SZA and Kendrick Lamar are the frontrunners in Billboard’s preview of the 2025 year-end charts for R&B and Hip-Hop categories.
The collaboration “Luther”, from Kendrick Lamar’s album “GNX”, claims the top spot on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The track maintained a significant chart presence after debuting on December 7, 2024. The track spent 13 consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the overall Hot 100 chart. Lamar commented on the song’s impact: “Music like ‘Luther’ bridges worlds; it’s about storytelling that unites us.”
In the album category, SZA’s “SOS” secures the No. 1 position on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart for the second consecutive year. The album’s performance was bolstered by the December 2024 reissue, “SOS Deluxe: LANA”, which propelled 12 songs onto the Hot R&B Songs chart in January 2025. SZA shared her perspective on the project: “This journey with SOS has been about vulnerability and connection; seeing it resonate year after year is humbling.”
Lamar and SZA cemented their commercial and critical dominance in 2025, marked by a record-breaking tour and major televised appearances. Their Grand National Tour concluded a highly successful run, setting new benchmarks for co-headlining R&B/Hip-Hop acts in revenue and attendance.
The duo also headlined the Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show in New Orleans, performing the live debut of their chart-topping collaboration, “Luther”. At the 2025 Grammy Awards, Lamar secured Record of the Year for “Not Like Us”, while SZA earned wins for her critically acclaimed album, “SOS.” Their combined efforts underscore their status as global R&B/Hip-Hop leaders.
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