Cruel Summer

How to play Cruel Summer by Taylor Swift on guitar

These are the sounding chords. With a capo on fret 2 you play G, C, Em, D, Bm, the shapes the player above shows.

Cruel Summer is a great one to learn because it has a bright, driving feel that stays catchy from start to finish. At about 120 BPM, it should feel energetic but still manageable once you lock into the groove. You get a strong sense of momentum right away, and the repeating harmony makes it satisfying to play through cleanly.

The chart mixes open shapes and harder barre shapes, so you can keep the easier grips moving while preparing for the tougher stretch. A, D, and E are the open shapes, while F#m and C#m will take more hand strength and accuracy. Watch the opening progression A - D - A - F#m, since the move into F#m is the change most likely to slow you down.

Start by looping A - D - A - F#m slowly until the switch to F#m feels automatic. Then add the other shapes in short sections, keeping your fretting hand relaxed and your changes economical. Once the chords are smooth, bring the tempo up in small steps until you can play the full song without rushing.

Use the play-along above to follow each chord change in time with the music, or learn the shapes first with the chord diagrams below.