Which 1971 Sly and the Family Stone album features the hit 'Family Affair'?
Answer
There's a Riot Goin' On
The 1971 Sly and the Family Stone album featuring “Family Affair” is There’s a Riot Goin’ On.
Released by Epic Records on November 1, 1971, the album marked a striking change from the band’s earlier, more openly celebratory sound. Its murky production, programmed drum-machine rhythms, overdubs, and uneasy lyrics reflected Sly Stone’s growing disillusionment with fame, politics, and the fading optimism of the 1960s.
“Family Affair” was issued as the album’s lead single and became the group’s third and final number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100. The recording featured Sly Stone and Rose Stone on vocals, with Billy Preston contributing electric piano. Despite the band’s name, much of the album was assembled by Stone through solo performances and overdubbing, with other musicians added selectively.
A common mix-up is confusing this album with Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On, released earlier in 1971. The title There’s a Riot Goin’ On was partly conceived in response to Gaye’s record, while the album itself developed a darker, more experimental identity.