SEO Keywords: Marc Maron, Taylor Swift, Music Licensing, Comedy Special, Bigger Than the Whole Sky, Jack Antonoff, Midnights, Music Fees
The cost of securing popular music for a creative project can be surprisingly high – comedian Marc Maron just revealed how much it cost him to use a Taylor Swift song in his latest comedy special.
According to Maron, 61, the total fee came to approximately $50,000 to license Taylor Swift’s “Bigger Than the Whole Sky” for use in his performance. The revelation came during an appearance on Vulture’s “Good One” podcast on Thursday, July 24th.
“I think it came out to $50K, or around that,” Maron explained. “I did everything I could to get the joke in front of her.”
Maron performs a rendition of the 2022 track “Bigger Than the Whole Sky” during his comedy shows after securing the necessary approval. He credits his connection with Jack Antonoff, Swift’s longtime collaborator, for facilitating the process.
“I know Jack Antonoff well enough to text him – and he’s the co-writer on that song,” Maron stated. “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?’”
The key to securing the license was going through the “proper channels,” as advised by Antonoff, 41. While Maron admitted it was a tight budget, ticket sales for the televised version of the special ultimately allowed them to cover the expense. The fee applies to a single minute of the song’s usage.
“If I would have gone over the minute, it would have been more money,” Maron revealed. “We couldn’t even let it, like, play out the special or anything. So, I got together with a band and wrote that music as the opening and closing.”
Maron emphasized the importance of incorporating the song into his performance, stating, “It had to happen. The real fear is, like, [if] she doesn’t let you use it, and then what do you do? You can’t do the bit on the special.” He jokingly added, “I was, like, [manifesting] ‘I think she’ll like the bit.’”
Interestingly, Maron admitted he has no knowledge of whether Swift herself actually listened to the performance. He previously discussed his fascination with Swift’s music on his “WTF” podcast in May 2023, admitting to being moved by the song’s themes of grief and loss.
“I’m an open-minded guy, and I like music. I want to figure out what it is about Taylor Swift that everyone never shuts up about, but people love Taylor Swift [and] grown-ups, too,” Maron shared. “I put in Midnights, and I start hiking. I’m like, ‘Alright. I get it.’ It’s pop music, but it’s not dance music [and] it’s, sort of, emotional, there’s a lot of longing and sadness and isolation and processing these overwhelming feelings of melancholy.”
Despite the significant financial investment, the experience left Maron deeply impacted, prompting a moment of vulnerability as he reflected on the song’s poignant message.