Some albums need a little time before we can confidently call them classics. Others make their case while we’re still living through them. Nearly four years after its release, SZA’s SOS belongs in the latter category. The songs have become part of our everyday language, our relationships, our heartbreaks, and our road trips alike. And despite arriving just four years ago, the album has achieved impact most artists can only dream of.
Now, as SOS continues its journey toward RIAA Diamond certification, its place in music history is becoming even harder to ignore. Already having moved 9.9 Million units, the album is approaching the rare Diamond milestone. If it gets there, SZA would join an extraordinary lineage of Black solo women with Diamond-certified albums, including Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, and Lauryn Hill. It’s the kind of company that speaks for itself. But if you’ve spent any time with SOS over the past four years, none of this feels particularly surprising.
