With 38 weeks at No. 1, her sophomore album becomes the genre’s longest-reigning chart-topper ever
SZA’s blockbuster album SOS has officially broken records—and not just any record. The genre-defining project has now spent an unprecedented 38 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, surpassing the legendary Thriller by Michael Jackson, which held the title with 37 weeks back in 1983–84.
According to Luminate, SOS racked up 47,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. for the week ending May 29—up 2% from the previous week—pushing it into historic territory.
129 weeks in, and still in the Top 10
Released in December 2022, SOS marked SZA’s long-awaited follow-up to her acclaimed debut Ctrl. Since then, it’s maintained an astonishing presence on the charts—129 consecutive weeks in the Top 10, never once dipping out. The album debuted at No. 1 and unleashed massive singles like “Kill Bill” (21 weeks atop the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart) and “Snooze”, which peaked at No. 2 for 13 weeks.
Reinvention through expansion
In December 2024, SZA expanded the SOS universe with a deluxe edition titled LANA, adding over a dozen new tracks—including fan favorites “Saturn” and “30 for 30”—which boosted the album’s already dominant streaming numbers.
Top 10 Longest-Reigning R&B/Hip-Hop Albums at No. 1 (Billboard)
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38 weeks – SOS – SZA (2022–2025)
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37 weeks – Thriller – Michael Jackson (1983–1984)
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29 weeks – Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ’Em – M.C. Hammer (1990)
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26 weeks – Just Like the First Time – Freddie Jackson (1986–1987)
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23 weeks – Can’t Slow Down – Lionel Richie (1983–1984)
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20 weeks – Songs in the Key of Life – Stevie Wonder (1976–1977)
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20 weeks – Street Songs – Rick James (1981)
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20 weeks – Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon – Pop Smoke (2020–2021)
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19 weeks – Purple Rain – Prince & The Revolution (1984)
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18 weeks – The Temptations Sing Smokey – The Temptations (1965)
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18 weeks – Bad – Michael Jackson (1987–1988)
New metrics, new milestones
The milestone comes in an era reshaped by streaming and multi-track album strategies. Since Billboard updated its chart methodology in 2017 to account for digital streams and individual song sales, albums like SOS—with strong replay value and sprawling tracklists—have enjoyed extended chart life. That shift has allowed newer albums to challenge the long-standing chart reigns of older classics.
On the Top R&B Albums chart, SOS is also in a league of its own: 112 weeks at No. 1, more than any album since the chart launched in 2013. Meanwhile, on the Billboard 200, it currently sits at No. 2, having notched 12 non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 since its debut.
SZA isn’t just making history—she’s rewriting what R&B dominance looks like in the streaming era.
