Trust me, you didn’t just experience Deja Vu…that Eminem song on the radio really did just get played for the fifth time. Sure, it’s catchy, but can we really listen to the same song over and over again? Whether we like or not, Eminem has become more mainstream and radio-friendly on his latest album.

Eminem has always been in the limelight and the public’s eye. Usually he’s viewed as public enemy number one, but lately, the tide has changed. After the recent release of his album, “The Recovery,” his songs have been getting more play than Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber combined. The reason why? It’s just as much pop music as the rest.

Not every song on “The Recovery” is as mainstream as some of the other songs; however, Eminem’s true elements have been tested during this last effort. For starters, Eminem has shared the stage with a few other artists that are featured on his album. This includes Pink, Lil Wayne, and Rihanna. Eminem has had special appearances in the past, but usually they were rappers with similar styles of music.

To have Rihanna on a song with Eminem is worse enough, but when it’s a song about a relationship, you’re just asking for a radio hit. And so, the single “Love The Way You Lie” swept the world’s ears. The catchy lyrics became appealing to all age groups. The only way to make this single more mainstream was to have an A-List star in the music video; Eminem topped it off by casting Megan Fox.

It’s not bad to be popular or mainstream, however, when you’re Eminem, you have a reputation to uphold. Eminem had gained success in the 90s with his raw, furious rhymes that enraged parents and enraptured fans. Eminem did not hold back on albums such as “The Marshall Mathers” LP and “Encore.” However, on the “Recovery,” it seemed as if he held his tongue back from insulting and offending. He even says in the song “Talkin’ 2 Myself,” that he almost attacked other musicians, but is thankful he held his tongue, because it wasn’t right of him to do this. Is that Eminem? Not the Eminem that we know and love.

The single “Not Afraid” took the airwaves and became an instant hit. From the song’s catchy chorus to its pop melody, it sounds like the record label handed him the lyrics they prepared for him, along with the music. The pop disaster didn’t end, and Eminem found it necessary to make a song with Lil Wayne. A promising collaboration, however, attached was a sample of the 90s dance song, “What Is Love?” used for the song’s instrumental. Eminem using a dance hit for his song? Unheard of until now.

If some hardcore Eminem fans haven’t thrown the newspaper down in anger yet, there are some positives to this album. Overall, this album is produced well, and the lyrical writings are some of Eminem’s best. Some songs on the album sound like the old Eminem that made the public’s jaws drop. Also, Eminem has been a father for many years now and is approaching 40, so can we really blame him for maturing? Eminem’s old insanity will be always missed, but this new Eminem is a fresh breath of air. Eminem will always be an amazing musician, regardless of the musical or personal path he takes. Eminem has truly “Recovered,” but are fans happy about his new mainstream appeal?