Chart Check: SZA Breaks Longtime Mary J. Blige & Aretha Franklin R&B Records Thanks to Ongoing Success of ‘SOS’ & Its Hits

It’s been 3 years since SZA made headlines for disagreeing with fans that she is the modern-day “Queen of R&B,” but the ongoing stats of her blockbuster sophomore album – ‘SOS‘ – has certainly put her in conversation with the genre’s royalty.

In addition to seeing the LP’s stay atop the Billboard 200 tie multiple records of powerhouse vocalists Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey, the Hot 100 triumphs of the set’s singles ‘Snooze’ and ‘Kill Bill’ have also kept the competition at bay to historic measure (as we reported here).

Those aren’t the only charts feeling the presence of the dominating diva (born Solana Rowe). Look inside to see what milestone she met this week.

Despite being released December 9, 2022, ‘SOS’ is still clinging to tenancy in the Billboard 200’s top 10 – even found at #7 this week thanks to an additional 43,000 units sold (as seen below).

Faring even better on the refreshed Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums tally, the 23-track project is printed at #1 for a 21st week – extending Rowe’s reign as the longest-running female champion the chart’s known since its inception in 1965. The first female effort to chart for over 20 weeks atop the ranking, ‘SOS’ widens the gap between itself and the previous titleholder – ‘Aretha Now‘ (the 1968 album of Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin) which stayed at #1 for 17 weeks at the height of its popularity.

Among all atists, the only albums to have remained at the hitlist’s peak position longer are Michael Jackson‘s ‘Thriller‘ (37 weeks), MC Hammer‘s ‘Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em’ (29 weeks), Freddie Jackson‘s ‘Just Like the First Time’ (26 weeks), and Lionel Richie‘s ‘Can’t Slow Down’ (23 weeks).

See who joins SZA on the refreshed TGJ Chart Check: Billboard 200.

Billboard 200 This Week

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The news comes weeks after SZA made headlines for her single ‘Kill Bill’ zooming past Queen of Hip-Hop Soul Mary J. Blige in the history books of Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

Breaking a 15-year record held by the diva’s 2005 hit ‘Be Without You‘ (which reigned over the tally for 15 weeks), ‘Bill’ not only became the longest-running #1 single by a solo female artist but now sits as the chart’s overall longest-running topper ever (21 weeks).

Click here to see where ‘Kill Bill’ landed on the updated TGJ Chart Check: Hot 100.

[photo sources: Getty Images/’Cultured’/Billboard]