Marvin Gaye Albums Ranked
Marvin Gaye (born Marvin Pentz Gay Jr.; April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984) was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He helped to shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player and later as a solo artist with a string of hits, earning him the nicknames “Prince of Motown” and “Prince of Soul”. On April 1, 1984, the day before his 45th birthday, Gaye was shot dead by his father, Marvin Gay Sr. at their house in West Adams, Los Angeles, after an argument. Many institutions have posthumously bestowed Gaye with awards and other honors including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and inductions into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Here are all of Marvin Gaye albums ranked.
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10. Moods Of Marvin Gaye (1966)
“The highlights are quite obvious. “I’ll Be Doggone” and “Ain’t That Peculiar” are two of the best pop songs ever issued out of Tamla/Motown. “You’re The One For Me” is as dark and moving a song you’ll hear from Gaye (pre-divorce). Gaye’s spirited covers of “Night Life” and “One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)” shine bright new lights on the songs. They both represent Gaye at his best at this point in his career.”
9. Trouble Man (1972)
“These tracks sound less like soul and more like jazz noir the likes of which permeated the private eye movies and TV shows of the 1950s. They successfully establish the mood of danger and intrigue essential to most blaxploitation films. And special kudos to James Anthony Carmichael for his killer horn arrangements, particularly the saxophone on “T Plays It Cool.”
8. Live At The London Palladium (1977)
“It’s hard to imagine a smoother album than this, which is both part of its appeal and its main problem. The music is so smooth that you scarcely even notice it. While it’s playing it’s great but five minutes after the record ends it’s hard to remember any details.”
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7. How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You (1965)
“A wildly fun ride through some incredibly deep tracks with lots to get into. A little more developed than many other Motown singers around this time, but still with the classic polish.”
6. In The Groove (1968)
“Incredibly enjoyable set of Gaye led Motown, sounding as fantastic as he ever had. I chose this over other sets due to the inclusion of “I Heard It Through The Grapevine,” which is still the best song on here, but that’s because it’s best-of-all-time tier — what’s great is that every single track on here is really good, some a tiny bit better than others. Thirty minutes that goes by way too quickly.”
5. Midnight Love (1982)
“an, this album went down hill quickly. The first three tracks are all great, but “‘Til Tomorrow” beings a downward spiral of badness that keeps going until the album is over. “Third World Girl” is probably the worst offender here (and not just because of the terrible lyrics, though they certainly don’t help), but the competition is stiff. At least “Sexual Healing” and “Rockin’ After Midnight” are classics, though.”
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4. I Want You (1976)
“The artwork shows a party where everyone’s having lots of fun, which suggests a very animated, bouncing sound. However, it’s a slower, more controlled Marvin present on I Want You. The title track is great. Most of the rest is also nice, but really not as good as Marvin can be. The short “intro jams” are very unnecessary. And do we really need an instrumental AND sung version of “After the Dance”? I don’t think so either. But eh, it’s a decent album but not the one I’d go for from Gaye.”
3. Here, My Dear (1978)
“This album is Marvin Gaye at his rawest. The performances feel very free and open. Lyrically, he airs out all of his pain and struggles with love and divorce. Marvin was hurting in this era, you could tell. Kind of gorgeous, kind of sad.”
2. Let’s Get It On (1973)
“There has never been a better sexual ice-breaker for shy or overly-eager individuals than “Let’s Get it On.” Nearly as good is “Distant Lover,” which provides the emotional core of the album. The string arrangements on the track really add to its emotional core, painfully reminding the listener of what it is like to have a broken heart. “You Sure Love to Ball” stands as Gaye’s filthiest song to date, and, as such, is the steamiest track on the record. “
1. What’s Going On (1971)
“The production of this album is nothing short of astonishing. The meticulous layering of all the instruments creates a soundscape that is alive, moving. Most impressive is the bassplay. From the famed Funk Brothers, James Jamerson plays the first side and Bob Babbit the second.The lines are very well done; they do a great job of acting as an anchor for all the components of the sound Marvin was attempting. The result is the perfect foil for Marvin’s angelic vocals.”