The Top Ten Eminem Songs

Hate him or love him, Eminem is not only a household name but also an emcee par excellence. Always controversial, he's had a deep influence on hip-hop culture. Here are his top ten songs:

• The Way I Am, Eminem's The Marshall Mathers LP, 2000

I must admit I was late. I missed infinite, the Slim Shady EP, and after having seen My Name Is on MTV and dismissing Marshall Mathers as an absurd gimmick, I pretty much ignored his debut as well. Then I heard his verses on Forgot About Dre, What's The Difference, and Dead Wrong, and this time when MTV dropped the first two singles from his sophomore album, I paid attention. And after hearing Shady "just blurt this berserk and bizarre s--t that works," I gained respect for him as an emcee, and not just an emcee but an extremely gifted one. The internal rhyme scheme alone is ridiculous, and coupled with the wordplay makes it one of the best Eminem songs he's ever released.

• '97 Bonnie and Clyde, Eminem's The Slim Shady LP, 1999

One of Eminem's all-time creepiest songs, detailing his disposal of his wife's corpse, alongside his toddler daughter, '97 Bonnie and Clyde is also expert storytelling, presaging Stan and other notable lyrical tales.

• As The World Turns, Eminem's The Slim Shady LP, 1999

Eminem has, throughout his career, crafted a number of songs wherein he tries to take an absurd turn of phrase to its logical extreme with alternately hilarious or disturbing results (see Insane or Stay Wide Awake off of his latest album Relapse). This is hilarious. And disturbing. And hilarious.

• I'm Back, Eminem's The Marshall Mathers LP, 2000

I'm Back is another song that made me respect Eminem as an emcee. His tongue-twisting wordplay is dementedly first-rate here, and is one of the best Eminem songs, particularly in terms of lyrics.

• Criminal, Eminem's The Marshall Mathers LP, 2000

Criminal is a rage against the machine rant against political correctness interspersed with surreal anecdotes that make much of his previous work seem tame by comparison. The use of multiple personas, the storytelling, and the wordplay makes this a definite Eminem highlight.

• Mosh, Eminem's Encore, 2004

One of the few redeeming songs from Eminem's most lackluster album is a rousing get out the vote song. The vocals are deliberately slow and angry over a brooding beat punctuated by the sound of people marching. The lyrics combine Eminem's penchant for self-reference and intensity, with seemingly genuine passion for a Democratic victory in the 2004 Presidential election, resulting in one of his best songs.

• 8 Mile Road, 8 Mile Soundtrack, 2002

This is one of Eminem's best displays of pure lyricism, unmarred by the disturbing imagery that to many is a turnoff. Over a mid-tempo brooding beat, he speaks of his struggles to achieve stardom in such an accessible fashion that the song is instantly relatable to anyone who has struggled to accomplish a goal.

• Sing For the Moment, Eminem's The Eminem Show, 2002

Over a sample of Aerosmith's Dream On, Eminem, at types bordering on the poetic, raps about the relationship between celebrities and their fans, using himself as the archetype. This is his clearest articulation of the perils of fame, a recurring theme in his work.

• Lose Yourself, 8 Mile Soundtrack, 2002

Without a doubt the most inspirational song of his career, 2002's Lose Yourself, like 8 Mile Road, is about struggling to achieve one's goals, however the up-tempo instrumental and rousing chorus make this catchy single a bit superior to 8 Mile Road.

• Stan, Eminem's The Marshall Mathers LP, 2000

One of his best-known songs, Stan is also one of the best lyrical tales in hip-hop since 2000. The name, which has become a hip-hop staple, refers to a crazed fan whose attempts to connect with the rapper meet tragic consequences, (à la '97 Bonnie and Clyde). The haunting Dido sample provided just the right amount of eerieness to punctuate the disturbing yet insightful lyrics.

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