It’s been awhile, but now there’s the slightest glimmer of hope that Frank Ocean’s album is actually coming this week.

It’s been three years since Frank Ocean announced the title of his new album Boys Don’t Cry and four years since he altered the R&B landscape with his monumental debut Channel Orange. A few weeks ago, we got an Instagram hint that the album would be arriving sometime in July, and when the clock officially ticked over into August, fans we’re left bitterly disappointed once more. This is a record that’s seen more delays than we can count since its intended release date back in 2014, but according to The New York Times, Boys Don’t Cry is coming this Friday.

The publication has quoted ‘a person with knowledge of the release plans’ who says that Ocean’s album is arriving on Friday to Apple Music, where it will remain exclusively for a fortnight. The source has also claimed that the release will include a music video and a Boys Don’t Cry print publication that will be distributed at Apple stores. Ocean’s label, Def Jam, have not yet commented to confirm the information.

Given how many times fans have waited with bated breath, it might seem foolish to weigh all of our hopes and dreams on an anonymous source – but we’re sure that Ocean fans will take anything as a sign from God in these desperate hours. Let’s hope that Boys Don’t Cry does finally surface this Friday:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNBD4OFF8cc

Images by Terry Richardson