S.O.S.
by SZA
  • Record Label: RCA
  • Release Date: Dec 9, 2022
User Score
8.4

Universal acclaim- based on 389 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 332 out of 389
  2. Mixed: 25 out of 389
  3. Negative: 32 out of 389
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  1. coolmattsinegar
    May 3, 2023
    10
    Matthew Alexander "Matt" Sinegar [SIN-NA-GAR] (An EXTREMELY Mature & EXTREMELY Heterosexual (Straight) African-American/Black Man):
    S.O.S. (2023) Is Literally Always One Of My All-Time Favorite R&B Albums.
    The Song "Kill Bill" Is Literally Always Lit.
  2. nicsks
    Jun 16, 2023
    10
    Did somebody say “Album Of The Year”…?

    It’s just the best of the best, favorite track: “Shirt” (guilty pleasure)
  3. hugles
    Jul 9, 2023
    10
    De fato uma das maiores OBRAS de SZA! A queen nunca decepciona e lançou esse álbum para provar, cada canção, cada instrumental. Está tudo perfeito principalmente pela quantidade de musicas e com um anuncio de pausa na carreira musical esse álbum foi certeiro.
  4. manicomeback
    Jul 23, 2023
    10
    Sza lança mais um álbum supremo do R&B e se consagra como a maior R&B desse século
  5. rubens07
    Aug 3, 2023
    10
    The best album of the year, Sza proved to be versatile and served trap and hip-hop.
  6. Fruitflavors
    Sep 8, 2023
    10
    This is the album of the year. This is a no-skip album. SZA really hit it out of the park with this one…
  7. Dylantm
    Dec 9, 2022
    9
    Truly an amazing album SZA outdid herself one again i give 10s when 10s are due
  8. LISOCHIKOTOSA
    Dec 14, 2022
    9
    Apart from being a bit bloated and what I think are some sequencing problems, this album is excellent. A worthy follow up to CTRL. Hope she continues to release more music.
  9. JRWardy
    Dec 11, 2022
    9
    This album is kind of crazy. It’s spans such a wide range of musical ventures while simultaneously staying cohesive. The song writing is incredible and the production is the best you’re going to find on any R&B album.
  10. FreeRunner29
    Mar 17, 2023
    9
    God, I'm so bipolar with this album. Metacritic should have a lock. I'm sorry SZA this album is solid, I'm just going through it and you're making me feel things I don't want to confront. Solid 9, because I'm stressing perfection.
  11. KJ_20
    Dec 22, 2022
    9
    The confident writing, amazing melodies (+SZA's gorgeous voice), makes SOS a fantastic album. While the chords and sound of the music feels overused and quite basic, the boldness and catchiness still prevails, to make SOS a fantastic album.
  12. submnibiriyae
    Dec 9, 2022
    9
    She ate here
    Favs: gone girl, kill bill, ghost in the machine, blind and Forgiveless
    Least favs: conceited and notice me
  13. someonewhocares
    Dec 31, 2022
    9
    It is a grower nonetheless for those whose experimental R&B listens are rare.
  14. wilma5
    Dec 11, 2022
    9
    Great album, a few songs felt like fillers but overall it’s excellent. A good follow up from CTRL
  15. oNewYorker
    Jan 1, 2023
    9
    Too much tracks for me to remember… beautifully produced and we all can agree the SZA is a lyrical genius but, some songs start to sound similar, especially with all these tracks! Nobody Gets Me and Open Arms start to sound oddly similar, along with some other tracks. Other than that, I love this album with all my heart, the album covers story is so meaningful too.
  16. nami2
    Dec 28, 2022
    9
    What can I say about SOS except that it is amazing? This SZA's first album in 5 years, and it was worth it. The album has a diverse range of genres, showing SZA's range, as well as some amazing features (I'm looking at you, Phoebe Bridgers). While the album's length and refusal to stick to one genre is it's biggest strength, it can feel like a lot to digest, especially on first listen, butWhat can I say about SOS except that it is amazing? This SZA's first album in 5 years, and it was worth it. The album has a diverse range of genres, showing SZA's range, as well as some amazing features (I'm looking at you, Phoebe Bridgers). While the album's length and refusal to stick to one genre is it's biggest strength, it can feel like a lot to digest, especially on first listen, but SZA reminded us how much of a talent she is. I just really hope this is not her last album and she makes more music with the quality and range of SOS (and Ctrl).… Expand
  17. gemmaliciosa
    Dec 9, 2022
    9
    An almost perfect piece of work from SZA. Even though the album is 23 tracks long and over an hour, the album traps you quickly enough so you can sit through it all and enjoy every track for what it is.
  18. paidelimon
    Dec 9, 2022
    9
    no supero mis espectativas, sin embargo, sos sigue siendo un trabajo excelente.
  19. used
    Dec 9, 2022
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. SOS was a highly anticipated project that did not disappoint. You could tell SZA really let her creative juices flow on this album with songs like “F2F” and “Smoking on my Ex Pack”. In the album, similar to Ctrl, she expresses the same kind of love from a more self-assured perspective. Hearing the versatility on this album was like a breath of fresh air, it makes the album so much fun to listen to and allows others to enjoy SZA even more than before. This is an amazing album to introduce yourself to SZA with because I guarantee there will be something on there you’ll love. I loved seeing songs like “Used” finally get finished into a beautiful song especially when it’s with the talented Don Toliver along with Phoebe Bridgers in “Ghost in the Machine”. The few features on this album is exactly what SZA fans needed so we could finally listen to her alone on her own record instead of her being on other artists’.

    The album is just so great and I’ll be listening to it over and over again to the point where I’ll memorize all the creative lyrics of this album. She definitely surprised me in the best way possible.    … Expand
  20. mrtins
    Dec 9, 2022
    9
    a sza foi gigante quando chamou esses cantores para participar do projeto selecionando aqueles que realmente encaixavam, a escrita muito boa com letras profundas e sinceras, achei a produção boa mas esperava algo mais inovador por conta do o álbum anterior ctrl mas essa foi uma expectativa pessoal minha, o álbum é bom e ponto.
  21. ferximilian
    Dec 10, 2022
    9
    Los singles que decidió publicar SZA lograron su objetivo, atraer a todos hacia un álbum que es bueno de principio a fin. En mi opinión, será un fuerte contendiente para Album of the year 2024 en los grammys.
  22. tehe
    Dec 11, 2022
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I love this album so much and the hype was totally worth it. There is only one song in my opinion which is a skip that is seek and destroy but its not a bad track just not my taste. Somgs like low, nobody gets me, too late, and ghost in the machine with phoebe bridgers are wonderful tracks with I highly recommend to anyone who hasn't streamed the album yet… Expand
  23. imalisonf
    Dec 11, 2022
    9
    Sza is one of the most talented artists of her generation and she proves it again on her second album.
  24. jvloves
    Dec 11, 2022
    9
    it is an amazing and interesting experience, sza transports us into his mind in a surprising way, despite being repetitive at times
  25. Synthl0ver22
    Aug 16, 2023
    9
    Worth the wait, SOS perfectly embraces the emotions and feelings of any 20 and 30-somethings. Despite the long tracklist and some filller tracks, SZA once again delivers beautiful songs with amazing production. Is it better than ctrl and an escape from the sophomore album slump? Time will tell, but still an album worthy of your listen and recognition.
  26. oolivverr
    Apr 29, 2023
    9
    With such a long tracklist I got nervous before my first listen, but I know now never to doubt SZA. She brings it to you every ball!
  27. thevenditti
    Jan 31, 2023
    9
    O álbum tem um conceito muito bem definido, o título "SOS" não funciona apenas como um pedido de socorro diante de todos os traumas e situações emocionais na vida da artista, mas também indica seu isolamento e reflexão em cima desses momentos. A foto de capa referencia-se a princesa Diana de férias em Portofino, Itália, em 97 e transmite muito bem essa energia de introspecção, isolamento eO álbum tem um conceito muito bem definido, o título "SOS" não funciona apenas como um pedido de socorro diante de todos os traumas e situações emocionais na vida da artista, mas também indica seu isolamento e reflexão em cima desses momentos. A foto de capa referencia-se a princesa Diana de férias em Portofino, Itália, em 97 e transmite muito bem essa energia de introspecção, isolamento e reflexão que viaja por todas as 23 faixas do álbum. O "SOS", apresenta uma sonoridade mais eclética do que o seu antecessor, "CTRL", mas sem perder a autenticidade. Acredito que a única coisa que possa pesar para alguns ouvintes seja a extensão do álbum, o que para mim não é um problema, mas para muitos ouvintes dessa geração que estão mais acostumados com projetos mais objetivos e curtos isso seja um problema.

    Destaques: SOS, Kill Bill, Blind, Nobody Gets Me, Shirt.    … Expand
  28. spontaani
    Mar 5, 2023
    9
    Does not top her previous album Ctrl, in my opinion. Still a beautifully written and produced album with Solana's gorgeous vocals. Personal favorites are Used, Gone Girl, Smoking on my Ex Pack & Forgiveless.
  29. jeffer21
    Dec 9, 2022
    8
    SZA returned even more versatile, vulnerable, aggressive, majestic, experimental and stripped down in this new work, although R&B is her central style, she walks through different sounds in S.O.S
  30. fedefreaks
    Aug 27, 2023
    8
    strong contender for Album of the year for me and i don't even like all of the songs!
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Awards & Rankings

5
#5 Best Album of 2022
11
#11 Most Discussed Album of 2022

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
90

Universal acclaim - based on 20 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 20
  3. Negative: 0 out of 20
  1. HipHopDX
    Dec 19, 2022
    80
    The peaks on SOS, (“Used,” “Smoking on my Ex Pack,” and “Forgiveless”) find SZA sounding refreshingly comfortable rapping over gritty, hazy, and grimy productions.
    Read full review
  2. Beats Per Minute
    Dec 16, 2022
    88
    It may take a few years for SOS to ascend to the heights, but if 808s & Heartbreak was the breakup record of the 2000s and Blonde was the 2010s examination of loss and trauma, then SZA might have produced that emotional breaking point for the 2020s.
    Read full review
  3. AllMusic
    Dec 15, 2022
    90
    Hour-plus length and stylistic variety likewise signal that SOS could be the overreaching kind of highly anticipated follow-up. Still, it's an advancement from Ctrl in every respect apart from cohesion
    Read full review
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