What's Going On is the eleventh studio album by Marvin Gaye, released on May 21, 1971, by Tamla. It is a concept album addressing themes such as the Vietnam War, poverty, racism, and ecology, from the perspective of a war veteran. Gaye independently produced the album, breaking away from Motown's production system, and conceived it as a unified work with songs flowing without pauses.
The album was a commercial and critical success, reaching number 1 on the Billboard Top R&B Albums chart and number 6 on the Billboard 200. It includes the singles "What's Going On", "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)", and "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)", all of which were R&B chart hits. The title track was inspired by a story told by Renaldo Benson, a member of The Four Tops, about police brutality.
What's Going On is considered a masterpiece of soul music and one of the most important albums in music history. In 2020, Rolling Stone magazine ranked it number 1 on its list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. The album was inducted into the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress in 2004 for its cultural and historical significance.