The Payoff

"The Payoff" was written and composed by Josh Tillman, arranged by Drew Erickson, and co-produced by Erickson and Tillman. "The Payoff" was also mixed and engineered by Michael Harris at Fivestar Studios in Topanga, CA, and mastered by Adam Ayan Mastering.

“The Payoff” is the second Father John Misty single of 2026 and arrives five months after “The Old Law,” released in January. The latter track was previously known to Father John Misty fans as “God’s Trash” and debuted as part of the live set in the fall of 2024. Both singles follow the release of Mahashmashana, Father John Misty’s acclaimed sixth long player in twelve years, released in November 2024.