When Frank Ocean's Channel Orange CD is released this coming Tuesday, July 17, in the wake of his recent announcement about his sexual orientation, Target is one retailer who will not be carrying it. According to a now deleted tweet by Frank Ocean's manager Christian Clancy, Target will not be carrying the album due to the exclusive iTunes release that went down earlier this week, seven days before the scheduled physical release date. Clancy's now deleted tweet added, "Interesting since they also donate to non-equal rights organizations," a statement which he later tweeted about with regret.
Target does in fact carry CDs by openly gay artists such as Adam Lambert and Elton John, and even now sells Gay Pride t-shirts, but regardless, they will not be selling Channel Orange. Target explained why Frank's new album will be left off their shelves, telling MTV, "At Target, we focus on offering our guests a wide assortment of physical CDs, so our selection of new releases is dedicated to physical CDs rather than titles that are released digitally in advance of the street date."
They also responded to Christian Clancy's tweet, saying, "The claims made about Target's decision to not carry the Frank Ocean album are absolutely false. Target supports inclusivity and diversity in every aspect of our business. Our assortment decisions are based on a number of factors, including guest demand. Target has a longstanding tradition of supporting music and artistry that reflects the diverse landscape of American culture. Our history of partnering with diverse artists includes recent partnerships with a variety of musicians, such as Ricky Martin, B.o.B., and Gloria Estefan."
It should be noted that Target did carry Jay-Z and Kanye West's Watch The Throne album even though it was released exclusively on iTunes four days before the physical date, which coincidentally featured Frank Ocean on two tracks. It should also be mentioned that Frank Ocean's sales are doing just fine without Target.
[via MTV]
