The top of the Billboard 200 chart remains unchanged for a seventh consecutive week. In the week ending January 26, SZA moved 110,000 units of her sophomore studio LP, S.O.S.
The December 2022 release becomes the first album from a female artist to top the chart for seven weeks since Taylor Swift’s Folklore did so in 2020. Furthermore, SZA’s latest LP becomes the first R&B album to spend its first seven weeks atop the Billboard 200 chart since Whitney Houston’s Whitney in 1987. Ultimately, Whitney ended up spending eleven weeks atop the chart.
Elsewhere on the chart, Trippie Redd moves into the top ten of the Billboard 200 chart with the debut of Mansion Musik. In its first week, the 25-track project moved 56,000 equivalent album units. With support from Future, Lil’ Baby and Travis Scott, the project becomes Trippie Redd’s seventh top 10 effort.
Alongside Trippie Redd, Mississippi’s HARDY makes his debut in the Billboard 200 top ten with the release of The Mockingbird & The Crow. The rock and country fusion project brought out the likes of Morgan Wallen and Lainey Wilson.
Moving forward, SZA has the potential to remain atop the charts with her sophomore effort. However, she could deal with a bit of competition from Ellie Goulding, Lil’ Uzi Vert, Logic and Adam Lambert among others. Not to be forgotten, Rihanna is set to perform at Super Bowl LVII and there is a possibility that she could punctuate her performance with the release of a new project.
Regardless of where SZA charts moving forward, she is expected to hit the road later this year. The tour will kick off on February 21, 2023 in Columbus before making stops in Chicago, Detroit, Toronto and several other cities. On May 19-21, the tour will conclude in Alabama at the Hangout Music Festival.
