MARVIN GAYE TOPS ROLLING STONE’S LIST OF ‘500 GREATEST ALBUMS OF ALL-TIME’

​A Motown artist’s album has been ranked as the greatest in music history. Rolling Stone just released its new list of the 500 greatest albums of all-time. Not only does a Motown artist top the list, but another Motown legend ranks in the top five.
Rolling Stone originally published its list of 500 Greatest Albums of All Time in 2003. “No list is definitive, so we decided to remake it from scratch,” the music publication wrote on Twitter.
At number 1 is “What’s Going On” by Marvin Gaye. Released in 1971 on Motown’s subsidiary label Tamla, this album ranked number six on Rolling Stone’s top 500 list in 2003.
“Motown Records founder Berry Gordy initially resisted releasing “What’s Going On,” telling Gaye that he thought scatting was out of date and protest lyrics were too commercially risky,” Rolling Stone wrote about the album. “But when the song became an instant hit, Gordy gave Gaye a single month to craft an album to accompany “What’s Going On.” Gaye more than rose to the challenge.”
“What’s Going On” reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. The album’s second single, “Mercy Mercy Me” peaked at number 4. “Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)” topped out at number 9. “Save The Children” peaked at number 41 in the U.K. and was not released as a single in the U.S.
“What emerged was soul music’s first concept album, and one of the most important and influential LPs ever made,” Rolling Stone added. “After “What’s Going On,” Black musicians at Motown and elsewhere felt a new freedom to push the musical and political boundaries of their art.”
Rolling Stone ranked “Pet Sounds” by The Beach Boys at number two, followed by Joni Mitchell’s “Blue” at number three. Motown’s Stevie Wonder comes in at number four with “Songs in the Key of Life." It featured hits “I Wish,” “Isn’t She Lovely" and “Sir Duke."
Rounding out the top 10 are The Beatles “Abbey Road," “Nevermind” by Nirvana, Fleetwood Mac’s, “Rumours," “Purple Rain” by Prince and the Revolution, Bob Dylan’s “Blood on the Tracks” and Lauryn Hill’s “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.”
Other artists associated with Michigan in the top 100 are Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” at number 12, Aretha Franklin’s “I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You” at number 13, Stevie Wonder’s “Innervisions” at 34, Michael Jackson’s “Off The Wall” at 36, Stevie Wonder’s “Talking Book” at 59, Aretha Franklin’s “Lady Soul” at 75 and The Stooges “Fun House” at 94.
You can see the entire top 500 list here.