Marvin Gaye

Motown's budding iconoclast finally forged a path to the individualism – and conviction – that he'd aspired to for so long.

Court ascribed the similarities between Sheeran's "Thinking Out Loud" and Gaye's 1973 song to "fundamental musical building blocks."

Hit earned a pair of awards at the 1983 Grammys, the only two R&B legend claimed during his lifetime.

Eco-aware singer's music used to persuade endangered Barbary macaques to mate.

He actually revealed himself as more than the typical Motown factory drone well before 1971's 'What's Going On.'

Soul legend returned after three-year break with a complicated and controversial set of songs that helped ignite a genre.