On this day June 29 1989, Richard Marx released Right Here Waiting, a heartfelt ballad that became one of the defining love songs of the late 80s. With its simple piano melody and emotional lyrics about long distance devotion, the track struck a chord with listeners around the world.
The song reached number 1 in the United States from August 12 through September 1. It also topped the charts in Canada, Poland, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, solidifying Marx’s place as a top tier pop rock artist of the decade.
80s insight: Right Here Waiting showed the softer side of 80s pop rock and proved that stripped down sincerity could stand out just as much as power chords and big production.