20 essential songs for your Eminem playlist

From Eminem's seventh studio album Music to Be Murdered By. Though maybe not among the most cited when hardcore Marshall Mathers talk the best of the artist, this track is about gun control, and one specific real-life moment. From his perspective, Eminem takes us into the mind of Stephen Paddock, the man who shot and killed 61 people attending a concert while he was positioned in a window of a Mandalay Bay hotel room on the Las Vegas strip in 2017. The song reached No. 28 on the Billboard Hot 100.

A fan favorite from the critically acclaimed, Grammy Award-winning The Marshall Mathers LP, the track "Marshall Mathers," is just the artist trying to proclaim how much of a normal person he is amid all the glitz and hype of being among the biggest entertainers on the planet. Of course, he also takes shot at those who put him down — from critics to fellow musicians, like the Insane Clown Posse. 

Slim Shady is back, and Eminem earned another Grammy nomination with this memorable track from The Marshall Mathers LP 2. Though there were several music critics who weren't buying this throwback piece from Eminem, it remains quite popular with his fan base. At more than six minutes long, it's quite the rap journey, and can get a little convoluted at times. That said, there's just something about the nostalgic references within the song that makes it worthy of inclusion on our list. We also dig the Max Headroom-like music video.

The final track from the The Marshall Mathers LP, "Criminal" presents a lyrical microcosm of Eminem's professional persona and status within the entertainment world at the time. His controversial lyrics in the early days tended to make the artist feel like a "criminal" when it came to being portrayed by the media, or described by those in politics and various other government or authority positions, even as many didn't — and still do not — get the often satirical and cartoonish imagination he possesses. Not one of the record's hit tracks, but still one of Eminem's best.

Eminem's rap legacy should always be noted for the often brutal honesty and genuine approach of his lyrics. The man has lived quite the life, and when he puts it to words, the magic truly happens — no matter how personal, disturbing, or controversial the subject matter. With "Brain Damage," from his second studio release (and first on a major label) The Slim Shady LP, Em chronicles being bullied by fellow student DeAngelo Bailey, who roughed him up to the point of suffering serious brain trauma. 

Again with The Marshall Mathers LP. This is Eminem's "love song" to drugs and alcohol. It's certainly not the most politically correct song in the rapper's catalog, but it's about what he's experienced and how the drugs "really got a hold of me." It's not supposed to be glamorous, but it's honest. Another example of why critics and fans appreciate the brutal honesty of his music — no matter how much controversy it might cause.

The lead single from Eminem's seventh studio release Recovery, "Not Afraid" is one of the artist's more progressive and possibly "safe" tracks. Moving on from his chemical dependency, Eminem's message throughout the rap is rather positive. There's even a backing choir to lend a hand and prove that everything in his catalog does not need to be controversial. Another No. 1 single, "Not Afraid" won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance and was nominated for Best Rap Song.

With Eminem, it's usually personal. And, it can be argued that "Mockingbird" might be his most genuine musical moment within his entire oeuvre. A message to his daughter (then 9-year-old Hailie Jade), this Grammy Award-nominated track from 2004's Encore is Eminem's attempt to prove to her, his family, and even the world that he can and will be a good father despite all the fame, distraction, and vices that have come and gone in his life. 

Sampling the Aerosmith classic "Dream On," "Sing for the Moment" is the perfect song for music fans who might be on the fringe about Eminem to give the artist a chance. Though there's plenty of angst in Mr. Mathers' rhymes (notably toward the media), this unheralded track from 2002's The Eminem Show is as mainstream as a rap/hip hop track can get. Especially when the works of a legendary mainstream rock band are there to help the cause.

Nobody is going to feel sorry for Eminem as he tries to deal with his international superstardom. Handling fame is a common tale for musical artists to write about. So what makes "The Way I Am," from The Marshall Mathers LP, any different? Maybe the way Eminem unleashes his lyrical assault on the media, paparazzi, or those overzealous fans who won't let him be. It's another outlet for the artist to cope. He's not looking for pity — just a little peace. 

Yes, this not an Eminem track,, per se. However, he wrote and produced the song, and his vocals are included on it as a feature while the song appears on Dr. Dre's classic album 2001. Eminem's presence on the track puts out a Slim Shady vibe and is certainly one of the most memorable moments on what's a great rap/hip hop album on its own. The relationship between Eminem and Dr. Dre has long shaped both of their careers — professionally and personally. It's matured from mentor and mentee to mutual respect.

There is certainly a disturbing quality to this haunting track from The Slim Shady LP (it also appeared on the 1997 Slim Shady EP). Eminem's alter ego, Slim Shady speaking to his daughter, Hailie, as he prepares to take her with as he disposes of the lifeless body of her mother, and his ex-wife. Though critics mostly hailed the track as showcasing Eminem's creative, albeit dark impulses, it's another controversial offering from the famed rapper. And, perhaps, another example of the mental and emotional demons he's wrestled with during his life.

Another monumental moment between Eminem and Dr. Dre. The former got the music from the latter, and penned the lyrics. The song features more disturbing fictional hate directed at his mother, and how he intended to have his way with her. A massive highlight from The Marshall Mathers LP, it was also another controversial moment for the rapper, drawing criticism for what some political and activist types regarded as the violent treatment of women — which is ironic since part of the song's plot is about his controversial professional persona.

From The Eminem Show, the artist is angry. We know, it's a shock. This time Eminem's issues are with his mother, Debbie. When the song had finished, one can sense the feeling of catharsis that seems to wash over the rapper, as he chides the woman for not being the type of mother he needed. When it comes to using the microphone as a way to unleash emotional fury and say things some artists are unable to say in real life, Eminem might be the best of all time at doing so. 

We've hit the point in our list where even the most casual of rap and hip hop fans can identify this tune. One of Em's catchy works, "Without Me" comes from The Eminem Show and is the return of the artist as a modern-day hero — for better or worse. He takes plenty of shots on the Grammy Award-nominated track, notably at former Vice President Dıck Cheney. The song is also known for its popular music video, which won a Grammy, five MTV Video Music Awards and prominently features Dr. Dre. The song peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The song that began it all. The first single from The Slim Shady LP, it essentially introduced the rap/hip hop world to Slim Shady, the profanity-spewing, cartoon-like character that became Eminem's second personality and the basis for a good chunk of his creative process. "My Name Is" was Eminem's first single to crack the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100, and earned him his first Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance. The creatively amusing video also won Eminem the MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist in a Video.

Peaking at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, "The Real Slim Shady," from The Marshall Mathers LP, was Eminem's highest-charting single at the time. It also earned him the Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance. The track is another where Eminem, or Shady, rails on his naysayers, but doing so in animated fashion that proves he doesn't always take himself or his actual, real-life intent on such matters too seriously. As a white man in a what was to that time traditionally a black man's business, Eminem knows he's an odd character based on looks alone. He may never be able to shake criticism on that level. But that won't stop him from becoming one of the most successful rappers in the world.

Found on The Marshall Mathers LP, "Kim" is the prequel to the aforementioned "'97 Bonnie & Clyde.” In this case, Eminem raps about his growing disdain for ex-wife Kim Mathers, and her preventing him from seeing their daughter. In a rabid, hate-filled stream of consciousness, the rapper unloads on Kim, and it concludes with Slim Shady killing his ex-wife in a warped fantasy that seemed to consumed his professional creativity. For as over-the-top and psychotic the song seems, it's another example of how Eminem throws himself into a piece that leaves listeners wondering where fiction ends and reality begins. 

The third song from The Marshall Mathers LP. Eminem recruited British songstress Dido to help out on this massively popular single from The Marshall Mathers LP. Many critics and fans believe it's both Eminem's best song and video (which was nominated for five MTV Video Music Awards — though we're not ready to have it top our list. However, the story of an allegedly obsessed fan of the rapper — who tied up his pregnant significant other, put her in the trunk of his car and drove into a river while drunk — was quite graphic. Eminem is a great storyteller, but this is rather haunting. It also forever introduced the term 'stan' into the modern lexicon.

In the spirit of Purple Rain, the movie 8 Mile was inspired by various aspects of Eminem's life. And, by now, even the most casual of rap fans knows about "Lose Yourself." It's Eminem's signature track, the winner of the Academy Award for Best Original Song and a piece that has transcended the rap genre. Head to any professional or college sporting event and there's a good chance you'll hear "Lose Yourself" in an effort to pump up the home crowd. Eminem's first No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 also won the Grammy for Best Rap Song and Best Rap Solo Performance.