Twenty years after its release, “Curtain Call: The Hits” remains one of the most persistent forces in modern music. The compilation arrived on 6 December 2005 as a summary of Eminem’s imperial run, but it has lived far beyond its era. Today, it remains a global bestseller, a streaming mainstay, and a reminder of how profoundly Eminem reshaped pop culture.
Back in 2005, “Curtain Call” gathered the tracks that defined Eminem’s rise: the singles that filled stadiums, sparked debates, and rewrote expectations for what hip hop could sound like on the world stage. The album also featured three new songs, “Fack”, “Shake That”, and the emotional ballad “When I’m Gone”, plus the unforgettable live “Stan” with Elton John.
Chart Fixture That Wouldn’t Move
Since release, the album has refused to fade. It has spent 764 weeks on the Billboard 200, a run that places it among the longest charting albums in US history. Moreover, “Curtain Call” holds the title of the longest charting hip hop release.
And the story is similar worldwide. Because the compilation never really left rotation, it has earned certifications that show extraordinary longevity rather than nostalgia alone.
Global Certifications for “Curtain Call”
Eminem’s greatest hits record has collected an almost surreal list of awards:
US: Diamond (10 million+)
UK: 11× Platinum (3.3 million)
Australia: 12× Platinum
Germany: 3× Platinum
Denmark: 7× Platinum
Ireland: 7× Platinum
Italy: 2× Platinum
Japan: 2× Platinum
New Zealand: 7× Platinum
Plus Gold or Platinum in France, Austria, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, and Greece.
Legacy That Keeps Expanding
Two decades later, the album continues to pulse because it captures the duality that made Eminem a phenomenon: the sharp wit, the technical fireworks, and the vulnerable storytelling that made even his loudest tracks feel human.
And, crucially, “Curtain Call” is not a 20-year-old retrospective. It has become a gateway. In fact, often this is the record new generations discover first, before diving into the brilliance of the full catalogue.
Even now, the album resurfaces in the charts whenever Eminem releases new music, trends online, or appears at a major event. More than that, there are charts that the record never leaves.
“Curtain Call” is a pop-cultural anchor, an example of when one rapper’s run became something close to myth. Twenty years in, “Curtain Call” still sings “for the year”, and it’s nowhere near finished.
