Relapse
by Eminem
User Score
8.2

Universal acclaim- based on 1078 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 889 out of 1078
  2. Mixed: 114 out of 1078
  3. Negative: 75 out of 1078

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  1. RyanA
    Jun 1, 2009
    2
    Passionless album. Eminem lacks more and more authenticity with each forthcoming album, and only makes up for it with low brow shock value comments. I would download it to try it and then delete it from my ipod.
  2. ZacariasY
    Jul 1, 2009
    0
    The worst album of the year and one of the worst rap albums of the decade.
  3. JasonD.
    Dec 16, 2009
    0
    This ALBUM is the WORST album Eminem has EVER made. Eminems first 3 albums + 8 mile soundtrack made him a legend, Encore was bad because of songs like puke but it had great songs like mosh, like toy soldiers, mockingbird, 1 shot 2 shot. Relapse is far worse than encore. Back when eminem did sslp you he had clever lines that made you say wow. He tries to recreate these on this CD but it is This ALBUM is the WORST album Eminem has EVER made. Eminems first 3 albums + 8 mile soundtrack made him a legend, Encore was bad because of songs like puke but it had great songs like mosh, like toy soldiers, mockingbird, 1 shot 2 shot. Relapse is far worse than encore. Back when eminem did sslp you he had clever lines that made you say wow. He tries to recreate these on this CD but it is a dizaster. It sounds like he is trying 2 hard, and the dreaded accent that he started using on encore is on over half of the songs. Fans want eminem back but they want the eminem that was on the eminem show back. Realistically, the guy is 36 years old he should be progressing as an artist rather than being a parody of his old shyt. Jay-Z said "people want my old shyt, but my old album" Eminem needs to follow that and progess from the level he was at during the eminem show. HOPEFULLY Relapse 2 will be better, But RELAPSE 1 is TRASH.… Expand
  4. RizeE1
    May 19, 2009
    2
    bullshit rhymes about jerking off, raping people, pissing on them, dirnking their bathwater, dumb accents, and vicodin and xanax. good flows, good beats... thats the most you'll get out of this. someone with eminems talent should be able to do better, dont let him get away with this ****.
  5. SeanM
    May 19, 2009
    1
    This is a terrible album. Don't buy it unless you want more of the same. Sellout manifesto.
  6. martinK
    May 27, 2009
    1
    This album is unbearable if youre a fan of either both substance and aesthetic quality, youll be happier with the sound of taking a shit. this is not deep or thought provoking. whoa eminem was abused! no way! noone cares, we've known that your childhood was shitty since your freestyles. whoa eminem is addicted to pills?!?! a;sldkfj, we've known about this since the art on his This album is unbearable if youre a fan of either both substance and aesthetic quality, youll be happier with the sound of taking a shit. this is not deep or thought provoking. whoa eminem was abused! no way! noone cares, we've known that your childhood was shitty since your freestyles. whoa eminem is addicted to pills?!?! a;sldkfj, we've known about this since the art on his first CD was a vic pill. nothing groundbreaking. The dre beat BLOWS hardcore. Eminem cant produce for shit, he has no musical talent, he has talent with the sounds of words, but as for their value, they arent worth shit. this CD gets two thumbs in my ears. dblock.… Expand
  7. RobertS.
    May 28, 2009
    2
    Eminem has passed his prime and it seems he knows it. His flow has become mechanical and unimaginative. His wit no longer has that passion it once had when he was in his 20s. It feels like he isn't even trying anymore. Like Hayley is in HS soon and doesn't need his drunk ass around the house anymore. He can only rap about his mom and celebrities so much . This album is garbage. Eminem has passed his prime and it seems he knows it. His flow has become mechanical and unimaginative. His wit no longer has that passion it once had when he was in his 20s. It feels like he isn't even trying anymore. Like Hayley is in HS soon and doesn't need his drunk ass around the house anymore. He can only rap about his mom and celebrities so much . This album is garbage. The singles are almost the only saving graces. Which is sad. bargain bin material.… Expand
  8. JustinF
    Jun 14, 2009
    3
    Once a pop culture phenomenon exuberantly spilling his emotion regarding his troubled life, is now lacking substance and meaning. Relapse was worth a listen, only to realize I had to turn it off because the novelty that was Eminem has worn off.
  9. TheeStranger
    Nov 5, 2009
    2
    I keep reading all these comments, and everybody going on and on about his first three golden records. The guy had TWO records: Slim Shady L.P. and Marshal Mathers L.P., the second of which was overplayed to death, and once he came out with The Eminem Show, crying about his mommy and all that crap, I tuned out (oh, and he's back at it again with this album). Well, I TRIED to tune I keep reading all these comments, and everybody going on and on about his first three golden records. The guy had TWO records: Slim Shady L.P. and Marshal Mathers L.P., the second of which was overplayed to death, and once he came out with The Eminem Show, crying about his mommy and all that crap, I tuned out (oh, and he's back at it again with this album). Well, I TRIED to tune out, but it was kind of hard with my best friend still loving and playing everything the guy crapped out to death. If you ask me, he's put out pretty much nothing but crap since Marshal Mathers, and I can't even listen to that record anymore I've heard it so much. Some of his 8 Mile soundtrack stuff was alright, I guess. I really love his first album (not Infinite; Infinite doesn't cout) for tracks such as "If I Had" and "As the World Turns". I loved the humor and his over-the-top comicbooky/horrorcore style, and his utilization of an evil alter-ego reminded me a lot of Kool Keith's Dr. Octagon. Actually, I see a big parallel in the two artists careers. They each put a classic debut solo album, and then a second, much more visceral and much angrier direct sequel... basically angry about the success of their first album. Anyway, gave this a try because a friend told me it was a return to form, and that I would like it since I really like the Slim Shady L.P. Well, after listening to it, it kinda sounds like that's what Eminem was going for with this record, but he fails horribly. This has got to be his worst record to date. If you ask me, I think the guy took "too much ?EEEEEEEEEEEEE ?".… Expand
  10. ChrisS
    Jul 15, 2009
    2
    Once great, now just puts out crap like this. Avoid.
  11. JonW.
    Jul 17, 2009
    2
    Being a fan, I felt obligated to give the album a chance so I've listened through it several times. Each time I am more and more disgusted. Remember when Slim Shady was a comical character whose ultra violent antics somehow came across as a clever joke? Now every "Shady" track is an excercise in sick, demented, trash that leaves you nauseous. This weird accent that I was hoping was Being a fan, I felt obligated to give the album a chance so I've listened through it several times. Each time I am more and more disgusted. Remember when Slim Shady was a comical character whose ultra violent antics somehow came across as a clever joke? Now every "Shady" track is an excercise in sick, demented, trash that leaves you nauseous. This weird accent that I was hoping was just a one time thing when the 3am single came out, hurts many songs on this disc and becomes nothing more than a gimmick to keep him from having rhyme. He devotes an entire song to whining about his mom. The christopher reeve's jokes have become not only offensive, but incredibly overused and documenting this rapper's detorioration of creativity. Eminem showed the world with his first three albums that he was one of the greatest lyrical artist of a generation. If you want to retain that image of him, avoid this awful cd, and do not hope for anything good to come from eminem in the future.… Expand
  12. jetboy
    Aug 21, 2010
    2
    i've tried to listen to eminem's albums, because everyone says he's so good. so i gave relapse a try. after listening i can't see what everyone was talking about . i did not enjoy it. with that in mind i relize that most rappers are at their best at the beginning of their careers, so i listened to his earlier albums. i still do not see what people are talking about. to wrap it up i thinki've tried to listen to eminem's albums, because everyone says he's so good. so i gave relapse a try. after listening i can't see what everyone was talking about . i did not enjoy it. with that in mind i relize that most rappers are at their best at the beginning of their careers, so i listened to his earlier albums. i still do not see what people are talking about. to wrap it up i think he has weak flow, poor metaphors, and poor shallow lyrical content. but i might be the only person who thinks that… Expand
  13. BillW
    May 19, 2009
    0
    This is nothing compared to the MM LP. What happened?
  14. kpat
    May 20, 2009
    2
    Eminem's new album is a as crusty as his last. He has an incredible talent to spit good lyrical content, but fails to do so again. The reason this album fails is because he reverts back to nagging about his oh-so-sad life coupled with less than enjoyable clown tracks. He should retire again, and stick to producing beats.
  15. spadenx
    Jan 13, 2012
    2
    Both lyrically and vocally, This is Eminem at his worst. IMO its easily his worst album. The only good song on the album was Underground (it was only good because it was Eminem in his old style). Truely one trashy album.

Awards & Rankings

3
#3 Most Discussed Album of 2009
5
#5 Most Shared Album of 2009

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
59

Mixed or average reviews - based on 27 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 27
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 27
  3. Negative: 4 out of 27
  1. Entertainment Weekly
    91
    Thankfully, producer Dr. Dre is there to temper the lyrical bloodletting, laying heavyweight hooks over even the most scabrous tales of family disturbia, and setting 'Bagpipes From Baghdad,' Em's inspired riff on rumored ex Mariah Carey, to snake-charming woodwind squiggles.
    Read full review
  2. Los Angeles Times
    60
    It's an impressively focused and clever work. But this music is not transcendent. It's still stuck in Marshall Mathers' muck, his fundamental mistrust of pleasure and love.
    Read full review
  3. Rolling Stone
    80
    By letting Dr. Dre take over the low-end-funk production, and rhyming about things he actually cares about, he comes up with a more painful, honest and vital record than anyone could have expected at this late date, up there with "The Eminem Show" or maybe even better.
    Read full review
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