Europe - The Final Countdown

How to play Europe - The Final Countdown by Europe on guitar

This song is worth learning because the progression is instantly recognizable and feels strong and driving at a steady 120 BPM. You get a big, confident sound without needing advanced techniques, so it is a great beginner play-along that still feels exciting.

You can lean on the open shapes D, E, and A-style grips, but the chart also asks for the harder barre shapes C#, Bm, F#, F#m, and C#m. The main change to watch out for is the opening move from D to C# to Bm to E, since it asks you to switch shape types quickly and keep the rhythm even.

Start by looping the opening progression slowly until your fingers land cleanly on each shape. Then practice the barre chords one at a time, connect them back to the open shapes, and only after that bring it up to full tempo. Keep your strums relaxed and focus on smooth changes first, speed second.

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.