SOS (song) — Rihanna's 2006 breakthrough single

"SOS" is a 2006 single recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna. Issued on February 14, 2006 as a single from her second studio album, A Girl like Me, the track became Rihanna's first chart-topping single in the United States. Blending uptempo pop sensibilities with contemporary rhythm and blues, the song is widely remembered for its instantly recognizable hook, which relies on a prominent interpolation of the 1981 hit "Tainted Love" as performed by Soft Cell.

Musically, "SOS" combines the upbeat pulse of dance-pop with production and vocal styling drawn from mainstream R&B. The sampled motif supplies the song with a looping, catchy riff that frames the verses and chorus; this device links the single to the lineage of earlier recordings of "Tainted Love," itself a cover of a 1960s soul recording. Lyrically, "SOS" deals with emotional dependence and urgency in a relationship, packaged in concise, radio-friendly phrasing.

Before Rihanna recorded the song, the composition was reportedly considered for other artists; it has been documented that the track was originally intended for Christina Milian. After being assigned to Rihanna, the record was released as the lead single from the collection A Girl like Me and received extensive radio play. In the United States the single reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, marking a milestone in Rihanna's early career and broadening her commercial profile.