#SZASOS
SOS, SZA’s second studio album, dropped December 9, 2022, after a five-year wait—and became one of the decade’s defining R&B records.
The Album
Following the critically acclaimed Ctrl (2017), SOS expanded SZA’s sonic palette: vulnerable R&B, punk-rock influences, acoustic ballads, rap features (Travis Scott, Phoebe Bridgers, Don Toliver). The 23-track, 68-minute album chronicled messy relationships, self-sabotage, and emotional chaos.
Standout tracks included “Kill Bill” (a murderous breakup anthem sampling Kill Bill Vol. 1), “Good Days,” “I Hate U,” “Shirt,” and “Nobody Gets Me.”
Commercial Dominance
SOS debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 and stayed there for 10 non-consecutive weeks—the longest reign by an R&B album since Whitney Houston’s Whitney (1987).
“Kill Bill” became SZA’s first solo #1 on the Hot 100, spending weeks atop charts globally. The album’s longevity was unprecedented—still charting 70+ weeks later in 2024.
By 2024, SOS had spent more weeks at #1 than any other album by a woman in the 2020s.
Cultural Impact
SZA’s raw vulnerability (“I might kill my ex, not the best idea”) resonated with a generation navigating toxic relationships and mental health struggles. The album’s aesthetic—marine biology themes, shipwreck imagery—became iconic.
The “Kill Bill” music video (SZA as a vengeful bride) racked up 100+ million views. Her SNL performances went viral.
SOS cemented SZA as R&B’s reigning queen, earning Grammy nominations for Album of the Year, Record of the Year (“Kill Bill”), and Best R&B Album.
Reception
Critics adored it (95/100 Metacritic). Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, and The Guardian all placed it in their year-end top 10s.
The album’s success proved R&B could dominate commercially in a streaming era dominated by hip-hop and pop.