Jump to content

SOS (SZA album)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Love Language (SZA song))

SOS
Cover art for "SOS": SZA sitting at the edge of a diving board in the middle of the sea
Digital cover
Studio album by
SZA
ReleasedDecember 9, 2022
Recorded2017–2022
Studio
Genre
Length67:51
Label
Producer
SZA chronology
Ctrl
(2017) 		SOS
(2022) 		Lana
(2024)
Singles from SOS
  1. "Good Days"
    Released: December 25, 2020
  2. "I Hate U"
    Released: December 3, 2021
  3. "Shirt"
    Released: October 28, 2022
  4. "Nobody Gets Me"
    Released: January 6, 2023
  5. "Kill Bill"
    Released: January 10, 2023
  6. "Snooze"
    Released: April 25, 2023

SOS is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter SZA. It was released on December 9, 2022, by Top Dawg Entertainment and RCA Records.[1] The album features guest appearances from Don Toliver, Phoebe Bridgers, Travis Scott, and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard.[2] SZA worked with a variety of record producers and songwriters such as Babyface, Jeff Bhasker, Rob Bisel, Benny Blanco, Darkchild, DJ Dahi, Ant Clemons, and Lizzo.[3] It serves as the follow-up to SZA's debut album Ctrl (2017).[4]

Six singles were released between 2020 and 2023 to promote SOS, five of which were top-ten hits on the US Billboard Hot 100. The fifth, "Kill Bill" (2023), was SZA's first song to top the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard Global 200 charts; the sixth, "Snooze" (2023), was the only song to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 for all of 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.[5] The album spent ten non-consecutive weeks atop the chart, making it the longest-running number-one female album of the decade at the time, and the first R&B album to spend its first seven weeks atop the chart since Whitney Houston's Whitney (1987).[6] To promote the album, SZA embarked on the international SOS Tour, from February 2023 to May 2024.

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 and 2023. At the 66th Annual Grammy Awards, the album and its tracks received a total of nine nominations, including Album of the Year, and won Best Progressive R&B Album. Additionally, the album has been featured on both Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time (2023) and Apple Music's 100 Best Albums. The album's reissue, subtitled Lana, was released on December 20, 2024, and adds a guest appearance from Kendrick Lamar.

Background

[edit]

In 2017, SZA released her debut studio album, Ctrl. 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.[note 1]

SZA alluded to potentially releasing her second album as early as August 2019 during an interview with DJ Kerwin Frost.[14][15] Revealing planned collaborations with the likes of Justin Timberlake, Jack Antonoff, Brockhampton, and Post Malone,[16] she said that the release date was "soon as fuck" and she might "start dropping loosies",[17] though there was no explicit date announced.[18] Four months prior, Punch, CEO of SZA's record label Top Dawg Entertainment, teased that he had begun overseeing ideas for the project.[17][19] During the interview, SZA commented on the creative process behind the album and stated it would be as candid and personal as Ctrl: "This next album is even more of me being less afraid of who am I when I have no choice? When I'm not out trying to curate myself and contain."[20]

In January 2020, SZA posted a status update about the album's completion online.[21][22] When asked by a fan on Twitter whether new music was coming soon, she replied that she and Punch had been discussing a potential release date scheduled for 2020 and she felt anxious about the build-up to that day.[23] The next month, an interview between her and Rolling Stone was published, in which she announced recent collaborations with American record producer Timbaland, as well as Australian singer-songwriter Sia with whom she wrote three songs.[24] The interview also mentioned the status of the album's release date; SZA said "music is coming out for sure", but the caveat was the album itself was unlikely to be released within the year.[25]

After fans grew impatient with the release delays, SZA responded by venting her frustrations on Twitter in August 2020. Alleging that the label was the reason for the postponement, she affirmed one fan's suspicion that she had been having hostile interactions with Top Dawg, and when someone showed her a post from Punch saying that the album would be released soon, SZA replied with "this is all he says to me as well. Welcome to my fucking life."[26][27] In response, fans created the Twitter hashtag #FreeSZA in support of her struggles, and the trend went viral.[28] However, she later retracted her claims by deleting the posts and said "don't nobody need to free me. Lmao I'm not being held hostage n neither is my music!! Sometimes u gotta be patient... sometimes no is a blessing... I trust the ppl around me."[29][30] Vulture and Variety noted that Ctrl also suffered a similar problem with its release date; SZA quarrelled with Top Dawg executives over its two-year delay and threatened to quit music because of it.[31][32]

When SZA collaborated with Cosmopolitan for their February 2021 issue, she talked about the emotions she expected to feel while making the album. She told the magazine, "this album is going to be the shit that made me feel something in my...here and in here", pointing to her heart and gut.[33] From April to May 2022, SZA told media outlets that she had recently finished the album in Hawaii, describing it as her most relatable or "unisex" body of work she had made to date.[34] During the Met Gala and an interview with Complex, SZA claimed that the album was ready for release during summertime in the United States ("this summer, it will be a SZA summer"), but there was no urgent deadline for the release.[35][36]

The release date continued to be delayed, and SZA once more argued that Top Dawg and RCA were responsible for it;[37] the album would, contractually, be her last to be released through the labels.[38] In October, she said that she had written around 100 songs for the album and added that the album could be released "any day now".[39] During a Billboard cover story published in November, SZA revealed the title of her second studio album was SOS, scheduled for release sometime next month. She expressed her frustration with complying with music industry standards on promoting music, saying she had been stressed with meeting her deadlines.[40] On December 3, 2022, she appeared on Saturday Night Live and announced it would be released on December 9. Two days later, she posted the track list on Twitter.[41]

Writing and production

[edit]
Rodney Jerkins in 2013
Benny Blanco in 2018
Babyface in 2013
The production team for SOS included people such as Darkchild (left), Benny Blanco (middle), and Babyface (right).

Mainstream media had often characterized SZA as an R&B artist throughout her career. She refused to be pigeonholed to such a label,[42] and she had been rejecting the R&B categorization as far as her early years of releasing music.[43] When she released her debut label single, "Teen Spirit", to SoundCloud in 2014, she tagged the song with the categories "Glitter Trap" and "Not R&B".[44] Although she did not aim to abandon or reduce her R&B soundscape for her second studio album, she wanted to prove her versatility, primarily as a statement against racially prejudiced ideas that discredit the works and cultural value of Black artists by segregating them from White artists and implying they can make only R&B music.[45][46] In a 2022 Consequence cover story, SZA expressed her love for making Black music in general, arguing that such music "doesn't have to just be R&B". She said: "We started rock 'n' roll. Why can't we just be expansive and not reductive?"[47]

Work on SOS had begun by 2019, but a majority of the songs were written and recorded in 2022 due to bursts of productivity from time pressure. Carter Lang, one of the producers, commented, "that's when [we] started feeling like, hey, 'We gotta do this shit like, it's been some years.' We bottled up that energy and everything was just sort of a preparation for that moment."[48]

During the build-up to the album's release, SZA created a list of possible collaborators and reached out to them through private messages. The roster ranged from Billie Eilish, Harry Styles, and Olivia Rodrigo; to Doja Cat, Drake, and Kendrick Lamar.[49] Of the several artists she contacted for the album, only three people sent their verses: Don Toliver, Phoebe Bridgers, and Travis Scott.[50]

Rodney Jerkins was one of the main producers for SOS. SZA approached him out of her admiration for his decades-long history of production work, which included songs with Brandy and Amerie. He spoke of her: "her pen game is arguably one of the best pen games in the game right now. It's almost like she's a rapper tied up in a vocalist."

Having worked with SZA since 2014, ThankGod4Cody returned to co-produce and co-write seven tracks on SOS.[51] His contributions began as early as the start of the album's making.[52] Compared to his work on Ctrl, for which he helped produce four songs, his approach to SOS was less defined and more experimental.[52][53] Whereas he sought to create uptempo tracks on Ctrl to contrast the album's more alternative songs, he was "throwing paint at the wall" and seeing which musical ideas worked well for SOS.[52] The experimental sounds are present in tracks like the single "I Hate U" (2021), which Shelby Stewart of Okayplayer wrote felt "light with sublime progressions that sway with SZA's mood".[53] The song arose from a keyboard loop from Rob Bisel, one of the album's main producers and engineers. After creating its structure and adding drums, SZA spent less than one hour to compose the melody and write the lyrics.[52] For "Gone Girl", ThankGod4Cody took the electric piano from a demo by two of his co-producers and combined it with drums and a gospel choir.[52][54] Adding the instruments took four days.[52] He called "Gone Girl" his personal favorite from the album, citing the amount of time and effort he gave the song in comparison to the others.[51][52]

Composition

[edit]

SOS is a multi-genre album,[8][55] and many of the songs are combinations of R&B, hip hop, or alt-pop.[56][57][54] It also incorporates influences of folk, indie rock, and electronica music.[58] The album samples sound references from soul, gospel, jazz and melodic rap.[59][60] SZA told Billboard that the sound of the album is "a varied palette",[61] drawing on surf rock and grunge in parts alongside "her beloved lo-fi beats".[62] It runs for 1 hour and 7 minutes (1:07), and according to TheGrio, it follows the tendency started by Chris Brown's 2017 album Heartbreak on a Full Moon of lengthier albums in the music streaming era.[63]

In Complex, she described the album's sound: "I have no idea what it sounds like to anybody else. I really don't know. It's so bizarre. It's weird that I can't put my finger on it. It's a little bit of everything." She added that some parts of the song had an "aggressive" sound whereas others were soft or balladic.[64] During the Rolling Stone interview, she and Punch spoke in length about the album's composition. The inspiration in question was eclectic, drawing from jazz, alternative rock, "traditional" R&B, country, and hip hop. About the wide range of genres incorporated into the album, SZA said she did not care if her production choices made the album sound incohesive, because to her, "if you sound like you, your shit's going to be cohesive. Period." Punch commented: "It's a new chapter. She's not scared to try certain things now."[25]

Title and artwork

[edit]
The album artwork was inspired by a paparazzi photo of Diana, Princess of Wales.

The explanation behind the album title is threefold. SOS is a nod to the Morse code distress signal SOS, which is used in maritime navigation and is popularly interpreted as either "save our ship" or "save our souls".[65] The other two reasons are rooted in SZA's names. Her stage name is derived from the letters of the Supreme Alphabet, according to which the letter "S" stands for Self and Savior. In real life, her friends call her by the nickname Sous, a shortening of her first name, Solána.[66][67]

On November 30, 2022, SZA posted the album cover on Instagram. The cover is a reference to a 1997 photo of Diana, Princess of Wales, in a similar pose aboard a yacht during a trip in Portofino, Italy, surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea.[68] On the cover, SZA wears a modified version of the St. Louis Blues hockey jersey, with her name on the back and the album title on the sleeves.[69] The jersey was designed by SZA's art director, Jas Bell, who also worked with her on merchandise and cover artwork for the album's three pre-release singles.[70][71]

SZA reported on the decision to associate the cover and album with Princess Diana's photo:[72]

Originally I was supposed to be on top of, like, a shipping barge[.] But in the references that I pulled for that, I pulled the Diana reference because I just loved how isolated she felt and that was what I wanted to convey the most. And then at the last minute, we, like, didn't get clearance to get the shipping barges that we wanted and we were like, 'We're gonna build the diving board instead. We're still gonna try it.' We didn't nix the boat altogether and we tried it and it turned out cool and I wasn't sure it was going to be really cool until, like, right now.

Promotion

[edit]

SZA sporadically released music over a two-plus year period as she continued to work on the album and push back on release dates. Releasing music videos for these singles, the second half of the video teasers for her next single would play at the end.[73] Every single from SOS, but "Shirt", reached the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100—"Good Days", "I Hate U", "Nobody Gets Me", the chart-topping "Kill Bill", and "Snooze".[74] At the end of a teaser video titled "PSA" released on her 33rd birthday, a message written in Morse code can be seen, which after being translated spells out "S.O.S.".[75] In an interview with Billboard released on November 16, 2022, SZA confirmed the theories about the album title and release date in December 2022.[73] She further admitted to feeling "stressed" about meeting the release deadline.[61][76]

SZA promoted the album on the December 3, 2022, episode of NBC's Saturday Night Live as a musical guest.[77] She performed live the single "Shirt" and the at-the-time unreleased track "Blind", which she previously teased. On December 5, she posted a snippet of a song titled "Nobody Gets Me".[78] A few hours later, she posted the tracklist of the album on her Twitter.[79] "Kill Bill" and "Nobody Gets Me" were promoted to US contemporary hit radio on January 10, 2023.[80]

On December 13, 2022, SZA took to social media to announce merchandise for SOS, which included the St. Louis Blues jersey she wore in the cover art. At the same time, she revealed she would be touring North America in early 2023 in support of the album.[81][82][83] The first leg of the SOS Tour consisted of shows across 17 cities in Canada and the United States,[84] and Omar Apollo was announced to be the opening act.[85] The first show was on February 21, 2023, at the Schottestein Center in Columbus, Ohio; and the last was on March 23, 2023, at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California.[86][87] Tickets went on sale via SZA's website on December 16, 2022, at 12 pm Pacific Standard Time,[88] with pre-sales hosted by Ticketmaster one day beforehand.[89] Three weeks after the second Inglewood show, SZA announced 35 more shows for the SOS Tour due to high demand. It included a new leg in Western Europe,[90] with 15 dates in seven countries. Pre-sales were on April 12, 2023, starting 10 am local time, and an on-sale occurred two days later.[91] British singer Raye has been set to perform as the opening for the European dates.[92] After touring Europe, SZA returned to North America[93] for 21 concerts in the United States and another concert in Canada. Pre-sales were on April 13 at 10 am local time, and tickets went on sale on April 14 at 12 pm local time.[94]

"Snooze" was sent to radio stations in the United States on April 25, 2023, as the sixth single from SOS.[95][96] It was the only song to spend all weeks of 2023 charting on the Billboard Hot 100.[97]

In November 2024, British Vogue claimed that the deluxe edition of SOS was said to be releasing that fall, alongside the singer's third studio album Lana.[98]

Critical reception

[edit]

Reviews

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?8.3/10[99]
Metacritic90/100[100]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[101]
The Daily Telegraph[11]
Exclaim!9/10[102]
The Guardian[103]
The Line of Best Fit8/10[9]
NME[10]
Pitchfork8.7/10[104]
Rolling Stone[105]

SOS has received widespread critical acclaim upon its release.[106] At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 based on reviews from critics, the album received a score of 90 out of 100, based on 20 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[100]

Critics agreed that SOS surpassed expectations that arose from its years-long wait.[107] Julianne Escobedo Shepherd of Pitchfork named the album "Best New Music", stressing how it "solidifies her position as a generational talent, an artist who translates her innermost feelings into indelible moments".[104] Alexis Petridis of The Guardian wrote that the results of the album "are hugely eclectic", finding it "simultaneously impressive and a little exhausting". Petridis found that the songs "shine harder individually than taken in toto, where the sheer profusion causes them to merge into one, blended by a mood of stoned melancholy", with a final product of a "unwieldy" album, where SZA sounds as "a fabulous vocalist, powerful but unshowy, capable of shifting seamlessly into melodic rap".[103]

NME's writer Rhian Daly reported that "under SZA's command it feels cohesive, organic and like every skip into a new genre is completely justified for each track", pointing out that SOS is "a phenomenal record that barely puts a foot wrong and raises the bar even higher than she set it before".[10] Cady Siregar by Consequence defined the album "an assured, ambitious, expansive, and genre-defying journey into the very depths of heartbreak and the many shades it comes in". The journalist emphasized that in Ctrl there is no predefined musical genre, because "the theme lies in her vocal prowess, the daringness of her vision, and her lyrical frankness".[13]

Wesley McLean of Exclaim! highlighted the quality of the writing throughout the project, stating that, "SZA's ability to communicate her deepest feelings and insecurities in such an intimate and personal manner remains her greatest strength," adding that, "her writing, even at its simplest, is effortlessly and immediately gripping."

Reviewing the album for AllMusic, Andy Kellman compared it favourably to SZA's previous album; "Hour-plus length and stylistic variety likewise signal that SOS could be the overreaching kind of highly anticipated follow-up. Still, it's an advancement from Ctrl in every respect apart from cohesion."[101] Writing for Rolling Stone, Will Dukes also commented on the album's runtime; "SOS is very long – 23 tracks, well over an hour. It suggests someone continually adding to and augmenting a project, or perhaps throwing everything they've got at it, fuelled by the feeling that they might not do this again. The results are hugely eclectic."[105]

Year-end rankings

[edit]

By the time SOS was released, many authors and publications had already released their respective year-end best-of album lists. In the Sydney Morning Herald, Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen commented that the album's December release was a "bold move" and a reminder that critics should have waited until the year was almost over before curating their rankings.[108] Nonetheless, some that released later lists included SOS. These include Mesfin Fekadu for The Hollywood Reporter (2nd out of 10 albums),[109] Jem Aswad for Variety (10th out of 10),[110] Allan Raible for Good Morning America (10th out of 50),[111] Spin (10th out of 22),[112] Consequence (11th out of 50),[113] and Beats Per Minute (22nd out of 50).[114]

Because SOS was released too late to be included in 2022 year-end lists, several publications listed it among their best albums of 2023 instead.[115][116] It topped the year-end rankings curated by Pitchfork,[117] Rolling Stone,[118] Mikael Wood for the Los Angeles Times,[119] and Dan Deluca for The Philadelphia Inquirer;[120] and appeared in Jon Pareles' and Jon Caramanica's respective listicles for The New York Times.[116] Ranking SOS among their top 5 were Complex (2),[121] The Ringer (4),[122] Maura Johnston for Time (3),[123] and Spencer Kornhaber for The Atlantic (4).[124] Other listicles that featured the album included those by NPR Music (placed),[125] Dazed (7th out of 20),[115] The Independent (13th out of 30),[126] The A.V. Club (19th out of 27),[127] The Fader (25th out of 50),[128] Carl Wilson for Slate (placed),[129] and David Renshaw for Wired (placed).[130]

Awards

[edit]

SOS was named Album of the Year at the 2023 BET Awards, tying with Beyoncé's Renaissance; it also received Album of the Year at the 2023 Soul Train Awards and an Album of the Year nomination at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards. Rolling Stone ranked SOS at number 351 on the 2023 iteration of their 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list, writing: "If there was ever any doubt that SZA was a key voice in her generation, SOS decimated it. Her second LP was cunning and full of surprises, but its staying power outshone its shock value."[131] Its loss of the Grammy Award for Album of the Year at the 66th ceremony to Taylor Swift's Midnights was deemed a snub by Billboard: "It topped the Billboard 200 for 10 weeks, longer than any of this year's other album of the year nominees [...] More than a few fans of R&B and hip-hop are saying 'What does it take?'"[132]

List of awards and nominations received by SOS
Year Award Category Result Ref.
2023 ARIA Music Awards Best International Artist Nominated
2023 BET Awards Album of the Year Won [133]
2023 MTV Video Music Awards Album of the Year Nominated [134]
2023 Billboard Music Awards Top Billboard 200 Album Nominated [135]
Top R&B Album Won
2023 Soul Train Music Awards Album of the Year Won [136]
2024 Grammy Awards Album of the Year Nominated [137]
Best Progressive R&B Album Won
2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards R&B Album of the Year Won [138]
2024 Juno Awards International Album of the Year Won [139]

Commercial performance

[edit]

In the US, SOS achieved several accomplishments and broke a series of records on the overall Billboard 200 chart and its component charts. Fueled by a five-year wait for its release, it debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with 318,000 equivalent album units sold[140] and stayed at the top for ten weeks. By doing so, SOS became the chart's then-longest running number-one album by a woman in the 2020s, the first album by a woman to top the chart for at least ten weeks since Adele's 25 (2015–2016), the first R&B/hip-hop album to do so since Drake's Views (2016), and the first R&B album by a woman to do so since Mariah Carey's self-titled debut in 1991.[141] Its first-week figures included 404.58 million on-demand official streams, which broke the record for the biggest streaming week ever for an R&B album and gave SOS the second-largest streaming week for an album by a woman.[142] It was the top certified album in the US in 2023, being certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.[143]

Elsewhere, SOS entered within the top 5 of 10 countries: it debuted atop charts in Canada, Netherlands, and New Zealand; at number 2 in Australia (in which it peaked at number one in its seventh week), the UK, and Ireland; at number 3 in Norway and Denmark; and number 4 in Sweden and Switzerland.[144] SOS's singles have also seen significant success on American radio, with "Kill Bill", "I Hate U", and "Snooze" all topping the Rhythmic airplay chart, and the former becoming her first solo number one on the Pop Airplay chart and the longest running number-one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart by a female artist.[145][146][147]

Track listing

[edit]
SOS track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."SOS"
Jay Versace1:57
2."Kill Bill"
  • Bisel
  • Lang
2:33
3."Seek & Destroy"
3:23
4."Low"
  • Bisel
  • Buccellati
  • Aire Atlantica
3:01
5."Love Language"
  • Lang
  • ThankGod4Cody
  • Yakob
  • Bisel[v]
3:03
6."Blind"
  • Rowe
  • Bisel
  • Lang
  • Will Miller
  • Margaux Whitney
  • Bisel
  • Lang
  • Miller
  • Yuli
2:30
7."Used" (featuring Don Toliver)
2:26
8."Snooze"
3:21
9."Notice Me"
  • Bisel
  • Lang
  • ThankGod4Cody
  • Halm
  • Uzowuru
2:40
10."Gone Girl"
  • Bisel
  • Lang
  • ThankGod4Cody
  • Bhasker
  • Haynie
4:04
11."Smoking on My Ex Pack"
Jay Versace1:23
12."Ghost in the Machine" (featuring Phoebe Bridgers)
3:38
13."F2F"
  • Bisel
  • Lang
3:05
14."Nobody Gets Me"
3:00
15."Conceited"
  • Rowe
  • Fayne
  • Bisel
ThankGod4Cody2:31
16."Special"
2:38
17."Too Late"
2:44
18."Far"
3:00
19."Shirt"
3:01
20."Open Arms" (featuring Travis Scott)
  • Bisel
  • Halm
  • Uzowuru
3:59
21."I Hate U"
  • Rowe
  • Bisel
  • Lang
  • Fayne
  • Dylan Patrice
  • Bisel
  • Lang
  • ThankGod4Cody
  • Sir Dylan
2:54
22."Good Days"
  • Lang
  • Los Hendrix
  • Nascent
  • Bisel[v]
4:39
23."Forgiveless" (featuring Ol' Dirty Bastard)
Darkchild2:21
Total length:67:51
Web store bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
24."PSA"
  • Rowe
  • Lang
  • Miller
  • Lang
  • Miller
1:38
25."Open Arms" (solo version)
  • Rowe
  • Bisel
  • Halm
  • Uzowuru
  • Ford
  • Bisel
  • Halm
  • Uzowuru
3:34
Total length:73:03

Notes

  • ^[a] signifies an additional producer.
  • ^[v] signifies a vocal producer.
  • "Ghost in the Machine" and "Far" feature additional vocals from Sadhguru.
  • "Low" features additional vocals from Travis Scott.

Sample credits

Personnel

[edit]

Instruments

  • SZA – lead vocals (all tracks); background vocals (tracks 14, 16, 20)
  • Travis Scott – additional vocals (4); lead vocals (20)
  • Don Toliver – lead vocals (7)
  • Phoebe Bridgers – lead vocals (12)
  • Lizzo – background vocals (13)
  • Granny – skit (7, 20)
  • Sadhguru – skit (12, 18)
  • Alexandria Arowora – choir (10)
  • Aire Atlantica – programmed drums (4)
  • Rob Bisel – guitars (2, 13); bass (2, 13, 17); Mellotron (2); choir (2, 12); keyboards (3, 4, 6, 12, 13, 17); additional vocals (4); acoustic guitar (6); drums, piano (12); background vocals (14, 16, 20)
  • Benny Blanco – keyboards, background vocals (16)
  • Erik Brooks – choir (10)
  • Jewchelle Brown – choir (10)
  • Alessandro Buccellati – keyboards, accordion (4)
  • Imani Carolyn – choir (10)
  • Storm Chapman – choir (10)
  • Matt Cohn – drums (12)
  • Jacob Collier – background vocals (22)
  • Roman Collins – choir (10)
  • Omer Fedi – keyboards (16)
  • Teo Halm – guitar, drums, keyboards (20)
  • Charles Harmon – choir (10)
  • Joslynn James – choir (10)
  • Anthony Johnson – choir (10)
  • Carter Lang – guitars (2, 13); bass (2, 13, 17); drums (2, 12, 13); choir (2, 12); keyboards (3, 6, 12, 13, 17); piano (12)
  • Chelsea Miller – choir (10)
  • Will Miller – keyboards (6)
  • Dylan Neustadter – choir (10)
  • Scum – keyboards (3)
  • Blake Slatkin – keyboards, guitar (16)
  • Still Woozy – guitars (17)
  • Stix – drums (10)
  • Syd Tagle – choir (10)
  • ThankGod4Cody – keyboards, programmed drums (3); choir (10); drums (17)
  • Sammy Witte – guitars (17)
  • Yuli – viola (6)

Technical

  • Derek "206derek" Anderson – vocal engineering, vocal mixing (4, 7, 20)
  • Dale Becker – mastering (all tracks)
  • Rob Bisel – engineering (all tracks); sound effects engineering (1); mixing (2, 6, 8, 12, 19–21); vocal mixing (1, 3, 17)
  • Benny Blanco – programming (14, 16); engineering (16)
  • Rachel Blum – assistant mixing (3, 17, 23)
  • Bryce Bordone – engineering for mix (14, 16)
  • Jon Castelli – mixing (4, 7, 11, 15)
  • Hector Castro – engineering (9, 15, 19, 21)
  • Austin Christy – assistant engineering (15)
  • Josh Deguzman – engineering for mix (4, 7, 11, 15)
  • Jeremy Dilli – assistant engineering (16, 18)
  • DJ Riggins – assistant mixing (3, 17, 23)
  • Hayden Duncan – assistant engineering (3, 10, 12, 15, 16)
  • Shelby Epstine – assistant engineering (20)
  • Shawn Everett – mixing (1, 22); mastering (22)
  • Omer Fedi – programming (16)
  • Patrick Gardner – assistant engineering (14)
  • Serban Ghenea – mixing (14, 16)
  • Carson Graham – sound effects engineering (1, 5, 6, 9, 10, 17, 18)
  • Katie Harvey – assistant mastering (all tracks)
  • Noah Hashimoto – assistant engineering (7, 13)
  • Robert N. Johnson – assistant engineering (2, 4–6, 9, 12–15, 17–21)
  • Jaycen Joshua – mixing (3, 17, 23)
  • Derek Keota – engineering (19, 23)
  • Carter Lang – programming (14)
  • Jonathan Lopez – assistant engineering (8, 14)
  • Will Maclellan – vocal engineering (12)
  • Manny Marroquin – mixing (5, 18)
  • Noah McCorkle – assistant mastering (all tracks)
  • Dylan Neustadter – engineering (10, 11)
  • Dana Nielsen – mixing (9, 10, 13)
  • Trey Pearce – assistant engineering (2, 9, 17)
  • Zach Pereyra – assistant mixing (5, 18)
  • Micah Pettit – engineering (19, 23)
  • Kaushlesh "Garry" Purohit – assistant engineering (7)
  • Jacob Richards – assistant mixing (3, 17, 23)
  • Dave "Spanks" Schwerkolt – engineering (16)
  • Mike Seaberg – assistant mixing (3, 17, 23)
  • Ben Sedano – assistant engineering (5, 7, 19)
  • Shellback – programming (16)
  • Jon Sher – assistant engineering (5)
  • Blake Slatkin – programming (16)
  • Trey Station – assistant mixing (5, 18)
  • Syd Tagle – assistant engineering (2, 8, 10–12, 15–17)
  • Ryan "Mellow" Venable – vocal engineering (7)
  • Anthony Vilchis – assistant mixing (5, 18)
  • Joe Visciano – vocal mixing (22)

Charts

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Certifications for SOS
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[197] 2× Platinum 140,000‡
Belgium (BEA)[198] Gold 10,000‡
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[199] Diamond 160,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[200] 4× Platinum 320,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[201] 2× Platinum 40,000‡
France (SNEP)[202] Gold 50,000‡
Hungary (MAHASZ)[203] Gold 2,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[204] Gold 25,000‡
Netherlands (NVPI)[205] Gold 20,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[206] 5× Platinum 75,000‡
Poland (ZPAV)[207] Platinum 20,000‡
Sweden (GLF)[208] Gold 15,000‡
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[209] Gold 10,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[210] Platinum 300,000‡
United States (RIAA)[211] 3× Platinum 3,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

[edit]
Release history and formats for SOS
Region Date Format Label Ref.
Various December 9, 2022
[212]
May 19, 2023
[213]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Cited to multiple sources:
    • Vulture: "Raw, candid writing isn't new for SZA; it's what made the previous album, Ctrl, such a breakout and one of the high marks of the confessional R&B; of the past decade."[7]
    • The Recording Academy: "The release of her critically acclaimed debut album Ctrl in 2017 solidified the artist not only as an R&B mainstay, but soundtracked the heartbreaks and growing pains of millions of young people. With her eloquent vocals and layered storytelling abilities, listeners felt every word like it was their own."[8]
    • The Line of Best Fit: "her debut Ctrl has ascended to classic status, going down as one of the decade's best and cementing SZA's voice at the forefront of contemporary R&B, and of pop."[9]
    • NME: Ctrl "ushered in a new era for R&B, one where the genre's boundaries shifted, bringing new levels of inventiveness into a classic sound and fusing it with indie, alternative, trap and more [...] SZA herself spent the aftermath of Ctrl trying to grapple with her new stardom and the huge impact that had on her life."[10]
    • The Daily Telegraph: "Ctrl, the triple-platinum, four-time Grammy nominated debut that propelled SZA to popstar status"[11]
    • The New Yorker: "Ctrl opened a portal—one that represented not just a major leap for the artist but a breakthrough for the genre itself. Her alternative slow jams pushed her voice to the fore and laid bare all the quirks of her dating life, establishing her as a distinguished millennial anecdotalist in the process."[12]
    • Consequence: In Ctrl, "SZA's personal style of lyricism has always read like an endless diary entry, and the transcendent nature of her genre-shifting abilities helped revolutionize modern R&B and pop."[13]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Panaligan, EJ (November 16, 2022). "SZA Announces New Album 'S.O.S.' Slated for December Release". Variety. Archived from the original on November 16, 2022. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  2. ^ Panaligan, E. J. (December 5, 2022). "SZA Reveals 'SOS' Track List, With Phoebe Bridgers, Travis Scott, Don Toliver and Ol' Dirty Bastard Features". Variety. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved December 10, 2022.
  3. ^ Guy, Zoe (December 9, 2022). "Everything SZA References on SOS (Including Herself)". Vulture. Archived from the original on December 20, 2022. Retrieved December 10, 2022.
  4. ^ Paul, Larisha (December 5, 2022). "SZA Taps Phoebe Bridgers, Travis Scott for S.O.S Album". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 15, 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  5. ^ "SZA Scores First No. 1 Album With SOS". Pitchfork. December 19, 2022. Archived from the original on December 20, 2022. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
  6. ^ Smith, Danyel (February 8, 2023). "SZA's Ruination Brought Her Everything". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on February 8, 2023. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
  7. ^ Curto, Justin (December 9, 2022). "SZA Finally Unleashed Her Inner Rock Star". Vulture. Archived from the original on December 21, 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  8. ^ a b Mitchell, Ashlee (December 13, 2022). "5 Takeaways from SZA's New Album SOS". The Recording Academy. Archived from the original on December 30, 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  9. ^ a b Taylor, Ims (December 9, 2022). "SZA Hits the Heights on the Dense but Masterful SOS". The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on December 19, 2022. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  10. ^ a b c Daly, Rhian (December 9, 2022). "SZA – SOS Review: A Comeback Album Well Worth the Wait". NME. Archived from the original on December 27, 2022. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  11. ^ a b McCormick, Neil; Haider, Arwa; Johnston, Kathleen (December 9, 2022). "Sam Ryder Is No One-Hit Wonder, SZA Channels Princess Diana – The Week's Best Albums". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on December 17, 2022. Retrieved December 29, 2022.
  12. ^ Pearce, Sheldon. "SZA: Ctrl (Deluxe)". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on January 2, 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  13. ^ a b Siregar, Cady (December 9, 2022). "On SOS, SZA Once Again Blows Expectations Out of the Water". Consequence. Archived from the original on December 29, 2022. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  14. ^ Robinson, Ellie (June 7, 2021). "SZA reveals she "burst into tears" during a rehearsal of '20 Something'". NME. Archived from the original on December 28, 2022. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  15. ^ "SZA is Dropping a New Album This Year but when is Beyond Her 'CTRL'". MTV. Archived from the original on December 30, 2022. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  16. ^ "SZA Confirms New Album Is Coming 'Soon as F-ck'". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 28, 2022. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  17. ^ a b "SZA Says 'Sandy Sephora' Called Security on Her: 'Can a B*TCH Cop Her Fenty in Peace'". Complex Networks. Archived from the original on December 28, 2022. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  18. ^ "SZA Says New Album Coming 'Soon as F**k'". Triple J. August 21, 2019. Archived from the original on December 28, 2022. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  19. ^ "TDE's Punch says he has a "couple ideas" for SZA's new album". Archived from the original on December 28, 2022. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  20. ^ Schatz, Lake (August 20, 2022). "SZA Says New Album Coming 'Soon as F*ck'". Consequence. Archived from the original on December 28, 2022. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  21. ^ Kiefer, Halle (May 25, 2020). "SZA Crowdsources A New Project: All of Her Previously Unreleased Songs". Vulture. Archived from the original on December 28, 2022. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  22. ^ Bernstein, Jonathan; Blistein, Jon; et al. (January 8, 2020). "70 Most Anticipated Albums of 2020". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 24, 2020. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  23. ^ Krol, Charlotte (January 3, 2020). "SZA confirms new music for 2020 and a Sam Smith collaboration". NME. Archived from the original on December 28, 2022. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  24. ^ Ramli, Sofiana (February 27, 2020). "SZA says she's written three songs with Sia and recorded with Timbaland". NME. Archived from the original on February 29, 2020. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
  25. ^ a b Carmichael, Emma (February 26, 2020). "The Rebirth of SZA". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on February 26, 2020. Retrieved February 26, 2020.
  26. ^ "SZA Calls Out "Hostile Relationship" With Record Label President". Pitchfork. August 20, 2020. Archived from the original on December 24, 2022. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  27. ^ Savage, Angela (November 8, 2021). "SZA's New Album: Everything We Know". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on December 28, 2022. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  28. ^ Hunter-Tilney, Ludovic (December 9, 2022). "SZA: SOS Review — Long-Awaited Second Album from R&B Perfectionist". Financial Times. Archived from the original on December 24, 2022. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  29. ^ "SZA returns with new Ty Dolla $ign-featuring track, 'Hit Different'". Dazed. September 4, 2020. Archived from the original on December 28, 2022. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  30. ^ "SZA Denies Trouble With TDE President After Tweeting About "Hostile" Relationship". VIBE.com. August 21, 2020. Archived from the original on December 28, 2022. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  31. ^ Aswad, Jem (August 20, 2020). "SZA Sounds Off at Label Over Album Delay". Variety. Archived from the original on December 28, 2022. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  32. ^ Curto, Justin (August 20, 2020). "SZA Calls Out 'Hostile' Record Label for Holding Up New Music". Vulture. Archived from the original on December 28, 2022. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  33. ^ Kenneally, Cerys (January 5, 2021). "SZA Says New Album Will Feature Material That Made Her Feel Something in Her Heart and Gut". The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on December 28, 2022. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  34. ^ Kenneally, Cerys (April 4, 2022). "SZA says new album is "finished" and describes it as her "most unisex" project yet". Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  35. ^ Price, Joe (May 3, 2022). "SZA Offers Update on Her Next Album: 'It'll Be a SZA Summer'". Complex. Archived from the original on November 17, 2022. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  36. ^ Patton, Alli (October 4, 2022). "SZA in 'Ideal Situation' and Not Rushing Her New Music". American Songwriter. Archived from the original on December 15, 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  37. ^ Petridis, Alexis (December 9, 2022). "SZA: SOS review – R&B innovator's long-awaited return is an eclectic sprawl". the Guardian. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  38. ^ Paul, Larisha (October 3, 2022). "SZA Says Her New Album Is 'All Over The Place,' But She's Not Rushing to Release It: 'I Don't Have Any Deadlines'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 15, 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  39. ^ Richard, Will (October 19, 2022). "SZA has written 100 songs for her new album, which could arrive "any day" now". NME. Archived from the original on November 17, 2022. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  40. ^ "SZA Is 'Currently Stressed' About Releasing New Album S.O.S.". MTV. Archived from the original on December 29, 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  41. ^ Curto, Justin (December 5, 2022). "SZA Puts Fans on Alert, Announces New Album S.O.S". Vulture. Archived from the original on December 19, 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  42. ^ "SZA Loves 'Making Black Music' But Could Do Without R&B Classification". UPROXX. December 12, 2022. Archived from the original on May 17, 2023. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  43. ^ Ratliff, Ben (August 9, 2014). "With No Regard for Pop Conventions". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on May 17, 2023. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  44. ^ Fitzgerald, Kiana (November 18, 2014). "Songs We Love: SZA, 'Sobriety'". NPR. Archived from the original on May 31, 2023. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
  45. ^ Smith, Danyel (February 8, 2023). "SZA's Ruination Brought Her Everything". The New York Times Magazine. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on February 8, 2023. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  46. ^ Caldwell, Brandon (July 11, 2020). "SZA Clarifies Her Remarks About Being A 'Queen' Of R&B". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on May 17, 2023. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  47. ^ "SZA Suggests She Plans to Take Extended Break Following 'SOS' Release: 'I'm Gonna Disappear'". Complex. Archived from the original on January 4, 2023. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  48. ^ Hiatt, Brian (January 29, 2023). "The Making of SZA's Chart-Topping SOS". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on January 29, 2023. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  49. ^ Shutler, Ali (December 17, 2022). "SZA's SOS Could Have Featured Harry Styles, Billie Eilish and More". NME. Archived from the original on February 6, 2023. Retrieved February 6, 2023.
  50. ^ "Your favorite artist's favorite artist: How SZA went from cult star to pop superstar". Los Angeles Times. February 23, 2023. Archived from the original on February 23, 2023. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  51. ^ a b Perkins, Njera (March 6, 2023). "Producer ThankGod4Cody on Contributing to SZA's Recording-Breaking "SOS" Album: "She's So Cold"". POPSUGAR Entertainment. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  52. ^ a b c d e f g "Producer ThankGod4Cody Discusses Working On SZA's 'SOS' And Where He Sees R&B Going In 2023". Genius. Archived from the original on March 3, 2023. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  53. ^ a b "SZA's 'SOS' is the Biggest R&B Album of 2023; ThankGod4Cody is a Big Reason Why - Okayplayer". www.okayplayer.com. Archived from the original on February 17, 2023. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  54. ^ a b Thompson, Stephen; Harris, Aisha; Madden, Sidney; Katzif, Mike; Wood, Rommel; Reedy, Jessica (December 15, 2022). "On SOS, SZA Both Surprises and Delivers Exactly What We've Been Waiting For" (Audio upload and transcript). NPR. Archived from the original on December 24, 2022. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  55. ^ Empire, Kitty (December 11, 2022). "SZA: SOS Review – A Surfeit of Ideas, Guests and Producers from a Master of Her Craft". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Archived from the original on February 10, 2023. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
  56. ^ Richards, Chris (December 9, 2022). "On 'SOS,' SZA unpacks her most complicated emotions in so many words". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on December 10, 2022. Retrieved December 11, 2022.
  57. ^ McNeal, Bria (December 9, 2022). "SZA's 'SOS' Is Unpolished—and Completely Thrilling". Esquire. Archived from the original on December 11, 2022. Retrieved December 11, 2022.
  58. ^ Pareles, Jon (December 13, 2022). "SZA Revels in Mixed Emotions on 'SOS'". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 22, 2022. Retrieved August 18, 2023.
  59. ^ Hussain, Shahzaib (December 9, 2022). "SZA - SOS | Reviews". Clash Magazine. Archived from the original on December 23, 2022. Retrieved December 11, 2022.
  60. ^ Wood, Mikael (December 9, 2022). "On the dazzling 'SOS,' SZA spares no one, least of all herself". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 29, 2022. Retrieved December 11, 2022.
  61. ^ a b Panaligan, AJ (November 16, 2022). "SZA Announces New Album 'S.O.S.' Slated for December Release". Variety. Archived from the original on November 16, 2022. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  62. ^ Curto, Justin (November 16, 2022). "SZA Puts Fans on Alert, Announces New Album S.O.S". Vulture. Archived from the original on November 16, 2022. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  63. ^ "Chris Brown and the pros and cons of long tracklists". November 11, 2023.
  64. ^ Blake, Cole (October 16, 2022). "SZA Confirms "Shirt" Music Video Is On The Way: "It's Turned In"". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on December 15, 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  65. ^ Kelly, Chris (February 28, 2023). "SZA Takes a Deep Dive into Unknown Waters at Capital One Arena". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
  66. ^ Karp, Katie (March 10, 2023). "Bringing Comeback SOS to Austin, SZA Remains a Relatable Queen". www.austinchronicle.com. Archived from the original on March 11, 2023. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  67. ^ Rowe, Solána (December 7, 2022). "SZA on New Album SOS, Being Pissed & What Makes Her Not Want to Put Out Music Again". WQHT (Interview). Interviewed by Nessa. Archived from the original on January 4, 2023. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  68. ^ Gallagher, Alex (December 9, 2022). "How Princess Diana inspired SZA's 'SOS' album artwork". NME. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  69. ^ Jackson, Christine (December 1, 2022). "SZA Is Showing Some Hometown Pride in the Album Art for S.O.S.". St. Louis Magazine. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  70. ^ Meara, Paul (December 8, 2022). "Meet Leonardo Chop: SZA's Art Director Behind Her Most Iconic Single Covers and Coveted Merch". BET. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  71. ^ Simon, Benjamin (January 16, 2023). "St. Louis to SZA: How Jas Bell Forged His Path as an Art Director". Riverfront Times. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  72. ^ Cowen, Trace William (December 8, 2022). "SZA on How Princess Diana Photo Inspired Cover Art for New Album 'SOS'". Complex. Archived from the original on December 10, 2022. Retrieved December 10, 2022.
  73. ^ a b Mamo, Heran (November 16, 2022). "SZA Is Finally Ready to Release That Album (Yes, Really!)". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 16, 2022. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  74. ^ "One of the year's very best concert tours is coming to San Francisco". East Bay Times. October 18, 2023. Archived from the original on October 29, 2023. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
  75. ^ Mier, Tomás (November 8, 2022). "SZA Teases Cryptic 'PSA' Project in New Video". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 17, 2022. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  76. ^ Gallagher, Alex (October 4, 2022). "SZA says she's not in a rush to release second album: "I don't have any deadlines"". NME. Archived from the original on November 17, 2022. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  77. ^ Ruiz, Matthew Ismael (November 13, 2022). "SZA Announced as SNL Musical Guest". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on November 16, 2022. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  78. ^ "Nobody Gets Me - YouTube". December 5, 2022. Archived from the original on December 5, 2022. Retrieved December 5, 2022 – via YouTube.
  79. ^ @sza (December 5, 2022). "Which version for back tracklist?🤔" (Tweet). Retrieved December 5, 2022 – via Twitter.
  80. ^ "Top 40/M Future Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on January 5, 2023. Retrieved January 5, 2023.
  81. ^ Cowen, Trace William (December 14, 2022). "SZA Announces Details for First Arena Tour: 'Time to Take This Sh*t on the Road'". Complex. Archived from the original on February 10, 2023. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
  82. ^ Elitou, Tweety (January 11, 2023). "SZA's 'S' Hockey Jersey Is So Iconic That Fans Demanded It Become a Part of the SOS Merch Collection!". BET. Archived from the original on January 17, 2023. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
  83. ^ Abraham, Mya (February 7, 2023). "SZA's Reign at No. 1 Thwarted by K-Pop Group, Tomorrow X Together". Vibe. Archived from the original on February 9, 2023. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
  84. ^ Hudson, Alex (December 13, 2022). "SZA Announces 2023 North American Tour". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on January 14, 2023. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
  85. ^ Wilkes, Emma (December 13, 2022). "SZA Announces North American Arena Tour for 2023". NME. Archived from the original on December 29, 2022. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
  86. ^ Houghton, Cillea (December 21, 2022). "SZA Reflects on Success of SOS: 'God Is Excellent'". American Songwriter. Archived from the original on December 22, 2022. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
  87. ^ Cowen, Trace William (February 10, 2023). "SZA to Be Honored as Woman of the Year at 2023 Billboard Women in Music Awards". Complex. Archived from the original on February 17, 2023. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
  88. ^ Shanfeld, Ethan (December 13, 2022). "SZA Announces SOS Arena Tour with Omar Apollo". Variety. Archived from the original on December 13, 2022. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
  89. ^ Graves, Wren (December 13, 2022). "SZA Announces 2023 'The SOS North American Tour'". Consequence. Archived from the original on January 13, 2023. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
  90. ^ Dunworth, Liberty (April 11, 2023). "SZA announces new UK, Europe and US 2023 'SOS' tour dates". NME. Archived from the original on April 13, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  91. ^ Aswad, Jem (April 11, 2023). "SZA Unveils More 'S.O.S.' Tour Dates in North America and Europe". Variety. Archived from the original on April 15, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  92. ^ "SZA Adds 2023 North American Tour Dates". Pitchfork. April 11, 2023. Archived from the original on April 13, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  93. ^ Cohen, Jonathan (April 11, 2023). "SZA Expands S.O.S. World Tour". Spin. Archived from the original on April 12, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  94. ^ Bowenbank, Starr (April 11, 2023). "SZA Extends S.O.S. Tour in North America & Europe: See the Dates". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 12, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  95. ^ "Urban/R&B Future Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on January 11, 2021. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  96. ^ "Top 40/Rhythmic Future Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on April 19, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  97. ^ Fekadu, Mesfin (February 6, 2024). "SZA on Grammy Wins, New Album Lana and Album of the Year Snub: 'I'm Grateful I Won Three'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on February 6, 2024. Retrieved February 6, 2024.
  98. ^ Mukhtar, Amel (November 14, 2024). ""I'm Not Meant To Be Famous, I Just Keep Trying To Rise To The Occasion": SZA Gives Her Most Revealing Interview To Date". British Vogue. Retrieved November 15, 2024.
  99. ^ "SOS by SZA reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Archived from the original on December 23, 2022. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
  100. ^ a b "S.O.S. by SZA Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Archived from the original on December 16, 2022. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  101. ^ a b Kellman, Andy (December 9, 2022). "SZA - SOS Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Archived from the original on December 19, 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  102. ^ McLean, Wesley (December 13, 2022). "SZA Is Untouchable on the Legacy-Defining 'SOS'". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on January 13, 2023. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
  103. ^ a b Petridis, Alexis (December 9, 2022). "SZA: SOS review". The Guardian. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  104. ^ a b Escobedo Shepherd, Julianne (December 9, 2022). "SZA: SOS Album Review". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on December 29, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  105. ^ a b Dukes, Will (December 9, 2022). "SZA's Out for Blood and Big Moods on 'SOS'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 16, 2022. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  106. ^ Hopper, Alex (December 30, 2022). "SZA Teases Quentin Tarantino-Inspired Music Video for 'Kill Bill'". American Songwriter. Archived from the original on December 30, 2022. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  107. ^ Ampil, Izzy (February 3, 2023). "How SZA Rose from Indie Favorite to National No. 1". BuzzFeed News. Archived from the original on September 24, 2023. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
  108. ^ Moran, Robert; Shand, John; Nguyen, Giselle Au-Nhien (November 29, 2022). "SZA's Addictive Album Is the Summer Soundtrack You've Been Waiting For". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on December 29, 2022. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  109. ^ Fekadu, Mesfin (December 21, 2022). "Hollywood Reporter Music Editor Picks the 10 Best Albums of 2022". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on December 22, 2022. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  110. ^ Willman, Chris; Aswad, Jem (December 9, 2022). "The Best Albums of 2022". Variety. Archived from the original on December 15, 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  111. ^ Raible, Allan (December 28, 2022). "Review: 50 Best Albums of 2022". Good Morning America. Archived from the original on December 29, 2022. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  112. ^ "The 22 Best Albums of 2022". Spin. December 22, 2022. Archived from the original on January 2, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  113. ^ "Top 50 Albums of 2022". Consequence. December 6, 2022. Archived from the original on December 14, 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  114. ^ Hakimian, Rob; Mcmullen, Chase; et al. (December 16, 2022). "BPM's Top 50 Albums of 2022". BPM. Archived from the original on December 15, 2022. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  115. ^ a b "The 20 Best Albums of 2023". Dazed. December 14, 2023. Archived from the original on December 15, 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  116. ^ a b Pareles, Jon; Caramanica, Jon; Zoladz, Lindsay (November 30, 2023). "Best Albums of 2023". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 30, 2023. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
  117. ^ "The 50 Best Albums of 2023". Pitchfork. December 5, 2023. Archived from the original on December 6, 2023. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  118. ^ "The 100 Best Albums of 2023". Rolling Stone. November 30, 2023. Archived from the original on November 30, 2023. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
  119. ^ Wood, Mikael (December 6, 2023). "The 20 Best Albums of 2023". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 12, 2023. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  120. ^ DeLuca, Dan (December 24, 2023). "Our Pop Music Critic Picks His Best Albums of the Year". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on December 24, 2023. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
  121. ^ Mckinney, Jessica; Caraballo, Ecleen Luzmila; et al. (December 15, 2023). "The Best Albums of 2023". Complex. Archived from the original on January 1, 2024. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  122. ^ "The 27 Best Albums of 2023". The Ringer. December 6, 2023. Archived from the original on December 6, 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  123. ^ Johnston, Maura (December 5, 2023). "The 10 Best Albums of 2023". Time. Archived from the original on December 26, 2023. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  124. ^ Kornhaber, Spencer (December 13, 2023). "The 10 Best Albums of 2023". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on December 31, 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  125. ^ "Best Albums of 2023". NPR. December 5, 2023. Archived from the original on December 13, 2023. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
  126. ^ Beaumont, Mark; Brown, Helen; Nugent, Annabel; O'Connor, Roisin (December 14, 2023). "The 30 Best Albums of 2023, from Olivia Rodrigo to Lana Del Rey". The Independent. Archived from the original on December 14, 2023. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  127. ^ Gillis, Drew; Erlewine, Stephen Thomas; Keates, Emma; Lowery, Tim; Gajjar, Saloni; Carr, Mary Kate (December 13, 2023). "The 27 Best Albums of 2023". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on December 14, 2023. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  128. ^ Darville, Jordan; Ross, Alex Robert; et al. (December 12, 2023). "The 50 Best Albums of 2023". The Fader. Archived from the original on December 12, 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  129. ^ Wilson, Carl (December 11, 2023). "The 12 Best Albums of 2023". Slate. Archived from the original on December 11, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  130. ^ Renshaw, David. "The 10 Best Albums of 2023". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Archived from the original on December 31, 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  131. ^ "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone. December 31, 2023. Archived from the original on March 23, 2021. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  132. ^ Grein, Paul (February 5, 2024). "Snubs and Surprises at the 2024 Grammys". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 5, 2024. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
  133. ^ Atkinson, Katie. "Here Are the 2023 BET Awards Winners: Full List". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 26, 2023. Retrieved June 26, 2023.
  134. ^ Brathwaite, Lester Fabian (September 1, 2023). "Renaissance vs. Eras: Beyoncé and Taylor Swift to Duke It Out over Show of the Summer at MTV VMAs". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on September 6, 2023. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  135. ^ Grein, Paul (October 26, 2023). "Taylor Swift Leads Finalists for 2023 Billboard Music Awards: Full List". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 18, 2023. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  136. ^ Grein, Paul (November 26, 2023). "SZA, Usher & Victoria Monét Are Top Winners at 2023 Soul Train Awards: Full List". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 27, 2023. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  137. ^ "Grammy Nominations 2024: See the Full List Here". Pitchfork. November 10, 2023. Archived from the original on November 10, 2023. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  138. ^ Atkinson, Katie (April 2, 2024). "Here Are the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards Winners". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 2, 2024. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  139. ^ David Friend, "2024 Juno Awards nominations: Charlotte Cardin leads with 6 nods". Global News, February 6, 2024.
  140. ^ Anderson, Trevor (December 9, 2023). "1 Year of 'SOS': 8 Records & Achievements for SZA's Blockbuster Album". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 16, 2023. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
  141. ^ Caulfield, Keith (February 26, 2023). "SZA's 'SOS' Makes It 10 Weeks at No. 1 on Billboard 200". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 26, 2023. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
  142. ^ Caulfield, Keith (December 19, 2022). "SZA Earns First No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 With 'SOS'". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 19, 2022. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  143. ^ Aswad, Jem (December 11, 2023). "SZA, Karol G, Peso Pluma Lead RIAA Gold and Platinum 2023 Honorees". Variety. Archived from the original on December 11, 2023. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
  144. ^ Olivier, Bobby (December 20, 2022). "N.J. Star SZA Lands 1st No. 1 Album as Brilliant S.O.S. Tops Billboard". NJ.com. Archived from the original on December 24, 2022. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  145. ^ Anderson, Trevor (March 1, 2023). "SZA's 'Kill Bill' Tops Its First Radio Chart With No. 1 on Rhythmic Airplay". billboard. Archived from the original on March 8, 2023. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
  146. ^ Trust, Gary (April 14, 2023). "SZA's 'Kill Bill' Slays All Competition, Reaches No. 1 on Pop Airplay Chart". billboard. Archived from the original on April 21, 2023. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
  147. ^ Anderson, Trevor (April 10, 2023). "SZA's 'Kill Bill' Breaks Female No. 1 Record on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart". billboard. Archived from the original on May 28, 2023. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
  148. ^ "Australiancharts.com – SZA – SOS". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  149. ^ "ARIA Top 40 HIP HOP/R&B Albums Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. December 19, 2022. Archived from the original on December 16, 2022. Retrieved December 23, 2022.
  150. ^ "Austriancharts.at – SZA – SOS" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  151. ^ "Ultratop.be – SZA – SOS" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved January 22, 2023.
  152. ^ "Ultratop.be – SZA – SOS" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  153. ^ "SZA Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
  154. ^ "CZ - Albums Top 100" (in Czech). International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on January 2, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  155. ^ "Danishcharts.dk – SZA – SOS". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 23, 2022.
  156. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – SZA – SOS" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  157. ^ "SZA: SOS" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  158. ^ "Lescharts.com – SZA – SOS". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 23, 2022.
  159. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – SZA – SOS" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  160. ^ "Official Irish Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  161. ^ "Album – Classifica settimanale WK 50 (dal 09.12.2022 al 15.12.2022)" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Archived from the original on March 18, 2020. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
  162. ^ "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2023-05-29/p/4" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved May 24, 2023.
  163. ^ "2022 50-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. December 16, 2022. Archived from the original on December 16, 2022. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  164. ^ "Charts.nz – SZA – SOS". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 23, 2022.
  165. ^ "Official Top 100 Albums: February 9th, 2024 - February 15th, 2024". TurnTable. Archived from the original on February 21, 2024. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
  166. ^ "Album 2023 uke 01". VG-lista. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
  167. ^ "OLiS – oficjalna lista sprzedaży: Albumy" (Select week 06.01.2023–12.01.2023.) (in Polish). ZPAV. Archived from the original on February 2, 2023. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
  168. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 27, 2023.
  169. ^ "SK - Albums Top 100" (in Czech). International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on January 2, 2023. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  170. ^ "Spanishcharts.com – SZA – SOS". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 23, 2022.
  171. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – SZA – SOS". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 23, 2022.
  172. ^ "Swisscharts.com – SZA – SOS". Hung Medien. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
  173. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  174. ^ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  175. ^ "SZA Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
  176. ^ "SZA Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
  177. ^ "SZA Chart History (Top Tastemaker Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  178. ^ "ARIA Top 100 Albums Chart for 2023". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on January 12, 2024. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  179. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 2023" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Archived from the original on January 7, 2024. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  180. ^ "Rapports annuels 2023" (in French). Ultratop. Archived from the original on January 7, 2024. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  181. ^ "Top Canadian Albums – Year-End 2023". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 21, 2023. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
  182. ^ "Album Top-100 2023". Hitlisten. Archived from the original on January 11, 2024. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
  183. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 2023". dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). Archived from the original on January 2, 2024. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
  184. ^ "2023: La dynamique de la production et de la consommation musicales en France" (in French). SNEP. January 8, 2024. Archived from the original on January 11, 2024. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
  185. ^ "Top Selling Albums of 2023". Recorded Music NZ. Archived from the original on December 21, 2023. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
  186. ^ "Top 100 Albums Yearly". El portal de Música. Promusicae. Archived from the original on January 19, 2024. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  187. ^ "Årslista Album, 2023". Sverigetopplistan. Archived from the original on January 18, 2024. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
  188. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2023". hitparade.ch. Archived from the original on December 31, 2023. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
  189. ^ "End of Year Albums Chart – 2023". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on January 27, 2024. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
  190. ^ "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2023". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 21, 2023. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
  191. ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2023". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 4, 2023. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
  192. ^ "Top Canadian Albums – Year-End 2024". Billboard. Retrieved December 14, 2024.
  193. ^ "End of Year Top 50 Albums". Recorded Music NZ. Archived from the original on December 20, 2024. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  194. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2024". hitparade.ch (in German). Archived from the original on December 29, 2024. Retrieved December 29, 2024.
  195. ^ "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2024". Billboard. Retrieved December 14, 2024.
  196. ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2024". Billboard. Retrieved December 14, 2024.
  197. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2024 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  198. ^ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – albums 2024". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  199. ^ "Brazilian album certifications – SZA – SOS" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  200. ^ "Canadian album certifications – SZA – SOS". Music Canada. Retrieved March 4, 2024.
  201. ^ "Danish album certifications – SZA – SOS". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
  202. ^ "French album certifications – SZA – SOS" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved November 25, 2023.
  203. ^ "Adatbázis – Arany- és platinalemezek – 2023" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  204. ^ "Italian album certifications – SZA – SOS" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
  205. ^ "Dutch album certifications – SZA – SOS" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved August 25, 2023. Enter SOS in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 2023 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
  206. ^ "Official Catalogue Albums 22–28 November 2024". aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
  207. ^ "OLiS - oficjalna lista wyróżnień" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved February 21, 2024. Click "TYTUŁ" and enter SOS in the search box.
  208. ^ "Sverigetopplistan – SZA" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
  209. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('SOS')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  210. ^ "British album certifications – SZA – SOS". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
  211. ^ "American album certifications – SZA – SOS". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  212. ^ Citations regarding the release of SOS:
    • "SOS by SZA". Apple Music (AU). Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
    • "SOS de SZA" (in Brazilian Portuguese). Apple Music (BR). Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
    • "SOS de SZA" (in Spanish). Apple Music (ES). Archived from the original on March 1, 2023. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
    • "SOS by SZA". Apple Music (GB). Archived from the original on March 23, 2023. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
    • "SOS by SZA". Apple Music (US). Archived from the original on February 3, 2023. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
  213. ^ Citations regarding the release of SOS on CD and vinyl:
Retrieved from "http://en.wiki.x.io/w/index.php?title=SOS_(SZA_album)&oldid=1266036240"