Megan Thee Stallion has spooky season covered, freeing up Taylor Swift to linger in her “Cruel Summer” era a little bit longer. (Her very autumnal wardrobe during her New York City hard-launch with Travis Kelce, notwithstanding.) On Wednesday night, October 18, Swift announced a live version of “Cruel Summer (Live from TS | The Eras Tour)” from her Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour concert film, fresh off netting $92.8 million at the North American box office in its debut weekend (as per Variety).
The single appeared on Swift’s official website moments before Swift made the announcement across her socials.
“What a truly mind blowing thing you’ve turned The Eras Tour Concert Film into,” Swift captioned an Instagram post of the single’s cover art. “I’ve been watching videos of you guys in the theaters dancing and prancing and recreating choreography, creating inside jokes, casting spells, getting engaged, and just generally creating the exact type of joyful chaos we’re known for [angel emoji].”
The caption continued, “One of my favorite things you’ve done was when you supported ‘Cruel Summer’ SO much, I ended up starting The Eras Tour show with it. For old times sake, I’m releasing the live audio from the tour so we can all shriek it in the comfort of our homes and cars PLUS a brand new remix by @lpgiobbi. Thank you, so much, forever, wow, just thank you!!!”
This summer, “Cruel Summer” surprisingly became Swift’s latest radio single (as first reported by Billboard in June), despite it being housed on her Lover album from 2019 — six whole albums ago, and soon to be seven once 1989 (Taylor’s Version) drops on October 27. During the second of her back-to-back The Eras Tour stops in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on June 17, Swift explained the “Cruel Summer” resurgence.
“‘Cruel Summer’ was on the Lover album,” Swift told the crowd moments after performing “Cruel Summer” (as captured by Holly Caitlin). “That album came out four years ago, and I just need to let you know something: ‘Cruel Summer,’ that song was my pride and joy on that album. That was my favorite song.”
She continued, “You have conversations before the album comes out, and everybody around weighs in on what they think should be singles. And I was finally, finally about to have my favorite song become the single off of Lover, and, um, I’m not trying to blame the global pandemic that 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 honestly, no one understands how this is happening — but you guys have streamed ‘Cruel Summer’ so much right now in 2023, it’s like at the top of — it’s rising on the streaming charts so crazy, and my label have just decided to make it the next single.”
“Cruel Summer” debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 in September 2019 but peaked at No. 3 on August 19, 2023. As of this writing, it has spent 23 total weeks on the chart. The single was the second song performed by Swift during the first North American leg of The Eras Tour behind “Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince.”
Show after show, Swifties scream-sang the bridge: “I’m drunk in the back of the car / And I cried like a baby comin’ home from the bar / 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?’ / He looks up, grinnin’ like a devil.”
Swift’s unparalleled influence will only grow stronger when her The Eras Tour international leg begins in Buenos Aires, Argentina on November 9. Sabrina Carpenter and Paramore will serve as openers. Next fall, Swift will stage a second North American leg.
1989 (Taylor’s Version) is out 10/27 via Republic Records. Find more information here.
Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour is in theaters now. Find more information here.
Megan Thee Stallion and Paramore are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
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