Overview
SOS is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter SZA. It was released through Top Dawg Entertainment and RCA Records on December 9, 2022. The album features guest appearances from Don Toliver, Phoebe Bridgers, Travis Scott, and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard. SZA worked with a variety of record producers and songwriters such as Babyface, Jeff Bhasker, Benny Blanco, Rodney Jerkins, DJ Dahi, Ant Clemons and Lizzo. It serves as the follow-up to SZA's previous album Ctrl (2017).
The album was preceded by three singles—"Good Days", "I Hate U", and "Shirt", followed by "Nobody Gets Me", "Kill Bill", and "Snooze" after the album's release. "Kill Bill" became SZA's first song to top the Billboard Hot 100, while all singles except for "Shirt" peaked within the top 10. Upon release, SOS received widespread critical acclaim for its eclectic sound and SZA's vocal delivery; several media publications ranked it as one of the best albums of 2022. To promote the album, SZA embarked on a North American and European arena tour, the SOS Tour, from February to October 2023.
The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200—SZA's first to do so—and broke the record for the largest streaming week for an R&B album in the US. The album spent ten non-consecutive weeks atop the chart, making it the longest-running number-one female album of the decade and the first R&B album to spend its first seven weeks atop the chart since Whitney Houston's Whitney (1987). The album won the 2023 BET Award for Album of the Year, tying with Beyoncé's Renaissance (2022).
Background and release
SZA released her debut studio album, Ctrl, in 2017. Primarily an R&B album that deals with themes of heartbreak and self-discovery, Ctrl was widely acclaimed by critics for its vocal performances and eclectic musical style, as well as the relatability, emotional impact, and confessional nature of its songwriting. The album brought SZA to mainstream fame, and critics credit it with establishing her status as a major figure in contemporary pop and R&B music and pushing the boundaries of the R&B genre.
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