Artist Playlists
-
Debuting on Motown in 1961, Marvin Gaye quickly became the label's most charismatic voice, combining the intensity of gospel, the charm of doo-wop, and the intimacy of a great balladeer. Gaye released dozens of classic soul hits throughout the '60s, but he also grew restless with the Motown formula. In the '70s, he moved in a more socially conscious and introspective direction. He also wrote some of the most sensual love songs of the era, adding a new smoothness to the hard-driving rhythms of funk. Gaye died tragically in 1984 at the age of 44, but he left behind a remarkable and soulful legacy. - In addition to being a righteous protest singer and a funk pioneer, Marvin Gaye was Motown's great poet of love. In the '60s, Gaye made you feel the sweetness of love and the power of devotion, especially on his string of uplifting duets with Tammi Terrell. In the '70s, Gaye's love songs grew more sensual and explicit, but they're also deeply spiritual, shockingly personal, and intensely moving.
- Soul legend, funk pioneer, and R&B innovator Marvin Gaye changed the entire music scene. Loved by bands like The Rolling Stones, his early Motown singles helped spark the rock revolution. His socially conscious work inspired artists like Stevie Wonder. His sultry brand of soul led to greats like Luther Vandross and D'Angelo. And of course, his impact on funk is heard in singers like Robin Thicke.
- As one of Motown's greatest singers and most innovative songwriters, the impact of Marvin Gaye's music has spanned decades and genres. On this collection, soul singers offer new renditions of his classic ballads, jazz bands spin his hits into smooth new shapes, R&B stars revamp his funk grooves, rockers inject new energy into his protest songs, and electronica pioneers tweak his sensual slow jams.
- Their original tunes have been the source material for some of modern music’s biggest hits.
- For all his bravura reinvention of soul on songs like “What's Going On,” Marvin Gaye was a reverent student of the genre's pioneers, sculpting his smooth, sensitive delivery in the wake of Sam Cooke and Ben E. King. But he also learned all about emotionally raw R&B from The Miracles and Ray Charles, and the boundary-busting potential of rock ‘n' roll was made loud and clear via the red-hot hustle of Chuck Berry.
- Marvin Gaye's take on R&B redefined American pop so thoroughly, it even transformed “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Beyond his singles, his catalog is jam-packed with evidence of his all-encompassing artistry: He flaunted his compositional skills while scoring the 1972 action flick Trouble Man; his poison-pen 1978 album Here, My Dear channeled his spite into soul; and his duets with Tammi Terrell showcased his sweet playfulness.