Why Richard Marx Doesn’t Regret Turning Down Taylor Swift

Few musicians would ever turn down the chance to work with Taylor Swift, but that’s exactly what Richard Marx did – and he doesn’t regret it.

Known for such chart-topping hits as “Right Here Waiting,” "Hold On to the Nights" and “Satisfied,” Marx’s songwriting resume is impressive. Beyond his solo career, the singer has been a popular co-writer for decades, working with the likes of Ann Wilson, Barbara Streisand, Kenny Logins, Keith Urban and N Sync.

During a recent appearance on the Bob Lefsetz podcast, Marx recalled having dinner with his old friend, Scott Borchetta, around 20 years ago. At the time, Borchetta had just started his new label, Big Machine Records.

“He says, I want to show you the offices,” Marx recalled. “So we go over and he opens up the office, he's got the keys, and it's brand new office. And I'm very happy for him. He's excited. He's the brand new record company head.”

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As it turned out, Borchetta had an ulterior motive – he wanted Marx to hear the first artist he’d just signed to his fledgling label.

“He says, ‘I’ve got to play you something’" Marx continued. "So he plays me the first two or three Taylor Swift demos. And he goes, ‘Would you want to write with her?’ And I went, ‘No, I don't think so.’”

Why Richard Marx Turned Down the Chance to Work With Taylor Swift

This, of course, was before Taylor Swift was Taylor Swift. And though Marx could hear the future pop star’s potential, he didn’t think the fit was right.

“I honestly said, ‘Scott, what is she, 15?’ He said, ‘Yeah, she's 15.’ I said, ‘Dude, what the f– am I going to write with a 15 year old girl?’”

As Marx explained, one of his golden rules for deciding on a co-write is that he has to “think that I can serve you… [that] I can help you in a way that you can't already help yourself." In Swift’s case, he didn’t see a creative match.

Decades later, he doesn't regret the decision -- even as Swift has become one of the biggest stars in the world.

“When I tell that story, [people] go, ‘Oh my God, you must be kicking yourself,” the rocker admitted. “And I go, ‘No, I did the right thing. Like, I wouldn't have been any good to her, you know?”

Marx is currently out on a North American tour that stretches into 2027. His most recent album, After Hours, was released in January.