Channel Orange
by Frank Ocean
  • Record Label: Def Jam
  • Release Date: Jul 17, 2012
User Score
8.8

Universal acclaim- based on 1141 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,048 out of 1141
  2. Mixed: 38 out of 1141
  3. Negative: 55 out of 1141

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  1. dia__uno
    Jul 26, 2014
    9
    This album does a fine job in both music production and lyric production as well. My favorite track of the album has got to be Super Rich Kids. I would recommend anyone to listen to this album.
  2. ORIGINATED
    Apr 29, 2015
    9
    Pretending to be able to fully review this album in a few lines would be an insult to music as a form of art. This neo-soul, PR&B, jazz whatever album puts Frank Ocean on top of his own pyramid. Its title is a reference to grapheme–color synaesthesia, its songs are about life, religion, lust, love, sex and much more. There are so many details on this sonically unconventional andPretending to be able to fully review this album in a few lines would be an insult to music as a form of art. This neo-soul, PR&B, jazz whatever album puts Frank Ocean on top of his own pyramid. Its title is a reference to grapheme–color synaesthesia, its songs are about life, religion, lust, love, sex and much more. There are so many details on this sonically unconventional and substantial material, it’s hard to find a flaw. Perfectly mastered voice, insanely great jams and profound mind studies. It can be catchy without ever being too simple, very sentimental without manipulating. It’s a subtle movie, but unlike Life after Death, this one is closer to Kubrick more than Scorsese style. The first tracks feel almost a bit lighter than the final ones but the album is a masterpiece overall and no other artist was able to top this in 2012.

    Best track: Pyramids
    Exact Score: 9.5    … Expand
  3. Boatfromthesea
    Jun 1, 2018
    9
    Great GreatGreatGreatGreatGreatGreatGreatGreatGreatGreatGreatGreatGreatGreatGreatGreat
  4. Mesmerize
    Aug 9, 2016
    9
    9.5
    zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
  5. Tabor
    May 25, 2017
    9
    Frank Oceans genius is shown off on his debut studio album "channel ORANGE". He fills the space with heartfelt ballads, and trap fueled anthems of depression and pain. Ocean is humbled and merely just consumed by his art in every track. Through his perfectionist mentality, you see he is not in the game for money or other side benefits. It is an exhausting album, but this is one of the fewFrank Oceans genius is shown off on his debut studio album "channel ORANGE". He fills the space with heartfelt ballads, and trap fueled anthems of depression and pain. Ocean is humbled and merely just consumed by his art in every track. Through his perfectionist mentality, you see he is not in the game for money or other side benefits. It is an exhausting album, but this is one of the few times you will love to be so emotionally wrung out.… Expand
  6. eli_fjr
    Nov 7, 2019
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Intense but I think I liked it. At this point just listen to it so you don't feel left out.… Expand
  7. daniels_live
    Sep 12, 2017
    9
    On CO it seemed that Frank sticked to an alternative R&B style, using synths, basses and some particular programmed beats, it made a remarkable record with slow beat and ambient synth songs but also keeping a fresh touch wich includes some jazzy, funk influenced sounds to some of its songs. Listening to the lyrics, its obvious that there is a heavy story telling songwriting that are notOn CO it seemed that Frank sticked to an alternative R&B style, using synths, basses and some particular programmed beats, it made a remarkable record with slow beat and ambient synth songs but also keeping a fresh touch wich includes some jazzy, funk influenced sounds to some of its songs. Listening to the lyrics, its obvious that there is a heavy story telling songwriting that are not necessarily experiences lived by Frank and although some topics are similar in his songs, each story doesnt seem to be related. The fact that the instrumentals create a dynamic R&B urban record, ficticious stories are something interesting for the listener. Lyrics words are in some way related to hip hop backgrounds which make obvious that this record is a modern R&B record.
    Although the record is aimed for pop music because some songs have a love atmosphere, they talk about quite different stuff. Frank sticked to a conservative vocal approach, but in an epic way, the quality of the vocals have the same effort than the instrumentals.
    Never thought of a mostly slow paced album that could be an enjoyable summer album. This album is an example of vocal, production and songwriting quality.
    Favorite songs: Thinking bout you, Sweet life, Crack rock, Pyramids, Pink Matter, Forrest Gump.

    Based on the 1 month writing process that Frank and Ho had and that all songs were single worthy songs (liked all songs) and the different styles that the record treats, I would give it a 95    … Expand
  8. wfsenior
    Dec 19, 2018
    9
    'channel ORANGE', the debut studio album from Frank Ocean, is one of the best R&B albums ever created. A standout in a dying genre, this record was named after the colour that Ocean perceived when he first fell in love (thanks to his grapheme-color synesthesia). This breakout project features gorgeous & emotional vocals which boast incredible range; Ocean has been gifted with a unique,'channel ORANGE', the debut studio album from Frank Ocean, is one of the best R&B albums ever created. A standout in a dying genre, this record was named after the colour that Ocean perceived when he first fell in love (thanks to his grapheme-color synesthesia). This breakout project features gorgeous & emotional vocals which boast incredible range; Ocean has been gifted with a unique, powerful and iconic voice. Crisp production and fantastic storytelling are all built by Ocean atop influences from Stevie Wonder and Prince. Everybody needs to hear this album at least once.

    The artwork is so simplistic that it stands out and just works. My absolute favourite tracks are 'Thinkin Bout You', 'Sierra Leone', 'Pyramids', 'Lost', 'Bad Religion', 'Pink Matter', 'Forrest Gump' and 'End'. Overall I would rate 'channel ORANGE' a 9.5/10 - and the only reason that I didn't give this a 10/10 is because Ocean outdid himself on his second studio album 'Blonde', which is my favourite album of all time.    … Expand
  9. Atum_
    Jun 8, 2020
    9
    Frank Ocean is an amazing artist, his music just make people feel. This is, in my opinion his best album. He touch on a lot of different themes with his impecable penmanship and amazing voice. It's a shame how he can't seem to get any major mainstream buzz, he truly deserves it. I didn't use to like other music than only rap, however artists like Frank showed me that other music can beFrank Ocean is an amazing artist, his music just make people feel. This is, in my opinion his best album. He touch on a lot of different themes with his impecable penmanship and amazing voice. It's a shame how he can't seem to get any major mainstream buzz, he truly deserves it. I didn't use to like other music than only rap, however artists like Frank showed me that other music can be amazing as well. Favorite track: Super Rich Kids… Expand
  10. Tjkast
    Jun 9, 2019
    9
    best album everrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
  11. GamePlayer77
    May 25, 2021
    9
    Ocean's 2012 LP would be a masterpiece if it weren't for the lackluster feature verses, which don't fit the tracks at all. Besides that, channel ORANGE is a great storyteller with diverse tracks and interludes.

    FAV TRACK: Lost
    LEAST FAV TRACK: Super Rich Kids
  12. sambartlett2004
    Jan 17, 2021
    9
    As far as first albums go this is what every artist should strive for. Frank talks about growing up in LA with his incredible songwriting and lyrics while performing the with great vocals. Channel Orange is the ideal Frank Ocean.
  13. leumassregor
    Mar 5, 2023
    9
    This is one of the best albums of ALL TIME. Frank Ocean never disappoints!

    A lot of songs on here are very slow, but this is one of these albums that grows on you. You have to give it more than one listen! The production on this album is fantastic, but the vocals are what really pulls me in. Frank Ocean's falsetto and runs are heavenly; guaranteed to give you goosebumps. This album    This is one of the best albums of ALL TIME. Frank Ocean never disappoints!

    A lot of songs on here are very slow, but this is one of these albums that grows on you. You have to give it more than one listen! The production on this album is fantastic, but the vocals are what really pulls me in. Frank Ocean's falsetto and runs are heavenly; guaranteed to give you goosebumps.

    This album is timeless and just gets better with every listen.    … Expand
  14. ANGELOO22
    Feb 6, 2022
    9
    Um projeto que reflete toda genialidade de um artista que não gosta de se prender a fórmulas repetidas e convencionais, assim eu descreveria Channel Orange e o seu criador Frank Ocean. Entregando complexidade e individualidade em cada faixa, Frank faz com que Channel Orange se destaque de maneira brilhante e automaticamente gera qualquer hype para futuros projetos.
    Um destaque para os    Um projeto que reflete toda genialidade de um artista que não gosta de se prender a fórmulas repetidas e convencionais, assim eu descreveria Channel Orange e o seu criador Frank Ocean. Entregando complexidade e individualidade em cada faixa, Frank faz com que Channel Orange se destaque de maneira brilhante e automaticamente gera qualquer hype para futuros projetos.
    Um destaque para os instrumentais que são geniais, cheios de camadas, samples que são perfeitamente bem encaixados e o uso de instrumentos não tão comuns aos nossos ouvidos fazem desse álbum algo genial que se diferencia totalmente dessa atual indústria desgastada.

    Meu top 5 faixas:
    Pymarids
    Thinkin Bout You
    Lost
    Super Rich Kids
    Sierra Leone    … Expand
  15. CordRafael
    Feb 17, 2022
    9
    so nao é 10 pq existe blonde so p deixar no perfil so p deixar no perfil so p deixar no perfil
  16. JamesJennings
    May 2, 2022
    9
    My personal favorite R&B album of all time. While not perfect, and with a few more skits than I would like, I still find enjoyment in every listen. The music really takes you somewhere. It's like you're sitting in a chair on the beach drinking a martini looking up into the sky, but when the song Crack Rock kicks in the sky is on fire and the chair is on fire and the beach is on fire andMy personal favorite R&B album of all time. While not perfect, and with a few more skits than I would like, I still find enjoyment in every listen. The music really takes you somewhere. It's like you're sitting in a chair on the beach drinking a martini looking up into the sky, but when the song Crack Rock kicks in the sky is on fire and the chair is on fire and the beach is on fire and you're melting.… Expand
  17. SuperbaDMIke
    Jun 15, 2022
    9
    Channel Orange is one of those piece's of music that seems nostalgic the first time you hear it.
  18. padduck7
    Nov 29, 2022
    9
    An album that can be overestimated. Ten years later, it still looks sophisticated.
  19. pkindieboy
    Jul 22, 2012
    8
    A very enjoyable listen, and gets better with repeated listens as well. Ocean's vocal resemblance to Stevie Wonder is easily dismissed, and the production is interesting and the lyrics engrossing. Most of all, it's soulful as all get out. Don't believe the haters, this is good stuff.
  20. Vampire25
    Oct 21, 2012
    8
    channel Orange is an ambitious, perfectly produced record that lives up to all the hype it received when it was released. Each track is layered with perfect harmonies and smooth flow from Ocean. The reason it's so appealing to me is because Frank Ocean's vocal ranges are incredibly powerful and so honest that it's so easy to fall in love with this album. The lyrics are among the best thischannel Orange is an ambitious, perfectly produced record that lives up to all the hype it received when it was released. Each track is layered with perfect harmonies and smooth flow from Ocean. The reason it's so appealing to me is because Frank Ocean's vocal ranges are incredibly powerful and so honest that it's so easy to fall in love with this album. The lyrics are among the best this year and his life is literally spilling out at you through these tracks. All In All, Frank Ocean's channel Orange is the best R&B record this year and among the best of the year. B+… Expand
  21. Miszi
    Jul 29, 2012
    8
    "Pyramids" has to be one of Frank's best songs. After hearing this 10 minute long story with beautiful complex beat I thought the album would be much better than "Nostalgia,ULTRA". While this album does show off even more of Ocean's amazing writing skills it lacks the melodic hooks that made "Nostalgia" even more of an amazing effort. That's not to say there aren't any, "Thinkin' Bout You""Pyramids" has to be one of Frank's best songs. After hearing this 10 minute long story with beautiful complex beat I thought the album would be much better than "Nostalgia,ULTRA". While this album does show off even more of Ocean's amazing writing skills it lacks the melodic hooks that made "Nostalgia" even more of an amazing effort. That's not to say there aren't any, "Thinkin' Bout You" is probably the best example considering the mind-blowing falsetto. So my opinion on the whole thing is that it's a great debut but it's extremely overrated because of personal letter from artist that made it's way onto internet a couple of days before the release of album. My favourite tracks are (in no particular order): "Pyramids", "Lost", "Crack Rock", "Bad Religion" & "Pink Matter" .… Expand
  22. Indiekid39
    Oct 24, 2012
    8
    You know when its three o'clock in the morning and you're at a party and most people are asleep and you're still pretty drunk and you want to listen to some late night chill music? well listen to this album. Its just a sexy album. I don't think his voice is really anything to marvel at, but he gets those falsettos very well and its hard not feeling drawn in by his tone. pink matter is soYou know when its three o'clock in the morning and you're at a party and most people are asleep and you're still pretty drunk and you want to listen to some late night chill music? well listen to this album. Its just a sexy album. I don't think his voice is really anything to marvel at, but he gets those falsettos very well and its hard not feeling drawn in by his tone. pink matter is so good. its the perfect sexy/hazy ballad and andre 3000 kills his verse in it. other than that, Pyramids is the centerpiece and is done so well. I love the second half of the song when it slows down. If you like slow jamz, Frank Ocean is for you… Expand
  23. Spangle
    Jul 18, 2012
    8
    I'm hardly an R&B fan, but just listening to the album you can tell that this kid has talent. I am a fan of rap, am familiar with Odd Future, and do not generally like their releases, but this album is very well done. I personally only like a few songs from the album, but as a whole, this album deserves the praise it is getting.
  24. Andre3000
    Jul 21, 2012
    8
    An RnB classic that people will be listening to for years to come. Better than anything usher, chris brown, r kelly, the weeknd, ne yo, and others are putting out. He doesn't have the strongest voice....but his melodies are insane
  25. jatv1994
    Jan 29, 2013
    8
    Demonios, la publicidad es poderosa, y aunque no soy fan de este genero, (Fan de Mr. oizo, Autechre, etc.)
    me parece un album que funciona, gracias a la maravillosa voz de Ocean. Tiene gran profundidad la musica, la produccion es impecable con una calidad excelente. Pero no todo es color de rosa en este disco, que a mi parecer esta un poco sobrevalorado gracias a la reciente confesion de    Demonios, la publicidad es poderosa, y aunque no soy fan de este genero, (Fan de Mr. oizo, Autechre, etc.)
    me parece un album que funciona, gracias a la maravillosa voz de Ocean. Tiene gran profundidad la musica, la produccion es impecable con una calidad excelente. Pero no todo es color de rosa en este disco, que a mi parecer esta un poco sobrevalorado gracias a la reciente confesion de la bisexualidad de Frank O.
    Los temas que toca son repetitivos y sus letras no tan profundas como su calificacion sugiere. El "AMOR" abarca un 90% de su album, y cansa un poco lo mismo en todas las canciones.
    Si bien no es para comprarlo, una escuchada claro que vale la pena.    … Expand
  26. blogfirstlast
    Apr 9, 2013
    8
    It does get repetitive, but that's the style he was going for. He is a great singer and this album was produced like a Kanye album! This album had a perfect mix of R & B and Pop.
  27. simonsays
    Jun 14, 2013
    8
    A bit too much filler on this thing, but the vast majority of this album is a beautiful. A tad overrated as some of the tracks just aren't that compelling. The production is definitely unique though
  28. prawnguy
    Aug 3, 2013
    8
    Has it's gems, would give it an 8.5 if i could, but its not up there enough for me to give it a 9, has great tracks like Thinkin bout you, Pyramids, Super Rich Kids, Pink Matter,Forrest Gump, definitely worth a listen.
  29. AudioGunblast
    Nov 26, 2013
    8
    NOTE: An 8 from me means I really liked it. I don't toss 10s around.

    The last album I listened to was Vampire Weekend's sophomore release, Contra, an excellent album, but which was bursting with lyrical content about anything and everything, whether it was Nicaragua, The Clash, old video games, or the breakup it was actually supposed to be about. Frank Ocean has interesting lyrical    NOTE: An 8 from me means I really liked it. I don't toss 10s around.

    The last album I listened to was Vampire Weekend's sophomore release, Contra, an excellent album, but which was bursting with lyrical content about anything and everything, whether it was Nicaragua, The Clash, old video games, or the breakup it was actually supposed to be about. Frank Ocean has interesting lyrical content throughout this album as well, but it's much more concentrated on the theme. I can tell that this record overall was inspired by the homosexual relationship described in his "open letter", but he also goes into other relevant parts of his life and past, like being filthy rich and dealing with his unrequited first love. I've yet to understand whatever the hell is going on in "Pink Matter", though.

    This is musically an inferior album to Contra, though. While I do love the beats on tracks like "Thinkin Bout You", "Super Rich Kids", and "Lost", it's just not up to par on songs like "Sierra Leone", "Pilot Jones", and "Monks". I guess you could call it a "meh" album in this regard, because it is. This could possibly be my album of the year 2012 if it were better this way.

    But as a whole? Yeah, this album's pretty excellent. In spite of what I said earlier about its inconsistent production quality, that matters not too much because this is a lyric-based LP. And its good tracks can be extremely good, especially in the case of "Pyramids", very likely my favorite song of 2012 (although I'm well aware that I'm not the only one who thinks this, this is generally hailed as a modern classic). "Pyramids" is just one of those songs where you just have to take a step back and bask in its awesomeness. It's no epic, extended crescendo; it's not "Stairway to Heaven", it's not "Bohemian Rhapsody", it's not "Won't Get Fooled Again". It doesn't even follow the model of modern long songs like Green Day's "Jesus of Suburbia", LCD Soundsystem's "All My Friends", or Justin Timberlake's "What Goes Around... Comes Around". It's completely different thing altogether, an entity unto itself. I don't think there's any song I've heard before that I can compare it to, which earns it even more respect than I already give it.

    It's also worth noting that Frank is an excellent singer, and his vocal ability is especially pronounced on songs like "Pyramids" and "Thinkin Bout You", actually my two favorite songs from the album. But like the former song, I can't think of anyone it reminds me of. When I hear the voice on a Frank Ocean song, I'll easily be able to recognize it as his.

    STANDOUT TRACKS: THINKIN BOUT YOU, SWEET LIFE, SUPER RICH KIDS, PYRAMIDS, LOST, WHITE, BAD RELIGION, FORREST GUMP    … Expand
  30. remyplambert
    Sep 5, 2013
    8
    A smooth, beautiful album featuring Frank's vocal and stylistic range that tells a Los Angeles love story and all the complications involved, from lack of mutualistic attraction to surprisingly falling in love with another man.
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Awards & Rankings

3
#3 Best Album of 2012
7
#7 Most Discussed Album of 2012
1
#1 Most Shared Album of 2012

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
92

Universal acclaim - based on 46 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 46 out of 46
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 46
  3. Negative: 0 out of 46
  1. Uncut
    Sep 14, 2012
    80
    Sumptuous and sprawling, his major label debut comfortably backs up the hype. [Oct 2012, p.86]
  2. Q Magazine
    Aug 20, 2012
    80
    While Ocean's artistic ambition is impressive, it's his haunting candour that really casts a spell. [Sep 2012, p.106]
  3. Mojo
    Aug 8, 2012
    80
    [A] rich and complex album. [Sep 2012, p.95]
See all critic reviews »