In an impressive show of musical longevity and cultural significance, SZA has officially taken the crown from Adele and achieved one of the trendiest accolades in modern music history. Her critically celebrated LP, “SOS,” has spent 85 weeks in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 chart, surpassing Adele’s “21,” which previously held the record for most weeks in the top 10 for a female artist. This historical moment underscores “SOS” triumph and solidifies SZA’s position as one of her generation’s most pioneering and definitive artists.
Released in December 2022, “SOS” was an immediate smash. It entered the Billboard 200 at No. 1, equipped with unfiltered lyricism, genre-blurring soundscapes, and emotional depth that connected with listeners worldwide. But the truly extraordinary thing is how the album has continued to defy the usual life cycle of a modern record. Most albums leave the charts in a few weeks or months, but SOS has stayed afloat and dominated. This week is its 85th nonconsecutive week in the Billboard 200’s top 10, a record for a female artist. The previous record-holder was Adele’s “21,” which dominated for 84 weeks, a record that seemed one was considered unmatchable.
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SZA, whose full name is Solána Rowe, becomes part of a rarefied class of artists whose music reflects a cultural moment and reverberates through history. Now she’s linked arm in arm with chart legends like the My Fair Lady cast recording, which still tops the all-time list with 173 top 10 weeks, and Morgan Wallen’s Dangerous, at 158 weeks. Some of “SOS” longevity can be chalked up to its thick flexibility. The album is a smooth-silk amalgamation of R&B, pop, hip-hop, and even indie rock, lacking neither SZA’s chameleonic artistry nor an aversion to being categorized within a specific sound. Its concepts of heartbreak, self-worth, revenge, and transformation resonate with new fans discovering it for the first time and longtime listeners on personal and political levels. The singles “Kill Bill,” “Snooze,” and “Shirt” were hits in their own right, elevating the album to evergreen status.
The January release of “SOS” was fanning the flames further, a deluxe edition that brought it back to the presses, generating fresh streams and forcing the album back to No. 1 for another fortnight. The expanded edition gave fans new music but retained the album’s core, showing that SZA’s pen remains as sharp and soul-stirring as ever. More impressive still, SZA’s new touring schedule and collaborations haven’t yet overshadowed SOS. In fact, they’ve added to it. And as she’s been traveling the country with her “Grand National” show featuring Kendrick Lamar and Mustard, something about being in a live environment appears to breathe life into her catalog. Each performance, each viral clip, and each headline stitch up another layer of momentum around an album that refuses to go away.
But this achievement isn’t only a win for SZA as it reflects the evolution of music consumption. It speaks of “SOS” in that virality-crazed world or a possible world. This body of work did not earn its place in the world through virality and cheap tricks but through the one proper way, through merit, consistency, and deep emotional resonance. SZA’s history-making moment is more than a statistic on a chart. It’s evidence that real artistry still lives. And with her creative fire yet to wane, don’t be surprised if “SOS” keeps climbing, rewriting history each passing week.
