1971 Album Ranked 'Greatest Album of All Time' — And It Still Holds Up

One of the most talented singers in music history released a 1971 album that has become a timeless masterpiece. Marvin Gaye's 'What's Going On' has been ranked the best album ever released.

Who Named Marvin Gaye's 'What's Going On' the 'Greatest Album of All Time'

On December 31, 2023, Rolling Stone published its updated ranking of "the 500 greatest albums of all time." The exhaustive list featured collections of songs from some of the most respected performers, groups, and bands in music history. Surpassing them all, Marvin Gaye's 'What's Going On' claimed the No. 1 spot.

The Top 20: Rolling Stone's "Greatest Albums of All Time"

• 1. Marvin Gaye, ‘What’s Going On’ (1971)
• 2. The Beach Boys, ‘Pet Sounds’ (1966)
• 3. Joni Mitchell, ‘Blue’ (1971)
• 4. Stevie Wonder, ‘Songs in the Key of Life’ (1976)
• 5. The Beatles, ‘Abbey Road’ (1969)
• 6. Nirvana, ‘Nevermind’ (1991)
• 7. Fleetwood Mac, ‘Rumours’ (1977)
• 8. Prince and the Revolution, ‘Purple Rain’ (1984)
• 9. Bob Dylan, ‘Blood on the Tracks’ (1975)
• 10. Lauryn Hill, ‘The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill’ (1998)
• 11. The Beatles, ‘Revolver’ (1966)
• 12. Michael Jackson, ‘Thriller’ (1982)
• 13. Aretha Franklin, ‘I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You’ (1967)
• 14. The Rolling Stones, ‘Exile on Main Street’ (1972)
• 15. Public Enemy, ‘It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back’ (1988)
• 16. The Clash, ‘London Calling’ (1979)
• 17. Kanye West, ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy’ (2010)
• 18. Bob Dylan, ‘Highway 61 Revisited’ (1965)
• 19. Kendrick Lamar, ‘To Pimp a Butterfly’ (2015)
• 20. Radiohead, ‘Kid A’ (2000)

What Makes Marvin Gaye's 'What's Going On' Still Hold Up 55 Years Later

Originally released on May 21, 1971, it has now been just short of 55 years since the world first got to hear Marvin Gaye's 'What's Going On.' Despite its age, the album remains just as powerful today for a very simple, it combines meaningful lyrics, gorgeous arrangements, and one of the most beloved voices ever. Another key to its success is the energy it possesses. Recorded in just a month, aside from the title track, that sense of urgency comes through in the songs.

Rolling Stone quoted Gaye telling the Detroit Free Press at the time what drove him when he was creating the iconic album. “I work best under pressure and when I’m depressed. The world’s never been as depressing as it is right now. We’re killing the planet, killing our young men in the streets, and going to war around the world. Human rights … that’s the theme.”

Sadly, part of the reason why the album still feels so viscerally important is that Gaye channeled those emotions as he sang about topics that still fell all too real. The record examines themes like police brutality, systemic racism, environmental destruction, poverty, and the emotional toll of war. An album that feels that human, emotional, and raw while tackling such important subjects is the kind of art that will continue to connect with people for generations.