Marvin Gaye

What’s Going On

First released1971

What's Going On, released in 1971, was recorded primarily at Hitsville U.S.A., Motown Records' studio in Detroit, Michigan. Producer Berry Gordy initially resisted the album's socially conscious concept, but Marvin Gaye persisted in creating this introspective work about contemporary issues including war, poverty, and environmental concerns. The album was engineered by John Fischbach and featured sophisticated orchestral arrangements by David Van De Pitte, incorporating live strings, horns, and layered vocal harmonies that marked a departure from Motown's typical production style. Gaye recorded much of the material between 1970 and 1971, using innovative multitrack recording techniques to build complex instrumental and vocal textures. The album's commercial and critical success ultimately helped establish Motown's willingness to release more artistically ambitious material from their artists.