ALL 8 EMINEM ALBUMS, DEFINITIVELY RANKED FROM WORST TO BEST

What’s Eminem’s best album? Peep this ranking and find out the answer

8. INFINITE (1996)

Eminem’s debut album was recorded and produced for indie label Web Entertainment before Eminem hit the big time. Only 1,000 copies of “Infinite” were sold, because only 1,000 copies were made. Still, the album set the stage for Marshall Mathers’ stardom. The title track, “313,” and “Never 2 Far” are standout cuts.

7. ENCORE (2004)

“Encore” is widely regarded as one of Eminem’s weakest albums. While sporadically entertaining, it lacks the depth Em had become known for. It also sounded at the time as though he was calling it quits when he rapped on album closer “Encore/Curtains Down,” “I don’t ever want to leave the game without at least saying goodbye.”

6. RELAPSE (2009)

“Relapse” was released in 2009, following the critical disappointment of “Encore,” and after Eminem had taken a break from the rap game due to exhaustion and drug addiction. The album keeps it classic by incorporating plenty of skits, but it largely departs from the rapper’s signature style. It’s evident the emcee was out of practice. Even so, “Beautiful” is one seriously moving track off this album.

5. RECOVERY (2010)

If “Relapse” was Eminem’s return from self-imposed exile from the rap game, “Recovery” was a true return to form. This album demonstrated that Em had finally gotten his sea legs back. A critical and commercial success, “Recovery” became the best-selling album of 2010 in the U.S. and worldwide. At the 2011 Grammy Awards, it was nominated for album of the year, and the single “Love the Way You Lie” earned nominations for song and record of the year.

4. THE EMINEM SHOW (2002)

Eminem’s fourth album is perhaps his most personal work, with Em responding lyrically to the impact of his newfound megastardom in the wake of “The Marshall Mathers LP.” The album debuted at №1 on the Billboard 200 and stayed there for five consecutive weeks. Since its debut, “The Eminem Show” has sold more than 10 million copies.

3. THE MARSHALL MATHERS LP 2 (2013)

A sequel to his 2002 smash hit “The Marshall Mathers LP” (with 11 years and four albums between them), Eminem’s most recent studio album demonstrated the artistic evolution he’d undergone in the 17 years since his debut. Songs like “Bad Guy” and “Rap God” show off his lyrical prowess while also staying true to his one-of-a-kind character, and the album’s title underscores the production’s throwback sound.

2. THE SLIM SHADY LP (1999)

Eminem’s second studio album and major-label debut allowed him to break through into the mainstream. Beginning with the exposure gained from the single “My Name Is,” this classic turned Eminem from an underground rapper to a hugely successful celebrity. “The Slim Shady LP” won a Grammy Award for best rap album, and has sold more than 5 million copies.

1. THE MARSHALL MATHERS LP (2000)

Eminem’s most commercially successful album is also his best. Following the kick-in-the-door success of “The Slim Shady LP,” “The Marshall Mathers LP” announced to the world that Eminem was much more than just a hip-hop comedian, with a dark, complex lyrical focus on Em’s complicated feelings in the wake of overnight success. Released just one year after his major-label debut, “The Marshall Mathers LP” became the fastest-selling album by any solo artist in American music history. It has sold an astounding 32 million copies.