Eminem’s “The Death Of Slim Shady” debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, ending Taylor Swift’s run of 12th straight weeks atop the album chart with The Tortured Poets Department.
The album sold 281K equivalent units in its first week, a modest increase from 2020’s Music To Be Murdered By, which also debuted at No. 1 with 279K units sold.
“The Death Of Slim Shady” marks a potential farewell to Eminem’s iconic alter ego, Slim Shady, who has been central to his career since his breakthrough album, “The Slim Shady LP.” The album received rave reviews upon release and achieved the highest single-day streaming record of 2024 on Spotify.
The 51-year old maintains his signature wit while tackling themes of growth, redemption, and fame’s complexities. In a pre-release tweet, Eminem urged fans to listen to the album in order, hinting at a conceptual storyline.
“Public service announcement: the “death of slim shady” is a conceptual album, therefore, if you listen to songs out of order they might not make sense. Enjoy.”
“Death” gives Eminem his 11th No. 1 on the Billboard 200, putting him in elite company with Bruce Springsteen, Barbra Streisand, and Ye (formerly Kanye West). They’re all tied for the fifth-most No. 1s, trailing behind The Beatles (19), Jay-Z and Taylor Swift (14 each), and Drake (13).
Before the album’s release, Eminem dropped two hits that made waves on the Billboard Hot 100. “Houdini” debuted and peaked at No. 2 on the June 15 chart, and “Tobey,” featuring Big Sean and BabyTron, climbed to No. 27 on the July 20 chart.