The 10 most popular Marvin Gaye songs of all time

Marvin Gaye's tragic death sent shockwaves through the music world. Nonetheless, his soulful voice continues to be deeply missed in both soul, pop, and R&B to this day. He was known as the 'Prince of Soul' and considered one of the greatest singers of all time.

He has been bestowed with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction. What he left behind is his soulful legacy and songs that remind everyone of his remarkable work in the music industry.

Let's take a look at some of the most popular songs by Marvin Gaye

Disclaimer: This article purely reflects the writer's opinion. If you have some other suggestions, please comment below.

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Marvin Gaye's 10 greatest hits of all time

1. Got to Give It Up

This disco-style song came out in 1977 and topped three different Billboard charts at the time. The song has a funky, upbeat disco vibe, which was quite popular back in the day. The song has been featured in movies including Eat Pray Love, This Christmas, and Charlie's Angels. It was this song that proved Marvin could fit in the disco scene, other than soul and R&B.

2. Too Busy Thinking About My Baby

A Motown song for which Marvin recorded a cover version, which was released in 1969. Although it was originally recorded by The Temptations, Marvin's cover version gained massive popularity. It peaked at No.4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States.

It is a smooth, romantic song about a man who is head over heels in love and doesn't have time for anything else. It showed Marvin's upbeat and joyful side of singing in this song.

3. Sexual Healing

This 1982 song was from Marvin's seventeenth studio album, Midnight Love. The funk, post-disco, and soul song featured the use of the Roland TR-808 drum machine, an innovative instrument to be used at the time. The song was such a hit that it is listed among Rolling Stone's list of 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

This iconic song marked the comeback of Marvin in the industry after years of going through personal and professional struggles.

4. I Heard It Through the Grapevine

It is one of Marvin's emotionally charged songs, and the version to be released in 1967. It is a blend of blend of soul, R&B, and funk, and is centred around themes like heartbreak and betrayal. It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998, and it had also peaked on the US Billboard Hot 100.

5. Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)

This song was the second single from Marvin's studio album What's Going On. It is a socially conscious song that addresses ecological issues with a dreamy, melancholic music style. It was one of the first major pop songs that used music for activism, something that was not common back in the day.

6. Ain't That Peculiar

A 1965 song that has themes of heartbreak, toxic love, and manipulation. Although the song has a cheerful and infectious vibe, the lyrics explore complex human emotions. It topped Billboard's Hot R&B Singles chart the year it was released, and peaked at number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Billboard had described the song as ''penetrating hard-drive dance beat backs another soulful, first-rate Gaye performance.''

7. You're All I Need to Get By

The song was recorded by Marvin and Tammi Terrell, Motown Records' star singers, and released in 1968. It centers around emotional dependence, and the powerful vocal chemistry between Tammi and Marvin in the song is one of the standout features. The track was also played during Tammi's funeral in 1970, just two years after the song was released.

8. That's the Way Love Is

This emotional and soulful song was originally recorded by The Isley Brothers, and then in 1969 Marvin recorded it, and it went on to become one of his major hits. The song's theme is around love and the confusion that comes with it. Marvin delivered it in a gritty, psychedelic-soulful style.

It peaked at #7 on the Billboard pop singles chart and at the #2 spot for five weeks on the soul singles chart, the year it was out.

9. Pride and Joy

This one was Marvin's single from his second studio album, That Stubborn Kinda Fellow, and was known as a tribute to his then-girlfriend, Anna Gordy. It is a warm, romantic, full-of-soul kind of track on love. The song blends R&B, soul, and gospel influences along with Marvin's charming and energetic aura.

It peaked at #2 on the US Billboard Hot R&B Singles. It was released in 1963 by the Tamla label.

10. How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)

The list would be incomplete without How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You), one of Marvin's endearing hits of all time. It is the title track of Marvin's fifth studio album, also titled How Sweet It Is to Be Loved by You. This is a simple song based on gratitude and love and is delivered by Marvin in a warm, soothing, and expressive delivery style.

The song's background vocals were by The Andantes. It went on to become one of Marvin's signature hits, and he'd often sing this song in his performances. The line How Sweet It Is.... became popular in hip hop due to the popularity of this track.

These were some of the soulful and hit tracks by Marvin Gaye. His tracks explored various themes, including romance, personal struggles, spirituality, heartbreak, social issues, sensuality, and all human emotions.

Marvin was shot and killed by his father, Marvin Gay Sr, at their residence in Los Angeles. The incident occurred when Marvin interrupted a fight between his parents, and during the argument, he was shot with a revolver that Marvin himself had gifted his father months earlier.

He died a day before his 45th birthday. The news sent shockwaves across the industry, leaving his fans and music lovers heartbroken. Marvin's raw, emotional, and deeply personal music has deeply embedded itself in people's hearts. His soulful voice, timeless charm, and vulnerability captured hearts then and continue to be profoundly missed to this day.