Eminem Reveals World Tour 2025 Setlist – But A Super Hit Is Not On The List!
The rap world is buzzing, the Stans are freaking out, and the stakes have never been higher: Eminem has unveiled the setlist for his World Tour 2025, and it’s a rollercoaster of nostalgia, fury, and jaw-dropping surprises. Announced on March 22, 2025, alongside the tour itself – a 50-city global trek dubbed “The Shady Farewell” – the list promises to be a career-defining spectacle, blending classics with cuts from The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce). But as fans pored over the track lineup, one glaring absence sent shockwaves through the internet: “Lose Yourself,” the anthem that cemented Eminem as a cultural titan, is nowhere to be found. With a guest-packed tour already shaking the game, this omission has fans reeling – is the “Rap God” rewriting his legacy, or snubbing his biggest hit for a reason we can’t yet grasp?
The setlist reveal came via a gritty teaser on Eminem’s socials, a black-and-white montage of live clips synced to a remix of “Without Me.” As the beat thumped, titles scrolled: “My Name Is,” “Stan,” “The Real Slim Shady,” “Rap God,” “Houdini,” “Tobey,” “Till I Collapse” – a 25-song beast spanning his 25-year reign. Guest teases flashed too – Rihanna for “Love the Way You Lie” in London, Taylor Swift for a “Killshot” mashup in Chicago, Kanye West for “Forever” in Paris. It’s a lineup built to torch stages from LA on June 1 to Tokyo on October 25, with Dr. Dre, 50 Cent, and Ed Sheeran amplifying the chaos. “This is my story,” Eminem growled in the voiceover. “Every bar, every scar – one last time.” Fans hit X screaming, “This is fire!” – until they noticed what wasn’t there.
“Lose Yourself,” the 2002 juggernaut from 8 Mile, is Eminem’s crown jewel – a No. 1 hit, an Oscar winner, a cultural touchstone that’s racked up over 2 billion streams. It’s the song that turned Marshall Mathers into a global icon, a motivational anthem etched into the DNA of hip-hop and beyond. Every tour since – Anger Management, Recovery, Rapture – has ended with its iconic “You only get one shot” rallying cry, fans spitting every word like a battle hymn. So when the 2025 setlist dropped without it, the reaction was instant pandemonium. “No ‘Lose Yourself’?!” one fan tweeted. “Is this a joke?” Another raged, “He’s trolling us – he has to be!” The hashtag #WheresLoseYourself trended within hours, splitting Stans between confusion and outrage.
The rest of the setlist is a masterstroke. From The Slim Shady LP, “My Name Is” and “Guilty Conscience” bring the ‘90s mischief; The Marshall Mathers LP delivers “Stan” and “The Way I Am” for the raw fury; The Eminem Show offers “Without Me” and “Till I Collapse” for the anthems. Recovery’s “Not Afraid” and “Love the Way You Lie” nod to his redemption arc, while Revival’s “River” with Ed Sheeran gets a rare live spin. Kamikaze’s “Venom” and “The Ringer” flex his late-career venom, and Death of Slim Shady tracks like “Lucifer,” “Houdini,” and “Temporary” – his tribute to his late mom Debbie – anchor the present. Add rarities like “Marshall Mathers” (last played in 2010) and “Cleanin’ Out My Closet,” and it’s a setlist that’s both a time machine and a middle finger to doubters. But no “Lose Yourself”? It’s like Picasso skipping the Mona Lisa.
Why ditch the super hit? Theories are flying faster than Em’s bars. Some see it as a bold statement tied to the “Shady Farewell” theme – if Slim Shady’s dead, maybe “Lose Yourself” is too sacred to resurrect. “He killed the alter ego,” a Reddit thread argued. “That song’s pure Shady – maybe he’s done with it.” Others suspect a personal angle: after Debbie’s death in December 2024, Eminem’s leaned into reflective tracks like “Temporary,” and “Lose Yourself” – a gritty survival tale – might not fit his headspace. “He’s not that hungry kid anymore,” one fan mused. “He’s a grandpa now – maybe it doesn’t feel right.”
Then there’s the troll theory – Eminem’s a master of misdirection. “He’s gonna surprise us,” an X user predicted. “Bet he plays it unannounced at every show.” His history backs this: dropping Kamikaze out of nowhere in 2018, teasing retirement only to rebound with Music to Be Murdered By. The tour’s guest list – Rihanna, Swift, Kanye – already screams curveballs; skipping “Lose Yourself” could be another. “He loves messing with us,” a Stan laughed. “Watch him encore with it and laugh at the meltdown.” Yet, the setlist’s final slot is listed as “TBA,” fueling hope – or dread – that he’s holding something back.
The omission stings because “Lose Yourself” isn’t just a song – it’s Eminem’s Everest. Released at his commercial peak, it won Best Original Song at the 2003 Oscars (the first for rap), powered 8 Mile to box-office gold, and became a go-to for sports montages, graduations, and underdog dreams. Its “seize the moment” ethos defined him – even when he stumbled with Encore or Revival, it was the benchmark fans held him to. Live, it’s been his closer, his communion with crowds, from Coachella in 2018 to the Super Bowl in 2022. “It’s the one song everyone knows,” a concertgoer tweeted. “How do you not play it?”
The tour’s stakes amplify the shock. Billed as a potential swan song – with retirement rumors swirling (another headline in itself) – fans expected a victory lap of hits, not a curveball. “If this is his last tour, ‘Lose Yourself’ is non-negotiable,” one raged on X. “It’s disrespectful to skip it!” Others defend the choice: “He’s giving us deep cuts instead – ‘Marshall Mathers’ over a radio hit? I’m here for it.” The guest lineup – Dre and 50 for Detroit grit, Rihanna and Sheeran for crossover gold, Swift and Kanye for chaos – suggests he’s curating a narrative, not just pandering. But leaving out the hit feels like a gamble even Eminem’s bravado might not cover.
ITV’s sweating – they’re reportedly angling for a live special, and a “Lose Yourself”-less setlist could dent hype, especially with Ben Shephard’s rumored exit already rocking the network. Ticketmaster’s presale crashed under demand, with scalpers jacking prices to $5,000 for LA’s opener. Glastonbury’s banking on a June 28 headline with Sheeran, and Mumbai’s August 10 debut is a historic first – all eyes are on whether Eminem tweaks the list under pressure. “Fans will riot if he skips it in Detroit,” a pundit warned. “That’s his soul right there.”
The setlist’s flow hints at intent. Opening with “My Name Is” sets the irreverent tone; “Stan” and “The Way I Am” dig into his psyche; “Houdini” and “Tobey” flex his 2024 edge. “Till I Collapse” and “Not Afraid” are the motivational spine, while “Love the Way You Lie” with Rihanna and “River” with Sheeran hit the emotional peaks. “Lucifer” and “Temporary” close the main set, a dark-reflection combo that’s pure 2025 Em. The “TBA” encore – fans pray it’s “Lose Yourself” – keeps the mystery alive. With a stage mimicking a decaying Detroit skyline and pyrotechnics galore, it’s a production built to stun, hit or no hit.
Will he cave? Eminem’s stubborn – if he’s axed “Lose Yourself,” he might stick to it, daring fans to embrace the unexpected. “He doesn’t owe us anything,” a loyalist argued. “He’s played it a million times – let him switch it up.” Yet, the backlash is fierce: “It’s like Springsteen skipping ‘Born to Run,’” one critic fumed. “You don’t mess with the anthem.” A surprise drop mid-tour – maybe with Dre in Detroit or Swift in Chicago – could flip the script, but for now, the silence from Shady Records is deafening.
In the end, this setlist is Eminem unfiltered – bold, defiant, and a little maddening. “Lose Yourself” or not, the 2025 tour’s a testament to a career that’s never played safe. Fans will scream, debate, and pack every venue, hoping for that one-shot moment – announced or not. Is this a snub, a statement, or a sleight of hand from the Rap God? June 1 in LA can’t come soon enough – because with Eminem, the real surprise is always yet to drop.
