Celebrating Five Years of Eminem's 'Music to Be Murdered By - Side B': A Deep Dive into the Surprise Sequel
Five years after its surprise release, Music to Be Murdered By – Side B remains one of Eminem’s most dissected and impactful late-career projects. Dropping without warning on December 18, 2020, the deluxe expansion added sixteen new songs to the original Music to Be Murdered By, deepening its Hitchcock-inspired concept with darker production, sharper lyricism, and a renewed embrace of horrorcore aesthetics. The project arrived at a critical moment in Eminem’s evolution, showcasing his ability to pivot between introspection, technical mastery, and unapologetic confrontation as debates about his relevance intensified. Side B not only revived thematic elements reminiscent of his early work but also demonstrated his continued commercial power—boosting the deluxe edition back into the Billboard 200’s top three and driving significant global streaming activity. Critics remained divided, yet fans consistently rank Side B as a standout within his modern discography, praising its dense writing, theatrical atmosphere, and high replay value. As the album turns five in 2025, its legacy reflects both Eminem’s relentless work ethic and his refusal to conform to industry expectations.
By @bradleymines ·
Five years ago, on December 18, 2020, Eminem shocked the hip-hop world with the sudden release of the deluxe edition of his eleventh studio album, Music to Be Murdered By – Side B. Dropped without warning via Shady Records, Aftermath Entertainment, and Interscope Records, the extended project added sixteen new tracks to the January 2020 original, expanding its Hitchcock-inspired vision with darker themes, dense lyricism, and a broader sonic palette. As we mark its five-year anniversary in 2025, this retrospective examines the album’s creation, impact, and lasting legacy—analyzing why Side B remains a defining moment in Eminem’s late-career evolution.
Background and the Surprise Release
The Music to Be Murdered By era began on January 17, 2020, when the original album arrived unannounced and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 279,000 equivalent album units. Inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s 1958 spoken-word album, it blended horror motifs with technical precision and featured appearances from artists including Juice WRLD, Ed Sheeran, Young M.A, and Royce da 5'9". The stealth release reignited debate around Eminem’s place in modern hip-hop—while simultaneously demonstrating his continued ability to dominate charts with zero promotion.
Side B dropped eleven months later, following cryptic hints and speculation across social media. The new artwork—Eminem in a trench coat and fedora—aligned with the Hitchcock branding, signaling that this was not a standalone record but a conceptual extension. Critics argued the surprise-release tactic had lost its novelty, but the strategy reflected Eminem’s post-Revival approach: move fast, avoid leaks, and let the music speak.
The deluxe edition combined the twenty original tracks with sixteen new ones, forming a thirty-six-song, 1 hour 45 minute body of work—one of the largest in Eminem’s catalog.
Production, Features, and Sonic Direction
Executive-produced by Eminem and Dr. Dre, Side B maintained the dark, cinematic production style established on the original. Tracks like “Alfred’s Theme” interpolate classic Hitchcock cues, using orchestral swells and boom-bap drums to build vintage horror ambience. Eminem handled much of the beat-making himself, with contributions from DA Got That Dope, IllaDaProducer, and others.
Side B featured Skylar Grey (“Black Magic”), DJ Premier (“Book of Rhymes”), Ty Dolla $ign (“Favorite Bitch”), Dr. Dre and Sly Pyper (“Guns Blazing”), MAJ (“These Demons”), and White Gold (“Zeus”). Their contributions added emotional variety, though some critics felt certain arrangements were formulaic or constrained by Eminem’s increasingly rapid-fire style.
Sonically, the album balanced nostalgia and modern trap influences. Songs like “These Demons” incorporated autotuned hooks and harder percussion, while “Discombobulated” leaned fully into a manic, classic-era Eminem delivery reminiscent of his early 2000s output.
Themes and Horrorcore Revival
Side B intensified the thematic world of its predecessor, leaning harder into horrorcore, psychological tension, and industry commentary. Skits such as “Alfred (Intro)” and “Key (Skit)” strengthened the narrative structure, casting Eminem as both narrator and participant within a Hitchcock-styled murder mystery.
Tracks delve into fame’s burden (“Higher”), rap-industry friction (“Zeus”), and personal demons (“Tone Deaf”). The imagery is graphic, theatrical, and self-aware—echoing the darker shades of The Slim Shady LP while applying Eminem’s matured technical precision.
“Book of Rhymes” explores legacy and craftsmanship through references to old notebooks, while “Discombobulated” indulges in chaotic humor. Thematically, Side B functions as both reflection and rebuttal, confronting criticism while doubling down on Eminem’s identity as a technician and conceptual storyteller.
Standout Tracks
“Alfred’s Theme” — A technical showcase with Hitchcock samples and multilayered rhyme structures.
“Black Magic” (feat. Skylar Grey) — A dark romance narrative blending murder ballad tropes with haunting vocals.
“Gnat” — A satirical, fast-paced commentary on COVID-19 and cultural tension.
“Zeus” (feat. White Gold) — One of the album’s most acclaimed tracks, addressing industry relationships and public perception.
“Book of Rhymes” (feat. DJ Premier) — A meta-analysis of Eminem’s creative process, complemented by Premier’s signature scratches.
“Discombobulated” — A return to classic Slim Shady energy, closing Side B on a self-referential high note.
Commercial Performance and Reception
The release of Side B propelled the deluxe edition of Music to Be Murdered By back to No. 3 on the Billboard 200 with 94,000 units in its debut week—a dramatic rebound in sales. The album also topped digital charts globally and pushed combined worldwide pure sales beyond 690,000 units, with streaming figures soaring throughout 2021 and beyond.
Critics remained divided. Some praised the thematic cohesion and technical brilliance, while others felt the project relied too heavily on familiar formulas. Fans on Reddit and social platforms, however, frequently cite Side B as one of Eminem’s strongest late-career works, especially for its horrorcore revival and dense craftsmanship.
Legacy and the 2025 Anniversary
Five years later, Side B stands as an essential piece of Eminem’s modern arc—a project that reinforced his longevity, sparked a resurgence in horror-themed rap aesthetics, and produced some of his most replayed tracks of the decade. Streaming remains strong across both sides of the deluxe, with songs like “Godzilla” continuing to perform at massive daily volumes.
In early 2025, Eminem released anniversary-edition merchandise, including a new Godzilla vinyl and apparel. Collectors can also purchase the exclusive 4LP red vinyl deluxe edition with alternate cover art, available here: Music To Be Murdered By (Side B) – Exclusive Red Vinyl 4LP.
As Eminem hints at new material, Side B remains a prime example of his relentless work ethic and refusal to fade quietly. Five years later, it still cuts deep.
Full Deluxe Tracklist
Side A
- Premonition (Intro) – 2:53
- Unaccommodating (feat. Young M.A) – 3:36
- You Gon' Learn (feat. Royce da 5'9", White Gold) – 3:54
- Alfred (Interlude) – 0:30
- Those Kinda Nights (feat. Ed Sheeran) – 2:57
- In Too Deep – 3:14
- Godzilla (feat. Juice WRLD) – 3:30
- Darkness – 5:37
- Leaving Heaven (feat. Skylar Grey) – 4:25
- Yah Yah (feat. Royce da 5'9", Black Thought, Q-Tip, Denaun) – 4:46
- Stepdad (Intro) – 0:15
- Stepdad – 3:33
- Marsh – 3:20
- Never Love Again – 2:57
- Little Engine – 2:57
- Lock It Up (feat. Anderson .Paak) – 2:50
- Farewell – 4:07
- No Regrets (feat. Don Toliver) – 3:20
- I Will (feat. Kxng Crooked, Royce da 5'9", Joell Ortiz) – 5:02
- Alfred (Outro) – 0:39
Side B
- Alfred (Intro) – 0:17
- Black Magic (feat. Skylar Grey) – 2:54
- Alfred’s Theme – 5:39
- Tone Deaf – 4:50
- Book of Rhymes (feat. DJ Premier) – 4:49
- Favorite Bitch (feat. Ty Dolla $ign) – 3:46
- Guns Blazing (feat. Dr. Dre, Sly Pyper) – 3:16
- Gnat – 3:44
- Higher – 3:42
- These Demons (feat. MAJ) – 3:27
- Key (Skit) – 0:57
- She Loves Me – 3:24
- Killer – 3:15
- Zeus (feat. White Gold) – 3:50
- Thus Far (Interlude) – 0:16
- Discombobulated – 4:12