Marvin Gaye was still in a pretty good place, personally and professionally, in early 1976 as he was prepping the release of his 14th album, I Want You. His previous two albums — 1971’s What’s Going ...

Fifty years ago, Marvin Gaye released I Want You, blending intimacy, eroticism, and musical innovation, cementing his influence on soul, disco, and quiet storm R&B.