The Greatest Album of All Time Turns 50

“What’s Going On?” was released May 21, 1971. Yes, that was 50 years ago, today!

It’s true, the only thing constant is change, but when we talk about this album, the thing that remains constant is the reason behind “What’s Going On?”. When the late Marvin Gaye made this album, he sang about the social issues happening in that time, the 1970′s. But when you listen to the words, you’d think it was produced in the last couple of years which is probably why Rolling Stone put it at the top of the list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

Last September, Rolling Stone made another go at naming the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. The first time the publication took a stab at such a critical list was in 2003. In 2012, they updated the list a bit. In 2020, Rolling Stone decided to go back to the drawing board to include even more artists and genres, even more possibilities.

Number 2 remains the same, The Beach Boys, “Pet Sounds.” However, #1 was #6 in 2003. According to Rolling Stone, Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going on?” is THE Greatest Album of All Time.

The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, U2, Little Richard, Michael Jackson, and Elvis Presley are all in the top 50 in 2003. However, 2020 has brought about some change. Newcomers to the top 50 include Beyonce, Lauryn Hill, and Jay-Z.

Artists like Michael Jackson and Prince blur the lines of music taste. Even if you claim to favor one genre, their genius will make you question your belief system. Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” was number 20 in 2003 but has moved up eight spots in 2020 to number 12. Prince and the Revolution, “Purple Rain” ranked 8 in 2020. However, in 2003 it didn’t even crack the top 50. Instead, it was ranked 76. Does this have anything to do with Prince and Michael’s untimely deaths since the original list was created? Possibly.

There is one artist whose album got a considerable boost in ranking. Lauryn Hill, “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” is number 8 in Rolling Stone, Greatest Albums of All Time. But when we look back to the year 2003, it was number 314.

Other publications are saying that “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” is a rap album. If so, this would mean the album that brought us “Doo Wop (That Thang)” is considered The Greatest Rap Album of All Time. However, at the 41st Grammy Awards, Lauryn Hill took home an impressive five awards. Those awards included Album of the Year and Best R&B Album for “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.” She also took home the top music award for Best New Artist. That same year Jay-Z got the gold trophy for the Best Rap Album. So, is “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” a rap album?

See the complete list and understand how Rolling Stone came up with the list here. You can compare that list to the previous one here.

Cox Media Group