A master of confessional songwriting, Frank Ocean earned cult-icon status with his enigmatic persona and idiosyncratic approach to pop. Raised in New Orleans, the singer-songwriter signed to Def Jam Recordings as a solo artist in 2009, but his contentious relationship with the label led him to share his 2011 breakout mixtape, Nostalgia, Ultra, as a free download on Tumblr. That website remains his direct communication line to his fans—the platform on which he revealed that his “first love” was a man, days prior to releasing his 2012 major-label debut, Channel Orange. Though never outwardly labeling his sexuality, Ocean became one of the first Black artists to address his queerness so openly. In 2016, after missed release dates and cryptic silence, Ocean surprise-released Endless, his final record with Def Jam, via a black-and-white live video stream—and, the next day, self-released Blonde, an album that blurred boundaries between soul, hip-hop, electronica, and indie rock. It was a timely reminder: Ocean blossoms fully when he has complete creative control.
A one-minute preview of new music is the most substantial release from Ocean in recent years
In this episode of The Pitchfork Review podcast, our critics talk about what it was like to witness Frank’s puzzling set in the California desert, and what it means for the star moving forward.
Instagram user Morgandoesntcare waited all day in the desert, then she gave Frank fans worldwide a front-row seat.
In this episode of The Pitchfork Review podcast, our critics talk about what it was like to witness Frank’s puzzling set in the California desert, and what it means for the star moving forward.
Plus reviews of sets by Christine and the Queens, Sudan Archives, Rae Sremmurd, and Momma
Charting the last 25 years in the hyper-niche genres that came and went, from brostep to vaporwave.
From Bon Iver to J Dilla to Beyoncé, these are the musicians who made the biggest impact across Pitchfork’s lifetime so far.
A selection of the formative pieces from our first 25 years
Featuring Frank Ocean, Nirvana, Solange, Prince, and more.
New releases to look forward to in the coming months, from SZA, Drake, Lana Del Rey, Lorde, and others
The look and language of pop this decade took notes from queer users on the microblogging site.
The records that made the decade, starring Kendrick Lamar, Grimes, Bon Iver, Solange, Lana Del Rey, and many more
The defining tracks of the decade, starring Robyn, Drake, Vampire Weekend, Daft Punk, SZA, and many more
From D’Angelo’s infamously slow creative pace to Frank Sinatra’s rapid-fire release schedule, our expectations of artists’ output have always been in flux.
As he moves on from the company he began, the 42-year-old takes a look back at the songs and albums that have meant the most to him, five years at a time.