What's Going On

cuántas cuestiones

Flows like no other album.

It struck me in its opening moments how formative What’s Going On has been, both musically and lyrically, on the soul and hip hop that has come since. It’s not just that it’s been heavily sampled - there is a general attitude and vibe on this LP which has made its way into the broader ecosystem. You’d think that a political soul record would feel more serious than this but artists like Marvin Gaye and Curtis Mayfield were able to reflect on the state of the nation without wearing it too heavily. What they were singing about was serious, the way they were singing was anything but. What makes Gaye stand out from his contemporaries is how singular a focus his most popular records have. To stay fixated on one topic for 30 minutes without a dip in either meaningful commentary or musical excellence is no small achievement.

Major socialism here (which is the point), this is my first Marvin Gaye full album listen. It's scary that its message still hasn't reached this new era, who really is willing to try to save the world that is destined to die?

Beautiful, beautiful album. Truly no one like Gaye. Favorite has to be Mercy Mercy Me, but God Is Love and What’s Going On were some nice discoveries. 7.8/10

good - r&b/soul. perfect for driving around with the windows open on a sunny day. the title track is so good

Dom fem låtar som faktiskt är låtar är alla toppklass, "Inner city blues" är makalöst bra. Men sen är resten en massa "Save the children" monologer över nåt jammigt groove som är lika enerverande som vilka skits som helst pá valfri hiphopplatta. Berry Gordy har också polerat upp den och gjort den vänare med stråkar och dubblerad sång lite väl mycket emellanåt. Har man hört de mixarna som gjordes i LA innan Gordy fick lägga sin hand på dom är det svårt att inte ha det i tanken, i många fall är dom bättre, "Mercy me" särskilt. En klar fyra berättigar dock de fem kanonlåtarna till

Skivans berömmelse har kanske mer att göra med temat än med musiken. Även om Marvin Gaye bytte bana textmässigt med den här skivan är musiken fortfarande till stora delar kvar i sängkammaren. Der rullar på snyggt och silkeslent till texter om polisbrutalitet, utanförskap och fiskar fulla med kvicksilver. Det är bra, men produktionen hade gärna fått vara mörkare och stråkarna kunde ha spolats. What’s going on och Inner city blues sticker ut som de starkaste spåren som som säkrar fyran i betyg.

I feel like such a fanboy when I give Marvin a 5, so I'm going to be objective here. Some of his best songs on here - but this album does get samey in the middle. He had a theme, a concept, but because this was new for the time, perhaps this could have done with some time editing. Still phenomenal vocals as you would expect.

Very much a product of the time it was made, and yet somehow timeless in its message. Marvin Gaye possessed one of the most beautiful voices in pop music history and it’s on full display here. I need to listen to this album again and again. 4 stars (but I can see it being 5 easily after more listens)

What’s Going On - great song, solid album. (4)

it’s great but a bit too sweet-sounding to me 4.5

What’s going on is a critical documentation on the effects of war, economy, community, politics and livelihood pertaining to Black life in America. One of the most important albums of all time by a man who left the earth too soon.

marvin gaye is an enigma and i will always cherish his music.

70's groove!

8/10 It's interesting - I've been aware of this album for decades, but for some reason I always thought it was that loungey, wannabe-sexy style of soul like Barry Manilow. I was very wrong. This is an extremely well-constructed concept album focusing on systemic racism, poverty, fallout from the Vietnam War, and even environmental issues. It's a very smooth, pleasant listen, until you pay attention to the at times harsh lyrics: hearing lyrics like "we're destined to die" put against such groovy music is a fascinating dichotomy. The album's rating does take a hit because the religion-heavy song Wholy Holy is a complete turnoff. Regardless, I enjoy the album overall.

Groovy

great album. iconic. Though, some songs just fade into the background. What's going on is a classic!

excellent

pues solo de pasada me gustó está muy rítmico, me gusta esto del soul, como chill como vibey definitivamente estoy explorando nueva música así que por el momento mi opinión se centra en que es bueno pero no es algo que escucharía normalmente, pero si quisiera sentirme como zoe kravitz en high fidelity, lo haría jajaj igual tengo que poner más atención a las letras pero siento que sí tiene ese feeling de protesta (de lo cual al parecer habla)

pretty & cohesive music. captures the paradox of the 70s trepidation of america and society that still mixed with idealism and hope that people can still be inherently good if we try hard enough.

Favorite Track: Flyin' High (In The Friendly Sky)

The pinnacle of an uber talented entertainer. “What’s Going On” and “Mercy, Mercy Me” are two all timers.

Ça fait une coupe de fois que je m'essaye parce que ça l'air que c'est top-top cet album là. Malheureusement le soul et le motown pour moi, ça me fait pas grand chose. Mais j'admets que le groove est bon. L'unité de l'album est impressionnante, c'est court, mais on se tanne pas.

J’aime mais ce n’est pas le meilleur soul qu’on a eu jusqu’à maintenant!

Mother ... mother ...there's too many of you crying ... Brother, brother, brother ... there's far too many of you dying! You know we've got to find a way ... to bring some lovin' here today

- got me groovy - probably deducting one point for the religious songs. maybe in a different life i would enjoy them more - would def revisit, just have to be in a specific mood

Smooth and full of soul! Can see myself revisiting this

Ok

7/10 Good groove, incredible mixing

7/10

i find that with every relisten, this album develops a bit more in complexity and heart. obviously great, but the potential to grow really helps this stand out as a gem. deserves to be one of the 1001? are you fucking high? of course!

I can only imagine how groundbreaking this album was. If Motown didn’t want to release it, you know there was nothing else like it. And that’s kinda still true.

I like it but not that much. Would give 3.5 so 4.

Melodias suaves, voz y coros casi angelicales. Oraciones pop.

I really want to give it five stars but something is just holding it back for me

Got Coldplay yesterday and this banger today. What a difference!

It’s a cool album but some long tracks and repetition

Good stuff, chill, jazzy

Música de altíssima qualidade. Os arranjos são impressionantes e a forma como são usados os instrumentos de sopro e as cordas me deixou impressionado; como diz o próprio artista: "fui ao céu sem sair do chão." Durante a audição do álbum, me peguei pensando no quanto esse projeto reverberou em outros mais atuais e sobre como nenhum cantor "mais contemporâneo" - por assim dizer - conseguiu reproduzir nada parecido, e nessa linha de raciocínio cheguei a pensar que esse é o exato tipo de música que precisamos nos dias de hoje, mas, sinceramente, devido a forma como as coisas tem andado não sei se surtiria qualquer tipo de efeito nas pessoas. Ps.: pensei no solar power o disco inteiro.. é o filho legítimo! Favoritas: Inner City Blues e God is Love

For many this is the greatest album ever. However, I’m a middle aged bloke that grew up in the Welsh valleys and had a deep seated love for Motley Crue. But tastes change. I’m less fond of Motley Crue and deeply fond of this. Whilst the album sees a maturing of songwriting, and complex jazz inflected arrangements the real heart of this is his voice. One of THE great voices. Soulful, controlled and so so smooth. He brings heart and intensity to his pleas for a more sane world. We still haven’t listened

GENRE: R&B, soul (style avec un choeur), un peu vibe jazz, chansons coup de coeur: What's happening brother; Flyin' High (in the friendly sky); Right on; Inner City; Wholy Holy side notes: J'aime trop comment les pièces s'enchaînent. Belle instrumentation. Parle de la guerre du vietnam, de la toxicomanie, de la pauvreté et de la crise climatique.

groovy, chill. I vibe with it. I dont understand how monumental people say this album is though. Is it a lyrics thing thats not usually my forte.

This record flows so nicely. It's great. Favourite Track(s): Inner City Blues Least Favourite Track(s): Wholy Holy

let’s fuck and then talk about how much we HATE the GOVERNMENT (my dream)

Everything in the world is bad except God and the children. Unashamed horns and backing ooo-ooohs, the sounds of the early '70s. Earnest, marvelous and beautiful.

According to Wikipedia this is Marvin's 11th album yet the earliest on on the list. He's a huge artist by this time, surely one of his earlier was influential as well?. Super cool.

Listens: 3 Standout Tracks: Right On, Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) Pretty powerful music. Sort of bleak too, that Marvin was signing about poverty, war, climate change, etc. going on in the world in 1971 and, despite how far we've come in a lot of aspects of society, we're functionally no closer to solving many of the problems raised in the songs - in some cases we've even gone backwards. And then, its all done up in this ultra-smooth delivery of rhythm and blues, soul and jazz, and excellent singing. Plus, I always love a good concept album.

More depth than I was expecting. After the tremendous loss of his young partner to cancer and the ongoing issue of segregation and the unpopular overseas Vietnam war (echoing on 2026), Gaye recorded a heartfelt album that masterfully weaves together melody, hope, and love. Repeating themes unify it and give it a cohesive feel.

4/5 That is political and religious.

when your whole squad has no idea what's happening.

fantastic!! probably the best album to learn jameson's style

A good album; each song on its own could easily be a 5. Maybe what was missing was variety, because the album sounds as if it blends into one long, monotonous track. But I appreciate the craftsmanship. 8/10

"Inner City Blues" is a brilliant song. I really enjoyed the whole music themes in this album, I really enjoy his sound and voice.

Great record. Listened to it at the gym. The squat rack is a wierd place to recieve a record like this. The title track is better than I remembered it. Great record. 4.5/5

this one’s for the people. those string arrangements make the whole thing float. so much compassion in these songs. coulda done without “Save The Children” and “God Is Love” tho I did enjoy the exclamations of SAVE THE BABIES.

Lush instrumentation, beautiful, iconic voice. Maybe an album that's a bit more than the sum of its parts.

Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On is the definitive "woke" masterpiece in its truest sense, trading standard pop formulas for a breathing, jazzy soul suite that remains an essential piece of "workers' music" today. The album functions as a continuous conversation where songs blend seamlessly into one another—highlighted by the distinct, hypnotic percussion on "Right On"—to deliver direct, urgent messaging on anti-war sentiment, environmental protection, and the pressures of capitalism. It is a soulful, atmospheric pillar of social commentary that feels just as relevant to the modern struggle as it did in 1971, proving that high-concept political art can still possess a deep, effortless groove.

Buen álbum me gustó mucho

A somewhat samey masterpiece.

"father father..we don't need to escalate"...

it's about time I get recommended an album I already love so much! Nothing or no one can convince me others—peak music right here.

Not sure what this type of music is, but I liked it. 8/10

I never really cared for concept albums like this but the sounds is so smooth that even some of the songs that really are connectors from ones some to another are easy to listen to. To me the songs are not at the top of my list to listen to by themselves but the whole album together and the smooth vocals make it a great listen

Struggled to rate this one. A couple of incredible songs, and contextually very important. Just a little bit of fill takes it down to a 4, as well as the strange switch from song cycle to a standard album. It's very good, but not quite perfect imo

Socialmente potente. Mezcla perfecta entre música ligera y relajada con letras firmes y políticas. What’s going on, el mejor tema y la profits correcta.

a great album, that’s what!

molto atmosferico

Enjoyed grooving to this.

Solid album, but with a few stinkers. Still better than most records.

This is the first album I am doing this for. The message is clear throughout the whole album and its moving. This is a timeless album not only because of the amazing music but also the way the message relates to today. I really enjoyed this one.

Vackert!

3.56

Actual Rating: 3.5/5

really cute and romantic album love it

Important. Trascendent. Powerful. (1/1001) That's all I catched from this album. Not only did the variety of sounds surprise me, but also how... present it is, especially for such an old album. It's really charged in a good way, a clear message from a voice that was so, sooo needed for the time period; a voice who spoke of mutual love and care, enjoying life despite how many times it treated us harshly and without taking our frustration on others, of the economic, social and psychological consequences that war brings into families and the soldiers that survived... and the importance of supporting and treating each other like human beings it's super trascendental too, it's always crazy to me when a project feels so important even years after, not just from the influence but also from the message... and the fact that we as humans haven't seemed to improve too much since this album dropped is really something to think about i think the album really deserves to be in this list, it's a powerful album that when i first listened to it, i didn't know whether to feel sad or thoughtful, or even both, and I think that Mr. Marvin did a really great job on expressing his feelings and message to the crowd 4.5

Smooth

This was much more enjoyable than the other Marvin Gaye album on the list. Not quite enough for a 5, but definitely a strong 4.

One of the best!

Woke up in the mood for some Rage Against the Machine. Marvin Gaye somehow fit that bill for me anyhow. Great vocals. Strong message. Solid album worth listening to again and again.

Classic Motown, led by Gaye's extraordinary voice(s) and passionate lyrics, and underpinned by the mighty bass of two legends, James Jamerson and Bob Babbitt.

oh immediately from the first song i'm obsessed!!!!!! and if i say this is the perfect album to do quite literally anything, then what???

Good concept and thematic exploration. Rich instrumentation and vocals. Similar concept throughout. Favourite tracks: title track, mercy mercy me, what’s happening brother, save the children Least favourite tracks: none

Me gustó! Una re onda

Love this, really puts you in an atmosphere, loose, powerful, captured a moment of time. It does get a little preachy towards the end. I’m sure I’m missing context, but that’s how I feel from this listen.

Déjà écouté. Marvin Gaye s'émancipe de la "formule" Motown pour livrer un pseudo-concept album soul ouvertement politique. Tout n'a pas bien veilli, mais peu de disques peuvent se targuer d'avoir été si importants historiquement. Top : Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) Flop : Save the Children

Great album to chill to

Un álbum muy necesario para los tiempos que corren.

Geile Übergänge Entspannt zum Lernen

Muy bueno

Some classic songs, some very solid songs, and one weird one

Obviously a classic album, but sounds very same-y throughout.

Such a good, easy to enjoy album. Some of the smoothest ballads in soul music history. Fills you in with Marvin's warm angel voice and some simply beautiful and full of life music. Some of the biggest soul bangers ever are on this record.

The production on this album might still be the best of anything I’ve heard on this list so far. Man, maybe culture is so strong… I just have such a hard time taking some of these seriously. “Save the Children” sounds like an SNL skit, while “Right On” and “What’s Going on” feel like stone-cold classics.

Pretty cool

4 star

yeah i can say this genre is not my type, but i still enjoyed it. Or maybe it wasnt until now better said. My favorites were Right on, Inner city blues and Mercy mercy me. And maybe Save the children for the lyrics when I look outside the window.

sweet and short

Absolute classic, maybe a bit kitschy (at least to me), but overall a great listen!

I am very familiar with this album. I've had the CD since the late 80s/early 90s. This album contains 2 of the best songs of all time off any album by any artist - "What's Going On" and "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)". Prior to listening to this I already have 6 of the 9 songs "liked" on Spotify - the 2 mentioned above plus "What's Happening Brother", "Flying High (in the Friendly Sky)", "Right On", and "Inner City Blues". What's crazy (and kind of depressing) is how relevant the lyrical themes are today, in 2026 - 55 years later. We are still sending people off to die in pointless wars started with bullshit justifications and not helping them when they come back. We are still trashing the environment and in the US we are actually rolling back most of the environmental protections. We still have way too many people trapped in a cycle of poverty and drugs. We still have "trigger happy policing" - in the US now we have the largest domestic police force at the national level (ICE) which is running around masked and kidnapping citizens and killing them on the streets of America. My biggest knock on this album is that musically so much of this seems the same. I know they are working on a common musical theme (i.e. "song cycle") but it seems a little like each song is the same music with different lyrics. Not exactly, but sort of. I "liked" one additional song while listening 3 times ("God is Love") - and still absolutely love the ones that I liked before. Liked songs on Spotify: 7/9 Rating: 4/5

so chill, light up my room

Legendarisch, maar iets te eentonig en ouderwets geworden

Smooooooth. Good songwriting on this one. Not quite as well produced as his later work, but in totality it's better than the next Marvin Gaye album on this list. Not super musically diverse, but does what it is well. Should have cut Right On from the release though, that song is tough to get through. 3.6/5

muy intuitivo, buenas sensaciones

Huge vibe, love the sound, but bit too much about Jesus.

3 stars for the music and 1 star for legend status. The first track is the best track.

I didn’t get a chance to listen to all of it but I do plan on it bc I know that it’s a great album

Easy listening but not a heavy rotation for me I don't think

Super solid album. One that I've always really enjoyed. The only thing that knocks it down a point is that it doesn't really have much in the way of variety. This however adds to its cohesiveness as an album. But I would definitely like it if some of the songs didn't feel like they were just a revisit of a previous one.,

Still a masterpiece all these years later. It hasn’t lost any of its impact. I respect it more than love it is the only criticism I have. 4

Great album. Never realized how religious the album was. Beautiful album structure with songs flowing into the next. Awesome listen

Krasse Banger Krasse Filler Zu lang

Cooles album

A eye opening album that talks about social construct and problems of the of different people and backgrounds an album that raises questions yet provides no answers but creates awareness that was previously banned from airwaves. A big step for the beginning of rap music genre

This was great, I want to spend more time with it but definitely potential for a 5 star if I can sit with it longer.

a great album

The transition from God is Love to Mercy Mercy made me literally cum

Taas sama ilmiö: nimi tuttu, itse musaan ei minkäänlaista kosketuspintaa. Kuitenkin tyylilaji paljolti odotetun kaltaista mutta paljon parempi kuin osasin odottaa! Ennen muuta itse musiikki kaikkine pienine nyansseineen ja ennen muuta percussioineen. Kutumusaa 😉🔥 Positiivinen 4/5

Really needed to revisit this. One of the greats soul wise, there's a lot to love. Brilliant record.

My rating 3.8. An album very much of a time. You can just hear the turbulence in the music with so much change that was happening in the U.S. He captured all of it, the good, the bad , and the ugly in this album.

yep

4 - WHAT A RIDE - I love everything about this album. Although the songs may not individually be single hits, the fluidity of the way it runs through is so much fun to enjoy. Marvin belting out "SAVE THE BABIES" over and over is so funny. Top songs: What's Going On / Save the Children / Right On

-Lebendiges Album -Streicher bis Saxophonparts -visualisiert Unzufriedenheit mit Politik auf entspannte, getragene Weise -wird nicht zu einseitig -7/10 -keine neuen Titel auf Playlist, aber nicht schlecht

Humanity hasn't learned a damn thing since this record came out.

Pleasant, butoccationally too cheesy.

It's pretty great, but too smooth.

GOATEDDDDD HOLY FRICKING GOATED AMAZING BANGER BANGER BANGER LOVE LOVE LOVEEEE

nice

śliczne to jest it sounds like the warmest hug on a lovely day beautiful writing and VOCALS

Good one

lovely, soothing, pleasant listening experience

Classic

'Inner City Blues' is CRAZY. Whole album is great. We love it.

Rentoa soulia. Sellasta kesäpäivän aurinkolasi soulia. Oispa aurinko. Tai kesä. Ja olut. Parhaat: What's Going On, Right On, Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)

A true classic, maybe a bit inconsistent, but such a great soulful sound. 4 Heard before? Yes Owned: Yes 51/221 (23%) Will I get: Maybe a nicer version

Here's another all-time classic that I'd never heard all the way through. I didn't dig the slower songs like 'Save the Children' nearly as much as the more upbeat ones, but this thing is just gorgeous front to back. Absolutely love the overall vibe.

Jazz funk kinda hype

Amazing record, soothing and groovy, each song flows into each other to make an out of body, orchestral, serene experience that will absolutely destroy you inside and out by the end.

CLASSIC

Beautiful combo of vocals and storytelling. I can hear other modern artists that have stolen this template for their records, Kendrick TPAB came to mind at times…

The sound was relaxing, I never felt curiosity about his music when I was younger. I really enjoyed this record. I feel the vive of the 70's

groovy. chill. legendary. chill. message.

I feel like I should like this more than I do. But, it's a good example of an album challenging the way I usually listen to music -- sound first, then lyrics. I think the lyrics are what matter here, and they sure are beautiful and poignant. I think the music itself leaves something to be desired, certainly more than I would have thought. But at the end of the day, it's an incredibly important album, and one that I'm glad I listened to. Fave tracks: - What's Going On - What's Happening Brother - Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) - Right On - Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)

Another one that I've heard many praises about- rightfully so! I was taken aback from the very first song all the way to the end. It felt like a nice dinner with friends, chill and magical. Favorites - “What’s Going On,” “God Is Love,” “Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)”

A great album. Genuinely a ton of fun to listen to Favorite Songs: God is Love, What's Going On

Soul concept album What's going on Flyin high Mercy mercy me

Pretty chill music overall which is what I expected. Good background music.

A step into what issues of the time would inspire someone to explore their sentiments with music and a sobering reminder that not much has changed in the over half-century since its release.

Me encantaron todas las canciones. Ed mi ritmo, solo le falto un toque para que pueda guardarlas (todas, xq si guardé algunas)

Father, father we don't need to escalate. You see, war is not the answer. - EAT Mr. GAYe

Oooo, this is a vibe!

It's clear why this is a classic. You can hear its influence in dozens, hundreds of later albums. I liked most of it, but thought the string sections were overwrought. Gaye's voice, though, is timeless.

Smooooth

Me gusta, pero no me impresiona.

Don’t get more soulful than this!

some great tunes. same social commentary can be applied to today (timeless?! :/ ) inner city blues is a jam.

All of the songs kinda have the same sound. But vocals are impressive. 7.6

One to crank up the stereo to. Groovy and soulful. Some of the tracks don't live up to the high points, and I'm not sure I'm as big a fan as lots of people seem to be, but a great album.

No. 366/1001 What's Going On 5/5 What's Happening Brother 4/5 Flyin'High 4/5 Save The Children 3/5 God Is Love 4/5 Mercy Mercy Me 4/5 Right On (2x) 4/5 Wholy Holy 3/5 Inner City Blues (2x) 4/5 Average: 3,91 Great record, hemes are still relevant. Deserves the recoginition it gets nowadays. Personally it just doesn't click with me enough to be among my all time favorites.

Already listened to this before, it's great but I prefer some Teddy Pendergrass. 7.5/10

So smooooooooth

This made me feel optimistic

Yes. Just yes.

Beautiful voice and incredibly mellow groove throughout, would listen again

Solid soul album. A bit more down tempo than my preference but still great.

fav songs: what’s going on mercy mercy me (the ecology) right on lush, circular, restrained, spiritual 80/100

Estilo musical muito bom Um álbum envolvente

Soul gospel og rnb. Det er et album hvor alle sangene har flydende overgange og fortæller en samlet historie som generelt handler om krig, kærlighed spiritualitet osv. det er et virkelig godt album og meget smukt musik. Natur lader det også som om og menneskers indflydelse på verden teknologisk osv. det er sgu meget godt og tidsløst det er helt sikkert. Det er ikke 100 % mig af en eller anden årsag. Jeg er f.eks. mere til superfly Curtis Mayfleld tror jeg, hvis det kommer til soul. Men det her er også virkelig godt.

What a banger out the door! It is a great album, doesn't move me as much as I thought it would. I like all the mixed instrumentation.

A stone cold classic album. But ... sometimes it seems a little Preach-y

This an incredible album from a timeless artist. It's message is still as important as when the album was made. Love it.

too much talk about God but overall, a banger album.

- Was really only familiar with What’s Going On, didn’t realize that this opener was a leading idea for the entire album - What a vibe, what a transport back in time to a moment in US history - Made me sad that we are still trying to solve all these same problems today, felt timeless in this plea - Jazz flute! - “Who really cares? Who’s willing try to save a world that’s destined to die?” -love that this can be interpreted as a call to action and throwing hands up in resignation - Surprised at how overtly religious the album is - continuous transitions between tracks makes it extra groovy - ran out of time to finish - Doesnt grab me sonically, but appreciate it for it’s thesis of love at a time where it was sorely needed!

Good vibes, easy to work to. A little samey.

I'm not gonna lie, part of this rating is peer pressure from knowing just what a classic this album is. But some of its earnestness hits me as unintentionally hilarious.

I mean what can you say about an album like this? Marvin was a beacon of soul, an avatar of rhythm. The grooves are so deep on here you run the risk of falling out between the notes. It's a wonderful album, but not totally consistent, at least to my ear. There are a couple tracks that kind of drag it down, and for it it'll get a 4/5 from me.

Great vibes start to finish.

8.5/10

Can you imagine being as cool as Marvin Gaye is in the 70’s? I can’t. But it’s fun to pretend for a while when you listen to the album.

Musically, 5 stars. -1 mark for the preachy God/Jesus bits

I would like to thank the 1001 albums generator for introducing me to a genuinely new experience: actively liking a soul album. It's a genre I've loathed my whole life, repelled by its inspid subject choices and flat rhythms. This is the opposite, a personal and political concept album that lays down some classic grooves beneath the swelling strings and soulful vocals.

I feel like Marvin was telling me a story, through his rhythms.

Groovy af. The bass goes hard af. Mfer has a voice of an angel. Easy listen. Chill vibes. Great when you're unwinding and want to listen to something relaxing.

Marvin knew what was going on

does marvin gaye have a clue fr? makes me wanna learn to slow dance

A construção do álbum como uma experiencia contínua é impressionante. Soul não é um gênero que escuto com frequência, mas é fácil perceber a qualidade dos intrumentalistas.

Already very familiar with this album given that it's one example of my mother's musical tastes rubbing off on me. An amazing soul album, and I can count myself as one of the many bass players who have stuck a foam mute on their bass trying to imitate James Jamerson's parts on this album. 8.5/10

So smooth. The title track is, of course, essential. Several other songs approach that quality. But there’s some real treacle on the album here and there, too.

4 / 5 stars thoughts while listening: - gaye has a very beautiful voice! - the instrumentation on this album is so fun and vibrant - i don't resonate really strongly with some of the messages in this album because i'm not really religious, but that's okay!

what's going on 1971 united states soul

That was beautiful, man.

Fine album. Great to relax to, it's groovy and full of sentiment. Might have to listen more than one time to digest the lyrics, which are the highlight of the album, considering when it was released.

Good overall but definitely some odd ones on here

4/5 Instrumentação linda: baixo e orquestra brilham. Os vocais de Marvin são, como sempre, primorosos.

Ja det här är bra! Som basist måste man ju nästan älska allt James Jamerson medverkar på. Gillar de sömlösa övergångarna också. Jag är inte är helt förtjust i God is love eller Save the children, men Whats going on och Mercy mercy me är ju verkligen bangers!

Bitvis enkelspårig ljudbild men overall är det nice, sweet smooth upplyftande

Silky smooth! Men är det världens bästa album någonsin som många hävdar? Nä.

Imbecill! Kättare! Grobian! Sötvattenspirat! Odåga! Blotare! Bondlurk! Dårhushjon! Enögda kannibal! Grottmänniska! Vrålapa! Pestråtta! Sabotör! Huuuuuur kan du bara he en stark fyra till världens bästa album?! Fuuuuuuuuuuu

Never listened to Marvin Gaye, so might as well start with his........11th album. Jesus. I really liked the concept of songs running into each other as it really helps to stay in the groove of what is a very aware album. I'm not a huge fan of motown, but i'll admit that somehow the motown beats with Marvin's vocals works really well and isn't AS annoying as a lot of R&B. The album covers a range of social problems plaguing the world and the US from Vietnam vets struggling after coming home, to environmental issues. Marvin had to have been one of the first artists to express concern about the changing environment. It's a nice album that touches on issues. My main problem with it is that all the songs are half thoughts and just come across as vapid. It feels like Miss America type statements that initially sound awesome......but dissolve as they continue. Save The Children starts with a great concept of the overall pointlessness of everything when the planet is eventually going to die anyway, but if we really care, we should at least take care of things for future generations (the children). From there the song just devolves into generic cries about saving the children, saving the babies. What's Happening Brother suffers the same fate with a great concept of the issues vets face when coming home with homelessness and unemployment etc and he touches on this........and then the song peters out as if he had a great thought but didn't know enough about it to expand. I dunno, the album sounds good, but the writing is lacking for me. This kind of musing may have been revolutionary in 1971, but today it just sounds like pandering or virtue signaling on social media. "I'll just throw out a #savethechildren and there, i've done my part." Obviously that is reductive, and I know Marvin was a sensitive soul that did actually care about people and has done a lot of good through his music, but I just wanted a bit more from these songs.

The great songs on here are among the best ever. What’s Going On, Mercy Mercy Me, Inner City Blues. Man, how appropriate for our times today, too.

Amazing album, felt immediately moved from the first track. Powerful and way ahead of it's time. 9.5/10. Only wish it had more songs to listen to.

In za zaključek tedna, Marvin Gaye! Dober teden. Tale album sm leta nazaj že poslušala, ampak se slabo spomnim. "What's Going On" - dober in še vedno relevanten. U, lep seamless prehod med drugim in tretjim komadom. In med tretjim in četrtim. In še tako naprej. Najs. (Taka napol distopična misel, ampak kokr k najdeš youtube kanal, kjer nekdo vrti plošče neke pol ure in ni nobenih reklam.) "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" mi je mogoč pikico ljubši k prvi komad. In to zaključi prvo polovico albuma. Drugi komad ( "What's Happening Brother") mogoč mal preveč spominja na prvega in nasplošno je mogoč celo preveč tight celotna kohezija albuma. Sicer pa, čudovit album.

As pertinent today as it was when it was first released.

Listened to it on repeat SEVERAL times because I got a bit distracted lol. Kind of preachy but I liked it.

I like this because it feels different from this list.

Yes, of course, obviously.

I feel like this was the first album in a minute that I've really enjoyed like in at least a week. I was still exhausted when I listened, but there's such a warm and inviting tone to the album that really just feels very comfortable. Favorites: Flyin' High (In the Friendly Sky), Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology), Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)

"What's Going On" is one of the all-time great songs. The background chatter makes it feel like you've walked into an ongoing conversation at a party. There's sax, bass, soul, jazz, and even scatting building up a pretty vibrant blend of sound. But it's the shifts just after the chorus that really define the song. These jazz-fuelled diversions pull the music slightly off balance, like a musical representation of the turmoil on the streets at the time, the civil unrest that begged the question what's going on? It's a testament to this song, and equally depressing, that the lyrics work so well when applied to the goings on of today still. The whole album is centered around the title track, intentionally so. It's apparently soul music's first concept album, with each song flowing into the next, with a singular lyrical and musical vision throughout. The musical themes of the title song echo through "Mercy Mercy Me" and "Inner City Blues" (coincidentally the other two standout tracks on the record). Rolling Stone have named this as the best album of all time. I wouldn't go that far. A lot of the songs here don't really stand up too well on their own. But as a complete piece, those weaker songs work to supplement and build the impact of the title track and the themes that it introduced. It all comes together to create a politically charged piece, that (unfortunately) is still very relevant today.

So good

I LOVEEEE I LOVEEE I LOVE I LOVE I LOVE

Good, chilled out vibe.

This is such a heartfelt, soulful album with a great groove throughout. Marvin's voice is 👌 The songs segue into one another nicely too, making it feel like one 35-minute-long musical experience. My top song on the album is Wholy Holy. It's so peaceful.

This was such a smooth album

Marvin got groove, but also talks about Jesus a bit too much... Just let me enjoy the tunes man, save it for Sunday. I could see this one growing on me over time though though, some of the instrumental sections were tight.

beautiful but edgy

Honestly, 3 great tunes and the rest just riding on vibes. Thought this was going to be a slam dunk 5 but ended up middle of the road 4

This entire album feels like one continues amazing song. Such a vibe.

Probably it would be three on first listen but i think i would really like it if i listened again for some time. Also love the intro and the unusual percussions

amazing listen from start to finish

This album made me feel like I was flying

very nice. album that flows, didnt know when songs were changing. beautiful

Probably the most sonically cohesive album I’ve listened to so far with this, but this album didn’t really get any emotional response out of me so I can’t give it any higher than a 4

This album is incredible. I feel so much soul and groove from marvin's voice and instrumentals. wow. Loved the first track, what a great start to the album! The use of strings, saxaphone, flutes throughout this album in contrast with these chord progressions scratch an itch in my brain. it just works.

Marvin Gaye has a phenomenal voice and it’s so cool how all the songs flow into each other in the album. Favorite song was What’s Going On and What’s Happening Brother was a close second.

A lot of enjoyable tracks.

This was the vibe, ohhh I loved it

vibey, good album. i listen with the overlay thing where the songs overlap for a couple seconds or whatever and this is one of the best albumbs i've listened to with that. like, save the children into god is love??? crazy favorite song: flyin' high

4.499999/5 stars

Nice and beautiful album of one of the greatest soul musicians.

Muito bom

ima prelep glas, sviđa mi se kako gradi melodije i harmonije instrumenti, i produkcija generalno, super zvuče ovaj žanr, neki soul/r&b, je uvek lep za slušanje, opusti me prosto peva, koliko sam pokupila, o svetu i ljudima i društvu i to je lepa promena, za mene barem sviđa mi se kako skoro svaka pesma prelazi u drugu skoro neprimetno u right on u desnom uvu mi drka neki kao narezani lenjir i to mi smeta ali sem toga nemam neke kritike omiljena pesma možda inner city blues? ne razlikuju se previše pesme pa nisam nešto pamtila po nazivima, ali mi je to skroz ok, ovo je više kao jedna pesma od pola sata nego album, sviđa mi se to

BEAUTIFUL. I thought it was well done for something of its time. It gave a funky groovy vibe which i enjoyed but at some moments it felt repetitive to me. Other than that, i most enjoyed save the children

Too drunk to comment

Incredible album ! Was blown away by the musicianship Marvin’s vocals are just gorgeous particularly on mercy mercy , what’s going on Right on They seem to dance beautifully around James Jamersons bass lines notably on the opener what’s going on Save the children had some great string section moments and Marvin displayed such emotion in his vocals The jam on the track right on I loved Some interesting chords kept me so interested in where the music was going next Will be giving this many more listens in the future

Album was really good. I had already heard the hits off this album growing up! I really like how the entire album blended together into one big song. Marvin’s voice is majestic as always.

What a way to start the album. Save the Children - love the effect of having the calls to action vocalised as an echo such an effective choice. As cohesive as albums get this is IT. There is an eerie sound that runs through all of the tracks it's calming but stands out making you pay attention to what he is actually saying. In a way I interpret it as a sound of hope - it is calms us but is so uncertain. The flow between tracks is so seamless when you recognise it changing I genuinely was like "what's going on". Fav song - What's Going On Overall 7.5/10

Sympa. À réécouter

1/8/26, 9:08 PM, Algebra 2 HW 1. What's Going On - 8/10: Really nice, soft, relaxing and smooth track. 2. What's Happening Brother - 7/10: Relatively similar to the first. 3. Flyin' High (In The Friendly Sky) - 6.7/10 - Forgettable, but still not bad. 4. Save the Children - 8.3 / 10 - Really like the talking in between singing. 5. God Is Love - Just an interlude, so too short to rate. Seems forgettable. 6. Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) - 6.5/10 : Forgettable, but easy on the ears. 7. Right On - 6/10 : Too long for me, sounds like the rest of the album. 8 Wholy Holy - 7/10 : Not bad track either, but sounds like the rest of the album. 9. Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) - 7/10 : I mean, it's not bad. It just sounds literally the same as everything else.

Me siento sacada de una romcom o una serie de los noventa,aunque el álbum se sienta un poco corto son puros temazos,pero que triste que lo mató su padre( Es un poco irónico por algunas partes de god is love).

4 just for the title track and Mercy Mercy Me. Rest of the album is good but not quite up to those singles

If I’m truthful, Marvin Gaye’s music has never been very interesting to me. It all kind of sounds the same, so I was excited to listen to this one because I’m determined to acquire a taste for it. I used to feel the same about Frank Ocean. I couldn’t really hear what made it unique until I listened to it a lot, and now he’s one of my favorite artists. I think this album was a good introduction; it’s short and sweet. His lyrics are genuine, hopeful, and call for peace- the accompaniment reflects that. Whatever instruments I’m hearing (flutes, strings etc.) create a really magical sound at times. He also just has a really soothing voice. This album brought to mind a few artists that I think may have been influenced by Marvin Gaye including the aforementioned Frank Ocean and Michael Kiwanuka. Fave tracks: What’s Going On, What’s Happening Brother, Right On, Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)

Chill stuff

7/10, enjoyable but not my deal

Marvin’s got the vibes.

Suitable for; reading; sleeping; working; drinking wine and chatting.

First few seconds of the first song 'What's going on' my first thought was: not for me. BUT WOAH it switched up. On the third song right now and it's got a really nice flow. Fucking love these instruments too and his voice too like DAMN. Still the instruments are so whimsical. Very chill album and I will definitely save this to listen to it again.

Well as ive heard from the entire world this should be a slam dunk and to me its good but its not perfect. And that shocked me a bit. This is always lauded as one of the best records of all time. And everything here is very good but only the big ones grab me. The title track, mercy me, and inner city blues got me. And the funny thing is looking at the most listened songs on his page its these 3. Im basic as hell I guess. The other songs are all good too just not that noteworthy to me at least. And thats just kinda disappointing. Thats the undertones of the record as a whole for me. It should get me much more than it does. Not that the 4 is a bad look but still has a bad feeling about it

Première écoute de ce classique, le son est très semblable à l'idée que je m'en était fait. C'est agréable à écouter, une musique toujours jazz et parfois funk.

A great album to get in the mood for NYE

Impecável 4/5 estrelas Destaque para a percussão de Right On

It's funny, because just recently I saw a Spotify playlist called "Marvin Gaye's clueless ass" with song titles asking questions including the first two here. ("What's Going On" and "What's Happening Brother") Old Soul, R&B, is not something that normally appeals to me, but this is good stuff. Very evocative of the times and yet timeless. It's easy-going but in a pleasant way.

gezellig, groovy, happy

This album feels like listening to a preacher but ironically enough you don’t want to leave cuz you’re actually intrigued but whatever he’s saying so you keep listening you’re trying to figure out why the way he talks makes you oscillating between states you feel now joy and happiness but after you fall into despair and anguish towards the world you stay till the end but when you leave you find yourself thinking about what he meant when he said a place when love is king

Nice and relaxing to listen to whilst recovering from a hectic Christmas. Really enjoyed this one

Bueno, pero la diferencia entre What's Going On y el resto de canciones es muy grande

Good stuff

I liked the overall vibes in this one.

I love this guy's voice. It is soulful and creates a mood beautifully. The album made a great soundtrack to the post Christmas recovery in our house.

Impactful.

This is a good album. Very refreshing to hear a full album lacking any romantic love songs. Four stars. (Favorite track: What's Going On.)

A classic, but not quite an all-time listen for me

8,5/10

Very nice songs😽 Really like them because they're sometimes relaxed but also catchy at the same time 🙏🏼 Jazz like (I don't really know😔)

SOUL. There's no genre quite like it, and Marvin Gaye delivers on its promise in spades.

This is a great album. I love the loose feel of the playing and wow, can Marvin sing! The political themes are (sadly) even more relevant today. He'd still be asking what's going on if he were around today.

marvin gaye my goat

I like this album because I’m a big fan of Marvin Gaye

Not what i normally listen to but i enjoyed it a lot

Jazz flute!

i like the jazzy bits

Respect.

This album is a 3.5, but because of the title song, it gets the nudge.

This album is difficult to rate, because the title song is one of the best soul songs ever, but the album loses steam as it goes along. The first few songs are 5 stars, the end of the album is 3 stars. I'll take the average on this and call it a 4 star album.

Did we not already do this? The irony of giving three 5s in a row to then not give one of the most critically acclaimed albums of all time one is not lost on me. I just don’t think I vibe with soul music. The concept of this album is incredible, the lyricism is as well, smooth as hell, I just wouldn’t reach for this to listen to it outside of the list.

easy on the ears like the political aspect of the lyrics especially with what was going on at the time, also giving an escape from reality.

soulzy

Suave

A classic.

Obviously, one of the most heralded albums of all time. My only issue with is it is that there is so much oversinging that it's hard to suss out what is being sung at any time. It's an album requiring multiple listens to really get the feel of the musicality. Message-wise, it seems to be a solid fare. I get tones of civil unrest and pining for something better. I'm sure when it came out it was revolutionary. Hell, it even rings true these days as well. I can see myself going back to this. Nothing about it is offensive and largely a beautiful offering.

4 out of 5. I see why this album is so highly regarded now, what an experience.

1. What's Going On - Very pleasant. Not the biggest fan of the background talking and the onomatopeia stuff in the latter part 2. What's Happening Brother - This was an even more pleasant listening experience all the way through than the last one 3. Flyin' High - Another very nice track. More moody than the last two which I like a lot. Forerunner for favorite track. 4. Save the Children - Continuing with the moody atmosphere. Not as much to my taste as the previous one. Except that the instrumental gets reeeally nice at the end 5. God is Love - Don't really have a lot to say about this one. It's a short one and the religious themes don't really appeal to me. 6. Mercy Mercy Me - Even though this one could also be seen as a pretty religious song, it's more subdued than the last one, and all in all, this is another very pleasant listening experience. Another possible favorite. 7. Right On - Pretty fun. It's a longer one, but has interesting enough sound and distinct parts to keep me engaged all the way through. 8. Wholy Holy - Veeery calming. Again, the explicit religious stuff is a bit off-putting for me. 9. Inner City Blues - I like this a lot! Another fave contender definitely. Summary: A very pleasant and nice listening experience. Marvin Gaye is one of those artists that I have heard of a lot and of course has some recognizable songs (though I had to check the discography, couldn't name any off the top of my head), but all of the song in this album were new to me. I could see myself tuning into his discography again in the future if the mood strikes me.

I really enjoyed this one. Marvin’s voice is unctuous. The arrangements and backing harmonies are first class. Hopefully I’ll remember to pull this one out for a dinner party sometime soon.

Classic soul from the master awesome vocals on this man

Pretty outstanding - even an atheist can dig Marvin Gaye’s gospel inspired sound.

This is one of those super influential and experimental albums that everyone should have to listen to from start to finish. It's such a shame Marvin Gaye was taken from us so young. It would have been amazing to see what his musical journey would have looked like.

Two Marvin Gaye albums in a row. This one is a fair bit better than "Here, My Dear" that I listened to yesterday. That being said, a couple tracks really fell flat for me ("Save the Children" and "Wholly Holy"), and "What's Happening Brother?" felt so much like just a variation of "What's Going On?" that I thought I had accidentally hit the replay button...so it still *only* ranks as a 4/5 for me.

A classic. still solid. A little too polished and intentional for it to be a 5 for me, but still great.

It's just very, very good.

4 stars, totally my jam

Man, when you talk about albums with high expectations - this is definitely considered in the top 10 best albums of all time on nearly every list I've ever seen. I guess that's why say never meet your heroes, because this was certainly not as good as I was expecting. Don't get me wrong, every song on here is fantastic, though I was a bit bored during Flyin High, but it's just missing that pizzazz that inclines me to giving this a 5. Maybe I need to listen to it a couple more times but I just don't feel what makes this album "perfect". I think I'm going to put a spoke in this review and relisten in a few months, since I feel like this will grow on me. Regardless, awesome album and great listen, will certainly be coming back to see if I can get it to the 5 I'm sure it deserves.

Im not gay, i just wanna boogie to some Marvin

3.5

This album is a departure from Marvin’s earlier Motown pop music, as he moved into singing about social and climate issues with this album. One track leads into the next, so it seems the album is connected by the music and the stories he is telling. Good music.

Very chill vibe, amazing for city walls on a winter morning, or just music to chill, overall a solid 7/10

Love this, particularly last track inner city blues. Simple, elegant, cohesive, really captured the essence of the time.

Arrasou, sinto muito

I really liked the vocals on save the children. The whole album has a gospel feel. I always enjoy a good saxophone too.

Yes

good but a bit repetitive

I am alright, thanks, Marvin the Homosexual. What's up?