SZA is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer who has been making waves in the music industry since the release of her debut studio album, CTRL, in 2017. With her distinct blend of R&B, soul, and hip-hop, SZA has become one of the most successful and critically acclaimed artists of the decade. At this point there no individual in the world that doesn’t know about SZA.
SZA’s third studio album, SOS, is an ambitious and masterfully crafted effort that showcases her distinct blend of R&B, soul, and hip-hop. The album was met with universal acclaim from critics and was a commercial success, debuting at number one on the US Billboard 200 and holding it for the 10th week holding off Taylor Swift’s new album Midnights and Drake’s new album Her Loss.
What so special about the album
The last album by a woman to have achieved 10 weeks at No. 1 was Adele’s “25” (2015), and before that, Taylor Swift’s “1989” achieved the mark with 11 weeks (2014) and now SZA’s new album has achieved that #1 spot after 8 years.
“SOS” has been a streaming powerhouse since its December debut. “SOS” had 405 million on-demand streams in its first week on the charts, making it the fifth-largest streaming week of 2022 and the second-largest streaming week ever for an album by a female artist (Swift’s “Midnights” had 549.26 million). According to data via Billboard, the record maintained its number one position this week by earning the equivalent of 87,000 album units in the United States and 118 million streams. So far, SOS has had a huge impact on music culture and has been nominated for a number of awards, including a Grammy Award for Best Urban Contemporary Album.
About the album
The production on SOS is lush and layered, with SZA’s distinct vocals taking center stage. The instrumental production is kept minimal, allowing SZA’s lyrics to take the spotlight. The lyrics are personal and relatable, touching on topics such as heartbreak, love, and self-discovery. Her lyrics are often praised for her honesty and vulnerability. She has a knack for capturing the nuances of relationships and exploring the complexities of love. The album is also a celebration of her own personal growth and journey, and her lyrics often reflect her newfound confidence and strength. The album contains over 23 tracks containing features like from Don Toliver, Phoebe Bridgers , Ol’ Dirty Bastard and Travis Scott
The album has gained over Billions of streams over Spotify and all the other music streaming services in a matter of 10 weeks. And the song Kill Bill being the highlight of the album growing over 540 million streams very well passing Ice Spice and PinkPantheress’s new single by over a margin. And maintains the 2# spot in the Billboard Hot 100
The singer recently unveiled the impending arrival of a new deluxe album featuring 10 additional tracks, though a release date was not disclosed. With bonus tracks on the horizon, “SOS” may see an extended chart run but is expected to be challenged for the top slot in the next week thanks to major releases like Karol G’s “Mañana Será Bonito ” and Yeat’s “AfterLyfe,” which are poised for big debuts on next week’s chart. This week will also see the release of Morgan Wallen’s highly-anticipated third studio album “One Thing at a Time.
Opinions from the Audience
SOS received universal acclaim from critics upon its release, with Pitchfork awarding the album a perfect score of 10/10 and describing it as “a sprawling, beautiful meditation on self-discovery and joy”. Rolling Stone praised SZA’s “rich, soulful voice” and called the album “as close to a perfect pop album as it gets”. The Guardian also praised the album, stating that “SOS is an album of immense power and poise, a bold statement from an artist who has found her voice and is unafraid to use it”. The album was also praised for its production value and lyrical depth, with many critics noting that this was SZA’s most confident and mature work to date.
