SZA scores first number one album of her career with SOS. Billboard reports the album sold 318,000 equivalent album units in the week ending Dec. 15.
Of SOS’ 318,000 equivalent album units earned, SEA units comprise 309,500 (equaling 404.58 million on-demand official streams of the set’s tracks), album sales comprise 7,500 and TEA units comprise 1,000.
The breakdown shows SOS is the fifth-largest debut of the year, behind Taylor Swift’s Midnights (1.578 million), Harry Styles’ Harry’s House (521,000), Drake and 21 Savage’s Her Loss (404,000) and Beyoncé’s Renaissance (332,000). “SOS” also achieves the biggest streaming week ever for an R&B album, the second-largest streaming week ever for an album by a female artist, and the third-largest streaming week of 2022 for any album after Midnights (250.23 million) and Her Loss (513.56 million).
SZA reacted to SOS’ projected sales and chart debut with a thank you message to her fans. “I just wanted to say THANK YOU …genuinely thank you,” she wrote on Twitter.
She followed it with a “Bigger thank you message” this week.
Released on Friday (Dec. 9), S.O.S arrived with cameos from Don Toliver, Travis Scott, Phoebe Bridgers, as well as a posthumous appearance from Ol’ Dirty Bastard. In an interview with Hot 97’s Nessa, the 33-year-old explained she wanted more features on the album but says she got blanked by several artists.
“Collaborations happen] in the DMs and begging people,” she said. “Sometimes people turn in their verses and sometimes they don’t. A lot of people just like, did not turn in their verses — but I’m grateful for who did.”
“A lot of these people, I didn’t turn in my verse, so I can’t be too mad,” she added. “But also, at the same token it’s like, ‘Damn, this sucks. I really needed you. I wish you showed up for me.’ But I’m sure they felt the same way for me.”
in a behind-the-scenes video titled “Where the Hell Have You Been.” SZA revealed some of the big names that did not make the album including Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Tyler, the Creator, Bad Bunny, J Balvin, Rosalía, and Westside Gunn.
Elsewhere, Taylor Swift’s Midnights is a non-mover at No. 2 (139,000 equivalent album units; down 3%), while Metro Boomin’s Heroes & Villains falls 1-3 (102,000) in its second week, with Her Loss dropping 3-4 (67,000). A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie also returns to the top 10 with Me vs. Myself, which opens at No. 6 with 53,000 equivalent album units, his fourth top 10 album.
