whatever that vibe was seemed to rear it’s ugly head a few years back during an interview with Snoop.Snoop went on record to say that Eminem’s music wasn’t for him. This prompted Em to respond with a light jab directed at him on his song “Zeus”. The world then began to speculate a feud bubbling up between the two.
Fast forward a few months later. A simple phone call between Dre’s two best buds squashed the whole thing. The result ended up being this collaboration that was 20-some years in the making. A song too hot for radio. Eminem, for the first time in a long time, let his collaborator go after him on a track. To the surprise of many, neither outshined the other. Both icons spit pure fire over this Eminem-produced instrumental. It’s so good that you can picture Dr. Dre grinning from ear-to-ear upon his first listen.
2. gnat
The lead single from Eminem’s Music to Be Murdered By – Side B was a superb choice for a single. In the past, Eminem tended to drop silly pop-rap songs as his first singles. These releases were always far from his best work. He occasionally released the more serious tracks as singles that were far better quality songs, such as “Stan”, “Cleanin’ Out My Closet”, and “Not Afraid”. “Gnat” is somewhere in-between, and might have been a smash hit had it released during his years in the spotlight. The lyrics are solid, his flow and delivery are smooth, and producer D.A. Got That Dope crafts one hell of a catchy melody.
What really makes this track stand out though is how the song suddenly morphs into a different track entirely. The instrumental makes a U-turn and Em instantly changes his entire cadence to match it. He’s commonly referred to as the GOAT by his listeners, and the song title is a play on that, insinuating that his rivals are like a GNAT. Pretty clever. This song made it onto his 2nd Greatest Hits album, and this one really does belong there.
1. FALL
“Fall” was the chosen single from Eminem’s acclaimed surprise album Kamikaze, and for good reason. The song is not only the brutal diss track that his fans thirst for, but Em effortlessly raps over one of his smoothest instrumentals to date. The eerie yet captivating hook is provided by Bon Iver, whom Em would go on to diss on his next album. “Fall” is a perfect blend of soothing sound with a vicious verbal assault.
Shady warned his naysayers that he’d be back at their throats with the “Chloraseptic Remix“, and he follows through with that here. Joe Budden, DJ Akademiks, Tyler the Creator, and Lord Jamar all receive a lashing for their cynical comments about him in interviews and on social media. Eminem’s pacing here is fast, but not too fast, and his topic is clear: mess with the bull, get the horns. A no-joke diss track for a hit single? This is exactly the type of release Stans had been waiting for.
Honorable mentions
- “I Will”
- “Bad Guy”
- “Raw”
- “Godzilla”
- “Homicide”
Check out this extensive playlist featuring these songs AND several others showcasing the best of Slim Shady:
