Genre Ambient pop Label Boys Don't Cry | Length 5:14 | |
Released August 20, 2016 (2016-08-20) Format Digital download
streaming Writer(s) Frank Ocean
Om'Mas Keith
Carl Palmer
Harry Palmer
Jeff Palmer | ||
"Nikes" is a song by American singer Frank Ocean, released as the lead single from his second studio album Blonde. The song was written and produced by Ocean and Om'Mas Keith, and also includes a sample of "The Champ" by The Mohawks. The track was released on August 20, 2016, along with his second album, exclusively to Apple Music and iTunes.
Contents
Background
"Nikes" is Ocean's first single since "Super Rich Kids", which was released in 2013.
Critical reception
Billboard ranked "Nikes" at number 28 on their "100 Best Pop Songs of 2016" list: “As the first song on the most highly-anticipated album since D'Angelo re-emerged with Black Messiah, "Nikes" was always going to be heavily scrutinized -- but as a re-introduction, it worked brilliantly. Its first three minutes are delivered in a pitched-up approximation of a child's voice, picking apart the hidden motives behind the wants and desires of his subject with a sweetly-concealed irony, as a musical dreamscape gently glides underneath. It serves almost as a lullaby of sorts -- which makes the transition to his "real" voice, arriving suddenly for the second verse, that much more effective. "Nikes" proved that Frank Ocean was back, and with a whole new set of emotions to get off his chest.”
Pitchfork listed "Nikes" on their ranking of the 100 best songs of 2016 at number 25.
Music video
The music video was released exclusively on Apple Music on August 20, 2016.