The leak sent shockwaves through the label. Within weeks, Eminem and producer Dr. Dre were back in the studio to salvage the project. They quickly penned replacement tracks to fill the void left by the compromised songs. In his 2017 interview with Vulture , Eminem admitted he’s "cool with probably half that album," explaining that he recorded the rushed tracks towards the height of his addiction, adding: "I was in a room by myself writing songs in 25, 30 minutes because we had to get it done, and what came out was so goofy".
: A fierce, battle-ready rap track aimed at the Murder Inc. camp. The Replacement Songs (The Rush Jobs)
While Interscope Records never officially published the pre-leak tracklist, hip-hop historians, interviews with Eminem, and audio engineers have allowed fans to reconstruct what the original version of Encore looked like. The Confirmed Lost Tracks
: A major diss track aimed at Benzino and Ja Rule. Eminem stated this was intended to follow "We As Americans" in the tracklist.
: An early version without the "drugged" vocal delivery. 5. Never Enough (ft. 50 Cent & Nate Dogg). 6. Yellow Brick Road . 7. Like Toy Soldiers . 8. Mosh : Included to double down on anti-Bush themes.
These tracks were recorded between 2002 and 2003 specifically for the upcoming album. They showcased a mature, battle-tested Eminem operating at the peak of his lyrical powers:
When Encore dropped on November 12, 2004, it was a massive commercial success, selling over 700,000 copies in its first three days. Despite the numbers, the critical reception was mixed. Fans were baffled by the jarring tonal shift between masterpieces like "Like Toy Soldiers" and bizarre filler tracks like "My 1st Single."
: A high-energy track featuring his group, D12.
The original Encore was designed to be a darker, more mature reflection on fame. Without the "silly" songs, the album maintains a consistent, moody atmosphere.
The leak was a seismic event for Eminem's label, Aftermath Entertainment. The entire planned vision for the album was now public domain. In a frantic scramble that mirrored the The Eminem Show leak two years earlier, label executives met to conduct damage control. The initial release date was pushed forward from November 16 to November 12 in a desperate attempt to get the official product into fans' hands before bootlegs saturated the market. But for Eminem, the damage was already done. He was forced to fly back to Dr. Dre's studio in Los Angeles to salvage the album.
Based on early demos and the songs that were leaked or moved to the bonus disc, the initial album was supposed to feature tracks that addressed the US government, media scrutiny, and personal turmoil, rather than the goofy Slim Shady persona that took over the final product. The Leaks That Changed Everything
(Later released as "Brand New Dance" ): This track was fully recorded and officially slated to be the 7th track on the retail album. However, just a month before release, the song's primary subject, actor Christopher Reeve, tragically passed away from heart failure on October 10, 2004. Out of respect, Eminem pulled the song. Decades later, a slightly reworked version of this exact 2004 recording was finally released as "Brand New Dance" on his 2024 album The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce) . The Last-Minute Filler Tracks
With "We As Americans" and "Mosh" back-to-back, the album would have been the most significant political statement of Eminem's career.
If the leaks had never occurred, many speculate that the middle "humor" section of Encore would have been replaced by these more substantive works. A "perfect" version of the original Encore would likely have looked like this: Curtains Up (Intro) Evil Deeds Never Enough (ft. 50 Cent & Nate Dogg) Yellow Brick Road Like Toy Soldiers We as Americans Monkey See, Monkey Do Love You More Spent Some Time (ft. Obie Trice, Stat Quo & 50 Cent) Mockingbird Crazy in Love One Shot 2 Shot (ft. D12) Encore / Curtains Down Why the Change Matters