Nights (Frank Ocean song)

"Nights"
"Nights"
Song by Frank Ocean
from the album Blonde
Released	August 20, 2016
Genre	"Part 1" Alternative R&B; synth-pop; "Part 2" Trip hop; downtempo;
Length	5:07
Label	Boys Don't Cry
Producer(s)	Frank Ocean; Joe Thornalley; Michael Uzowuru; Buddy Ross;

"Nights" (sometimes styled as "Night.s") is a song by the American R&B singer Frank Ocean, released as a part of his second studio album Blonde (2016). The track debuted at number 98 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, despite not being released as a single. In August 2024, a version of the song featuring Kendrick Lamar leaked online.^[1]^[2]

Music

"Nights" is a two-part track.^[3] The first part is an upbeat guitar driven section in which Ocean raps about a tedious nine to five job and the highs and lows of a previous relationship.^[4]^[5]^[6] In the ending of the first verse, Ocean moves away from the past, and discusses his anger with letting a relationship go.^[3]^[7] At 3:30 in the song, the halfway point in the album, the beat switches.^[8]^[9] The second half of the song features a slower, synth-heavy beat.^[4] Ocean raps about the struggles he dealt with in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which forced him to temporarily relocate from New Orleans to Houston.^[10]^[11]

Critical reception

Luke Winstanley of Clash wrote that "Nights" featured "superb, instantly memorable codas that will quickly worm their way into your subconscious."^[12] Writing The Music's review of Blonde, James d'Apice called "Nights" the album's standout track.^[13] Okayplayer's Heven Haile listed "Nights" as Ocean's 6th best song and called its beat switch "iconic."^[14] Writing for Pitchfork, Ryan Dombal called "Nights" the centerpiece of Blonde.^[15] Jonah Weiner of Rolling Stone called the track a standout, writing on its themes of romance: "He approaches the subject from oblique angles, time-shifting the different phases of relationships like he’s got them loaded on DVR: skipping from the blossoming of love directly into its demise, backing up a bit, leaving out big chunks."^[16]

Personnel

Frank Ocean - production, arrangement, guitars^[17]
Joe Thornalley - production, arrangement, drum programming, keyboards^[17]
Michael Uzowuru - production, drum programming^[17]
Buddy Ross - production, arrangement, keyboards^[17]
Jon Brion - arrangement, keyboards^[17]
Spaceman - guitars^[17]

Charts

Chart (2016)	Peak position
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)^[18]	36
US Billboard Hot 100^[19]	98
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)^[20]	40
US Hot R&B Songs (Billboard)^[21]	14

References

^ Moore, Sam (2024-08-05). "Kendrick Lamar's Unreleased Verse From Frank Ocean's 'Nights' Surfaces". HipHopDX. Retrieved 2024-08-05.
^ Fisher, Caroline (2024-08-04). "Kendrick Lamar's Leaked Verse For Frank Ocean's "Nights" Has Fans Split". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved 2024-08-05.
^ ^a ^b Chesman, Donna-Claire (2020-06-17). "A Frank Ocean Song for The Beauty of Passing Time". DJBooth. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
^ ^a ^b Barrist, Kenneth (2019-10-12). "Why Frank Ocean's Blonde Makes Us Cry". Jerk Magazine. Syracuse, New York. Archived from the original on 2024-04-17. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
^ Elone, Emmanuel (2016-08-25). "Frank Ocean: Blonde (take 1)". PopMatters. Archived from the original on 2024-06-05. Retrieved 2024-06-05.
^ Weiss, Dan (August 23, 2016). "Review: Frank Ocean's Blond on 'Blonde' Is Pledging Its Goddamn Time". Spin. Archived from the original on 2024-05-06. Retrieved 2024-06-05.
^ Kearse, Stephen (August 25, 2016). "Frank Ocean: Blonde". Paste. Archived from the original on 2024-08-15. Retrieved 2024-06-04.
^ Gordon, Eden Arielle (August 22, 2021). "The Ancient Wisdom of Frank Ocean's "Blonde"". PopDust. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
^ Blanchet, Brenton (August 20, 2021). "Every Song on Frank Ocean's 'Blonde,' Ranked". Complex. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
^ King, Jason; Powers, Ann (August 22, 2016). "Detangling Frank Ocean's 'Blonde': What It Is And Isn't". NPR. Archived from the original on December 14, 2016. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
^ Ketchum III, William (2016-08-25). "Frank Ocean - Blonde Review". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on 2021-09-08. Retrieved 2024-06-05.
^ Winstanley, Luke (2016-09-01). "Frank Ocean - Blonde". Clash. Archived from the original on 2024-06-05. Retrieved 2024-06-05.
^ d'Apice, James. "Album Review: Frank Ocean - Blond". The Music. Retrieved 2024-06-05.
^ Haile, Heven (April 21, 2023). "The 16 Best Frank Ocean Songs". Okayplayer. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
^ Dombal, Ryan. "Frank Ocean: Blonde / Endless". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 2016-08-26. Retrieved 2024-06-05.
^ Weiner, Jonah (2016-08-22). "Review: Frank Ocean's 'Blonde' Is a Dizzy, Trippy, Druggy Marvel". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2024-06-05.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Kim, Michelle (December 11, 2016). "View The Full Credits For Frank Ocean's Blonde Album". The Fader. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2024-06-04.
^ "Frank Ocean Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-06-04.
^ "Frank Ocean Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-06-04.
^ "Frank Ocean US Hot R&B Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-06-05.

[1] Moore, Sam (2024-08-05). "Kendrick Lamar's Unreleased Verse From Frank Ocean's 'Nights' Surfaces". HipHopDX. Retrieved 2024-08-05.

[2] Fisher, Caroline (2024-08-04). "Kendrick Lamar's Leaked Verse For Frank Ocean's "Nights" Has Fans Split". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved 2024-08-05.

[DJ-3] Chesman, Donna-Claire (2020-06-17). "A Frank Ocean Song for The Beauty of Passing Time". DJBooth. Retrieved 2024-04-17.

[Jerk-4] Barrist, Kenneth (2019-10-12). "Why Frank Ocean's Blonde Makes Us Cry". Jerk Magazine. Syracuse, New York. Archived from the original on 2024-04-17. Retrieved 2024-04-17.

[5] Elone, Emmanuel (2016-08-25). "Frank Ocean: Blonde (take 1)". PopMatters. Archived from the original on 2024-06-05. Retrieved 2024-06-05.

[6] Weiss, Dan (August 23, 2016). "Review: Frank Ocean's Blond on 'Blonde' Is Pledging Its Goddamn Time". Spin. Archived from the original on 2024-05-06. Retrieved 2024-06-05.

[7] Kearse, Stephen (August 25, 2016). "Frank Ocean: Blonde". Paste. Archived from the original on 2024-08-15. Retrieved 2024-06-04.

[8] Gordon, Eden Arielle (August 22, 2021). "The Ancient Wisdom of Frank Ocean's "Blonde"". PopDust. Retrieved 2024-04-17.

[9] Blanchet, Brenton (August 20, 2021). "Every Song on Frank Ocean's 'Blonde,' Ranked". Complex. Retrieved 2024-04-17.

[10] King, Jason; Powers, Ann (August 22, 2016). "Detangling Frank Ocean's 'Blonde': What It Is And Isn't". NPR. Archived from the original on December 14, 2016. Retrieved April 17, 2024.

[11] Ketchum III, William (2016-08-25). "Frank Ocean - Blonde Review". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on 2021-09-08. Retrieved 2024-06-05.

[12] Winstanley, Luke (2016-09-01). "Frank Ocean - Blonde". Clash. Archived from the original on 2024-06-05. Retrieved 2024-06-05.

[13] 'Apice, James. "Album Review: Frank Ocean - Blond". The Music. Retrieved 2024-06-05.

[14] Haile, Heven (April 21, 2023). "The 16 Best Frank Ocean Songs". Okayplayer. Retrieved 2024-04-17.

[15] Dombal, Ryan. "Frank Ocean: Blonde / Endless". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 2016-08-26. Retrieved 2024-06-05.

[16] Weiner, Jonah (2016-08-22). "Review: Frank Ocean's 'Blonde' Is a Dizzy, Trippy, Druggy Marvel". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2024-06-05.

[Credits-17] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Kim, Michelle (December 11, 2016). "View The Full Credits For Frank Ocean's Blonde Album". The Fader. Retrieved 2024-04-17.

[sc_UKrandb_-18] "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2024-06-04.

[sc_Billboardhot100_Frank_Ocean-19] "Frank Ocean Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-06-04.

[sc_Billboardrandbhiphop_Frank_Ocean-20] "Frank Ocean Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-06-04.

[21] "Frank Ocean US Hot R&B Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-06-05.

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v t e Frank Ocean
Discography Awards and nominations
Studio albums	Channel Orange Blonde
Visual albums	Endless
Mixtapes	Nostalgia, Ultra
Singles	"Novacane" "Swim Good" "Thinkin Bout You" "Pyramids" "Sweet Life" "Lost" "Super Rich Kids" "Nikes" "Chanel" "Biking" "Lens" "Provider" "DHL" "In My Room" "Dear April" "Cayendo"
Featured singles	"She" "No Church in the Wild" "Slide" "Raf" "911 / Mr. Lonely"
Other songs	"American Wedding" "Strawberry Swing" "Made in America" "Wiseman" "Oldie" "New Slaves" "Oceans" "Superpower" "Wolves"/"Frank's Track" "Ivy" "Pink + White" "Solo" "Self Control" "Nights" "Close to You" "White Ferrari" "Seigfried" "Purity" "Carousel" "Little Demon"
Related articles	Odd Future The OF Tape Vol. 2 Blonded Radio Homer
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"Nights"
Song by Frank Ocean
from the album Blonde
Released	August 20, 2016 (2016-08-20)
Genre	"Part 1" Alternative R&B synth-pop "Part 2" Trip hop downtempo
Length	5:07
Label	Boys Don't Cry
Producer(s)	Frank Ocean Joe Thornalley Michael Uzowuru Buddy Ross