Frank Ocean Finally Blesses the World with New Album "Blonde"

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After releasing Channel Orange, one of the most critically acclaimed albums of all-time, back in 2012, Frank Ocean essentially disappeared from the music scene, only coming out to occasionally build hype for the release of his highly anticipated follow-up release. His most notable announcement came in early 2015, when he revealed that his album would be dropping in July of that same year. But when the album didn’t come out as expected, without any explanation, Frank’s fans were understandably upset.

But then, over a year after the anticipated date, Frank Ocean finally released his album. Utilizing the element of surprise, Blonde was released early Saturday night after Frank debuted the single “Nikes” in the early morning while most of his fans were asleep.

For those expecting a “Channel Orange 2,” they might be a bit disappointed. On Blonde, Frank Ocean delivers a completely new sound to his audience. The lack of drums brings atmospheric and dreamy vibes to the project. This production style paired with Frank’s vocals ends up creating some incredibly beautiful sonic moments on pretty much every track. There is no really “bad” song per se. Aside from a few skits that the album could potentially do without,  every track is enjoyable and holds something that every listener can find value in. 

At the end of the day Blonde was well worth the 4+ year wait. While there might not be a track that could have as much pop appeal as “Thinkin Bout You,” his project may just be enough to keep fans satisfied for another whole four years.

Album Review: PartyNextDoor Delivers Another 'Nocturnal' R&B Album

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(OVO Sound/Warner Bros. Records)

Two years after dropping his debut studio album, PartyNextDoor is back with his follow up project, PARTYNEXTDOOR 3. Staying true to his R&B roots and signature Toronto sound, PND delivers with his best work yet.

After receiving mixed reviews on his freshman effort PARTYNEXTDOOR TWO, the third installment of PND’s saga is an effort to silence those who may have doubted him as he was getting his feet wet in the game. Leading off the album is “High Hopes,” and as soon as it begins playing, it is already possible to hear how much PND has progressed and matured as an artist. As usual with OVO Sound artists, the production is on point. With help from producers such as Noah “40” Shebib, it makes PARTYNEXTDOOR 3 an extremely listenable album. PND continues the project with “Don’t Run,” an R&B-inspired banger which is reminiscent of the sound that is dominating the game right now from artists such as Bryson Tiller, DVSN, and of course, PartyNextDoor. 

“Not Nice,” which was available for listen prior to the album’s release, is more of a dance song with a bit more pop appeal, similar to Drake’s “One Dance.” PND continues with the dancehall vibes on “Only U.”

PartyNextDoor reverts back to his signature 'late-night' R&B style on “Don’t Know How,” and this is when the album starts to slow things down and get more emotional. “Problems & Selfless” is told in two parts. The first part is PND addressing the problems he’s faced and had to deal with in past relationships, while the second part touches on the heartbreak he has experienced after the relationships. On “Temptations,” PND channels his inner Weeknd and delivers the most sexual song on the project.

By the time “Joy” starts, the album has begun to leave behind it’s darker parts. It’s also around this point that the project’s quality takes a little dip for the next two or three songs, but by the time “1942” begins playing, the ears are pleased again. The only feature on PND’s album comes from Drake on the track “Come and See Me,” and as always, he delivers a quality appearance to an already solid song. The project finishes out with “Nothing Easy to Please,” an extremely fitting closer to a quality and cohesive work of music.

Aside from a few tracks that may come across as mundane to some listeners, PARTYNEXTDOOR 3 is an excellent follow-up to his freshman effort, and proves that the sophomore slump doesn’t plague every artist.

Rihanna and Coldplay to Headline 2016 Edition of Made In America Music Festival

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RIHANNA AND COLDPLAY HEADLINE 2016 'BUDWEISER MADE IN AMERICA' FESTIVAL (PRNewsFoto/Live Nation Entertainment)

This Labor Day weekend, the Made In America festival will be taking place in Philadelphia once again. This year's music extravaganza will feature performances by Chance The Rapper, Bryson Tiller, Travi$ Scott, A$AP Ferg, and many more, including Collegrove; the 2 Chainz and Lil Wayne duo. The headliners for this year's festival are Rihanna and Coldplay. Last year's line-up included performances from Beyonce, Future and more, so you can be sure this year will provide another unforgettable weekend of performances. 

You can purchase tickets at madeinamericafest.com. Pre-sale tickets go on sale this Wednesday at 10 a.m., and general admission tickets will be available June 27. Check the full line-up in the photo above. 

Album Review: Ariana Grande is Strictly Pop on "Dangerous Woman"

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(Republic Records)

Almost two years since the release of her sophomore album, My Everything, pop singer Ariana Grande is back with her new project Dangerous Woman.

When you compare Dangerous Woman to Ariana Grande’s debut album Yours Truly, it’s next to impossible not to realize how much the 22-year-old pop sensation has grown in just three years. Besides the fact that she is now an adult, it is very apparent that she is no longer the teenage Nickelodeon-actor-turned-singer. Dangerous Woman is a full-fledged attempt from Grande to strip away the G-rated perceptions that surround her.

While Dangerous Woman does lack the ballads that made Yours Truly and My Everything so notable, Ariana Grande’s new direction proves to be successful. She leads the album off with “Moonlight,” which is reminiscent of her old sound, a slow, sweet and sensual song dedicated to her new love. The tone of “Moonlight” is echoed later on in the album with the cute song “Sometimes,” where Grande admits that her current relationship is one that she wants to last. But the slow and sweet vibes on Dangerous Woman are rare, as the album immediately changes tone with Grande’s hit single named after the album; “Dangerous Woman,” a song that encompasses exactly where Grande is now. She’s more mature, more edgy, and more dangerous. She continues this theme on “Into You,” which is essentially an open letter to her lover, inviting him to come over and touch her body. “Side to Side” is a boastful track that features a verse from Nicki Minaj. With some extremely creative punchlines ("Curry with the shot...call me Stephanie"), Nicki raps about how she is the queen of rap, and no one is about to take that from her. She also co-signs Ariana Grande, letting the audience know that she is running pop music.

Nicki isn’t the only rapper who Grande recruited to help her out. On “Let Me Love You,” one of the sexier songs on Dangerous Woman, Lil Wayne provides his own verse. He reminds the listener that they should say “goodbye to the good girl,” (again referring to Grande’s transformation) and even explicitly describes a promiscuous encounter that he either has had or wishes to have with Ariana Grande herself.

Dangerous Woman continues the trend of sexy duets with big name rappers on “Everyday,” an upbeat song featuring Future, where the two highlight their sexual experiences, including how often the do it (everyday), with their respectful partners. “I Don’t Care” continues the theme of the album, and is basically Grande’s wave goodbye to her Nickelodeon days. It serves as the perfect segway to “Bad Decisions,” where she highlights the love she has for her partner in much more detail than she has on her previous projects. The album culminates with “Thinking Bout You,” where Grande tones it back down to complement the title track. In the sweet ballad, she remembers her previous lover. It serves as the perfect closer for the album. 

Despite missing out on some of the more big and catchy ballads that Ariana Grande had become known for, Dangerous Woman proves to be just as, if not more, successful as her previous projects. There are no inherently “bad” tracks on the album, and each one provides us with a deeper glimpse into Grande’s life, proving just how much more comfortable she is and how much she is willing to expose with her fans. 

Billboard Announces Line-Up for 2nd Annual Hot 100 Festival

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Justin Bieber performing at the 2015 Billboard Hot 100 Fest in New York (Benjamin Esakof/Roman's Rap-Up). 

Billboard announced the lineup for their second annual "Hot 100 Festival" Wednesday morning. On August 20th and 21st at Long Island's Nikon at Jones Beach Theater, headliners Ariana Grande, Calvin Harris, J. Cole, Martin Garrix, and Fetty Wap will take the main stage by storm. Other confirmed performers include the likes of Rae Sremmurd, Desiigner, Wale and almost 40 other performers. More performers are to be announced soon. Tickets for the "Hot 100 Festival" go on sale this Saturday, May 21 at 10:00 am EDT at Live Nation. Last year, more than 40,000 fans attended the show, so it’s guaranteed to be a huge success again this year.

See the full line-up below.

The #hot100fest lineup revealed 🔥💯 (pre-sale link in bio) | Regram: @hot100fest

A photo posted by Billboard (@billboard) on