In a recent and fantastic podcast, Stories to Tell, Grammy-winning artist Richard Marx sits down with fellow singer-songwriter Matt Nathanson to explore the themes of relevance, legacy, and the relentless need to create.
From the raw joy of writing songs to the fading cultural impact of new music, the two artists get real about what drives them to keep working—even when it feels like no one’s listening. It’s a brutally honest, inspiring conversation about passion, purpose, and the changing landscape of the music industry. For anyone who’s ever loved or made music, this one hits deep.
The Void vs. the Need
What happens when the fire that once drove you to the stage still burns, but the world barely stops to notice? That’s the tension Marx and Nathanson wrestle with.
“There was a time when making a record felt like an investment in yourself,” Marx admits. “It was a gamble, sure. But one worth taking.”
Today, with recording costs high and streaming returns painfully low, that gamble feels impossible to justify. And yet, Marx keeps creating.
“Because I have to,” he says. “It’s oxygen.”
Nathanson agrees. For him, songwriting isn’t about chasing playlists or topping charts. It’s about survival. “I do the work for myself,” he says. “The act of learning and growing is really all I want to do with my life.”
The music is alive, he insists. But the industry? “Very dead.”
Legacy vs. Letting Go
Both men acknowledge that their careers no longer hinge on new releases. Their legacies are intact, their touring remains strong, and their catalogs still echo through fans’ lives.
But quitting? Not an option.
At 61, Marx reflects on how the cultural heartbeat has shifted. “Young people still feel music the way it’s meant to be felt—seismically, obsessively. But I’m not part of that anymore.”
He doesn’t say it with resentment, but with perspective. The fire that once roared for fame now burns for truth.
Chasing Transcendence
If not for money or recognition, then why keep going?
For Nathanson, it’s about transcendence. “It’s like watching the Olympics,” he explains. “When you see someone turn time around, slow it down with their art—you’re in. That’s all I want. Just to be in that moment.”
Those fleeting moments—a horn line that cuts through the noise, a lyric that lands like lightning—are what keep them writing, even when the culture seems distracted.
The Answer
So, is it still worth it to make music?
Absolutely.
Not because it’s profitable. Not because charts demand it. But because for true artists, creating isn’t optional—it’s essential. It’s survival.
And that’s the paradox: even in a streaming-driven world obsessed with algorithms and virality, musicians like Richard Marx and Matt Nathanson will always keep writing. For relevance. For legacy. For connection. For oxygen.
Because in the end, music doesn’t just matter—it makes life itself worth living.
Credits
Director – Jamieson Mundy
Producer – Ian Cunningham
Sound Engineer – Matt Chiarelli
