Ever since Beyoncé's impactful release of her self-titled album at the end of 2013, the music industry has dramatically changed in terms of how music is released. Setting the tone for surprise releases, Queen Bey herself allowed for many artists to follow suit in the trend of dropping music with no prior promotion.
Frank Ocean, an angelic singer/songwriter in his own right, is no stranger to this strategy. Now independent from any notoriously demanding music labels, Ocean has the freedom to release music; and that sense of liberation can be heard in his new music.
October 19th, 2019 marks the start of a new era, and Frank's fans cannot be more excited for the new album -- while we wait, let's reflect on his already legendary career. (Note: the rankings are based solely on my opinion, and this is only a list of singles in which Frank Ocean is the lead artist, so the Calvin Harris summer 2017 jam "Slide" will not appear on this list, unfortunately.)
"Provider"
A soothing track released almost exactly a year after the critically-acclaimed success of "Blonde," this song is your standard Frank song, but lacks the quality of his best singles.
"Biking" ft. Jay-Z and Tyler, the Creator
A decent single with good contributions from the featured artists. Not going to lie, I almost ranked this higher solely because I love Frank's friendship with Tyler, the Creator (and his verse is arguably the best part of this version, too.)
"Super Rich Kids" ft. Earl Sweatshirt
The fifth and final single from "Channel Orange" is a hit without doubt, but if we're being honest, "Forrest Gump" or, better yet, "Bad Religion" should have been the final single from this album.
"Lens"
A largely under the radar single from 2017, those that consider themselves a huge fan of Ocean's discography simply cannot forget about this track!
"Pyramids"
An ethereal song that transports me to another universe. When I want to relax in bed with headphones in, this is a go-to, especially on a rainy day.
"Biking" (Solo)
Of course, I prefer a song when it is just Frank, mainly so I can focus on the beautiful tone of his voice and flow on this tranquil song.
"Sweet Life"
I listen to this song every time I am at the beach, and it never fails to make me smile from ear to ear. Also, I wonder what other beachgoers think of me shouting "Grapevine, mango, peaches, and limes, the SWEET LIFE!" at the top of my lungs.
"DHL"
After my initial listen (and by that, I mean listening to it on repeat for hours after its release last Saturday following episode 8 of Blonded Radio), I was immediately obsessed with this song. Frank is beyond charming and sexy in this song. And, to think that it still has the chance to grow on me!
"Lost"
The beat of this song by itself deserves praise, and then add Frank's storytelling, calming voice and you got a BANGER!
"Swim Good"
The lyrical content of this song, while extremely dark and personally makes me sob on occasion, is MASTERFUL ... not to mention the great production that fits wonderfully in Frank's revolutionary mixtape "Nostalgia, Ultra."
"Thinkin Bout You"
For many, this was their introduction to Frank and his incredible vocal range. His lead single from his first studio album "Channel Orange" is truly a classic.
"Nikes"
Sadly the only official single from "Blonde" (and the highest-charting song from the album on the Billboard Hot 100), but WOW, words cannot begin to describe how amazing this song is or the impact it has had on my life.
"Novacane"
Flashback to 2011, when 13-year-old Zach fell deeply in love with Frank and his debut single. Nostalgia (*wink, wink*) alone justifies this ranking, to be honest.
"Moon River"
Finally, a tearjerker and a personal favorite. In 2018, Ocean released a cover of Audrey Hepburn's Oscar and Grammy award-winning song from "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and it is HEAVENLY.
