MARVIN GAYE What's Going On (2025 Reissue) 'What's Going On' is the eleventh studio album by American motown singer, Marvin Gaye, released in May 1971. The concept album is told from the point of view of a Vietnam veteran who has returned home to observe a country full of hatred, misery and injustice. This album has been credited with bringing awareness to issues such as poverty, drug abuse and war ahead of public outcry over these controversial issues.