Eminem’s first greatest hits compilation has earned a new milestone in the United Kingdom. It remains Eminem’s most certified and longest charting project to date.
Never out of sight
Curtain Call is not just the longest charting album in Em’s career; it is the longest charting project in hip hop history. Right this moment, it’s spending its 785th week on the Billboard 200. At the same time, in the UK, the compilation is charting at No. 30 on the Top 40 in its 720th week.
All this interest centres on a collection of songs from the first six years Eminem spent in the spotlight. And the audience is still hungry, it seems. Partly, the appeal lies in the unique energy Slim Shady brought to the table in his early years, but also in the way the compilation covers a wide range of emotions. The effort to distil the Shady essence into one CD showed just how many facets his music has. Whether you want to scream angrily at the injustice of the world, goof around, or lay bare your insecurities – Eminem’s got you covered.
Steady sales
Public interest was high from the very beginning. Curtain Call debuted at No.1 both in the US and UK. The record went double platinum in the UK upon release and a week later added another certification, placing it at the 3x Platinum level. Since 2013, the album has gone to the next platinum level every 2-3 years. In the UK, the certification process is automatic; there is no need for a label to file for the proof of sales, the national body does the count anyway.
Meanwhile, in the US, the label has to initiate the process. As we know, this initiative does not come from Eminem’s office frequently. However, looking back at the certification history, we can see that the dynamic is similar to that in the UK. Between 2006 and 2016, the compilation gained five platinum levels, and then three more between 2016 and 2022. So, in the four years since the latest US update, Curtain Call: The Hits has likely reached 12x Platinum status in its home country as well. Yet, it will take years to become official.
So, let’s just celebrate a new milestone the album has reached in one of Eminem’s strongest markets. The British 12 x Platinum plaque indicates 3.6 million units sold in the country. In fact, in certification levels, the UK now matches Australia, which awarded Curtain Call with 12x Platinum years ago. However, in terms of units, the UK is the second country in the world after the US with the most Curtain Call copies sold.