RCA Records
The label that helped bring SZA's Lana-led deluxe era to life.
RCA Records is the record label that released SZA's music through Top Dawg Entertainment, serving as the distributor for her 2022 album SOS and its 2024 deluxe reissue SOS Deluxe: Lana. RCA Records also managed the song's radio impact, sending "Saturn" to rhythmic and urban radio in the US on March 5, 2024, and to pop radio on March 12, 2024.
Quick Facts
- Founded
- 9 January 1900 (as Consolidated Talking Machine Company)
- Founder
- Eldridge R. Johnson, Emile Berliner
- Distributor
- Sony Music Entertainment (US & International)
- RCA Label Group (UK)
- Legacy Recordings (reissues)
- Country
- United States
- Location
- New York City, U.S.
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
RCA Records' involvement with SZA's career is documented through the release and promotion of "Saturn," which preceded the SOS Deluxe: Lana album by nearly 10 months. The song was surprise-released on February 23, 2024, by Top Dawg Entertainment and RCA Records. Following its release, RCA Records coordinated the radio rollout for "Saturn," which impacted rhythmic and urban radio on March 5, 2024, and pop radio on March 12. The label's distribution network helped "Saturn" achieve commercial success, peaking at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 and becoming SZA's tenth top-10 on that chart. The song also reached top-10 positions in countries including New Zealand (5), Canada (8), the Philippines (8), and the UK, and earned multi-platinum certifications in the US (four-times platinum by the RIAA), Canada (three-times platinum by Music Canada), and New Zealand (three-times platinum by Recorded Music NZ).
Reader's Guide
RCA Records functions as the distribution and marketing partner for SZA's releases, working alongside Top Dawg Entertainment to bring her music to streaming platforms, radio, and retail. The label handles the logistics of surprise releases, as demonstrated with "Saturn" on February 22, 2024, and coordinates radio promotion across multiple formats including rhythmic, urban, and pop radio. RCA Records also manages the commercial performance tracking, with "Saturn" achieving a peak of number six on the Billboard Hot 100 and number three on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. The label's international distribution network helped the song reach top-10 positions in countries including New Zealand (5), Canada (8), the Philippines (8), Malaysia (6), Indonesia (6), Singapore (5), and the UK. RCA Records also oversees certification processes, with "Saturn" earning four-times platinum certification from the RIAA in the US, three-times platinum from Recorded Music NZ and Music Canada, platinum from the British Phonographic Industry in the UK, and gold from IFPI Danmark in Denmark.
Did You Know?
- "Saturn" was nominated for Best R&B Song and Best R&B Performance at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards, but the ceremony has not yet occurred as of the knowledge cutoff.
- "Saturn" was certified four-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America and three-times platinum by both Recorded Music NZ and Music Canada.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is RCA Records in relation to SZA?
It serves as her primary record label, managing the commercial aspects of her career since her breakthrough years. As part of Sony Music Entertainment, it provides the necessary infrastructure to distribute her music globally.
When did this partnership begin?
Their collaboration started in the late 2010s when SZA began establishing herself as a major artist. This period marked the launch of her most significant projects under their guidance.
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