be in advance of (someone or something's) time
To be more innovative than can be properly appreciated during the time that someone or something is producing such innovation. He was really in advance of his time with this music—critics in the 1970s just couldn't see it.
be ahead of/before/in advance of your ˈtime
have ideas or invent things before people are ready to accept them: He was sure that it was possible to fly to the moon, but he was ahead of his time and people laughed at him.She was a feminist before her time. OPPOSITE: be behind the times