Lorde isn't the first artist to take her time over a new album. Photo / Getty
Lorde isn't the first artist to take her time over a new album. Photo / Getty
So it's been three years since Royals? It's okay Lorde, there's still hope for you yet. That's nothing compared to these famously tardy releases. Sometimes being late is worth the wait.
Dr Dre - Compton (2015)
Compton was Dr Dre's third studio album and was released in August last year. It was the follow-up to his second album 2001 (1999).
There were rumours floating around that he was working on an album called Detox that had yet to be released, but instead he dropped Compton when he wanted to be involved in the production of the movie Straight Outta Compton.
He came clean about ditching Detox on his Beats Radio 1 show, The Pharmacy with Dr Dre where he said he wanted to be more involved with the film: "I felt myself going to the studio and being so inspired by the movie that I started recording an album."
"I kept it under wraps, and now the album is finished. It's bananas. It's an 'inspired by' album. It's inspired by Straight Outta Compton. We're gonna call the album Compton: The Soundtrack. I'm really proud of this."
Compton features guest appearances from some of hip-hop's greatest, including Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, The Game, Xzibit and more.
Frank Ocean - Blonde (2016)
After four long years, Frank Ocean finally dropped his long-anticipated second album, Blonde last weekend. It was the direct follow up of his debut album Channel Orange from 2012.
He was very aware of the impatience his fans were suffering around the release of his new work. After it was all out in the open, Ocean wrote on his personal Tumblr saying: "I had the time of my life making all of this. Thank you all. Especially those of you who never let me forget I had to finish. Which is basically every one of y'all. Haha. Love you."
Ocean also admits that he has shoddy time management skills on the final track of Blonde where he sings "I ain't on your schedule/I ain't on no schedule."
After the international success of her second studio album 21 (2011), Adele decided to take some time off and raise her son.
During this time she suffered from writer's block, had to reschedule studio sessions for her new album and feared she may have lost her ability to write songs.
However in 2013 Adele had a breakthrough and was able to write and record again.
She then turned that material into her album 25.
It was a huge success and sold 3.38 million copies in the United States in its first week of release.
David Bowie - The Next Day (2013)
Musical legend David Bowie produced, recorded and released music from the 60s all the way through to his final release Blackstar in January this year, just days before his death.
Fans and media thought he had stopped after his album, Reality (2003).
But he surprised everyone in 2013 and released his studio album The Next Day which was his freshest material in 10 years.
Bowie went to great lengths to record it in private so no one knew of the album before its release. He even got the people who were in the studio helping him to sign NDAs.
The Avalanches - Wildflower (2016)
Sixteen years on and The Avalanches finally released their second album Wildflowers this year.
