Apple Music Rank: 72
Album: SOS
Artist: SZA
Year: 2022
Genre: R&B/Soul
Was I familiar with SZA? Yes
Had I heard SOS? No
Thoughts on SOS: Two enigmatic artists in a row. They’re enigmatic to me anyway. If you read my last post on Aja I have similar feeling about SZA’s 2017 album Ctrl. The prevailing opinion among people that I trust is that Ctrl is a classic album in a genre that I claim to be a fan of. I yearn for the kind of R&B I remember from the 90s, so when I see someone getting the amount of hype that SZA gets my curiosity is piqued. I dove into Ctrl hoping for the kind of R&B I hadn’t heard in a long time. Maybe SZA was a disciple of D’Angelo and Erykah Badu. Instead I got an album that I considered…fine, I guess. I was underwhelmed. Let’s put it this way, if that album came out pre-streaming I would’ve been pissed at the person who convince me to spend $10 on it. I didn’t dislike it, but I didn’t need to hear it a second time.
Several months later – February 2018 to be exact – I found myself watching the movie Black Panther in the theater. One of my favorite movie theater experiences. I went alone, which is an experience I can’t recommend highly enough. Absolutely one of the best movies I’ve ever seen. I sat in awe as the credits rolled. Not only was the movie perfect, but “All the Stars” was a fantastic post-movie song choice. I sunk into my seat basking in the moment, realizing I had just seen something amazing. The music only added to the experience. I got in my car and pulled up the soundtrack on Apple Music. It was Kendrick Lamar and SZA. That song alone made me decide to give Ctrl another chance. Some records deserve more than one listen. Then I came out of it feeling exactly the same as I did the first time. Meh.
I decided at that point I wasn’t going to revisit SZA unless I heard something else that moved me like “All the Stars”. Nothing has. My daughters are fans of SOS, so I heard bits and pieces of it three years ago when it was released. As far as I can tell it was more of the same.
Here’s what I continue to tell myself and legitimately believe when it comes to SZA and many other artists like her: I’m old. It’s not for me. I can’t imagine SZA is in the studio concerned about what 50-year-old dudes are going to think of her album, nor should she be. I don’t dislike it. Do your thing. I respect it. I’m not the intended audience and that’s fine. The kind of R&B music that I love went away over two decades ago. I do have a problem here, and it’s not with SZA:
This is obvious recency bias. How do you choose an album that’s not even two years old as one of the greatest albums of all-time? Two years is not enough time with an album to properly list it among the all-time greats. The criteria considered had to be things like timelessness, longevity, cultural impact, etc. How can one gauge that after only two years? It really goes to show what an impossible task this committee had creating this list. An R&B album from 2022 is sandwiched between a rock album and electronic album from 1977. How did they decide SOS was better than Aja, but not better than Trans-Europe Express? They have no way of knowing if SOS will stand the test of time like the other two. In 1993 Poison by Bell Biv DeVoe probably would’ve been on this list. 30 years later it’s pretty obvious – while a fun album – it didn’t exactly stand the test of time. Two years is just not enough time for an album to settle into its rightful place in history. The people who voted for this are probably the same people who think Ja Morant is the greatest point guard of all time.
Every kid I know thinks the most recent movie they saw is the best movie ever and the most recent hit record they listened to is the best ever. Where was the adult in the room to say, “I don’t care how we all voted, there’s no way this two-year old album by SZA belongs on a list of the 100 greatest albums of all-time.” I love me some Bad Bunny, but same goes for that album. I’m sure there will be more ahead on the list.
So, what’s the appropriate amount of time to give an album before I think it should be considered for a list like this? At least five years? Unfortunately, I don’t have the answer.
Oh, one more note about SZA that has nothing to do with anything: She sounds exactly like teenage Justin Bieber. Listen to a SZA track and an early Bieber track. Can’t tell the difference. I just ruined SZA for everyone!
Favorite track: “Kill Bill” because it’s the song I recognize. Can’t say I have a favorite song on this album. It all felt similar.
Will I listen to SOS again? Right now the answer is no, but two years from now someone will tell me they can’t believe I don’t like this album and I’ll convince myself I missed something the first time I listened to it and give it another chance.
Would I buy it on vinyl? No, but I’m pretty sure my daughter has it.
To access more expert analysis of the Apple 100 Best Albums list click here.
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