Rapper received negative reviews for the project as critics accused him of ‘punching down’
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Eminem has ended Taylor Swift’s 12-week reign over the US album charts, following the release of his latest record, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce).
The veteran rapper achieved his 11th No 1 in the US while also marking the biggest week in 2024 for a rap album, dethroning Swift’s 11th album The Tortured Poets Department, which was released on 19 April.
According to figures from Luminate, an analytics platform that reports trends in music and entertainment, The Death of Slim Shady, sold 281,000 equivalent album units in the week ending 19 July.
Eminem’s new album, on which he “kills off” his controversial alter-ego, Slim Shady, also topped the UK albums chart. However, it has received mixed to negative reviews from critics.
Writing for The Independent, Stevie Chick said in his two-star review: “Much of The Death Of Slim Shady resembles a Telegraph op-ed: the ham-fisted mashing of people’s buttons, the blethering about ‘the PC police’ and ‘Gen Z’ coming to get him. Anything, it seems, to get a reaction.
He continued: “On ‘Habits’, Mathers spits that his critics are ‘mad because they can’t tame me’ – but there’s nothing edgy about these creaky routines. Like many who harp on about a ‘woke mind-virus’, Mathers is the one who sounds like he has brainworms, forever bleating about pronouns and, on ‘Road Rage’, offering the entirely unsolicited information that his “dick just won’t expand” around trans people. OK, mate.”
Eminem told fans ahead of the album’s release that The Death of Slim Shady is a “conceptual album” and that the songs should be listened to in order.
Swift is currently preparing to return to the UK in August for the final five shows of the European leg of her record-breaking Eras tour.
The pop titan will play five nights at Wembley Stadium in London from 15 to 20 August, where she will be supported by rock band Paramore.
The Tortured Poets Department remains at No 2 on the UK albums chart, while pop singer Griff is at No 3 with her debut, Vertigo.
