Grammys Preview: SOS | SZA
It may have been 5+ years in the making, but it was worth the wait.
Ahead of the 2024 Grammy Awards, on slower music release weeks this winter, Pop Lobster will feature some of the most nominated albums for next year’s ceremony hosted by the Recording Academy. To read more about 2024’s Grammys, click here!
SOS by SZA is one of the most anticipated releases for an album we've seen in recent years, and it's no surprise that the album was received well amongst fans, critics, and the Recording Academy. With the album's release, SZA has continued to cement her place as a defining voice for music in the 2020s, scoring 5 top 10 hits from this album alone.
Released last December, SOS by SZA came with enormous hype. Her first album in five years was immediately met with critical praise and several hit songs. Her previous record, Ctrl, is mostly R&B-oriented, but SZA has a unique flair and style that makes her so special. SOS holds true to her roots while advancing forward by dabbling into many different sounds on this record. There's really something for everyone on this record.
She spits on a hard rap beat on Smokin On My Ex Pack, flirts with Avril's pop punk sound on F2F, and strips it down with an acoustic guitar to channel Hannah Montana on Nobody Gets Me. She also retreats back to her comfort zone on R&B ballads on Blind and Love Language.
The most impressive feat of SOS is the songwriting. After a year of this record being available, moments and lyrics from this project are still relevant. From TikTok trends to Instagram captions to listening to what people blast in their cars as they drive by - SZA holds true. The magic on this record comes from the many shades of SZA's personality scattered across the record. On one track, she's insecure and lacking self-confidence. On the next, she's channeling Wonder Woman and ready to dominate the world. SZA battles with her self-worth and personal growth in Gone Girl, "'trying to grow without hating the process." This record has resonated with so many due to SZA’s ability to channel and bring the life her honesty and trickiness of being human. It’s also worth noting that her humor also shines through on this record. "All these bitches are minions, despicable" and “you were balls deep, now we beefing” are just a few examples of SZA capturing the listeners attention with her funny lyrics.
An aspect of SOS that needs more discussion is its production elements. In a current lack of high-quality hip-hop music, SZA can carry it. Tracks like SOS, Low, Smoking on my Ex Pack, and Shirt all top anything on the hip hop charts. Low, in particular, is the best work we've seen from Travis Scott since ASTROWORLD, and he doesn't even have a verse! SZA takes the dark-melodic trap sound that Travis pioneered and does better. It's not just on the hip/hop side that the production on this record is excellent. SOS fails to include any lousy production decisions. Good risks (Ghost in the Machine, Blind, I Hate U) and quality songs everywhere on this record make a compelling case for album of the year.
SZA enlists help from Don Toliver, Phoebe Bridgers, and frequent collaborator Travis Scott on this record. Ghost In The Machine (with Bridgers) is the most exciting record on the album. SZA sings about A.I. and robots having a more promising life than her, "let's talk about A.I., robot got more heart than I, Robot got future, I don't, Robot get sleep, but I don't power down." At the same time, Phoebe wails about her love not being reciprocated: "I was yours for free." Surprisingly, the inclusion of Phoebe really works here.
SZA is the most nominated artist at the 66th Grammys this year with 9 nominations, so she's bound to take a few homes. SOS is nominated for Album of the Year and Best Progressive R&B Album. Kill Bill is nominated for Record & Song Of The Year, along with Best R&B Performance. Love Language is nominated for Best Traditional R&B Performance. Snooze is nominated for best R&B Song. Low is set for Best Melodic Rap Performance. Lastly, Ghost In The Machine is nominated for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance with Phoebe Bridges. We expect SZA to sweep most of the R&B categories, but she'll likely have a more challenging time in the general field. However, with such a monumental and incredible year for SZA, expect her to make a major play at Record and Album Of The Year. Sometimes, the most significant album takes home the trophy - while that would technically be Midnights, the success spawned from SOS is hard to ignore. Also, in its favor, SOS is more widely critically acclaimed than Midnights.
With a successful Grammys campaign, SOS can cement itself as a monumental record in the modern R&B and Pop world. From top-tier production, excellent vocal performances, lyrics heard worldwide, and an impressive live show, this album cements SZA as one of the greatest artists in the game. SOS should be thought of not only as a great album but also as an inspirational blueprint for pop and R&B artists for decades to come.
Check out our favorite tracks, listen to the album, and see our scores below:
Can’t Miss: Good Days, Kill Bill, Seek & Destroy, Gone Girl, Snooze
You Can Skip: Too Late, Far
BY THE NUMBERS
Bennett’s Score: 7.65
Carson’s Score: 7.57
Album Score: 15.22
Good Days received a PERFECT SCORE.
Notes from Bennett:
SOS was the most satisfying album for me to come out in recent years. The rollout, promo, and quality of the album reminded me of that similar to Travis Scott’s ASTROWORLD - another one of my favorite albums.
SZA slayed. From start to finish, SZA reminds you why she has the reputation of being the R&B girl. I gravitated more towards the trap inspired songs on the album early on but then fell in love with the majority of the songs on here. I still sing Gone Girl randomly sometimes.
I remember when Good Days came out and I really didn’t think anything could fit in competition with it- the strings, harp arpeggios, and vocals were just perfect. Thank goodness I was wrong.
I think this album is like a big deal for producers, there are a ton of different people who worked on this record and SZA ended up putting a ton of producers on the map with her placements.
F2F is boring asf, sorry. I know what the goal is here, and I understand her trying but, the only thing I don’t love from this record is this cash grab at a bad pop-rock trend.
Shirt is a textbook banger, just btw.
Notes from Carson:
I DEVOURED this album when it first came out. Fall 2022 I was very much into Ctrl and so when SOS dropped I just played it non-stop. The week it dropped I listened to SZA 258 times, and tracks from SOS 222 times which is a personal record for me (thank you last.fm for these stats)
Since, SOS has gone on to be my 6th most played album EVER. Crazy. I think part of the reason is the length of this album and that songs on it had come out years before the album came out (Good Days, I Hate You, etc.)
“All these bitches is minions, despicable” on Conceited had me gasping for air. What?! I love it.
Too Late and Far are the only duds for me on this album. Everything else can stay. It also sounds like she is saying “fart” not “far” and it really ruined the song for me lmfao. However, only 2 skips is a testament to the quality of this record that out of 23 tracks only 2 feel like they could have been kept off.
I love so many of these songs. There really is something for everyone.
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Here’s our all-time top albums featured on Pop Lobster. Lana lands in the top 10!
Funk Wav Bounces, Vol 1 | Calvin Harris | Score: 16.60
GUTS | Olivia Rodrigo | Score: 16.33
Speak Now | Taylor Swift | Score: 15.68
1989 | Taylor Swift | Score 15.67
SOS | SZA | Score 15.22
Heaven knows | PinkPantheress | Score: 14.85
the record | boygenius | Score: 14.48
Lover | Taylor Swift | Score: 14.42
AUSTIN | Post Malone | Score: 14.41
Did you know there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd | Lana Del Rey | Score: 14.38
Sunburn | Dominic Fike | Score: 14.33
Zach Bryan / Zach Bryan | Score: 14.19
Midnights | Taylor Swift | Score 14.09
Endless Summer Vacation | Miley Cyrus | Score: 14.00
Unreal Unearth | Hozier | Score: 14.00
In The End It Always Does | The Japanese House | Score: 13.92
Barbie: The Album | Various Artists | Score: 13.88
Gag Order | Kesha | Score: 13.77
Snow Angel | Reneé Rapp | Score: 13.00
UTOPIA | Travis Scott | Score: 12.79
The Album | Jonas Brothers | Score: 12.67
I Miss You Already + I Haven’t Left Yet | Del Water Gap | Score: 12.58
Bewitched | Laufey | Score: 12.50
THE FIRST TIME | The Kid Laroi | Score: 12.47
Stick Season | Noah Kahan | Score: 12.43
The Show | Niall Horan | Score: 11.42
For All The Dogs | Drake | Score: 11.35
Scarlet | Doja Cat | Score: 11.24
Pink Friday 2 | Nicki Minaj | Score: 10.67