Curtain Call: The Hits

Eminem was a pop-culture juggernaut around the turn of the millennium. Collecting singles released from 1999 to 2005, *Curtain Call* is a thrilling reminder of the potent writing and scintillating flows that elevated him to the top of the game. The eccentric, off-kilter beats and deranged one-liners of “My Name Is” and “The Real Slim Shady” encapsulate his lurid sense of humor, while dark, angry confessionals like “Cleanin’ Out My Closet” have lost none of their brutal power.

Hip-hop legend frustratingly collects the hits, saves some of his best work for a tack-on bonus disc, and adds a few mostly insignificant new tracks.

Check out our album review of Artist's Curtain Call: The Hits on Rolling Stone.com.

If Eminem's Curtain Call: The Hits really is his final bow and not merely a clever denouement to his series of Eminem Show and Encore albums, it's a worthy way to retire.

Thoughts on the career of Eminem, fueled by a mid-career hits bonanza that arrives just in time for the holidays:One: I can't tell which ages worse,...