Comedian and podcaster Marc Maron just revealed what it really costs to feature a Taylor Swift song in a comedy special — and it’s no small fee. In fact, the privilege of using just one minute of Swift’s music came with a whopping $50,000 price tag.
In a new interview on Vulture’s Good One podcast (July 25 episode), the 61-year-old comic explained why he paid top dollar for the emotional Midnights track, “Bigger Than the Whole Sky,” and how his industry connection Jack Antonoff helped him pull it off.
The Bit That Needed a Swift Song
Maron shared that the song plays a crucial role in a pivotal moment of his upcoming HBO stand-up special, Marc Maron: Panicked, premiering August 1 at 8 p.m. ET.
“It had to happen,” he said of using the track. “The real fear was, like, if she doesn’t let you use it — then what do you do? You can’t do the bit on the special.”
While Maron hasn’t revealed the full content of the joke, he made it clear that the emotional weight of “Bigger Than the Whole Sky” was key to the bit’s impact. It wasn’t just background music — it was part of the performance’s tone and meaning.
Turning to Jack Antonoff for Help
Since time and money were running low, Maron decided to reach out to Jack Antonoff, Taylor Swift’s longtime producer and co-writer on the track in question.
“I know Jack Antonoff enough to text him,” Maron said. “I said, ‘I don’t know what’s proper or how to do this, but we’re running out of money on this thing… Is there anything you can do about this song or talk to Taylor?’”
Antonoff’s advice? Go through the proper licensing channels. Despite the high cost, Maron said the process worked out — but the price tag was hefty: $50,000 for just one minute of the song.
“I would have gone over the minute, but it would have been more money,” Maron admitted.
Will Taylor See the Bit?
Although he doesn’t know whether Swift has seen or heard the bit herself, Maron is hopeful. “I’m manifesting that she would like it if she saw it,” he said.
He also mentioned on his WTF podcast in 2023 that his journey to understanding the Taylor Swift phenomenon began while listening to her Midnights album on a hike.
“There’s a lot of longing and sadness and isolation and processing these overwhelming feelings of melancholy,” he noted, admiring her depth and songwriting.
A Comedian at His Best
Maron’s latest special, Panicked, comes two years after his critically acclaimed From Bleak to Dark, where he reflected on grief and losing his partner, filmmaker Lynn Shelton, during the pandemic.
Calling Panicked “the best work I’ve ever done,” Maron told Deadline that everything came together perfectly. And now, with a Taylor Swift track in the mix, the special has an even deeper emotional anchor.
While paying $50,000 for a single minute of music might seem extreme, Marc Maron’s decision shows how powerful the right song can be in storytelling — even in stand-up comedy. Thanks to Jack Antonoff and a leap of faith, Swift’s “Bigger Than the Whole Sky” will now be part of what Maron calls his most meaningful project yet.
Whether or not Swift hears the bit, Maron’s fans — and likely a few Swifties — will definitely be watching when Marc Maron: Panicked premieres on HBO and Max this Friday, August 1.
