Fans of SZA finally got to hear a new full-length body of work from the R&B singer-songwriter. She released her sophomore set, SOS, on December 9.
SOS is on pace to open with 275,000-300,000 first-week units. That total should be enough to take the #1 spot on the Billboard 200 chart from the current champion Heroes & Villains by Metro Boomin.
That unit range would also give SZA one of the highest openings in 2022. Only Harry Styles (Harry’s House), BTS (Proof), Beyoncé (Renaissance), Taylor Swift (Midnights), and Drake & 21 Savage (Her Loss) have crossed the 300,000 unit mark over the last twelve months.
I just wanted to say THANK YOU …genuinely thank you 🤍
— SZA (@sza) December 11, 2022
SZA Is Closing In On Her First No. 1 Album
If SOS does debut in the Billboard 200’s top position, SZA will earn the first No. 1 album of her career. The 33-year-old songstress previously peaked at #3 with 2017’s critically-acclaimed Ctrl.
The RIAA certified Ctrl as 3x-Platinum in August 2022. While Ctrl made numerous publications’ year-end lists for 2017, the Recording Academy completely shut out SZA at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards.
Ctrl did lead the Top R&B Album chart for three weeks. SZA also made it onto the Billboard 200 with the Z EP. That 2014 Top Dawg Entertainment release plateaued at #39.
SOS Already Has Two Hot 100 Top 10 Hits
SZA’s latest effort, SOS, host the singles “Good Days”, “I Hate U”, and “Shirt.” Last year, “Good Days” rose to #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. “I Hate U” made it to #7. “Shirt” has just missed the Top 10 by peaking at #11.
SOS features Don Toliver, Phoebe Bridgers, Travis Scott, and the Wu-Tang Clan’s Ol’ Dirty Bastard. SZA recently spoke about securing a posthumous vocal appearance by the late ODB on her “Forgiveless” track.
“It was definitely like I doubt this gonna be allowed to be on the album, but it surprisingly was,” said SZA about the ODB feature. “I talked to [the Ol’ Dirty Bastard Estate]. It really just came from a place of documentary footage from Rodney Jerkins. He was sweet enough to let me use that.”