Eminem ‎
Encore

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

The album contains several lyrical themes, most notably Eminem’s opposition to then-President of the United States George W. Bush and a parody towards Michael Jackson. The album features more comedic themes and lyrics than Eminem’s previous albums. Encore debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 1.5 million copies in its second week. It also reached number one in ten other countries.

Critical reception of Encore was less favorable than Eminem’s previous albums, with most of the second half being heavily criticized for its lackluster quality and lack of lyrical content, though later on the album’s middle section has been singled out for a lack of quality, and “Mockingbird” and “Like Toy Soldiers” were highly praised and retrospectively have been noted as being some of Eminem’s best songs. Encore has sold 11 million copies worldwide and was certified quadruple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on December 17, 2004.

Encore provoked some controversy over anti-Bush lyrics and lyrics that parodied and targeted Jackson, who was upset about Eminem’s depiction of him in the video for “Just Lose It”. Retrospectively, the album is often considered to be one of Eminem’s worst albums alongside Revival (2017). Eminem himself stated that not only did he rush some of the album because of a leak, but also that; “Encore… is not what I would consider one of my better albums” in an interview with Sway Calloway in 2018.