Everyone remembers where they were, who they were, and what they were doing when they first heard it.

I’d just moved back up to school.

It was my senior year of college.

When I got the news, I jumped from my bed, threw on my speaker, and climbed to the roof of my college house. As Nikes filled the airwaves around me, I peered into the horizon of my college town and watched the sun set. That moment is forever frozen in my mind. I’d waited four long, arduous years for this release. I would’ve gladly waited another four if it meant that I’d receive an album that would encapsulate such a special moment in my life.

Blonde, as we know it now, is one of the single most revolutionary pieces of musical work to enter the 21st Century. The amount of care and effort poured into each song is manifested across a variety of incredible sounds and samples that allow it to soar far above our expectations. It feels ethereal; almost larger than life itself. Songs can sound near and far in an instant. Emotions bloom and wither, leaving almost as soon as they arrive. There has never been an album quite like Blonde; in all its raw, uninhibited emotion, Frank Ocean unflinchingly bears his scars for the world to see.

Use headphones, if you can.

How Blonde Came to Be

“It was about 9:00 AM. I’d never listened to Frank Ocean before but everyone suggested I listen to him. I didn’t know what to expect. I fell in love at Self Control and the rest seemed to carry me away” – Darren, Austria

I have no doubt in my mind that Blonde‘s inception and the moments leading up to it will be talked about for years to come. It was delayed nearly a dozen times. Release dates came and went. Cryptic posts would keep everyone on the edge of their seats, eagerly anticipating any signs of life from Frank we could get. Tumblr posts would be met with in-depth analysis. Web code was skimmed for any sort of hint. Any bread crumb fans could get their hands on was quickly consumed. But rarely did we receive any sign of life from Frank. For a while, it felt like we’d never receive another Frank Ocean album.

Fans, understandably frustrated, took to social media to air out their anger. One brave hero even created a website that would text you when Frank released his album. Many of us felt rudderless, lost in the confusing maelstrom of Frank’s mysteriousness. We’d gotten a taste of ambrosia on Channel Orange, and now, we wanted more. Weeks turned to months, which turned to years. At long last, we received a sign of life. On February 14, 2016, a mysterious track manifested itself on Kanye West’s The Life of Pablo. Simply titled Frank’s Track, it featured a 30-second snippet of Frank singing a haunting outro to the song Wolves.

After Frank’s Track was made public, fans began to speculate on the potential for Frank’s new album. We’d heard rumors that it would come out in days; after another delay, it was announced we’d receive new Frank in March. That didn’t happen. March became April, which became May, further filling fans with dread. Would we ever see a new Frank album? It seemed that all hope was lost.

One of Frank’s many cryptic release date hints. Spoiler: None of these were the real release date

Frustrations bubbled over until, on August 1st, Frank began to stream a mysterious video on his site. For over 140 hours, a video played of Frank building a spiral staircase while snippets of his visual album Endless looped in the background. Fans were confused; some were a little heartbroken. A staircase? THIS is what we’ve been waiting four years for?

Once the dust settled and the staircase was completed, Frank confirmed what we’d all been hoping:

After four long years, we’d finally get to hear what we’d been waiting for.

“It was 6:30 AM. I was sitting on the grassy part of a beach, watching the mist roll over the lake before me. I knew I needed to find the right place to experience it. I couldn’t have picked a better point in time. – Ben, Michigan

It was all worth the wait.

Every second of agony, every shroud of doubt, and every night spent staying up for the release was worth it. Across 17 tracks, Frank Ocean conjures a surreal sprawl of ambitious, immersive music. It spans genre, space, and time, exploring some of the most vulnerable and personal emotions a human can experience. It does what no album this decade has done; seize the attention of the world and maintain it years after its conclusion.

Words simply do not do it justice.

The Impact of Blonde

“The first time I heard Ivy, I knew that was the song I wanted to walk out to at my wedding. I was lying in bed with my (now) fiance, and I looked him in the eyes and told him how I felt. No song in my life has ever made me feel the way that did. I still listen to it almost every day.” – Carolyn, New Zealand

Often imitated and rarely perfected, Blonde’s larger-than-life concept sent a ripple through the music industry. Its influence spanned genre and style, leaving its fingerprints on projects for years to come. Without Blonde, we wouldn’t have 4:44 by Jay-Z, Ctrl by SZA, or even Freudian by Daniel Caesar. Frank’s influence manifests itself in subtle signs. You can hear it in the ambiance of an R&B track, the altered pitch in a voice, or even the chord progression on songs like Ghost Town. There may never be an album quite like Blonde.

Years from now, future superstars will look back and cite Blonde as the album that got them started. The album that inspired them to take the next step, or to be open about their emotions. The album that encouraged them to be themselves. It’s hard to predict an album’s cultural impact after three years. Fortunately, Blonde has soared above its expectations, keeping our ears glued to our headphones as fervently as they’ve been since its release. You’d be hard-pressed to find an R&B playlist that doesn’t feature a song like Self Control or Ivy. If any of this seems hard to believe, listen to White Ferrari again.

You’re welcome.

Preparing for the Road Ahead

“I remember thinking ‘it took him like four years to release this one…how long is it gonna take for the next?’ I feel like he does this to torture us. Not that I’m trying to look a gift horse in the mouth or anything.” – Lauren, Tennessee

I don’t think Frank Ocean fans will ever be satisfied.

He could release genre-breaking album after album and his fans would still want more. Their unrelenting hunger for his voice is a clear indicator of his sheer talent and unstoppable urge to push the boundaries of music. Having said that, fans understandably felt apprehensive upon its release. We all had the same thought in mind right after Blonde was released:

What’s next?

Where will Frank go from here? More importantly, will we ever receive another Frank album? Frank Ocean fans will never be satisfied. We’re a spoiled sort. We’d wound up with a series of singles (Chanel, Biking, Provider, and Lens), but we still eagerly anticipate what’s to come next.

If your hunger for Frank Ocean reaches a fever pitch before his next album — no matter how far it may be — appreciate this moment. Take in the moments before this future album’s inception. Listen to Blonde again and recall that first moment of excitement you felt when your hopes became actualized. It happened then and it certainly can happen again.

We just have to be patient.

For Frank’s sake and for our own sake.