SZA’s ‘SOS’ Ruled the Billboard 200 for Six Weeks, A Record Among 2022 Female Albums

R&B artist, SZA, prolonged her reign on the Billboard 200 Albums chart for six consecutive weeks, making SOS the longest-running #1 album by a female artist released in 2022.

Upon the release of her sophomore album titled SOS in December 2022, SZA became the voice on charts, radio, and social media. Receiving a 94% rating on Metacritic, SOS tied (with Rosalía’s Motomami) as the top-rated album by a female artist in 2022. SOS debuted as an instant hit, receiving the biggest streaming week of any R&B album ever (over 400 million) and the second biggest streaming week for an album by a female artist. With those numbers, SOS debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, which ranks albums based off of streaming, radio play, pure sales, and other forms of music consumption.

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Not only did the album’s wild success land SZA her first #1 on the Billboard 200, but it maintained the #1 spot for six consecutive weeks, surpassing Taylor Swift’s record of five weeks, and making SZA’s SOS the longest-running #1 album released by a female artist in 2022. The album debuted 20 tracks on the Billboard Hot 100, the chart that tracks the most popular songs based on the same weighted units. Unfortunately, the release of the album aligned with the holiday season, so holiday song streams interfered with SOS’s songs debuting at higher numbers than they otherwise might have. If it were not for Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas,” SZA’s newly released single, “Kill Bill,” would have debuted at the #1 spot on the Hot 100—SZA’s potential first-ever chart topper.

The Hype of SZA and ‘SOS’

With the debut of her first album CTRL, SZA became a big name in mainstream R&B. Getting the likes of Travis Scott to feature on her lead single, “Love Galore,” the song became a long-lasting classic for even non-R&B listeners. CTRL was nominated for four Grammy categories in 2018, and SZA was nominated for Best New Artist but ultimately lost to Dua Lipa. CTRL was released in 2017, so it had been over five years since SZA released another full-length project. However, SZA’s fans were not left starving, as she appeared on many critically acclaimed and awarded songs throughout the time between CTRL and SOS. SZA gave her unique vocality to the chorus of “All The Stars” by Kendrick Lamar, which was the leading track to Black Panther in 2018. “All The Stars” was nominated in four Grammy categories in 2019, but SZA did not win her first Grammy until her collaboration with Doja Cat, “Kiss Me More,” won Best Pop Duo/Group Performance in 2022.

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Becoming a household name and mainstream artist in R&B, the contemporary singer released the leading track of SOS in 2020 titled “Good Days.” “Good Days” was a commercial success and peaked at #9 on the Hot 100 chart, making it SZA’s first solo top ten hit. It charted for 20 weeks and was a long-standing viral hit during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the release of “Good Days,” SZA released two more singles, “I Hate U” and “Shirt,” which both went viral on TikTok and both landed in the top 20 of the Hot 100 chart. There was a lot of speculation about the legitimacy surrounding the release of SOS. With a two-year gap sitting between the release of the lead single and the album, for fans, it seemed like the album was a lost hope and was nowhere near release. Every new single teased an album announcement, but with the release date being pushed forward many times, it seemed possible that SZA’s team would have cost her a spot at the top of the charts from losing momentum. Luckily, SZA was able to announce her album release date of December 9, 2022, just six weeks after the release of “Shirt.”

The Top Hits of ‘SOS’

SOS gained attention from millions. Many of those listeners came from the big names on her tracklist. With the help of Don Toliver, Phoebe Bridgers, Travis Scott, and the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard, SZA’s 25-song tracklist was a wide spectrum of genres for fans to listen to. From the pop-punk-rock “F2F” to the brooding trap hit “Low,” SOS was truly an unskippable album that created 25 songs that each had their own distinct personalities. Undoubtedly, the top hit from the album was the obsessive revenge track “Kill Bill.” As one of the album’s first tracks, “Kill Bill” set the bar for the rest of the album with its shocking lyrics and liberating chorus. In common with SZA’s lyrical fashion, “Kill Bill” displays her breakup music in extremes, literally stating that she might kill her ex but still loves him and would rather be in jail than alone. Her limit-pushing lyricism embraces vulnerability in this track, and although murder should never be praised, SZA’s delivery makes it obvious that it’s an empty fantasy driven by the sadness of seeing your love happy with someone else.

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The Legacy of ‘SOS’

Two years later, SOS remains a cornerstone of modern R&B. With its genre-blending range, vulnerable lyricism, and daring production, it not only reaffirmed SZA’s voice in the industry—it redefined what a mainstream R&B album could be. Tracks like “Kill Bill,” “Low,” and “Good Days” are still widely streamed and continue to influence a wave of upcoming artists. SOS is frequently cited on “Best of the 2020s” album lists and has left a lasting impact on both fans and the future of the genre.

By Nino Vongphachanh

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Nino Vongphachanh

Nino Vongphachanh is a Casting Director and aspiring TV Writer with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from New York University. Nino’s background in casting gives him an adoration for watching and reviewing performances, so journalism is another medium that allows him to voice his enthusiasm to a wider audience. Nino strives to enlighten to world of the importance of diversity on screen with his work, which aligns with The Hollywood Insider’s mission to be the most influential and progressive global entertainment network. Nino enjoys being up-to-date with all current events and trends, helping him create a fresh perspective on the topics he writes about. Keeping an open mind with the goal of promoting awareness in film and television, Nino writes passionately about projects he believes advance the world artistically and culturally.

Nino Vongphachanh

Nino Vongphachanh is a Casting Director and aspiring TV Writer with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from New York University. Nino’s background in casting gives him an adoration for watching and reviewing performances, so journalism is another medium that allows him to voice his enthusiasm to a wider audience. Nino strives to enlighten to world of the importance of diversity on screen with his work, which aligns with The Hollywood Insider’s mission to be the most influential and progressive global entertainment network. Nino enjoys being up-to-date with all current events and trends, helping him create a fresh perspective on the topics he writes about. Keeping an open mind with the goal of promoting awareness in film and television, Nino writes passionately about projects he believes advance the world artistically and culturally.