Recovery
by Eminem
User Score
8.3

Universal acclaim- based on 1313 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,099 out of 1313
  2. Mixed: 113 out of 1313
  3. Negative: 101 out of 1313

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  1. Hybridiction
    Jun 28, 2011
    8
    If you weren't impressed with Relapse or Refill you more then likely will be with this album. I wouldn't put this album on the same level as The Eminem show, the Slim shady LP or the Marshal Mathers LP but I would put it above Encore or at the least on the same level as it. Recovery has some of Eminem's greatest songs along with some mediocre tracks that most people will probably just skipIf you weren't impressed with Relapse or Refill you more then likely will be with this album. I wouldn't put this album on the same level as The Eminem show, the Slim shady LP or the Marshal Mathers LP but I would put it above Encore or at the least on the same level as it. Recovery has some of Eminem's greatest songs along with some mediocre tracks that most people will probably just skip to get onto the good songs. Overall this album in my opinion is one of the best if not the best album of 2010.… Expand
  2. snowcold
    Dec 22, 2011
    8
    I enjoyed it. Recovery has some really good songs, and I think that the theme is way better than on Relapse. Even tough songs like ''You're Never Over'' feature great themes, Em isn't a singer, but when he raps like on ''Won't Back Down'' or ''Untitled'' it's freaking amazing.Kill'd it once again but he had better.
  3. TTW107
    Apr 8, 2012
    8
    I know its hard for a lot of people to admit it but Eminem is still one of the best in the game. Anyone noticed his albums have come in pairs? Slim Shady lp with Marshall Mathers lp, contrasting his multiple personas. The Eminem Show and Encore, The eminem show is one of the best rap albums ever (in my opinion) and after that em said f*ck it, started doin a lot more drugs and we get halfI know its hard for a lot of people to admit it but Eminem is still one of the best in the game. Anyone noticed his albums have come in pairs? Slim Shady lp with Marshall Mathers lp, contrasting his multiple personas. The Eminem Show and Encore, The eminem show is one of the best rap albums ever (in my opinion) and after that em said f*ck it, started doin a lot more drugs and we get half on point/half zany Encore (which is still better than the majority of rap releases but em's worst album). Finally 5 years later we get Relapse and Recovery. Relapse was brilliantly insane and given the events in em's life Recovery was the obvious next album. The complete opposite of relapse, this album is him going through the 12 steps, just getting everything out of him. This is not the Eminem I prefer but i think it was very necessary plus he is still a lyrical powerhouse and a constant flow machine. Not many artists can pull off one of these albums, let alone 6. Eminem is truly one of the best artists to ever touch a microphone.… Expand
  4. RonaldOVOXO
    Feb 23, 2012
    8
    Eminem attempted to make a comeback after Relapse (Which I Think Is better Than Recovery). It was a great comeback he performed with 2 #1 hits and a seven week #1 album run. But for me it was an Aight album. I really love this album but i would take Relapse Over Recovery Any day of the Year.
  5. anshiman
    Dec 27, 2012
    8
    Even though it's evident that Eminem is still getting back on his feet, his flow is back to normal (which is incredible and unmatched) and his lyrical brilliance is finally exposed. The emotional content is resonant even though the tone inconsistencies are awkward and not smooth in "The Eminem Show" and "MMLP". The bottom line is I can't stop listening to this album repeatedly.
  6. dante_finn
    Jul 17, 2014
    8
    I thought the album was well done. The songs have a rhythm. It features a emotional introspective. Album is heavily layered. While some songs had a good melody the theme isn't told quite right
  7. Jiano74
    Jan 25, 2016
    8
    I thought that this was a pretty good album it shows how good a lyricist Eminem actually is and how much better these songs are than most artists these days yes he has produced better but it is still a solid and album and one to enjoy.
  8. Jensen67
    May 23, 2017
    8
    I honestly think this is one of Em's better albums, many people would disagree with that but this album has many very good very different songs.

    Best songs: Cold Wind Blows / Talkin' To Myself / No Love
  9. A_BRabbit
    Aug 18, 2020
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Good Album i really love not afraid and recovery save a lot of people from drug… Expand
  10. Ridith
    Jun 22, 2010
    7
    The album is good in the sense that it has good songs, such as '25 to life', 'so bad', 'won't back down', 'space bound', and of course 'not afraid', but when eminem said he's gonna go back to his best form, this album doesn't come close...seriously, consider The Marshall Mathers LP or The Eminem Show...this album ain't The album is good in the sense that it has good songs, such as '25 to life', 'so bad', 'won't back down', 'space bound', and of course 'not afraid', but when eminem said he's gonna go back to his best form, this album doesn't come close...seriously, consider The Marshall Mathers LP or The Eminem Show...this album ain't close to those landmarks.… Expand
  11. Schmidty15
    Jun 24, 2010
    7
    Big fan of Pitchfork.com but man...they blew it on their review. The only thing holding this album from being a true classic are EM's corney sing-songy choruses. Lyrically, I'm not sure if I've ever heard EM spit with so much conviction. Rejoice Slim Shady fans....he's back!
  12. JamalKing
    Aug 18, 2010
    7
    Good but not great. Too much pop for my taste. Better than "Relapse", that's for sure. I'm glad that he is still making some good songs. Album certainly exceeded my expectations.
  13. BlueLotusPoet
    Sep 3, 2010
    7
    Recovery is a pretty good jump from Relapse. No crazy accents thrown around and he doesnt over do his joking around. Eminem hasnt been this fierce since The Eminem Show. It does bear some of the moodiness of Encore but it isnt mellowed over. While Eminem's fierce flow, crazy & thought provoking lyrics are a plus here, Recovery still has a major flaw. The finger shouldnt be pointed atRecovery is a pretty good jump from Relapse. No crazy accents thrown around and he doesnt over do his joking around. Eminem hasnt been this fierce since The Eminem Show. It does bear some of the moodiness of Encore but it isnt mellowed over. While Eminem's fierce flow, crazy & thought provoking lyrics are a plus here, Recovery still has a major flaw. The finger shouldnt be pointed at Eminem's performance, but at his more at his guest list. Rihanna's singing is decent, but on an Eminem song, she just seems out of place. While Pink's cameo isnt as out-there as Rihanna's, its honestly nothing special either. Eminem wouldve been better off using sampled hooks or underground, unknown singers (Kobe was a slight plus). Lil Wayne's cameo is nothing special at all either. He brings his usual, played out structured punchline flow, making it seem like he's not saying anything he hasnt said already. Eminem totally outshines him on "No Love", putting his speedy, comical, and partially fierce flow next to Wayne who sounds either delibertly high or bored. That song wouldve been PERFECT for a Bad Meets Evil reunion.… Expand
  14. DoctorKilla
    Nov 23, 2010
    7
    Lots of people are giving it a 10 unconsciously. In reality, it deserves a 7 because some of the content is repetitive, the nasal delivery can get annoying, and the singing isn't all that good, but I applaud him to his vocals shine through and not use auto-tune to cover it up. But still, the biggest problem is abysmal production, other then the Dre, Bo1da, and Blaze tracks, it's not veryLots of people are giving it a 10 unconsciously. In reality, it deserves a 7 because some of the content is repetitive, the nasal delivery can get annoying, and the singing isn't all that good, but I applaud him to his vocals shine through and not use auto-tune to cover it up. But still, the biggest problem is abysmal production, other then the Dre, Bo1da, and Blaze tracks, it's not very quality. Lyrically, it's an excellent album and his flow is back to being normal and his rapid fire delivery as back. It's a good introspective rap album. It's his best album since he got hooked on drugs (or the bad half of Encore). There are no real weak but the album mostly consists of average tracks, and there are a some of good tracks, and a few excellent tracks. But, by Eminem's standards, it's not classic, but a worthy and necessary addition to his collection. Buy: Space Bound, Not Afraid, Talkin' 2 Myself Download: Cinderella Man, On Fire, So Bad, You're Never Over, Almost Famous Skip: N/A Rapping (Lyrics and Flow): 9/10 Vocals (Singing): 6.5/10 Production: 6/10… Expand
  15. I_Am_F
    Jun 29, 2011
    7
    "Recovery" is a very good album with several standout tracks: "Not Afraid", "Love The Way You Lie", "W.T.P" and more. Some of the other tracks, however, are simply boring.
  16. Baron6489
    Jun 23, 2011
    7
    This ranks 5th in my list of best Eminem Albums right behind "The Marshall Mathers LP", "The Eminem Show", "Relapse" and "The Slim Shady LP." I'm not trying to knock it either because that's pretty elite company in my opinion.
  17. Jocman
    Aug 30, 2011
    7
    I feel this album is overall a good album. Better than Encore and Relapse, but not like the first three. I don't like the idea of doing a song with Rihanna though. But still, a good album
  18. alexandergreen
    Sep 5, 2011
    7
    An ultimately underwhelmingly follow-up to Relapse. For the most part, this didn't sound like a typical Eminem album, due to the heavier focus on the producing aspect. Dr. Dre's role appeared to be shortened in favour of more thumping producers. Many of the tracks float over my head and make little impact, whereas Eminem albums usually have the capability to keep me entertained throughout,An ultimately underwhelmingly follow-up to Relapse. For the most part, this didn't sound like a typical Eminem album, due to the heavier focus on the producing aspect. Dr. Dre's role appeared to be shortened in favour of more thumping producers. Many of the tracks float over my head and make little impact, whereas Eminem albums usually have the capability to keep me entertained throughout, whether in disbelief or genuine enjoyment. The single that accompanied the album Not Afraid was disappointingly whiny, but there are still a couple of strong tracks. Buy it...if you want.… Expand
  19. EMINEMFAN11
    Oct 2, 2013
    7
    Pretty good. Great time for all of the boys. I would listen all day, everyday. To be honest, I have a lot of fun with this album. I put it on late at night and dance around the living room without any worries in the world. Thank you Eminem! You are cutie pie!
  20. tonto
    Jul 28, 2021
    7
    This is Eminem's comeback album after his previous comeback album, Relapse in 2009 was met with mixed reception. Here Eminem tries to be more commercial with a collaboration with Rihanna on Love the Way You Lie and Not Afraid is a mainstream hip hop single which is introspective and commercially successful. No Love featuring Lil Wayne is the strong suit of the album. W.T.P. is a good clubThis is Eminem's comeback album after his previous comeback album, Relapse in 2009 was met with mixed reception. Here Eminem tries to be more commercial with a collaboration with Rihanna on Love the Way You Lie and Not Afraid is a mainstream hip hop single which is introspective and commercially successful. No Love featuring Lil Wayne is the strong suit of the album. W.T.P. is a good club banger and Seduction is good. Cinderella Man is an up-tempo track that you can use to energize yourself. The rest of the album is pretty much just commercial filler. He does something with P!nk.… Expand
  21. Jarment
    Nov 5, 2013
    7
    His performance is flawless as usual but the content and beats aren't up to par with his other releases, in no way a bad album but slightly disappointing if you are an Eminem fan
  22. Average
    Feb 13, 2014
    7
    Eminem is easily one of the greatest musicians ever. I like most of the album but it does not grab me like his previous albums even MMLP2 too. Eminem experimented on a new level by not presenting Slim Shady on Recovery. The opening to the album "Cold Wind Blows" is easily one of his best tracks. The album exceeds in lyricism and it's a well crafted one but it did not grab me like his other albums.
  23. flametail23
    Jul 13, 2019
    7
    A good album with a few too many pop songs on there but none the less, an enjoyable album with some amazing tracks such as 'No Love' 'Session One' and 'Going Through Changes'
  24. youlouz
    Jan 27, 2015
    7
    This is one of Eminem's worst albums, but it is still amazing just like Eminem. You will find plenty of great songs on here. .
  25. Jumpman
    Jan 11, 2016
    7
    This was one of the first albums i got a physical copy of and back in the day i was listening to it every day. Now i realize that is not as good as i thought but remains a pretty decent one , maybe the best after the eminem show.
  26. FruitJuice
    Jul 18, 2017
    7
    good album.....................................................................................................................................................................
  27. drongodan
    Jan 20, 2020
    7
    Not my favourite but some good tunes on here. Better than Relapse. Fave tracks; Changes, Not afraid, Love the way you lie
  28. hiphopplatinum
    Oct 2, 2022
    7
    a great album that is an actual great way of rebranding Eminem in a way that doesn't make him sound like a tired horrible way of rebranding a funny sounding slim shady
  29. KelK
    Jun 23, 2010
    6
    Best I've heard from Em in a while, but the overall sound is a been there done that. Still I would suggest a giving the record a listen.
  30. NJR
    Nov 3, 2010
    6
    To put it simply, a major disappointment, all of Em's "Mainstream fans" will love this one because he uses his proper voice, but as far as Hip-Hop goes, the album is weak, the production is pretty awful, Em's delivery gets seriously boring, his tone does not change at all in the album and lyrically the album is very predictable and corny. The reason I give the album a 6 is simply becauseTo put it simply, a major disappointment, all of Em's "Mainstream fans" will love this one because he uses his proper voice, but as far as Hip-Hop goes, the album is weak, the production is pretty awful, Em's delivery gets seriously boring, his tone does not change at all in the album and lyrically the album is very predictable and corny. The reason I give the album a 6 is simply because of his flow, which has never let him down, but honestly these last 8 years have just been disappointment after disappointment for us real Shady fans, I just hope to god that someday he can return to the form he showed from 99 to 02.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

4
#4 Most Discussed Album of 2010
2
#2 Most Shared Album of 2010

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
63

Generally favorable reviews - based on 28 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 28
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 28
  3. Negative: 4 out of 28
  1. Expert Witness (MSN Music)
    Jan 7, 2011
    91
    No matter how cleverly he's rhyming, which varies, he could use subject matter beyond married-to-the-game and his traditional obsessions. But with Shady in the shadows, rarely are these themes lifted by Em's long-recessive sense of play.
    Read full review
  2. Slant Magazine
    30
    Much of Recovery centers around such themes as romantic devotion and anxiety, but the resulting material rings unsurprisingly hollow.
    Read full review
  3. The Guardian
    60
    Sadly, a piecemeal approach to production (Dr Dre has just one credit) leaves the album lacking an abiding mood and drowning in fashionable soft-rock samples.
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