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Cruel Summer

Single | Lover (2019)

“Cruel Summer” is the second track and fifth official single from Taylor’s seventh studio album, Lover (2019). The song captures the intense highs and painful uncertainties of a secret summer romance that feels both euphoric and dangerously fragile. Widely considered one of Taylor’s signature songs, “Cruel Summer” hit a major milestone in October 2023 when it soared to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100—over four years after its initial release—marking her tenth chart-topping single.

Background

Taylor co-wrote “Cruel Summer” with Jack Antonoff and St. Vincent (Annie Clark) during a session at New York City’s iconic Electric Lady Studios in 2018. Reflecting on the experience in a 2021 interview with NME, St. Vincent described it as relaxed and spontaneous, saying: “Gosh, it was really casual. Just some people in a room jammin’.” Taylor and Jack then co-produced the track, adding the finishing touches to what became a breezy, synth-driven pop anthem—rich with swirling electronic textures, robotic vocal effects, and distorted vocals that mirror the emotional turbulence at the heart of the song. In an interview with iHeartRadio in 2019, Taylor recalled:

«Jack and Annie [Clark] did the track and a lot of the instrumentation and I did the topline in whatever language that is. A topline is all the notes and the lyrics you hear. So whatever you would sing, that is what I wrote on this. It was just so fun to write this one and I really love this one. Jack and I like to do ranting bridges. Like in 'Out Of The Woods' where the bridge is the biggest moment of the song—we revisited that concept.»

Taylor Swift

During the “Lover Enhanced” Spotify campaign, Taylor described the track as portraying “a desperate summer love that might be doomed from the start,” adding that her favorite lyric is: “I love you. Ain’t that the worst thing you ever heard?”

Lyrical Theme

The lyrical theme of “Cruel Summer” revolves around the intensity and instability of a secret, high-stakes summer romance. It captures the rush of falling in love under complicated circumstances—where passion, secrecy, and emotional vulnerability collide. The lyrics convey both euphoria and desperation, as Taylor navigates the thrill of forbidden love while fearing its inevitable unraveling. She told iHeartRadio in 2019:

«This song is one that I wrote about the feeling of a summer romance, and how often times a summer romance can be layered with all these feelings of pining away and sometimes even secrecy. It deals with the idea of being in a relationship where there’s some element of desperation and pain in it, where you’re yearning for something that you don’t quite have yet. It’s just right there, and you just can’t reach it. So, this has some of my favorite lyrics in it, and it was so fun to write this!»

Taylor Swift

The song was inspired by the early days of Taylor’s relationship with her former partner, Joe Alwyn, which began as a casual, secretive fling. One of their first encounters was at the Met Gala in May 2016—at the time, Taylor was still dating DJ Calvin Harris and soon after began a brief, highly publicized romance with British actor Tom Hiddleston. Her connection with Joe likely began quietly in the aftermath, aligning with the emotionally charged events of summer 2016. In her personal journal included with the deluxe edition of Lover, Taylor refers to that period as “the apocalypse,” underscoring just how painful and chaotic that summer was for her on multiple levels.

Single Release

After Taylor launched “The Eras Tour” (2023–2024) in March 2023, “Cruel Summer” experienced a massive resurgence on streaming platforms. Positioned at the top of the setlist to open the show in full force, it quickly became the defining anthem of the cultural phenomenon that the tour became. Due to its renewed popularity and fan demand, the track was (finally) officially released as the fifth single from Lover. It impacted US Pop Radio on June 20, 2023—nearly four years after its original release. Taylor addressed the decision during her show in Pittsburgh on June 17:

«'Cruel Summer' was on the Lover album that came out four years ago. And I just need to let you know something: 'Cruel Summer' was my pride and joy on that album! That was my favorite song. And you know, you have conversations before the album comes out and everybody weighs in on what should be the singles. And I was finally, finally about to have my favorite song become a single off of Lover. And I'm not trying to blame the global pandemic we had but that is something that happened that stopped 'Cruel Summer' from ever being a single. So, what's happening right now, thanks to you, and no one understands how this is happening: You guys have streamed 'Cruel Summer' so much right now, in 2023, that it's like rising on the streaming charts so crazy. And my label just decided to make it the next single! This is truly, truly perplexing to me because I just haven't had something like this happen in my career. So thank you to anyone who's been listening to that song like 500 times a day. That was my favorite one!»

Taylor Swift

When “Cruel Summer” was released as a single, it became Taylor’s tenth No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in October 2023, setting a record for the longest climb to No. 1 by a female soloist with a non-holiday song—over four years after its debut. The achievement also marked her 41st Top 10 hit, solidifying her record as the female artist with the most Top 10 entries in Hot 100 history. Moreover, it made Taylor the first woman ever to score ten No. 1 hits on the Hot 100 and ten No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200—another historic feat. To celebrate, Taylor and co-producer Jack Antonoff shared a special message on Instagram. Jack recalled, “A song from five fucking years ago…a song that we said was the best song but we thought, ‘Oh, you know what, this was our secret best song.’ That’s what we thought.” Taylor then added:

«We just wanted to say thank you so much for making ‘Cruel Summer’ a Hot 100 No. 1 and it’s not even the summer anymore. It’s deep fall, I’m wearing a sweater. We love you guys!»

Taylor Swift

Following the release of The Eras Tour concert film on October 12, 2023, a live version of “Cruel Summer” dropped on October 18 as part of the digital compilation The Cruelest Summer. Around the same time, St. Vincent shared her thoughts on the song’s success, saying, “I’m still blown away by ‘Cruel Summer’ becoming the phenomenon it is. At the time, it wasn’t even a single, but the fans decided, ‘This is our song,’ and marched it up the charts. That’s a true testament to how powerful her fan base is.”

Live Performances

“Cruel Summer” made its long-awaited live debut four years after its release as part of the regular setlist on Taylor’s sixth headlining tour, “The Eras Tour” (2023–2024). The song kicked off the show, setting a vibrant tone with a joyous singalong between Taylor and the crowd. She explained that she chose to start the show with “Cruel Summer” because of the overwhelming support it received from fans ever since its release. Reflecting on the Lover era in The Eras Tour book, she wrote:

«One thing I knew from the start: We had to open with 'Cruel Summer' to blast us into the energy of this show. Something about the combination of that song and that Versace glittery bodysuit I got to wear could pull me out of any funk, fix any headache, heal sore muscles.»

Taylor Swift

The performance was pure catharsis—equal parts celebration and emotional release. Vibrant, bright, and brimming with joy, the staging perfectly embodied the glittery aesthetic of the Lover era, setting the tone for the rest of the night. As the shimmering synths kicked in, Taylor launched into the song with explosive energy. Dressed in a dazzling pastel ensemble, she turned the stadium into a sea of lights and voices, with fans screaming every lyric in unison—especially during the now-iconic bridge. When she belted, “I love you, ain’t that the worst thing you ever heard?” at full force, the crowd erupted, creating one of the tour’s most unforgettable communal moments.

Critical Reception

Upon release, “Cruel Summer” received critical acclaim for its infectious melody and ethereal production, often hailed as a standout track on Lover and one of Taylor’s best pop songs. Both Billboard and Rolling Stone included it in their year-end best-of lists for 2019, with Rolling Stone ranking it as the third-best song of Taylor’s career at the time. The publication described it as “a burst of mischief and desire, messy drama with a wink,” highlighting its raw emotional energy and Taylor’s fearless musical evolution.

In the years since, “Cruel Summer” has been celebrated as the signature track of Lover. In a 2021 ranking of the best bridges of the 21st century, Billboard placed it at No. 11. It consistently ranks highly in critics’ assessments of Taylor’s discography, including No. 11 by Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone and No. 6 by Hannah Mylrea of NME. Clash named it one of Taylor’s 15 best tracks, praising its “highly addictive” structure. In 2022, Exclaim! ranked it second on a list of her top 20 songs, lauding St. Vincent’s artistic contribution. Entertainment Weekly called it a “buzzer-beating, angst-wielding anthem,” while Rolling Stone‘s Brittany Spanos noted its rock-star edge and romantic urgency, calling it one of Taylor’s finest songs.

Commercial Performance

Released as the second track on Lover on August 23, 2019, “Cruel Summer” initially charted within the Top 30 in several countries and debuted at No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US. Despite its popularity, fans questioned why it wasn’t released as a single.

In March 2023, “Cruel Summer” gained new momentum when it was included in “The Eras Tour” setlist, where it quickly became a fan favorite. The song went viral on social media, re-entering the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 49 on June 3, 2023. Subsequently, Republic Records officially released it as the fifth Lover single to US contemporary hit radio on June 20, 2023.

Following its single release, “Cruel Summer” became Taylor’s 41st Top 10 hit, solidifying her record as the female artist with the most Top 10 entries. It also became the fourth Lover track to enter the Top 10, following “ME!”, “You Need to Calm Down,” and the title track, “Lover.” A massive global fan campaign helped push the song to No. 1 on the Hot 100, where it stayed for three weeks. On November 13, 2023, Taylor made history as the only female artist to replace herself twice at No. 1, when “Cruel Summer” replaced “Is It Over Now?” (she first accomplished this feat with “Blank Space” and “Shake It Off” in 2014).

On May 20, 2024, it became Taylor’s longest-charting song on the Hot 100, surpassing “Anti-Hero” (54 weeks). The song also topped multiple airplay charts, including Pop Airplay (10 weeks) and Adult Pop Airplay (8 weeks), and reached No. 1 on the Radio Songs chart in October 2023.

By October 2023, “Cruel Summer” peaked at No. 1 in Singapore, No. 2 in Australia, Canada, and the UK, and No. 1 in the Philippines. The song also reached No. 2 on the Billboard Global 200.

Interpolation

Olivia Rodrigo’s 2021 hit single “deja vu,” from her debut album SOUR, features an interpolation of “Cruel Summer.” In an interview with Rolling Stone, Olivia expressed her admiration for the track, saying: “I love ‘Cruel Summer.’ That’s one of my favorite songs ever. I love the yell-y vocal in it, the harmonized yells she does. I feel like they’re super electric and moving, so I wanted to do something like that.” This comment directly acknowledged how “Cruel Summer” influenced the bridge of “deja vu,” ultimately prompting Olivia to credit Taylor, Jack Antonoff, and St. Vincent as co-writers on the track. She did the same with another song on SOUR, “1 step forward, 3 steps back,” which interpolates Taylor’s “New Year’s Day” (2017), also crediting her as a co-writer.

Legacy

“Cruel Summer” has solidified its place as a cornerstone of Taylor’s pop legacy, with a cultural and commercial impact that only intensified over time. What began as a fan-favorite deep cut from Lover transformed into a chart-topping global hit—largely propelled by its prominent placement on “The Eras Tour.” Opening the show with its euphoric chorus and explosive bridge, the song became the tour’s unofficial anthem, sparking stadium-wide singalongs night after night.

Its late-blooming rise to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, years after its original release, underscored both the enduring power of Taylor’s songwriting and the devotion of her fanbase. “Cruel Summer” came to embody the second wind of the Lover era—revived through nostalgia, social media virality, and the sheer momentum of “The Eras Tour.” Its legacy is now a testament to Taylor’s rare ability to create songs that only grow more resonant with time.

Lyrics

[Intro]
(Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)

[Verse 1]
Fever dream high in the quiet of the night
You know that I caught it (Oh yeah, you’re right, I want it)
Bad, bad boy
Shiny toy with a price
You know that I bought it (Oh yeah, you’re right, I want it)

[Pre-Chorus]
Killing me slow
Out the window
I’m always waiting for you to be waiting below
Devils roll the dice
Angels roll their eyes
What doesn’t kill me
Makes me want you more

[Chorus]
And it’s new
The shape of your body
It’s blue
The feeling I got and it’s
Ooh
It’s a cruel summer
It’s cool
That’s what I tell ’em
No rules in breakable heaven but
Ooh
It’s a cruel summer
With you

[Verse 2]
Hang your head low
In the glow of the vending machine
I’m not dying (Oh yeah, you’re right, I want it)
We say that we’ll just screw it up in these trying times
We’re not trying (Oh yeah, you’re right, I want it)

[Pre-Chorus 2]
So cut the headlights
Summer’s a knife
I’m always waiting for you just to cut to the bone
Devils roll the dice
Angels roll their eyes
But if I bleed you’ll be the last to know

[Chorus]
It’s new
The shape of your body
It’s blue
The feeling I got and it’s
Ooh
It’s a cruel summer
It’s cool
That’s what I tell ’em
No rules in breakable heaven but
Ooh
It’s a cruel summer
With you

[Bridge]
I’m drunk in the back of the car
And I cried like a baby coming home from the bar (Oh)
Said, “I’m fine” but it wasn’t true
I don’t want to keep secrets
Just to keep you
And I snuck in through the garden gate every night that summer
Just to seal my fate (Oh)
And I scream, “For whatever it’s worth,
I love you, ain’t that the worst thing you ever heard?”
He looks up grinning like a devil

[Chorus]
It’s new
The shape of your body
It’s blue
The feeling I’ve got and i’ts
Ooh
It’s a cruel summer
It’s cool
That’s what I tell ’em
No rules in breakable heaven but
Ooh
It’s a cruel summer
With you

[Outro]
I’m drunk in the back of the car
And I cried like a baby coming home from the bar (Oh)
Said, “I’m fine” but it wasn’t true
I don’t wanna keep secrets just to keep you
And I snuck in through the garden gate every night that summer
Just to seal my fate (Oh)
And I scream, “For whatever it’s worth,
I love you, ain’t that the worst thing you ever heard?”
(Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)