Marc Maron spends huge amount to use Taylor Swift song in new HBO special

Marc Maron has revealed that using Taylor Swift’s music in his upcoming HBO comedy special came with a steep price tag.

Speaking on the July 25 episode of Vulture’s Good One podcast, the 61-year-old comedian shared that he spent approximately $50,000 to license Swift’s Bigger Than the Whole Sky, a bonus track from the 3am Edition of her 2022 album Midnights, for Marc Maron: Panicked, which premieres on HBO on August 1.

“It had to happen,” Maron said about using the track. “The real fear [was], like, [if] she doesn’t let you use it, and then what do you do? You can’t do the bit on the special.”

Shortly after, Maron reached out to musician Jack Antonoff, Swift’s longtime collaborator and co-writer on the song. “I know Jack Antonoff enough to text him,” Maron explained. 

“I said, ‘I don’t know what’s proper or how to do this, but we’re running out of money on this thing. It’s probably going to come out of my pocket. Is there anything you can do about this song or talk to Taylor?’”

“I would have gone over the minute, [but] it would have been more money,” Maron noted.

As for whether Swift herself has heard the bit that features her music, Maron admitted, “I don’t know, but I’m manifesting that she would like it if she did.”

Back in May 2023 Maron shared at WTF with Marc Maron podcast how he became a fan after listening to Midnights during a hike.

“I’m like, ‘Alright. I get it.’ It’s pop music, but it’s not dance music… There’s a lot of longing and sadness and isolation and processing these overwhelming feelings of melancholy,” he said.