What's Going On

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

pre-listening: hey, i know that guy and that song! 1971 1: ah man does this song alone constitute 4 stars? beautiful voice and subject matter 2: same vibe as first song. like a part two. like maybe it was the same song LOL 3: gentle but not as inspired 4: well now this not only makes me wanna live for the future but also wonder if it was anti abortion? what a weird combo 5: Proof that God doe imbue some with the power of music 6: Another religious song that bops i fear. 7 & 8: didnt pay much attention nor did they pull me in 9: This one did tho. again speaking to peoples lives. slow heavy beat and beautiful voice. A 4 for me chief.

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.

Notable Textzeile: Who really cares? Who's willing to try? To save the world That's destined to die Was für realistischer, klarsichtige, niederschmetternde Texte, die hier in das süßeste Gewand gekleidet werden. Oft etwas zu süß für meinen Geschmack, aber ich habe großen Respekt vor der Entscheidung und konsequenten Umsetzung. Und könnte ohne den God-Part gut leben, in dieser Welt scheint er uns nicht mehr zu retten. Trotzdem außergewöhnlich. 3,5 wird zu

I listened to this on a rainy bus ride to my friend’s celebration of life. Great soul and R&B tunes. Inspired flourishes that make What’s Going On sound like nothing else.

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!

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?

Peak

3.5

I have Let's Get It On, the other Marvin Gaye album I've heard for this already for this project, just a smidge higher than this one. I do think though the message on this is King it is actually message wise one of the best protest albums ever written. My personal favorite song of his all around is "Mercy Me" which absolutely Shines on this even with its kind of orchestral psychedelia that it does towards the end. It's too dark to be Soul strings but really fits the mood of the conflict. If I got to say why this one's probably a little bit less it's mainly because most of the sounds sound very similar on this whereas on let's get it on there's more of a variety but I do think on this one the message is King and it is a good album even even though it's a bit samey at times. 9.6 ★★★★½

A really nice and important soul album. The bass playing is especially great. 4.5 stars

I think this is a really good album. The title track, "Mercy Mercy Me", and "Inner City Blues" are all great, but some of the deeper cuts like "Save the Children" and "Wholy Holy" I'm much less high on. 4 stars.

4.5

Very luscious, soul-searching, mankind-saving vibes on this one and an outright classic fo sure in lots of ways. It would be a 5/5 for vibes but maybe only a 3.5/5 in terms of actual iconic, heavy hitting bangers. There are 3 different ones (oink) - one right at the start with the title track, right in the middle with Mercy, Mercy, Me and right and the end with Inner City Blues. The other tracks tend to blend together into this groovy but gloopy elevator motown gravy. First side is a suite of increasingly elevatorish versions of the same song and on side two you have Wholy Holy as the most elevatorish nadir. Despite the elevatorish drawbacks I have to say because of the high points this is still a quite splendid listen.

Anyone who gives this fewer than four starts is either racist or dead inside—or, sure, has some incisive and thoughtful critique that eludes me because I don't really know shit about music. To that point, I don't think I ever realized before today that this album is kind of just one long amazing song. That's neat.

Anymore I get annoyed when the albums are this obviously "save the world", "everybody love everybody", and "will someone please think of the children", but when it sounds this damn good with peak Motown productions and put through Marvin Gaye's sultry voice it plays. Orchestras add such depth to anything they're on (see Gordon Lightfoot before and after stringed production). Half-assed internet research also reveals that three Detroit Lions sang backing vocals on the title track. How about that.

Can't go wrong with mr Gaye, no bad songs but a few didn't hit as much as his more popular songs did

This cat knew EXACTLY what was going on. Highlight was "right on" even though everything here was silky and soulful. My one off put was the more religious leaning parts, not that the content was bad, just felt like they didn't hit quite the same. 4.5

Got to listen to this in Spatial Audio. A true masterpiece. Wow his voice is so good.

Very soothing with some powerful messaging.

Very Christian

The king of baby making music

Very chill and groovy, with great messages/lyrics. What is actually going on??

This dude is confused asf Favorite Track: Inner City Blues

i enjoyed this it was nice and smooth and he has a really good voice - don’t know if i’ll listen to it again but i thought it was a really enjoyable listen

Lovely

Just a great unified progressive soul soundscape, almost a play of progressive soul

01) What's Going On - 10,0 02) What's Happening Brother - 8,0 03) Flyin' High (In the Friendly Sky) - 7,0 04) Save the Children - 7,0 05) God Is Love - 7,0 06) Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) - 10,0 07) Right On - 7,5 08) Wholy Holy - 7,0 09) Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) - 8,0 TOTAL: 7,94 (79/100) Current ranking: 220/714

First listen, but listened to it again later in the day. I think I'm a lot worse at describing what I do like about an album than what I do like about it. What's Going On has been on my list for a while, and I'm glad it was recommended; it's a stunning record! Gaye's voice, and the harmonies on the strings are absolutely beautiful. The sound overall is measured, and tasteful, but not to the extent that it becomes dull in the slightest. I also love the contrast between the haunting, angelic sonic palate, and the often plaintive lyrics. There's an intensely bittersweet yearning to the whole thing, and although it overflows just as readily with faith, and hope for a better future, it never comes across as naive about the sorry state of the world it is criticizing. What's Going On is also superbly paced. The first six tracks flow into each other nicely (I love it when an album does that, it's so exciting!), and Right On being a groovier, more rhythmic track than the ones that precede it saves the whole thing from becoming perhaps a little bit too languorous. Overall, the last three songs are certainly more understated than the rest, I feel, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, though I do like the first six a smidge more. I actually enjoyed my first listen better than the second, which is kind of rare for me. For that reason, I'm not sure if it'll grow on me over time to the extent that most albums do; but thankfully, I already like it a lot. Fav. Track: What's Going On

I like Marvin Gaye for the cultural relevance, the emotion and depth of the lyrics and his fantastic voice. This is a great album, but I just don’t see myself listening to it very often. 4⭐️

Hard not to bump this one up based on his talent alone

Already knew the artist and part of the album. Relaxing, souly, the lyrics are kind of cringey sometimes. Nothing really bad to say about this one though. Not the best album I've ever heard, too.

A bona fide classic. Not much else to say.

it all flows together perfectly like a big orchestral piece and feels more like a meditation on the thesis of the album as defined by the opening titular track, than it does an album with many distinct songs. for that reason many of them blended together and i couldn't always tell that the song had ended and changed to a new one, but once i let go of the expectation that it would be a conventional album like that, then i really enjoyed it and appreciated it as a whole. this definitely has to be listened to in full and in order. Fav tracks: What's Going On, Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)

A good album that's a nice listen with messages that are honestly still relevant today. Can't deny that Marvin Gaye is an icon, but through no fault of his own this isn't really my type of music so it's not quite 5 stars for me.

A little too religious at times but a great album

Fun, timeless soul. As always, still relevant. Great singer and artist. Gone too soon.

This album is a 35-minute-long song in the best and worst sense possible. It is a kick-ass song indeed, but it lacks the tonal diversity that I believe all five-star records require. I'm ranking this as a four-and-a-half-star album because of its musical excellence. However, I must admit that I believe that its social relevance has a greater weight than its music when we think about this album. It is not bad per se, just felt it was something important to point out.

This is a short album, but somehow it still starts out stronger than it finishes. It's a great album, but not a 5.

Enjoyable overall, but doesn't do enough to absolutely love it.

What's Going On is a very good album worthy of many accolades. However, I do have one bone to pick which is with "Save The Children," which contains one of my most disliked song topics: children. I will simply have to defer to Norm Macdonald for the rest of this review: When I was a child, they said 'The children are our future.' Then I grew up and they said, 'No, actually, it's these other children.' I know a Ponzi scheme when I see it.

C'est étonnant la décontraction de cette album Le mec est trop chill mais les sons sont oufs et politiques (parfois)

I have dipped in and out if this before and found some of the production quite overblown... However...when it hits its groove it's incredible.

Smooth easy listening, no standouts though.

Really cool love the music and the vibe the only thing that’s holds it back for me it how much religious songs there were

Captures the mood of the early seventies with some great vocals and arrangements. The title track is still the standout for me on a very soulful album.

Very good album

Still missing you, Marvin ♾️ What's Going On ♾️ Mercy, Mercy Me

This was a nice classic sound. Felt like i was sat in a conversation pit having a cocktail

Nice. Very mellow protest album

excellent listen

His eleventh album. Soul. The themes are powerful and Gaye seems very heartfelt. The album is cohesive and the vocals are wonderful. There's no stand out track for me. Theis album requires listening to as a whole. Beautifully done !

Classic for a reason, really love the production and songwriting, the voice at times a bit too melodramatic for me.

This man’s voice is absolutely gorgeous. Mercy Mercy is one of my favorites of his. That said, there are some tracks on this album that I don’t enjoy all that much, which stops it from getting all 5 stars.

Great voice, needs another go.

Marvin Gaye singing about praying is surprisingly almost as compelling as Marvin Gaye singing about fucking.

4 stars

Slightly weaker than other Marvin Gaye albums, but still really good.

Great album full of soul 4.5⭐️

It is a classic for sure. I didn't want to replay it as soon as it was over, and a little bit too much Jesus for me. 4.5 stars.

I mean it's Marvin Gaye. How could this not get four stars?

was good. this one should probably be on this list.

Smooth music. Good sound.

Always hits

Still holding out for the same optimism now. I enjoyed it but it wouldn’t be an album I’d listen to a lot but great singles off it.

Starts on an incredible high and kinda floats along musically at this blissful high point for the whole album. It delivers when it touches on explicitly political elements, the commentary is moving and doesn't take you out of the music at all. It really does feel (perhaps unfortunately for us) like everything talked about here could be relevant for today. While that's very depressing it seems like this record will be timeless.

A truly remarkable album by one of the most attractive voices to ever pick up a microphone. It might sound corny but as I hear the first lyrics of "What's Going On", I feel parts of me start to calm and melt a bit; I feel a warmth and a joy and my early morning restless leg shake start to relax. As the song builds and energizes, I'm feeling my eyes wander away from my work laptop and onto the album art of this beautiful man sharing his craft. This music is taking me away from my stresses, and I am thankful. I love the jammy "Right On". It's a great little laid back track to groove to. This album has a nice blend of songs that groove on by and then songs that stick around in your head. This is a difficult one to rate for me. "What's Going On" is a really special song, and there are no other weak points on the record as far as I'm concerned. Marvin Gaye was a special artist, but I feel that this isn't his best work- and that "United" is. With that being said, I think this is a strong 4, and just short of being high enough for a round up to 5/5.

Great, easy-listening album

Marvin Gaye always trying to grasp what is happening... Love it

So light and deft while also being socially conscious - and interesting mix

I loved the song “What’s Going On” as a kid. I remember my Dad explaining what he was singing about to me, and learning that music could be political and have important messaging.

Sublime. 4/5

Это отличный альбом и я его буду точно переслушивать еще много раз. Такую кайфовую музыку мало кто может сделать! Закрываешь глаза и вот ты едешь по серпантину вдоль лазурного побережья средиземного моря на красном кабриолете. Это прекрасно. Тем не менее, темы в текстах затрагиваются серьезные и за это тоже выражаю респект. Отличная запись.

How the hell did we go from this to what passes for music in 2 generations? Pure Motown. Is it the greatest album of all time (per Rilling Stone) no, but it is damned fine and thoroughly enjoyable, as well as historically relevant.

It's definitely good, I'm a little dubious on being #1 all time Will I listen to again: 84%

Classic. Bought this at the Rideau place mall (?)

Good soul album

Absolutely amazing!

Great stuff, didn't realize it was kind of a theme album

Muy lindo.

226/1089 - Very lush and rich, a bit too much sometimes with the strings and choir. Singing is impeccable and the backing band is great, especially the bass player.

Not so long ago, about four and five months, I listened to the track 'Ain't no Mountain High Enough'. An incredibly sweet track, but I thought it sounded a bit crispy, probably because the technological limitations from that time. This made me wonder if this album could suffer from the same issues. Nothing could prepare me for how good this album sounds. In fact, it sounds so good, it made me question if this record was produced in heaven. Everything is so clear and beautiful. The singing, the bells, the choirs... The lyrics too! with the main subject being to love and care for everyone. A very sweet and groovy album. The only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because there is still room for it to grow on me and I don't think it hit me like other records in the 'favourite' category did.

It's a seminal and massively influential album, full of soaring melodies and layers of beautiful instrumentation. It does stray into the "cheesy" from time to time, that's for sure. I don't think it's Gaye's strongest work, even if it is his most famous and praised.