Guess who’s back? How Eminem is storming to the top of the

His new song Houdini is set to be the fastest-selling single of the year, eclipsing even Taylor Swift – despite being ignored by rap fans and radio stations alike

Last Friday, Eminem released his 62nd single, Houdini. Reviews were lukewarm to woeful. “Eminem loses the magic,” ran the headline in the New York Times, while website Stereogum went for the more straightforward “Eminem’s New Song ‘Houdini’ Is Really, Really Bad”, criticising everything from the “stilted” rapping to a lyrical joke about the incident when Megan Thee Stallion was shot in the foot by her fellow rapper Tory Lanez.

The public’s response was quite the opposite. A week on, it is the most-streamed song in the UK and guaranteed to become Eminem’s 11th UK No 1. It is both his fastest-selling single in 22 years, and on track to become the UK’s fastest-selling single of the year by anyone, including Taylor Swift.