Maps of Music

Encore (2004)

Where the lyrics of Encore take you, and where it was really made.

Eminem once called Encore one of his worst albums, though it was first planned to be his final studio album.

Key places

Main recording studio in Ferndale (2004)

Recording site 54 Sound — Encore was recorded at 54 Studio in Ferndale, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. It is the main recording location named for the album. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Partial recording in Orlando (2004)

Recording site Parc Studios — A portion of the album was recorded at Trans Continental in Orlando, Florida. The location is given at city level. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

New songs recorded with Dr. Dre in Los Angeles (2004)

Recording site Los Angeles — After the leak, Eminem traveled to Los Angeles to record new songs for Encore with Dr. Dre. The location is given at city level. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Encore: fifth studio album by Eminem
• Released 12 November 2004 through Aftermath, Shady, WEB, Goliath and Interscope
• Originally planned as Eminem's final studio album, reflected in its title, cover art and some lyrics
• Themes include criticism of George W. Bush, parodies of Michael Jackson and Christopher Reeve, and feuds with Benzino and Ja Rule
• More comedic themes and lyrics than his previous albums

Background

• Preceded by The Slim Shady LP (1999), The Marshall Mathers LP (2000) and The Eminem Show (2002)
• His drug addiction grew worse during this period, including Valium, Ambien and Vicodin
• By 2004 he had won nine Grammy Awards and an Oscar for his role in 8 Mile
• While recording Encore in 2003, he was also producing for Shady Records artists such as 50 Cent and Obie Trice
• Shady Records inherited a feud between 50 Cent and Ja Rule
• Eminem and his label were also feuding with Benzino and The Source

Recording

• Recorded at 54 Studio in Ferndale, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit
• A portion was recorded at Trans Continental in Orlando, Florida
• Eight of the twenty tracks were produced by Dr. Dre
• In December 2003, seven songs were leaked online, including songs meant for Encore
• The leaked songs were compiled into a bootleg album titled Straight from the Lab
• The leak forced Eminem to travel to Los Angeles to record new songs with Dr. Dre
• Songs written in a hurry gave the album a goofier tone

Cover

• The first of two covers shows Eminem bowing to an audience
• The CD and one vinyl label show a suicide note with a bullet beneath
• The Collector's Edition cover uses the audience from the inlay on a black background

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Career

• Marshall Bruce Mathers III, born October 17, 1972 in St. Joseph, Missouri; American rapper, songwriter, record producer and record executive.
• Known for rap flow and conscious rap including political criticism and social commentary; widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential rappers of all time.
• Credited with popularizing hip-hop in Middle America and the acceptance of white rappers in popular music.
• Debut album Infinite (1996) was a commercial failure; Slim Shady EP (1997) led to signing with Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope.
• The Slim Shady LP (1999) brought mainstream popularity; The Marshall Mathers LP (2000) and The Eminem Show (2002) each sold over one million copies in a single week.
• The Eminem Show became the best-selling album worldwide in 2002; Recovery (2010) was the best-selling album worldwide in 2010.
• Co-founded Shady Records in late 1999; the label signed D12, Obie Trice, 50 Cent, Stat Quo, Bobby Creekwater and Cashis.
• Starred in 8 Mile (2002); "Lose Yourself" won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, the first hip-hop act to win it.
• Over 220 million records sold; eleven number-one albums on the Billboard 200, with The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce) (2024) the latest.
• Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022 in his first year of eligibility.

Reception

At release

• Mixed reviews, with many critics deeming it inferior to his past material
• Metacritic: generally favorable reviews, weighted average 64 out of 100 from 26 critic scores
• Stylus Magazine (Josh Love): said Eminem seemed to be dying, the album a full mea culpa of excuses and rectifications
• Pitchfork: called it a transitional record, the sound of a man bored of rebranding and celebrity games
• BBC Music (Adam Webb): began fantastically but ended abominably, with too many low points
• Entertainment Weekly (David Browne): said Eminem traded the rich productions of his two previous albums for thug-life monotony and juvenile humor, and became predictable
• AllMusic (Stephen Thomas Erlewine): called the music spartan, built on simple unadorned beats and keyboard loops, with plain-spoken lyrics
• Rolling Stone (Robert Christgau): said it was not as astonishing as The Marshall Mathers LP but praised Eminem's maturing lyrical abilities
• USA Today (Steve Jones): praised his producing and lyrical skills as top-flight
• Grammy nominations at the 48th Annual Grammy Awards: Best Rap Album, Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for 'Encore', and Best Rap Solo Performance for 'Mockingbird'; lost Best Rap Album to Late Registration

Reappraisal

• Billboard (Damien Scott): placed it ninth of Eminem's 12 studio albums, singling out 'Like Toy Soldiers' and 'Mockingbird'
• Stereogum (Christopher R. Weingarten): placed it last among his first 10 studio albums in 2019, calling it a rambling disaster
• XXL (Kemet High): placed it seventh among his first 11 studio albums in 2021, saying it has aged better with time
• HotNewHipHop (Paul Barnes): placed it second to last in a 2023 ranking, deeming many songs incoherent
• Eminem later called it one of his worst albums, attributing this to the leaks and his drug addiction

Records

• Charted at number one in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States
• Sold 710,000 copies at release; 1,582,000 copies in the first 10 days
• Certified quadruple-platinum in mid-December 2004
• First album to sell 10,000 digital copies in one week
• Reached 11 million copies worldwide by August 2005
• 3rd best-selling album of 2004 worldwide
• 5,343,000 copies sold in the US as of November 2013
• Sold 125,000 copies in two days in the United Kingdom

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• Eminem said the album would have been right there with The Eminem Show in caliber had the songs not been leaked.
• The release date was moved up from the originally planned November 16 to counter leaks.
• Dr. Dre has cameo appearances in Rain Man, Just Lose It and Ass Like That.
• Christopher Reeves was cut after Christopher Reeve died on October 10, 2004, and was later reworked as Brand New Dance on The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grace) in 2024.
• Michael Jackson criticized Eminem's depiction of him in the Just Lose It video and threatened to sue.
• Mosh had earlier been included on the official mixtape Shade 45: Sirius Bizness, released on October 20, 2004.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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