Hip-Hop

Marvin Gaye's 30 Biggest Billboard Hits

4/1/2014

Marvin Gaye 1980 — Rob Verhorst/Getty Images
Marvin Gaye performs on stage at De Doelen in Rotterdam, Netherlands on July 1, 1980.

30 years ago today (April 1) Marvin Gaye was killed, shot dead by his father Marvin Gay, Sr. in his Los Angeles home. Gaye was one of Motown’s most soulful and socially aware artists, standing tall amongst peers and label mates like Stevie Wonder by igniting spirits with politically-charged cuts like “What’s Going On” and equally providing heat for intimate times with songs like “Let’s Get It On.”

Marvin Gaye: Biography

To celebrate his life, stellar output and the time he’s been away, here are his 30 top songs on the Hot 100 Singles chart. Revisit Marvin’s classic and maybe (re)discover a forgotten gem.

Methodology - This ranking is based on actual performance on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The ranking is based on an inverse point system, with weeks at No. 1 having the greatest value and weeks at lower ranks proportionately less. Due to various changes in chart rules, methodology and depth through the years, songs have had reigns at No. 1 and on the chart of varying average lengths. To ensure equitable representation of the biggest hits from all years, certain time frames were weighted to account for the differences in song turnover rates.

31
"Music" (Erick Sermon sample) Peak Position: 22 | Peak Date: 7/14/2001
30
"What's the Matter With You, Baby" Peak Position: 17 | Peak Date: 7/4/1964
29
"Once Upon a Time" Peak Position: 19 | Peak Date: 6/6/1964
28
"It Takes Two" Peak Position: 14 | Peak Date: 3/4/1967
27
"Come Get To This" Peak Position: 21 | Peak Date: 12/15/1973
26
"Ain't No Mountain High Enough" Peak Position: 19 | Peak Date: 7/15/1967
25
"Try It, Baby" Peak Position: 15 | Peak Date: 7/25/1964
24
"You're a Wonderful One" Peak Position: 15 | Peak Date: 4/18/1964
23
"Can I Get a Witness" Peak Position: 22 | Peak Date: 12/28/1963
22
"My Mistake (Was to Love You)" Peak Position: 19 | Peak Date: 5/4/1974
21
"I Want You" Peak Position: 15 | Peak Date: 6/26/1976
20
"Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" Peak Position: 9 | Peak Date: 11/6/1971
19
"You're a Special Part of Me" with Diana Ross Peak Position: 12 | Peak Date: 11/17/1973
18
"I'll Be Doggone" Peak Position: 8 | Peak Date: 5/15/1965
17
"Pride and Joy" Peak Position: 10 | Peak Date: 7/20/1963
16
"That's the Way Love Is" Peak Position: 7 | Peak Date: 10/18/1969
15
"If I Could Build My Whole World Around You" Peak Position: 10 | Peak Date: 1/20/1968
14
"Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" Peak Position: 8 | Peak Date: 5/25/1968
13
"You're All I Need to Get By" Peak Position: 7 | Peak Date: 9/14/1968
12
"Ain't That Peculiar" Peak Position: 8 | Peak Date: 11/20/1965
11
"Trouble Man" Peak Position: 7 | Peak Date: 2/3/1973
10
"How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You" Peak Position: 6 | Peak Date: 1/30/1965
9
"Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" Peak Position: 4 | Peak Date: 8/21/1971
8
"Your Precious Love" Peak Position: 5 | Peak Date: 11/4/1967
7
"Too Busy Thinking About My Baby" Peak Position: 4 | Peak Date: 6/28/1969
6
"What's Going On" Peak Position: 2 | Peak Date: 4/10/1971
5
"Got To Give It Up (Pt. 1)" Peak Position: 1 | Peak Date: 6/25/1977
4
"Sexual Healing" Peak Position: 3 | Peak Date: 1/29/1983
3
"I Heard It Through the Grapevine" Peak Position: 1 | Peak Date: 12/14/1968
2
"Let's Get It On" Peak Position: 1 | Peak Date: 9/8/1973

By Brad Wete

4/1/2014

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Marvin Gaye's 30 Biggest Billboard Hits

"Music" (Erick Sermon sample) Peak Position: 22 | Peak Date: 7/14/2001

"What's the Matter With You, Baby" Peak Position: 17 | Peak Date: 7/4/1964

"Once Upon a Time" Peak Position: 19 | Peak Date: 6/6/1964

"It Takes Two" Peak Position: 14 | Peak Date: 3/4/1967

"Come Get To This" Peak Position: 21 | Peak Date: 12/15/1973

"Ain't No Mountain High Enough" Peak Position: 19 | Peak Date: 7/15/1967

"Try It, Baby" Peak Position: 15 | Peak Date: 7/25/1964

"You're a Wonderful One" Peak Position: 15 | Peak Date: 4/18/1964

"Can I Get a Witness" Peak Position: 22 | Peak Date: 12/28/1963

"My Mistake (Was to Love You)" Peak Position: 19 | Peak Date: 5/4/1974

"I Want You" Peak Position: 15 | Peak Date: 6/26/1976

"Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" Peak Position: 9 | Peak Date: 11/6/1971

"You're a Special Part of Me" with Diana Ross Peak Position: 12 | Peak Date: 11/17/1973

"I'll Be Doggone" Peak Position: 8 | Peak Date: 5/15/1965

"Pride and Joy" Peak Position: 10 | Peak Date: 7/20/1963

"That's the Way Love Is" Peak Position: 7 | Peak Date: 10/18/1969

"If I Could Build My Whole World Around You" Peak Position: 10 | Peak Date: 1/20/1968

"Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" Peak Position: 8 | Peak Date: 5/25/1968

"You're All I Need to Get By" Peak Position: 7 | Peak Date: 9/14/1968

"Ain't That Peculiar" Peak Position: 8 | Peak Date: 11/20/1965

"Trouble Man" Peak Position: 7 | Peak Date: 2/3/1973

"How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You" Peak Position: 6 | Peak Date: 1/30/1965

"Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" Peak Position: 4 | Peak Date: 8/21/1971

"Your Precious Love" Peak Position: 5 | Peak Date: 11/4/1967

"Too Busy Thinking About My Baby" Peak Position: 4 | Peak Date: 6/28/1969

"What's Going On" Peak Position: 2 | Peak Date: 4/10/1971

"Got To Give It Up (Pt. 1)" Peak Position: 1 | Peak Date: 6/25/1977

"Sexual Healing" Peak Position: 3 | Peak Date: 1/29/1983

"I Heard It Through the Grapevine" Peak Position: 1 | Peak Date: 12/14/1968

"Let's Get It On" Peak Position: 1 | Peak Date: 9/8/1973

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