Marshall Mathers III–better known by his stage name Eminem and his alter ego Slim Shady–is the best-selling hip-hop artist in the history of popular music. The Detroit rapper, record producer, songwriter, and actor has achieved 10 number-one albums on the Billboard 200, holds the record as the best-selling artist of the 2000s in the United States, recently became the second best-selling male solo artist of the Nielsen Soundscan era, and has won 13 Grammy Awards over the course of his 24-year career. Eminem released his debut album Infinite in 1996 and rose to mainstream popularity in 1999 with his second album, The Slim Shady LP–a commercial success that earned him his first Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. Along with being a member of the group D12 and one half of the hip-hop duo Bad Meets Evil, Eminem also has his own record label, his own radio channel, and starred in the 2002 film 8 Mile–“Lose Yourself” won Eminem an Academy Award for Best Original Song. Read on for a list of the best-selling Eminem albums of all-time in the United States, according to Recording Industry Association of America.
5. Recovery – 4.5 million
Eminem’s seventh studio album, Recovery, was released in June 2010 as the follow up to the previous year’s Relapse. Producers included Just Blaze, DJ Khalil, Mr. Porter, and Dr. Dre, while artists such as Pink, Lil Wayne, and Rihanna were featured on select tracks. With more introspective and emotional content, Recovery received generally positive critical reviews at debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. Singles included “Not Afraid,” “Love the Way You Lie,” and “No Love.”
4. Encore – 5.3 million
Released in November 2004, Encore–Eminem’s fifth album–contains a number of lyrical themes including Eminem’s relationships with his ex-wife, their daughter Hailie, and his own parents, his childhood, and opposition to George W. Bush. Encore received generally positive reviews, sold more than 700,000 copies in its first three days of release, and was certified quadruple-platinum only one month later. Singles included “Just Lose It,” “Like Toy Soldiers,” and “Mockingbird.”
3. The Slim Shady LP – 5.4 million
Eminem’s second studio album and first major release, The Slim Shady LP, was released in 1999 and turned the unknown Detroit rapper into a major mainstream star. Featuring production from Dr. Dre and the Bass Brothers, The Slim Shady LP‘s unique and over-the-top lyrical content is written from the perspective of Eminem’s alter ego, Slim Shady. The album was a critical and commercial smash and spawned hit singles including “My Name Is,” “Role Model,” and “Guilty Conscience.”
2. The Eminem Show – 10.5 million
The Eminem Show, Eminem’s fourth studio album, was the best-selling album of 2002 in the United States. The album became Eminem’s third album in four years to win the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album and achieved diamond certification in 2011. A more reflective, serious, and personal album, The Eminem Show received generally positive reviews and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. Singles include “Without Me,” “Cleanin’ Out My Closet,” “Superman,” and “Sing for the Moment.”
1. The Marshall Mathers LP – 11.0 million
Released in May 2000, The Marshall Mathers LP is the best-selling Eminem album of all-time. Eminem’s third studio album and the follow-up to The Slim Shady LP, the album was produced by Dr. Dre and Eminem and features more introspective lyrical content in relation to the rapper’s fame and criticism. The album sold more than 1.76 million copies in its first week, becoming the fastest-selling studio album any solo artist in American music history at that time and won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. Singles include “The Real Slim Shady,” “The Way I Am,” “Stan,” and “I’m Back.”
Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for MTV
