Chart Check: SZA’s ‘SOS’ Joins 1987’s ‘Whitney’ As Only Albums by Black Women To Rule Billboard 200 For Their First 7 Weeks

Published: Thursday 2nd Feb 2023 by Rashad

The seven-week long chart championship of SZA‘s sophomore album, ‘SOS,’ has quite a few historic stats attached to it, but a standout is its surprising relationship to Whitney Houston‘s eponymous sophomore effort, 1987’s ‘Whitney.’

Housing hits like ‘I Wanna Dance with Somebody,’ ‘Didn’t We Almost Have It All,’ ‘Where Do Broken Hearts Go,’ and more, Houston’s project – which has sold over 20 million copies worldwide – is the first female album to launch four Hot 100 #1 singles and also the first female LP overall to debut atop the Billboard 200.

Uniquely, ‘Whitney’ also sits in history books for being the first album by a Black woman to spend its first 7 weeks at the Billboard 200’s summit. The record went untouched for nearly 35 years until this week.

As reported here, the refreshed Billboard 200 sees SZA at #1 for a seventh consecutive week thanks to additional sales of 111,000.

The extended stay puts the songstress (born Solana Rowe) in unique company as one of only four women over the last three decades who can boast having spent at least seven weeks (consecutive or non-consecutive) at No. 1 on the tally – Taylor Swift’s ‘Folklore(2020), ‘1989 (2014), ‘Red (2012), and ‘Fearless‘ (2008), Adele’s ‘25 (2015) and ‘21‘ (2011), Alanis Morissette’s ‘Jagged Little Pill’ (1995), and Houston’s ‘Bodyguard’ (1992-93).  In fact, the last album by a woman with seven consecutive weeks at No. 1 was Addy’s ’25,’ which spent its first seven weeks at the chart’s pinnacle in late 2015.

Among Black women, Houston’s ‘Whitney’ was the last studio album to spend its first seven weeks atop the Billboard 200 (and would ultimately tap out of the spot after its 11th week).

Could SZA be on her way to matching or surpassing the longtime record of The Voice? Time will tell. Until then, look below to see who joins her in this week’s TGJ Chart Check.

Billboard 200 This Week

 

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  1. Zade February 2, 2023

    Haters are gonna hate so much, I’m glad my girl SZA wins 😍1

    • Zade February 2, 2023

      I just wish she wasn’t so ugly 🤢

      • Zade February 2, 2023

        I’d buy the CD but I’d have to see her ugly face on it

      • Zade February 2, 2023

        Love the album though

      • Zade February 2, 2023

        You’re still triggered? Damn that’s a deep scar on your ego 😂 you never learn.

      • Shayla Queen™ 👑 February 2, 2023

        Your schizophrenic ass

      • Zade February 2, 2023

        You will never suceed in your psycho attempt 😘 #weakloser

      • Zade February 2, 2023

        Call the cops and ask them to anaylse the IP of each account please, do it and assume 😀

      • Shayla Queen™ 👑 February 2, 2023

        That’s your duty boo, if you’re being “emulated” lmaoooooooooooo 🤣 Although it’s really a psychiatrist is what you REALLY need 🤪

      • Zade February 2, 2023

        You really want me to call them and ask to analyse the IP of each account that emulates mine? Maybe that’s what you need 🙂

      • Zade February 2, 2023

        Why would I ask you to call them and ask to analyse the IP of each account if I was the one doing it? 😂 I have nothing to worry about, what about you? 😀

      • Shayla Queen™ 👑 February 2, 2023

        That’s exactly why you haven’t called… 👀

      • Zade February 2, 2023

        Are you sure? Be careful, everything you say is maybe observed, keep on playing with fire 😁

      • RBRT February 2, 2023

        Please be nice to the new supreme. I hope you find peace one day

  2. Headdoctor February 2, 2023

    Sza is the Whitney of our generation 😍

    • True Tea February 2, 2023

      SCREAMING!

  3. HotBoy February 2, 2023

    In an era where streaming can be and is routinely faked, Billboard charts are meaningless.

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