The answer depends entirely on what you, as a listener, value most.

SZA’s 2017 debut Ctrl established her as the raw, unfiltered voice of a generation navigating twentieth-century romance and insecurity. Five years later, her sophomore juggernaut SOS arrived as a sprawling, genre-defying blockbuster that smashed streaming records and solidified her pop superstardom.

: Highlighted by reviewers for their catchier hooks and grooves compared to some standard SOS deeper cuts.

In contrast, SOS is a bold, 23-track epic where SZA refuses to be boxed into a single genre. The project seamlessly transitions between multiple musical landscapes:

Ctrl, SZA's debut album, was a game-changer in the music industry. The album's raw, unapologetic, and introspective lyrics, combined with SZA's soulful voice and genre-bending production, resonated with listeners worldwide. Ctrl spawned hit singles like "Love Galore" (feat. Travis Scott) and "Drew Barrymore," showcasing SZA's ability to craft infectious hooks and melodies.

The Evolution of a Masterpiece: Why SZA’s SOS Era Solidifies Her Musical Dominance

"better" in the eyes of many is its refusal to sanitize the human experience. SZA’s lyrics are famously "relentlessly quotable" because they tap into messy, universal truths:

: It stands as the longest-running US top-10 album by a Black artist in music history, outlasting massive pop and rap juggernauts. 🤝 Strategic Collaborations and Masterful Curation

“Better” here doesn’t mean the original is bad. It means the deluxe edition achieves what all great deluxe editions should: it makes you appreciate the original more. You hear “Kill Bill” differently after “BMF.” You hear “Nobody Gets Me” differently after “Saturn.” You hear the entire SOS project as a two-part epic, not a single album.

While critics argue the tracklist is bloated, others view the length as a feature. It serves as a chaotic mirror to a turbulent mind.

Word of the song moved slow at first. A friend posted it on a sleepy Sunday with the caption, “if you need something that feels like the first warm day after winter.” Someone from a late-night radio show played it between two interviews about apartments and espresso. Listeners wrote to say the song sounded like a person who’d unpacked all their boxes and still found one more memory inside.

"SOS" has also cemented SZA's status as a true original, an artist who refuses to be bound by conventions or expectations. Her music is a reflection of her eclectic tastes and influences, and her growth as a songwriter and performer is a testament to her dedication to her craft.