Greatest Album of All Time Turns 55 Years Old (And No, It's Not ‘Thriller')

In a world again bitten by the Michael Jackson bug in light of the massive success of his biopic Michaeland the resurgence of his widely-celebrated music catalog, it's easy to assume the King of Pop also had the greatest album in history. Especially when you consider that Thriller is the best-selling album of all time. However, while many experts think highly of Thriller, a masterpiece from Motown legend Marvin Gaye has been dubbed by several experts as the greatest album of all time, including Rolling Stone. So what's this phenomenal body of work?

Marvin Gaye's ‘What's Going On' Was Released 55 Years Ago

On May 21, 1971, Gaye released his eleventh studio album, What's Going On, via Tamla Records, a subsidiary of Motown Records. The project was quite nuanced at the time of its release, as it touched on several social injustices of the time and the highly unpopular Vietnam War. Rolling Stone called it "Soul music's first concept album, and one of the most important and influential LPs ever made." Additionally, Grammy-winner John Legend once labelled it, "The voice of Black America speaking out that we couldn't always smile on cue for you."

Looking at the tracklist of What's Going On, you'll find hits like "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)," "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)," and, of course, the title track, "What's Going On," all of which charted in the top 10 on Billboard's Hot 100 and peaked at #1 on Billboard's R&B chart.

What Inspired Marvin Gaye to Write ‘What's Going On?'

Again, Gaye's album was celebrated for its willingness to speak to the issues plaguing society. Per NPR, Gaye was greatly inspired to write the songs of the project by several factors that were bothering him in the 70s.

His brother Frankie returned from the Vietnam War with some haunting memories and a changed outlook. Additionally, Gaye saw the ongoing reality of poverty in this country and, as a Black man in America, had a personal investment in the ongoing struggle for civil rights. Plus, his friend and frequent collaborator, Tammi Terrell, died from complications of a brain tumor that was discovered after she collapsed on stage in his arms.

On an interesting note, the head of Motown at the time, Berry Gordy, wasn't widely sold on Gaye's direction for the album or the title track. Once more, looking to NPR:

"Motown, and in particular label head Gordy, didn't understand ‘What's Going On.' The label sat on it for months, until Gaye threatened he'd never record there again. When the single and album finally did reach the marketplace, both exploded."

Good thing Gaye stuck to his guns. Make sure you go to your favorite music platform and stream What's Going On today.

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This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 21, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published May 21, 2026 at 3:00 AM.