Marvin Gaye’s ‘What’s Going On’ 50th Anniversary 2LP Edition

Throughout 2021, the world has been celebrating the life and legacy of R&B pioneer Marvin Gaye to honor the 50th anniversary of the release of his groundbreaking record What’s Going On. After half a century, the wisdom behind R&B’s first seamless concept album, What’s Going On, continues to ring true: a poignant plea that we might organize to address often-overlooked issues of inequality and ecological distress.

Closing out the year, Motown and UMe are continuing the celebration with the release of What’s Going On: 50th Anniversary 2LP Edition on December 3, 2021. This premium vinyl release features direct-to-analog mastering from the original primary album tape reels by acclaimed engineer Kevin Gray, one of the first times this has been done since 1971, offering an undeniably authentic listening experience.

What’s Going On: 50th Anniversary 2LP Edition bonus LP opens up the album’s writing and production palette. Featured are four rare cuts making their vinyl debut, highlighted by a previously unreleased “stripped” version of the title song, plus all six original mono single mixes and their B-sides, with all of those 7” versions on vinyl for the first time since their original releases. Among them are alternate versions of God Is Love and Flying High (In The Friendly Sky), the latter issued on 45 as Sad Tomorrows.

Pre-orders are now available here.

In addition to What’s Going On 50th Anniversary 2LP Edition, Motown/UMe is releasing a four-track remix suite from Grammy-nominated producer Salaam Remi. The suite includes remixes of What’s Going On tracks, which includes No Need, an unreleased instrumental from the Sad Tomorrows sessions, as well as a reinterpretation of the holiday release I Want To Come Home For Christmas, originally recorded in 1972 and thematically tied to What’s Going On as a tribute to the Vietnam troops yearning to be with their families for the holidays.