Satisfied (Richard Marx song)

"Satisfied"
Single by Richard Marx
from the album Repeat Offender
B-side	"Should've Known Better" (live)
Released	April 1989
Genre	Rock[1] pop rock[2]
Length	4:12 (album version) 3:58 (single version)
Label	EMI USA
Songwriter(s)	Richard Marx
Producer(s)	Richard Marx David Cole
Richard Marx singles chronology
"Hold On to the Nights" (1988) "Satisfied" (1989) "Right Here Waiting" (1989)

"Satisfied" is a song by American singer-songwriter Richard Marx, released as the lead single from his second album, Repeat Offender (1989). It was Marx's second of three consecutive number-one singles on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and became a top-20 hit in Australia and Canada.

Critical reception

In an ironic review on June 10, 1989, Betty Page, observer of British music newspaper Record Mirror, wondered along with readers why Richard Marx, with all the traits and skills of Bryan Adams, did not become as popular.[3]

Chart performance

"Satisfied" served as the lead single from Richard Marx's second album, Repeat Offender. Heavy radio, video and retail attention led to the single's number-39 debut on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart during the week of May 6, 1989. The single steadily climbed to the top, reaching number one on the week of June 24, 1989.

Track listing

All songs were written by Richard Marx.

US 7-inch and cassette single[4][5]

1. "Satisfied" (LP version) – 3:58
2. "Should've Known Better" (live) – 4:57

Personnel

• Richard Marx – lead and backing vocals
• C.J. Vanston – keyboards
• Bill Payne – Hammond B3 organ
• Bruce Gaitsch – guitar
• Michael Landau – guitar, guitar solo
• Randy Jackson – bass
• Mike Baird – drums
• Paulinho da Costa – percussion
• Cynthia Rhodes – backing vocals

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1989) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[6] 20 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[7] 2 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[8] 73 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[9] 15 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[10] 25 UK Singles (OCC)[11] 52 US Billboard Hot 100[12] 1 US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[13] 5 Venezuela (UPI)[14] 6 West Germany (GfK)[15] 42

Year-end charts Chart (1989) Position Australia (ARIA)[16] 64 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[17] 32 US Billboard Hot 100[18][19] 54

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	April 1989	7-inch vinyl cassette	EMI USA
Japan	April 26, 1989	Mini-CD		[20]
United Kingdom	June 5, 1989	7-inch vinyl 12-inch vinyl CD		[21]

References

1. Breihan, Tom (July 23, 2021). "The Number Ones: Richard Marx's "Satisfied". Stereogum. Retrieved November 24, 2023. Satisfied" was the last song that Marx wrote for the LP. It's a big, bright extremely generic studio-rocker.
2. Smith, Troy L. (May 13, 2021). "Every No. 1 song of the 1980s ranked from worst to best". Cleveland.com. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
3. Page, Betty (June 10, 1989). "Review: Richard Marx — Satisfied" (PDF). Record Mirror. London: Spotlight Publications Ltd. p. 30. ISSN 0144-5804. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 6, 2021. Retrieved February 12, 2022 – via World Radio History.
4. Satisfied (US 7-inch single vinyl disc). EMI USA. 1989. B-50189.
5. Satisfied (US cassette single sleeve). EMI USA. 1989. 4JM-50189.
6. "Richard Marx – Satisfied". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
7. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6367." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
8. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media. Vol. 6, no. 27. July 8, 1989. p. IV.
9. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 35, 1989" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
10. "Richard Marx – Satisfied" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
11. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
12. "Richard Marx Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
13. "Richard Marx Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
14. "Discos más populares de Latinoamérica". El Siglo de Torreón. July 17, 1989. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
15. "Offiziellecharts.de – Richard Marx – Satisfied" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
16. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (pdf ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 178.
17. "Top 100 Singles of '89". RPM. December 23, 1989. Retrieved October 16, 2023 – via Library and Archives Canada.
18. "1989 The Year in Music: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 101, no. 51. December 23, 1989. p. Y-22.
19. "Billboard Top 100 – 1989".
20. "サティスファイド | リチャード・マークス" [Satisfied | Richard Marx] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
21. "New Singles". Music Week. June 3, 1989. p. 30.

External links

• "Satisfied" on YouTube