Adele’s Billboard Record Has Finally Been Beaten

When SZA dropped SOS back in late 2022, few could have predicted just how huge the full-length would become. The set immediately struck a chord with the public, and more than two years later, it’s still one of the most successful albums in the United States. This week, the R&B powerhouse makes history yet again, as SOS not only refuses to fade, but climbs again and proves its undying popularity in one more fashion.

SZA’s SOS Climbs Again on the Billboard 200

SOS lifts one spot on the Billboard 200, surging from No. 4 to No. 3. The movement itself would be notable for any album more than two years into its run, but there’s more to celebrate. SOS is currently spending its eighty-fifth week inside the top 10 on the tally of the most-consumed albums in the U.S. That kind of longevity is almost unheard of, especially for a solo act.

SZA Breaks Adele’s Chart Record

As of last frame, SZA’s SOS was sharing a historic accolade with Adele’s 21, as both full-lengths had managed 84 weeks inside the top 10 on the Billboard 200. That tie is now broken, and according to Billboard, SOS stands alone as the longest-charting top 10 album by a solo female artist in history, passing the Grammy-winning 21.

SZA Also Passes Bruce Springsteen

Passing Adele would have been enough to land SZA in the history books, but SOS has managed another incredible feat at the same time. The project also beats Born in the U.S.A. by Bruce Springsteen, which likewise spent 84 frames in the top 10. For an R&B album to overtake not only a global pop juggernaut like 21 but also one of the most celebrated rock releases of all time is a rare triumph.

SZA’s SOS is Still Performing Spectacularly Well

In the latest tracking frame, SOS moved an impressive 52,600 equivalent units in the U.S., according to Luminate. That’s a staggering number for a collection released more than two years ago. To date, SOS has now spent 123 weeks on the Billboard 200, with 85 of those inside the top 10.

SZA’s latest weekly sum isn’t all that far behind the new No. 1. Ken Carson’s A Great Chaos sits atop the Billboard 200 with just 59,500 equivalent units — under 10,000 more than SZA’s effort.

SZA’s SOS Lives Large on Multiple Billboard Charts

Beyond its success on the Billboard 200, SOS is also riding high across several other Billboard charts this week. The set holds steady at No. 3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums ranking, while jumping from third place to second on the Top Streaming Albums roster. Meanwhile, over on the Top R&B Albums list, SOS rebounds to No. 1 yet again, earning its one-hundred-and-sixth nonconsecutive stay at the summit.