Chart Article
Eminem's 40th birthday is today (Oct. 17), and to celebrate the midwestern rapper who rose to the national stage a decade and a half ago, we're taking a look at Em's 30 biggest hits on the Billboard Hot 100. He may go by a handful of names -- Eminem, Marshall Mathers, Slim Shady -- but the Detroit rapper/producer/actor has never shied away from being himself, and only himself, sharing his trials and tribulations in his music with fans since stepping up to the mic in his teens. Along the road to 2010's "Recovery," he's earned six Billboard 200 No. 1s, four Hot 100 No. 1s, countless of awards, and respect from just about everyone in hip-hop. Help us wish Eminem a happy birthday by checking out the ranking of his hugest hits below. Use the comments section to share which track is your favorite.
This ranking of Eminem's 30 Biggest Billboard Hits is based on actual performance on the weekly Billboard Hot 100 chart through the tally dated October 20, 2012. Songs are ranked based on an inverse point system, with weeks at No. 1 earning the greatest value and weeks at No. 100 earning the least. To ensure equitable representation of the biggest hits from each era, certain time frames were weighted to account for the difference between turnover rates from those years.
30
Old Time's Sake
Eminem feat. Dr. Dre
Hot 100 Peak Position: 25
2009
Eminem's and Dr. Dre's bromance, birthed in the late '90s, is in full display in many of Em's Billboard hits, including "Old Time's Sake." The single, from "Relapse" (2009), features both rappers brushing off competition.
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29
Ass Like That
Eminem
Hot 100 Peak Position: 60
2005
Who's not familiar with Em's comical side? The rapper's sense of humor has both amused and annoyed listeners. A key example is "Ass Like That," wherein Slim Shady lists -- in a less than respectful manner -- a few femme artists who's derrieres he's fond of, including Jessica Simpson, Britney Spears and Janet Jackson.
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28
Beautiful
Eminem
Hot 100 Peak Position: 17
2009
Considering the tribulations Eminem was going through at the time (including divorce and addiction), punchlines weren't exactly what fans expected to hear on "Relapse." On the third and final "Relapse" single, Em shows his very troubled thoughts going on "behind the tears of a clown.
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27
The Way I Am
Eminem
Hot 100 Peak Position: 58
2000
The second "The Marshall Matthers LP" single is one of Eminem's most honest, menacing tracks he's recorded. On "The Way I Am," he teeters from rapping to yelling about the haunting pressures that he faces from fans to labels executives.
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26
That's All She Wrote
T.I. feat. Eminem
Hot 100 Peak Position: 18
2010
Em and Tip share a connection that goes beyond respect for each other's artistry. Both artists have supported each other throughout their careers and personal struggles. "That's All She Wrote," came four years after their first collaborative track, "Touchdown," off T.I.'s "T.I. vs T.I.P."
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25
You Don't Know
Eminem feat. 50 Cent, Cashis, Lloyd Banks
Hot 100 Peak Position: 12
2006
Em's first single off Shady Records compilation "Eminem Presents: The Re-Up" went straight to the Hot 100 top 15. In celebration of the Shady Records camaraderie, the video for the single included cameos by Tony Yayo, The Alchmesit, Young Buck, D12, Bobby Creekwater, Obie Trice, Mobb Deep, Trick Trick, Dr. Dre and Stat Quo.
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24
My Name Is
Eminem
Hot 100 Peak Position: 36
1999
From his debut single, "My Name Is," Eminem came out the gate spitting witty, brutally honest rhymes and the video pulled together tough-but-funny visuals to match.
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23
Stan
Eminem feat. Dido
Hot 100 Peak Position: 51
2000
Although it didn't reach as high on the Hot 100 as some of Eminem's other tracks, "Stan" is certainly one of his most influential songs. Em' intricately tells of himself through a disturbing story of an obsessed fan. Not only a milestone in Em's discography, "Stan" was given new life when he performed the song alongside Elton John during the 2001 Grammys.
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22
Like Toy Soldiers
Eminem
Hot 100 Peak Position: 24
2005
Eminem rarely held back on rhyming about harsh realities. On the "Encore" single, he chronicles the feuds he and his camp, including 50, had taken on through out their careers and the devastating outcomes. Unfortunately, Proof, who plays Bugz, the man shot and killed in the video, was also shot and killed one year after the video debuted.
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21
Drop The World
Lil Wayne feat. Eminem
Hot 100 Peak Position: 18
2010
Thanks to gravitas of Eminem's presence and Weezy's ominous chorus, "Drop the World," produced by Hit-Boy and Chase N. Cashe, is one of "Rebirth's" brightest songs.
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Text by Erika Ramirez
