Rolling Stone’s 2025 ranking puts “The Real Slim Shady” at No. 1 and “Bully” at No. 50, framing Eminem’s catalog as more than a showcase for speed and rhyme. Its strongest songs also use storytelling, humor, provocation and vulnerability—and some contain sexist or homophobic imagery that has aged poorly.
What the ranking is—and what it is not
“The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs” is Rolling Stone’s editorial ranking, published June 3, 2025. Eminem’s official site had announced the project on November 21, 2017, describing the magazine’s effort to assess his catalog. The published list is a critical judgment, not an objective chart or a claim that one song is definitively best for every listener.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Curtain Call | $11.89 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Curtain Call The Hits - Best Of Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 - Eminem Greatest Hits CD Album Bundling | $26.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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The Eminem Show | $10.36 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Eminem Presents: The Re-Up | $13.98 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
![Curtain Call 2 [2 CD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51jh1u2+O+L._SL160_.jpg)
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Curtain Call 2 [2 CD] | $19.98 | Buy on Amazon |
Its framing recognizes the contrast between Eminem’s comic Slim Shady performances and his darker character studies. It also addresses a tension central to listening across his catalog: technical and artistic accomplishment can coexist with lyrics that rely on offensive stereotypes.
Why “The Real Slim Shady” is No. 1
Rolling Stone ranks “The Real Slim Shady” first. The feature says Eminem created it as the needed lead single for The Marshall Mathers LP, and that it became a major crossover hit. Its case for the song therefore reaches beyond verbal technique: the performance and humor made a deliberately outrageous persona legible to a much wider audience.
#1 Best Overall
- Originally released on December 6, 2005, Curtain Call - The Hits features Eminem's most popular songs from his first 4 albums and the 8 Mile soundtrack, released through Aftermath/Interscope
That combination helps explain why Eminem’s most prominent songs can work on several levels at once: as displays of rhyme and delivery, as character performances, and as records that reached beyond rap audiences.
What the No. 50 entry, “Bully,” represents
At the other end of the ranking, “Bully” is described as a loose track from Eminem’s feud era. Its position provides a contrast with the polished crossover single at No. 1: the catalog also includes combative, less formally central material shaped by conflicts of its moment.
Rank #2
- Greates Hits
- Best Of
- Complete
- Edition
- Live
How to listen across Eminem’s catalog
A useful comparison is not simply “fast” versus “slow.” Listen for the different jobs the songs are doing, and for how those choices affect their impact.
- Flow and rhyme: Notice how tightly the words fit the beat and how delivery changes the force of a line.
- Storytelling and character: Ask whether the narrator is speaking as Eminem, adopting a persona, or constructing a fictional voice.
- Vulnerability and self-examination: Compare confrontational performances with songs that look inward or address personal relationships.
- Cultural reach: A crossover hit can carry a persona and a sound into a larger public conversation; popularity is one measure, not a substitute for artistic judgment.
- Production and vocal performance: Pay attention to how the beat, tone and shifts in delivery shape a song’s humor or intensity.
- Ethical context: Acknowledge violent, sexist or homophobic imagery directly. Calling a song influential or technically accomplished does not make every lyric harmless or timeless.
Is “Stan” his best song?
“Stan” is a natural choice for listeners drawn to narrative songwriting. Eminem has described it as a message to fans that not everything he says should be taken literally. That distinction matters: the song uses a constructed voice, and its story should not be read as a straightforward statement of the artist’s beliefs. Rolling Stone’s ranking does not make “Stan” its No. 1 selection; that place belongs to “The Real Slim Shady.” Which song feels best depends on whether a listener values narrative, performance, cultural reach or another quality most.
Rank #3
- EMINEM THE EMINEM SHOW
Where to start, and which album to explore
For a newcomer, start with the representative singles named in Eminem’s official lyrics catalog—such as “Stan,” “Mockingbird,” “Like Toy Soldiers,” “Without Me” and “Lose Yourself”—then compare them with their album settings. Hearing a song among its neighboring tracks can change how its persona, tone and subject land.
The Recording Academy’s 2025 career overview credits Eminem with 12 studio albums and 15 Grammy Awards from 47 nominations. It describes a classic period beginning with The Slim Shady LP and ending before Encore, while noting that later albums respond to earlier chapters of his career. Rather than treating one album as the universal answer to “What is Eminem’s best?”, use that arc to choose a starting point: the early records for the period the Academy identifies as classic, or later releases to hear how he revisits his own legacy.
Rank #4
- EMINEM EMINEM PRESENTS THE RE-UP
Which Eminem greatest-hits album should you choose?
| Release | What is established | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
| Curtain Call: The Hits | Eminem’s official discography identifies it as his first greatest-hits album. | Listeners looking for the original hits collection. |
| Curtain Call 2 | Eminem’s official discography identifies it as his second greatest-hits album. | Listeners who want the later companion collection. |
Those descriptions establish their order, not current formats, stock or availability in a particular country; check a local retailer or the artist’s official listings before buying. For an album-focused expanded release rather than a greatest-hits set, Eminem’s official announcement for The Eminem Show 20th Anniversary Expanded Edition documents 18 bonus tracks, including B-sides, live performances, instrumentals and an unreleased song.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Curtain Call 2
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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