Farage effect? Eminem track back in the charts

A major Eminem track is back in the charts - Is the Farage effect to blame?

PA/GETTY IMAGES
Charlie Peters

By Charlie Peters


Published: 20/06/2024

- 16:56

Updated: 20/06/2024

- 17:20

The Reform leader has used 'Without Me' as a campaign anthem during the General Election

Additional reporting by Jack Walters and Oliver Trapnell

Eminem's "Without Me" is back in the UK charts amid Nigel Farage using the track regularly during his General Election campaign.

The smash hit, which was first released in 2002, has arrived as a new entry in the UK top 50 songs on Spotify this week, currently sitting at 40.


The current UK No1 is Sabrina Carpenter's “Espresso”, which has not been co-opted by any party leaders during their election campaigns.

The return to the charts comes after Farage uploaded a TikTok video of him singing "guess who's back, back again", to the tune of Eminem's "Without Me."

Eminem

Eminem's hit song 'Without me' as a resurgence in the UK charts

Uploaded six days ago, it has 7.6 million views.

The Reform leader, who announced his return to frontline politics on June 3, has regularly played the song while walking out to rallies and speeches while campaigning in Clacton, Essex.

The return of "Without Me" to the UK charts comes after the Detroit rapper released his new single Houdini, which is currently 3rd in the Spotify charts.

A source close to Nigel Farage said: "Nigel is back in politics, and Eminem is back in the charts!"

Nigel Farage is not the first political figure to use the famous rapper's songs.

Last year, American tycoon Vivek Ramaswamy was told to stop rapping Eminem songs at his campaign events as he challenged Donald Trump for the Republican Party nomination.

Ramaswamy, 38, received a warning about potential legal action after delivering an impromptu rendition of Lose Yourself at the Iowa State Fair.

Eminem sent a cease and desist letter to the anti-woke CEO’s campaign team at the end of August via his music licenser BMI.

BMI said in a letter: “BMI has received a communication from Marshall B Mathers III, professionally known as Eminem, objecting to the Vivek Ramaswamy campaign’s use of Eminem’s music composition.”


Vivek Ramaswamy told to stop rapping Eminem songs at campaign events

It also revoked the campaign’s licence to use Eminem’s music.

Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for Ramaswamy’s campaign, told NBC at the time: “To the American people's chagrin, we will have to leave the rapping to the real slim shady.”

Ramaswamy also wrote on Twitter: “Will The REAL Slim Shady Please Stand Up? He didn’t just say what I think he did, did he?”

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