So far, SZA only has two full-length studio albums to her name. However, they have both been critical and commercial successes, earning her much-deserved accolades. Over a decade into her career, she is now widely recognized as a luminary in the realm of contemporary R&B. Additionally, she has broken and set new records in the industry, especially within the last year.
While Ctrl (2017), her debut album, was a huge success, it was SOS that catapulted her into a new echelon. Evidently, the singer is part of the crop of acts known as album artists, and she is certainly very skilled at putting together musical bodies of work. Nevertheless, the success of SOS has been astounding, and it only continues to rise. It’s no surprise that it earned SZA an outstanding nine nominations at the 2024 Grammys.
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SOS: A Worldwide Event
SOS was released on December 9, 2023, which was less than a year ago. Surprisingly, it’s already surpassed Ctrl’s overall sales and is now SZA’s best-selling album worldwide, moving over 3 million units alone in the United States. Considering the immense impact SOS has had since its release, this makes sense. However, an album selling over three million units in the US, in less than a year, is no ordinary feat. While Ctrl is also certified 3x Platinum in the US, it took the album about five years to achieve that status.
They are also evenly matched in Australia and the United Kingdom in album sales, moving 70,000 and 100,000 units, respectively. However, SOS obliterates Ctrl in Brazil, Canada, and Denmark. So far, SOS has sold 80,000 units in Brazil, 240,000 units in Canada, and 20,000 units in Denmark. Additionally, it is certified Gold (20,000 units) in the Netherlands, whereas Ctrl is yet to have any certifications in that country. Finally, SOS has sold 30,000 units in New Zealand and is currently 2x Platinum in the country. Certainly, Ctrl is in no way a commercial failure. Altogether, SOS has had a truly insane run this year. Nevertheless, both albums are individually brilliant, and SZA has earned her wins.
A Record-Breaking R&B Masterpiece
With two stellar albums in her catalog, SZA has become an untouchable force in the evolving world of R&B. Before SOS was finally released, it was also highly anticipated, as fans had begged and clamored for a new body of work. In fact, the album’s lead single, “Good Days,” was released on December 25, 2020, and peaked at number 9 on the Hot 100 chart. It was her first solo song to chart within the top 10 of the Hot 100. Afterward, it was almost exactly a year later that SZA dropped the second single, “I Hate U.” At the end of the music video for “Good Days,” she teased “Shirt,” the third single that didn’t drop until October 2022.
Finally, almost two years after its lead single dropped, SOS was released. It was an immediate hit, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. Subsequently, it stayed in that position for 10 non-consecutive weeks. This made it the first R&B album to spend its first seven weeks at number one since Whitney Houston’s 1987 eponymous album.
Additionally, it broke the record for the largest streaming week for an R&B album in the US. Following the album’s release, SZA dropped videos for “Nobody Gets Me,” and the Grammy-nominated hits, “Kill Bill,” and “Snooze.” Impressively, all six singles managed to peak within the top 20 on the Hot 100 chart. As a matter of fact, only “Shirt” failed to break into the top 10, peaking at number 11.
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An R&B Titan Emerges
SOS is a follow-up album that has far exceeded expectations. Only featuring Don Toliver, Phoebe Bridgers, Travis Scott, and Ol’ Dirty Bastard, the 23-track album sees SZA bloom into an R&B heroine. It received Grammy nods in the Album of the Year and Best Progressive Album categories at the 2024 ceremony. In addition, it earned SZA seven more nominations for songs like “Kill Bill,” “Snooze,” and “Ghost in the Machine.” Overall, SOS is a monumental album, and will not be forgotten by either listeners or the artist anytime soon.
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