With his sophomore LP, 'Blonde,' anchoring in the top 10 on just about everyone’s year-end album rankings, Frank Ocean began his 2017 absent from the biggest night in music, the 59th edition of the Grammy Awards. Not because his album lacked the audio quality necessary for a nomination, but because the 29-year-old artist didn’t need the approval from an institution he felt “doesn't seem to be representing very well for people who come from where I come from, and hold down what I hold down.” Ocean continued his year challenging the status quo and speaking out for those in need of a voice, including the moment he wore the internet-breaking anti-discrimination shirt during his memorable Panorama Fest. 2017 also played host to Ocean’s popular recurring Beats 1 Radio show, Blonded Radio, from February to August, sprinkling in new songs and collaborations along the way.