Career Timeline of Frank Ocean: Major Achievements and Milestones
How Frank Ocean built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.
Frank Ocean is an influential American singer and songwriter recognized as a pioneer of alternative R&B. His innovative sound and introspective lyrics have earned him critical acclaim and numerous accolades, including two Grammy Awards and a Brit Award. Notably, both of his studio albums have been featured on Rolling Stone's prestigious '500 Greatest Albums of All Time,' highlighting his significant impact on contemporary music.
2006: Moved to Los Angeles
In 2006, Frank Ocean moved to Los Angeles to pursue his music career, working various jobs and establishing himself as a songwriter under the name Lonny Breaux.
2009: Met Odd Future and Tricky Stewart
In 2009, Frank Ocean met the Los Angeles-based hip hop collective Odd Future and met Tricky Stewart, who helped him sign a writing contract with Def Jam Recordings. His friendship with Odd Future member Tyler, the Creator reinvigorated Ocean's songwriting.
2009: Signing with Def Jam
In 2009, Frank Ocean signed with Def Jam Recordings, marking the beginning of his relationship with the record label, which would eventually lead to complex negotiations for his departure.
2010: Joined Odd Future
In 2010, Frank Ocean joined the Los Angeles-based hip hop collective Odd Future.
February 16, 2011: Self-Released Nostalgia, Ultra
On February 16, 2011, Frank Ocean self-released his mixtape, Nostalgia, Ultra, online for free, receiving critical acclaim.
April 2011: Relationship with Def Jam Strengthened
In April 2011, Frank Ocean stated that his relationship with Def Jam had strengthened since the release of Nostalgia, Ultra. The mixtape led to collaborations with rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West.
May 2011: Novacane Released to iTunes
In May 2011, Frank Ocean's record label Def Jam announced plans to re-release Nostalgia, Ultra as an EP. The single "Novacane" was released to iTunes, and the EP was originally set to be released the next month, but was delayed.
May 19, 2011: Def Jam to Re-release Nostalgia, Ultra as EP
On May 19, 2011, Frank Ocean's record label Def Jam announced its plans to re-release Nostalgia, Ultra as an EP.
June 2011: Worked on Watch the Throne
In June 2011, Frank Ocean worked on Kanye West and Jay-Z's collaborative album, Watch the Throne. He co-wrote and featured on two tracks: "No Church in the Wild" and "Made in America".
July 28, 2011: "Thinkin Bout You" Leaked
On July 28, 2011, a song titled "Thinkin Bout You", written by Frank Ocean for Bridget Kelly's debut studio album, leaked on the internet.
August 2011: Appeared on Cover of The Fader
In August 2011, Frank Ocean made his first appearance on the cover of the publication The Fader, in its 75th issue.
September 2011: Music Video for "Thinkin Bout You" Released
In September 2011, a music video directed by High5Collective for Frank Ocean's version of "Thinkin Bout You" was released.
2011: Released Nostalgia, Ultra
In 2011, Frank Ocean independently released his debut mixtape, Nostalgia, Ultra.
April 10, 2012: Released "Thinkin Bout You"
On April 10, 2012, Frank Ocean released the cover art for his debut studio album's lead single, titled "Thinkin Bout You", revealing the song would be released to digital retailers on April 10, 2012.
July 4, 2012: Frank Ocean publishes open letter on Tumblr
On July 4, 2012, Frank Ocean published an open letter on his Tumblr blog, initially intended for the liner notes of Channel Orange. In the letter, he recounted his unrequited feelings for another young man when he was 19 years old, describing it as his first true love. He thanked the man, his mother, and friends for their influence and support. Following the announcement, numerous celebrities, including Beyoncé and Jay-Z, publicly voiced their support for Ocean.
2012: Channel Orange Debut and Summer Tour
In 2012, Channel Orange debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, selling 131,000 copies in its first week. Frank Ocean also promoted the album with his 2012 Summer Tour, which featured appearances at the Coachella and Lollapalooza festivals.
2012: Released Channel Orange to Acclaim
In 2012, Frank Ocean released his debut studio album Channel Orange to universal acclaim, earning Grammy nominations and being credited for moving the R&B genre in a new direction. Before the album's release, Ocean revealed that his first love was a man.
2012: Hip hop industry responds positively to Ocean's announcement
In 2012, the hip hop industry generally responded positively to Frank Ocean's announcement regarding his sexuality. Tyler, the Creator and other members of OFWGKTA tweeted their support, and Russell Simmons wrote a congratulatory article in Global Grind. In an interview in 2012, Ocean stated that "life is dynamic and comes along with dynamic experiences".
February 2013: Began Work on Second Studio Album
In February 2013, Frank Ocean confirmed that he had started work on his second studio album, and that he was working with Tyler, the Creator, Pharrell Williams, and Danger Mouse on the record. He revealed he was being influenced by The Beach Boys and The Beatles.
May 28, 2013: Announced You're Not Dead ... 2013 Tour
On May 28, 2013, Frank Ocean announced the You're Not Dead ... 2013 Tour, a fourteen-date European and Canadian tour.
June 16, 2013: You're Not Dead ... 2013 Tour Began
On June 16, 2013, Frank Ocean's You're Not Dead ... 2013 Tour began in Munich.
August 4, 2013: Cancelled OVO Fest Appearance
On August 4, 2013, Frank Ocean was scheduled to perform at OVO Fest but was forced to cancel due to a vocal cord injury. James Blake was booked as his replacement.
March 10, 2014: Released "Hero" for Free Download
On March 10, 2014, the song "Hero", a collaboration with Mick Jones, Paul Simonon and Diplo, was made available for free download on SoundCloud. The song is a part of Converse's Three Artists. One Song series.
March 2014: Ocean withdraws from Chipotle commercial
In March 2014, Frank Ocean withdrew from a Chipotle Mexican Grill commercial promoting responsible farming. He felt the final storyboard misrepresented the campaign's initial focus. Ocean repaid Chipotle $212,500.00, and Fiona Apple performed the song instead. The commercial, titled "The Scarecrow", was subsequently released with Fiona Apple performing the song.
April 2014: Second Album Nearly Finished
In April 2014, Frank Ocean stated that his second album was nearly finished.
September 2014: Channel Orange Sales
By September 2014, Frank Ocean's album Channel Orange had sold 621,000 copies.
September 2014: Signed with Mark Gilespie
In September 2014, Frank Ocean signed with Mark Gilespie of Three Six Zero Entertainment.
November 29, 2014: Released Snippet of "Memrise"
On November 29, 2014, Frank Ocean released a snippet of a new song called "Memrise" on his official Tumblr page, supposedly from his upcoming album.
April 6, 2015: Announced Follow-up to Channel Orange
On April 6, 2015, Frank Ocean announced that his follow-up to Channel Orange would be released in July, although the album was ultimately not released in July.
July 2, 2015: Boys Don't Cry Release Hinted
In July 2016, Frank Ocean hinted at a possible second album with an image on his website pointing to a July release date. The image shows a library card labeled Boys Don't Cry with numerous stamps, implying various due dates. The dates begin with July 2, 2015, and conclude with July 2016.
February 2016: Featured on Kanye West's "Wolves"
In February 2016, Frank Ocean was featured on Kanye West's album The Life of Pablo on the track "Wolves" along with Vic Mensa and Sia.
July 2016: Possible Second Album
In July 2016, Frank Ocean hinted at a possible second album with an image on his website pointing to a July release date.
August 1, 2016: Endless Live Stream
On August 1, 2016, a live stream, sponsored by Apple Music, began to surface on boysdontcry.co, which appeared to show Frank Ocean woodworking and sporadically playing instrumentals on loop from his upcoming visual album Endless. The full version is estimated to be 140 hours long.
August 5, 2016: Possible Boys Don't Cry Release Date
On August 5, 2016, many news outlets reported that this could be the release date for Boys Don't Cry. That date also turned out to be inaccurate. Ocean's collaborator Malay said that Ocean is a perfectionist, constantly tweaking things, and that his art cannot be rushed.
August 20, 2016: "Nikes" Music Video Release, Pop-Up Shops, and "Blonde" Album Release
On August 20, 2016, Frank Ocean uploaded the music video for "Nikes" to Apple Music and his website. He also announced pop-up shops in Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, and London for his magazine Boys Don't Cry, and released his second studio album Blonde to widespread acclaim, which debuted at number one in several countries and recorded sales of 232,000 copies in its first week.
2016: Previous releases of Blonde and Endless
Frank Ocean released Blonde and Endless in 2016. His release of Chanel on March 10, 2017, was his first solo release after his previous releases of Blonde and Endless in 2016.
2016: Released Endless
In 2016, Frank Ocean released the visual album Endless to fulfill contractual obligations with Def Jam. His second studio album, Blonde, was released independently the following day.
2016: Endless release and parting ways with Def Jam
In 2016, Frank Ocean released the visual album Endless, marking his last project with Def Jam Recordings to fulfill his contract. Before the release of "Endless" on Apple Music, Ocean had been negotiating his departure from Def Jam, initiating a process he described as a "seven-year chess game."
2016: "Blonde" success and decision to not submit to Grammy Awards
In 2016, following the release of Blonde, Frank Ocean traveled to China, Japan, and France instead of doing a typical promotional tour. He chose not to submit Blonde for Grammy Awards consideration due to concerns about representation. Time ranked Blonde as the best album of 2016. Forbes estimated that Blonde earned Ocean nearly one million in profits in one week due to its independent release on iTunes and Apple Music.
February 21, 2017: Calvin Harris announces "Slide" featuring Frank Ocean and Migos
On February 21, 2017, Calvin Harris announced his single "Slide," which features Frank Ocean and hip-hop trio Migos. The single, from Harris' album Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1, credits Ocean and Migos with featured vocals and songwriting.
February 23, 2017: Release of "Slide" and debut on Blonded Radio
On February 23, 2017, the song "Slide" by Calvin Harris featuring Frank Ocean and Migos, was released. It was also featured on the first episode of Frank Ocean's Beats 1 radio show, Blonded Radio. This marked Ocean's first recorded collaboration since leaving Def Jam.
March 10, 2017: Release of "Chanel" on Blonded Radio
On March 10, 2017, Frank Ocean released his new single "Chanel" on the second episode of Blonded Radio, also playing an alternate version featuring ASAP Rocky. This was his first solo effort released after Blonde and Endless in 2016.
May 1, 2017: Attending Met Gala as Special Photographer for Vogue
On May 1, 2017, Frank Ocean attended the annual Met Gala as a special photographer for Vogue, marking his involvement in the fashion world.
October 2017: Publication of "New 17" photo essay in i-D
In October 2017, Frank Ocean published a photo essay titled "New 17" in British magazine i-D, where he expressed optimism for the coming year of 2018.
October 23, 2017: Covers and Visual Essay for i-D Magazine
On October 23, 2017, Frank Ocean made two covers and a visual essay for British fashion magazine, i-D.
November 2017: Hint of Fifth Project Completion
In November 2017, Frank Ocean hinted via Tumblr that his fifth project was complete, although its release remained uncertain.
2017: Released Sporadic Singles and Launched Fashion Brand
After 2017, Frank Ocean has released sporadic singles, worked as a photographer for magazines, launched the fashion brand Homer, and started Homer Radio.
2017: Last Live Performances
Frank Ocean's headlining performances for Coachella on April 16 and 23, 2023, marked his first live performances since 2017. This was the year of his last live performance until recently.
February 14, 2018: Release of "Moon River" Cover
On February 14, 2018, Frank Ocean released "Moon River", a cover of the song originally performed by Audrey Hepburn in the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany's.
May 2018: Feature on ASAP Rocky's Album
In May 2018, Frank Ocean was featured on the tracks "Brotha Man" and "Purity" from ASAP Rocky's third studio album, Testing.
July 9, 2018: "Blonde" certified platinum by RIAA
On July 9, 2018, Frank Ocean's album Blonde was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), recognizing its significant sales and popularity.
August 2018: Feature on Travis Scott's "Carousel"
In August 2018, Frank Ocean was featured on the song "Carousel" from Travis Scott's third studio album, Astroworld, which was released on the same day.
November 6, 2018: Blonded Radio Midterm Specials and Merchandise Release
On November 6, 2018, Frank Ocean aired three midterm specials of Blonded Radio in conjunction with the US Midterm elections, releasing new merchandise for those who voted in Houston, Atlanta, Miami, and Dallas. The shows included political discussions and discussions about Ocean being an openly queer black man in contemporary rap music.
October 19, 2019: Release of "DHL" and announcement of vinyl singles
On October 19, 2019, Frank Ocean released a new song titled "DHL" on his Blonded Radio show. He also announced the release of 7-inch vinyl singles for two new songs, "Dear April" and "Cayendo."
November 1, 2019: Release of "In My Room"
On November 1, 2019, Frank Ocean followed up with a new song titled "In My Room", which premiered on Blonded Radio. Soon after, he posted online another vinyl single of a new song titled "Little Demon" featuring a B-side remix by Arca.
2019: Ocean encourages British fans to vote
In 2019, Frank Ocean encouraged his British fans to vote for the Labour Party in the 2019 UK general elections via his Instagram story.
February 25, 2020: "Little Demon" Vinyl Cancelled and Replacement Announced
On February 25, 2020, Frank Ocean announced that he would replace the vinyl release of "Little Demon" with an unreleased song, which would be released on February 28, 2020. The vinyl for "Little Demon" was canceled, and refunds were provided.
February 28, 2020: Planned Release of Unreleased Song
On February 28, 2020, Frank Ocean planned to release a new unreleased song as a replacement for the canceled "Little Demon" vinyl. The actual outcome of this release is not specified.
March 25, 2020: Shipping of Vinyl Singles
From March 25, 2020, Frank Ocean's website began shipping the vinyl singles for "Dear April" and "Cayendo", as well as the previously released "In My Room". However, many customers reported issues with receiving their orders or obtaining refunds for canceled orders.
October 2020: Coachella Headlining and Cancellation
In October 2020, Frank Ocean was set to headline Coachella, but the festival was initially postponed and then cancelled altogether due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
August 8, 2021: Official Revelation of Fashion Project "Homer"
On August 8, 2021, Frank Ocean officially revealed his first fashion project, "Homer", which was initially announced in a Financial Times interview. Homer is described as an independent American luxury company founded by Frank Ocean, with inspiration from childhood obsessions and heritage as a fantasy.
August 2021: Reconfirmation as Coachella Headliner
In August 2021, Coachella co-founder Paul Tollett confirmed that Frank Ocean would headline the festival in 2023.
December 25, 2021: Release of Untitled Song on Blonded Radio
On December 25, 2021, Frank Ocean released a new 9-minute untitled song on his Blonded Radio show, featuring music contribution from Cory Henry.
June 2022: Talks to Direct First Feature Film with A24
In June 2022, it was announced that Frank Ocean was in talks to direct his first feature film, with A24 producing.
January 10, 2023: Announcement of Coachella Headlining Performances
On January 10, 2023, Coachella announced that Frank Ocean would be headlining the festival on April 16 and 23, marking his first live performances since 2017.
October 2023: Ocean expresses solidarity with Gaza and signs open letter
In October 2023, Frank Ocean expressed solidarity with the people of the Gaza Strip during the ongoing Gaza war. He signed the October 2023 Artists4Ceasefire open letter, urging President Joe Biden to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
2023: Scheduled Coachella Performance
Frank Ocean was scheduled to headline Coachella in 2023 after the initial cancellation in 2020.
January 2025: Directorial Debut Confirmed
In January 2025, Frank Ocean's directorial debut was confirmed, with David Jonsson announced as the lead. The movie is set to shoot in Mexico City, though its title, plot details, and release dates have not yet been revealed.
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