Marvin Gaye

There are few singers that remain really popular long after their passing. Usually after an initial flurry of reissues and media attention, they become the property of hardcore fans and few others. Marvin Gaye is different, different for one simple reason: he had an immense talent, not just as a singer but also as a songwriter that set him on a higher plane, as well as a social conscience that advocated change. He proved that black music did not have to be stereotypical, and influenced artists including not just every black singer from R. Kelly to Michael Jackson, but also The Rolling Stones.