Encore (Eminem album)

Encore
Studio album by Eminem
Released November 12, 2004
Genre
Length 76:53
Label
Producer
Eminem chronology
The Eminem Show
(2002)		 Encore
(2004)		 Curtain Call: The Hits
(2005)
Special edition cover
Singles from Encore
  1. "Just Lose It"
    Released: September 28, 2004
  2. "Mosh"
    Released: October 26, 2004
  3. "Encore"
    Released: November 9, 2004
  4. "Like Toy Soldiers"
    Released: January 24, 2005
  5. "Mockingbird"
    Released: April 25, 2005
  6. "Ass Like That"
    Released: June 7, 2005

Encore is the fifth studio album by American rapper Eminem, released on November 12, 2004 by Aftermath Entertainment, Shady Records, and Interscope Records. Its release date was originally set for November 16, 2004, but was moved to November 12 after the album was leaked to the Internet.

Encore sold 710,000 copies in its first three days,[1] and went on to sell over 1.5 million copies in its first week of release in the United States, certified quadruple-platinum that mid-December.[2] Nine months after its release, worldwide sales of the album stood at 11 million copies.[3] By December 2016, the album had sold over 5 million copies in the United States and more than 2 million copies in Europe.

Content

The album contains several lyrical themes, including Eminem's relationship with his ex-wife, Kim, ("Puke", and "Love You More"), their daughter Hailie Jade Mathers ("Mockingbird"), his childhood ("Yellow Brick Road"), his relationships with his parents ("Evil Deeds"), and opposition to then-American President George W. Bush ("Mosh" and "We As Americans") "Just Lose It" is a parody of Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean", as well as his Pepsi commercial accident in 1984. Similar to Eminem's previous album, The Eminem Show, Encore opens with a skit called "Curtains Up", indicative of the start of the show, and closes with "Curtains Down", indicative of the end.

Censorship

In "We As Americans", the line "Fuck money, I don't rap for dead presidents, I'd rather see the president dead" has the word "dead" backmasked in both clean and explicit versions of the album. Simultaneously with the original, a censored version was released, from which the profanities, violent and sexual content, as well the drug references had been edited out. "My 1st Single" has a bleep instead of a muted part in the verse "This was supposed to be my first single, but I just fucked that up so... Fuck it let's all have fun let's mingle" like the clean version of "The Real Slim Shady". The word "ass" is left uncensored in "Yellow Brick Road", "One Shot 2 Shot", "Encore" and "We As Americans", but is censored out in "Ass Like That", "Mosh", "Spend Some Time", "My 1st Single", and "Just Lose It", and also in the song "Rain Man", the word "ass" was used twice, but only censored once. The word "goddamn" was left uncensored in "Spend Some Time." In the "clean" version's album booklet, the written lyrics have been removed, however on the songs "Puke", "My 1st Single" and "Just Lose It", lyrics were changed to avoid long censorship. Other profanities on all other songs are blanked out; and the song "Ass Like That" is listed as "A** Like That". The song "Encore/Curtains Down" has the shooting sequence at the end of the track removed on the censored album. Also, on the track "One Shot 2 Shot" has the violent content edited, and the word "shot" is blanked throughout the song. However, the original title remains written on the back cover. The intro is also removed and starts at the first chorus, with more lines blanked out during the remainder of the track. "Yellow Brick Road" leaves the word "goddamn" uncensored once. "The bonus disc was also censored for the album's clean version.”

Artwork and packaging

The album featured two covers, the first cover features Eminem standing in front of an audience, bowing to the crowd. The tray insert features Eminem holding a gun behind his back. The inlay shows Eminem holding the pistol in his mouth without the jacket of his shirt and tie. The CD itself shows a note written by Eminem saying "To my family & all my friends, thank you for everything, I will always love you. To my fans, I'm Sorry, Marshall" with a bullet underneath the note. The note is also seen in the album's booklet, where Eminem is writing the note. Some pictures show Eminem shooting everybody, which makes a reference to the ending of the album's title track. The second cover features the same audience from the inlay on a black background with a blood splat on the top right. This cover is used for the Shady Collector's Edition.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic64/100[4]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[5]
Blender[6]
Entertainment WeeklyC−[7]
The Guardian[8]
NME7/10[9]
Pitchfork Media6.5/10[10]
Rolling Stone[11]
Slant Magazine[12]
SpinB[13]
The Village VoiceA[14]

Encore received generally mixed to positive reviews from critics, who praised the beginning of the album, but criticized the writing of the second half.[15] At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 64, based on 26 reviews.[4] Josh Love from Stylus Magazine felt Eminem was "dying" with this album, whose concept was "end-to-end mea culpa", full of "clarifications, rectifications and excuses", revising the history of "a man who knows he doesn't have much time left".[16] Scott Plangenhoef, writing for Pitchfork Media called Encore a "transitional record" and "the sound of a man who seems bored of re-branding and playing celebrity games".[10] BBC Music's Adam Webb believed it starts "fantastically" but ends "abominably", writing that it has too many "lowpoints".[17] David Browne from Entertainment Weekly said Eminem "sacrifices the rich, multi-textured productions" of his two previous albums for "thug-life monotony, cultural zingers for petty music-biz score-settling, and probing self-analysis for juvenile humor". He concluded his review by saying that Eminem has become "predictable" on Encore, something that he wasn't before.[7]

Stephen Thomas Erlewine was more enthusiastic in his review for AllMusic, calling the music "spartan", built on "simple unadorned beats and keyboard loops", and the lyrics "plain-spoken and literal".[5] Robert Christgau said Eminem still sounded "funny, catchy and clever, and irreverent past his allotted time", noting that even the bonus tracks "keep on pushing".[14] In Rolling Stone, he wrote that Encore was not as "astonishing" as The Marshall Mathers LP, but praised Eminem for maturing his lyrical abilities while retaining his sense of humour.[11] Steve Jones from USA Today also spoke positively about the album, calling Eminem's producing and lyrical skills as "top-flight" and noting that the record explores "the many sides of Marshall Mathers".[18] The album earned Eminem Grammy Award nominations in three categories at the 48th Annual Grammy Awards: Best Rap Album, Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for the song "Encore", and Best Rap Solo Performance for the song "Mockingbird". It is the only Eminem album that didn't win any Grammy Awards.

Encore provoked some controversy over anti-Bush lyrics and lyrics that parodied and targeted Michael Jackson, who was upset about Eminem's depiction of him in the video for "Just Lose It".[19] On December 8, 2003, the United States Secret Service admitted it was "looking into" allegations that Eminem had threatened the President of the United States, George Bush,[20] after the song "We as Americans", as an unreleased bootleg, circulated with the lyrics "Fuck money, I don't rap for dead presidents. I'd rather see the president dead." This line was eventually used as a sample in Immortal Technique's single "Bin Laden", which featured Mos Def and Chuck D. The incident was later referenced in the video for his song "Mosh" as one several news clips on a wall, along with other newspaper articles about other unfortunate incidents in Bush's career. The song eventually appeared on the album's bonus disc, where the lyrics were extensively censored.

About the album's reception, Eminem said: "I’m cool with probably half that album. I recorded that towards the height of my addiction. I remember four songs leaked and I had to go to L.A. and get Dre and record new ones. I was in a room by myself writing songs in 25, 30 minutes because we had to get it done, and what came out was so goofy. That’s how I ended up making songs like “Rain Man” and “Big Weenie.” They’re pretty out there. If those other songs hadn’t leaked, Encore would’ve been a different album."[21]

Commercial performance

Encore sold 710,000 copies in its first three days,[1] and went on to sell over 1.5 million copies in its first week of release in the United States,[22] certified quadruple-platinum that mid-December.[2] Nine months after its release, worldwide sales of the album stood at 11 million copies.[23] Critical reception was generally mixed. The Slim Shady violent alterego was noticeably turned down, which was regarded as the blueprint to Eminem's success. The album made digital history in becoming the first album to sell 10,000 digital copies in one week.[24] As of November 2013, the album had sold 5,343,000 copies in the US.[25]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Curtains Up (skit)"  0:46
2."Evil Deeds"Marshall Mathers, Andre Young, Mike Elizondo, Mark Batson, Chris PopeDr. Dre4:19
3."Never Enough" (featuring 50 Cent & Nate Dogg)Mathers, Young, Elizondo, Curtis Jackson, Nathaniel HaleDr. Dre, Elizondo2:39
4."Yellow Brick Road"Mathers, Luis Resto, Steve KingEminem, Resto (add.)5:46
5."Like Toy Soldiers"Mathers, Resto, Marta Marrero, Michael Jay MargulesEminem, Resto (add.)4:56
6."Mosh"Mathers, Young, Elizondo, Mark Batson, PopeDr. Dre, Mark Batson5:17
7."Puke"Mathers, Resto, King, Brian MayEminem, Resto (add.)4:07
8."My 1st Single"Mathers, RestoEminem, Resto (add.)5:02
9."Paul (skit)"  0:32
10."Rain Man"Mathers, Young, Elizondo, Batson, PopeDr. Dre5:13
11."Big Weenie"Mathers, Young, Elizondo, Batson, PopeDr. Dre4:26
12."Em Calls Paul (skit)"  1:11
13."Just Lose It"Mathers, Young, Elizondo, Batson, PopeDr. Dre, Elizondo4:08
14."Ass Like That"Mathers, Young, Elizondo, Batson, PopeDr. Dre, Elizondo4:25
15."Spend Some Time" (featuring Obie Trice, Stat Quo & 50 Cent)Mathers, Resto, Obie Trice, Stanley Benton, Curtis Jackson, King, Gary WrightEminem, Resto (add.)5:10
16."Mockingbird"Mathers, RestoEminem, Resto (add.)4:10
17."Crazy in Love"Mathers, Resto, Ann Wilson, Nancy Wilson, Roger FisherEminem, Resto (add.)4:02
18."One Shot 2 Shot" (featuring D12)Mathers, Resto, Ondre Moore, Von Carlisle, Denaun Porter, Rufus JohnsonEminem, Resto (add.)4:26
19."Final Thought (skit)"  0:30
20."Encore / Curtains Down" (featuring Dr. Dre & 50 Cent)Mathers, Young, Elizondo, Batson, Pope, JacksonDr. Dre, Batson5:48
Total length:76:53
Notes
  • "Love You More" and the original version of "We As Americans" were leaked in 2003
  • Dr. Dre has cameo appearances in "Rain Man", "Just Lose It", "Ass Like That", "Mockingbird" and "Like Toy Soldiers"
  • This is Eminem's first album, other than Infinite (1996), to not have a Ken Kaniff or Steve Berman skit. They both reappear in Relapse (2009).
  • "Curtains Down" is a skit at the end of "Encore", which Eminem shoots everyone at his concert and shoots himself and a robotic voice saying "See you in hell, fuckers." is used. Some of the pictures in the booklet make reference to this.
  • The robotic voice heard on "Em Calls Paul" and in the "Curtains Down" skit is Eminem speaking with an electrolarynx.

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.[27]

  • Mike Elizondo – keyboards (tracks: 2, 3, 6, 10, 11, 13, 14 and 20); guitar (tracks 6, 11, 13 and 20); sitar (track 14)
  • Steve King – guitar (tracks: 4, 5, 7, 15, 17 and 18); bass (tracks: 4, 5, 7 and 17); mandolin (track 4); keyboards (track 11)
  • Luis Resto – keyboards (tracks: 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 20)
  • Mark Batson – keyboards on (tracks: 2, 6, 10, 11, 13 and 20); bass on (track 14)
  • Che Vicious – programming (track 20)

Charts

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/Sales
Argentina (CAPIF)[56] Gold 20,000^
Australia (ARIA)[57] 6× Platinum 420,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[58] Platinum 30,000*
Belgium (BEA)[59] Gold 25,000*
Denmark (IFPI Denmark)[60] Platinum 40,000^
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[61] Gold 21,780[61]
France (SNEP)[62] 2× Gold 200,000*
Germany (BVMI)[63] Platinum 200,000^
Greece (IFPI Greece)[64] Gold 10,000^
Hong Kong (IFPI Hong Kong)[65] Gold 10,000*
Ireland (IRMA)[66] 5× Platinum 75,000^
Japan (RIAJ)[67] Platinum 250,000^
Mexico (AMPROFON)[68] Gold 50,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[69] 5× Platinum 75,000^
Norway (IFPI Norway)[70] Platinum 40,000*
Poland (ZPAV)[71] Gold 20,000*
Portugal (AFP)[72] Silver 10,000^
Russia (NFPF)[73] Platinum 20,000*
South Africa (RISA)[47] Platinum 50,000^
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[74] Gold 50,000^
Sweden (GLF)[75] Gold 30,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[76] Platinum 40,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[77] 4× Platinum 1,300,000[78]
United States (RIAA)[79] 4× Platinum 5,343,000[80]^
Summaries
Europe (IFPI)[81] 2× Platinum 2,000,000*

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

  1. 1 2 D'Angelo, Joe (November 17, 2004). "News : Eminem Shreds The Competition, Even With A Premature Encore". CMT.com. MTV Networks. Archived from the original on October 22, 2012.
  2. 1 2 "RIAA: Searchable Database: Eminem" Archived November 24, 2012, at WebCite Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved September 17, 2011.
  3. ↑ Byrne, Ciar (August 18, 2005). "The real Slim Shady stands up the fans on his European tour". The Independent. London: Independent News & Media. Retrieved November 14, 2008.
  4. 1 2 "Reviews for Encore by Eminem - Metacritic". Metacritic. November 12, 2004. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
  5. 1 2 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Encore - Eminem: Review". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved September 29, 2011.
  6. ↑ Blender (January/February): 100. 2005.
  7. 1 2 Browne, David (November 19, 2004). "Eminem - Encore". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 18, 2013.
  8. ↑ Petridis, Alexis (November 12, 2004). "Eminem : Encore". The Guardian. Retrieved August 18, 2013.
  9. ↑ Cashmore, Pete (December 10, 2004). "Eminem : Encore". NME. Retrieved August 18, 2013.
  10. 1 2 Plangenhoef, Scott (November 11, 2004). "Eminem - Encore". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved August 18, 2013.
  11. 1 2 Christgau, Robert (December 9, 2004). "Eminem - Encore". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 18, 2013.
  12. ↑ Cinquemani, Sal (November 13, 2004). "Eminem - Encore". Slant Magazine. Retrieved August 18, 2013.
  13. ↑ LLC, SPIN Media (January 1, 2005). "SPIN". SPIN Media LLC. Retrieved December 28, 2017 – via Google Books.
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  17. ↑ Webb, Adam (2004). "Eminem - Encore". BBC Music. Retrieved August 18, 2013.
  18. ↑ Jones, Steve (November 11, 2004). "USA Today review". Retrieved August 18, 2013.
  19. ↑ Burkeman, Oliver (October 14, 2004). "Michael Jackson threatens to sue over mocking video by Eminem". The Guardian. Retrieved August 19, 2013.
  20. ↑ "Secret Service checks Eminem's 'dead president' lyric". CNN. December 5, 2003. Retrieved May 2, 2010.
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  29. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Eminem – Encore" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 28, 2010.
  30. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Eminem – Encore" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 28, 2010.
  31. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Eminem – Encore" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 28, 2010.
  32. ↑ "Eminem Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 28, 2010.
  33. ↑ "Danishcharts.com – Eminem – Encore". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 28, 2010.
  34. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Eminem – Encore" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 28, 2010.
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  38. ↑ "Ελληνικό Χαρτ: Top 50 Ξένων Άλμπουμ" [Greek Chart: Top 50 Foreign Albums]. IFPI Greece. February 4, 2005. Archived from the original on February 4, 2005. Retrieved August 3, 2011.
  39. ↑ "Archivum - Slágerlisták - Top 40 album- és válogatáslemez-lista" (in Hungarian). Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. April 11, 2010. Retrieved May 28, 2010.
  40. ↑ "GFK Chart-Track Albums: Week 47, 2004". Chart-Track. IRMA. Retrieved May 28, 2010.
  41. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – Eminem – Encore". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 28, 2010.
  42. ↑ "エミネムのアルバム売上ランキング". Oricon.co.jp. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
  43. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Eminem – Encore". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 28, 2010.
  44. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Eminem – Encore". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 28, 2010.
  45. ↑ "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. November 29, 2004. Retrieved May 28, 2010.
  46. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  47. 1 2 "Eminem heading to South Africa for two shows". The Times. November 18, 2013. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  48. ↑ "Spanishcharts.com – Eminem – Encore". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 28, 2010.
  49. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Eminem – Encore". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 28, 2010.
  50. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Eminem – Encore". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 28, 2010.
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  57. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2006 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association.
  58. ↑ "Austrian album certifications – Eminem – Encore" (in German). IFPI Austria. Enter Eminem in the field Interpret. Enter Encore in the field Titel. Select album in the field Format. Click Suchen. 
  59. ↑ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – albums 2004". Ultratop. Hung Medien.
  60. ↑ "Danish album certifications – Eminem – Encore". IFPI Denmark. Click on næste to go to page 12 if certification is from the official website.
  61. 1 2 "Eminem" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
  62. ↑ "French album certifications – Eminem – Encore" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
  63. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Eminem; 'Encore')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
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  65. ↑ "Gold Disc Award 2004". IFPI Hong Kong. Archived from the original on May 17, 2011.
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  67. ↑ "Japanese album certifications – Eminem – Encore" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan.
  68. ↑ "Certificaciones" (in Spanish). Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Type Eminem in the box under the ARTISTA column heading and Encore in the box under TÍTULO
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  76. ↑ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Eminem; 'Encore')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
  77. ↑ "British album certifications – Eminem – Encore". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type Encore in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
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