Agatha All Along has been the gayest Marvel project to date, thanks in no small part to its musical stylings. The various versions of the series’ unofficial theme “The Ballad of the Witches’ Road” have all been stuck in audiences heads, thanks to the catchy melodies, powerhouse voices of cast members like Patti LuPone and Kathryn Hahn, and eerie lyrics perfect for spooky season (particularly the German translation, which seems especially targeted at fans).
But music was a powerful force behind the scenes, too, with series creator Jac Schaeffer revealing the musical inspirations that shaped the world of Agatha All Along.
In a new interview with Decider, Schaeffer shared which artists she was listening to while writing the series, including queer supergroup Boygenius, which she says inspired the show’s sapphic love story between Agatha Harkness (Hahn) and Rio Vidal (Aubrey Plaza).
“Boygenius was a big one while I was working on this show, oh man. Boygenius with the Agatha-Rio love story,” Schaeffer said. “But then also with like some — a little bit of Metallica in there.”
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But when it comes to storytelling, Schaeffer says pop superstar Taylor Swift was a major influence.
“I listen to a lot of Taylor Swift because she’s a storyteller and I find that very inspiring when I’m trying to write,” Schaeffer said. “As I listen to her songs, it makes me want to write. It’s sort of like a trigger for writing.”
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A few other artists got shoutouts from Schaeffer, too: “I love Haim. I think that those three sisters are very witchy,” she said. “Kathryn [Hahn] listens to a lot of Björk — I love Björk as well, sort of later stage.”
We’ve already gotten a version of “The Ballad of the Witches’ Road” covered by the band Japanese Breakfast, which is fronted by queer singer and author Michelle Zauner. Could another cover featuring Boygenius, Swift, Haim, and/or Björk be on the horizon? Only time will tell.
All episodes of Agatha All Along are now streaming on Disney+. Check out the midseason trailer below.
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