5 Easy Songs That Use 1 String

• Under Pressure – Queen
• Batman Theme Song Intro
• Smoke On The Water – Deep Purple
• Iron Man – Black Sabbath
• Hit The Road Jack – Ray Charles

5 Easy Songs That Use 2 Strings

• Ode To Joy
• Jingle Bells
• When The Saints Go Marching In
• Beat It – Michael Jackson
• Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

5 Easy Songs That Use 3 Strings

• SpongeBob Squarepants Theme
• Happy Birthday
• James Bond Theme
• Oh Sussana
• London Bridge Is Falling Down

5 Easy Songs That Use Chords

For these songs, we recommend using simplified “half” chords using only the top 3 strings to make things easier for small hands.

• Spongebob Squarepants Theme
• Three Little Birds – Bob Marley
• Stand By Me – Ben E King
• Baby Shark
• Hokey Pokey

Good luck and happy playing!

— Book your lesson today at Marvin Empire – Online, Home, or In-Studio.

Learning to play the guitar can be an exciting journey, but it’s essential to start with the right foundation. For beginners, tackling complex songs can be overwhelming and discouraging. That’s why it’s crucial to have a repertoire of easy guitar songs specifically designed for novice players. In this article, we will explore a selection of beginner-friendly songs across various genres, providing a pathway for beginners to develop their skills and enjoy the process of learning the guitar.

Introduction

Playing easy guitar songs is a fantastic way for beginners to dive into the world of guitar playing. These songs are specifically chosen for their simplicity, utilizing basic chords and strumming patterns that are easy to grasp. Learning simple songs not only builds confidence but also helps beginners develop essential skills such as chord transitions, rhythm, and timing. By starting with easy songs, beginners can make steady progress and stay motivated on their guitar-playing journey.

— Book your lesson today at Marvin Empire – Online, Home, or In-Studio.

Choosing the Right Songs

When selecting easy guitar songs, several factors should be considered. It’s crucial to choose songs that align with personal musical preferences and genres that resonate with the learner. Additionally, beginners should look for songs that utilize common and beginner-friendly chords, avoiding complex chord progressions or difficult fingerings. By choosing the right songs, beginners can engage with the material and have an enjoyable learning experience.

Basic Chords and Strumming Patterns

Before diving into specific songs, beginners should familiarize themselves with some essential chords and strumming patterns. Learning common chords like G, C, D, E, and A opens up a wide range of songs that can be played with ease. These chords form the foundation of many popular songs across different genres. Similarly, practicing simple strumming patterns, such as downstrokes or basic up-down strums, helps develop rhythm and timing skills.

Classic Rock Songs

1. “Wild Thing” by The Troggs – A classic rock song known for its straightforward three-chord structure (A, D, E) and repetitive strumming pattern.
2. “Smoke on the Water” by Deep Purple – An iconic riff-driven rock song with a simple four-note power chord progression (E5, G5, A5).
3. “Louie Louie” by The Kingsmen – A rock and roll anthem featuring three easy chords (Em, Am, D) and a catchy rhythm.
4. “All Along the Watchtower” by Bob Dylan/Jimi Hendrix – A legendary song with a signature chord progression (Am, G, F) that is great for practicing chord transitions.

Pop Songs

1. “Wonderwall” by Oasis – A popular song that utilizes basic open chords (Em7, G, Dsus4, A7sus4) and an easy strumming pattern.
2. “Horse with No Name” by America – A mellow folk-pop tune featuring two simple chords (Em, D6/9) and a repeating pattern.
3. “Riptide” by Vance Joy – A catchy indie-pop song with beginner-friendly chords (Am, G, C) and an engaging ukulele-like picking pattern.
4. “Love Yourself” by Justin Bieber – A modern pop hit with a simple four-chord progression (C, G, Am, F) and a relaxed strumming pattern.

Folk and Country Songs

1. “Blowin’ in the Wind” by Bob Dylan – A classic folk song that employs basic open chords (G, C, D) and a simple strumming pattern.
2. “Take Me Home, Country Roads” by John Denver – A beloved country song featuring beginner-friendly chords (G, C, D) and a memorable melody.
3. “Wagon Wheel” by Old Crow Medicine Show – A modern folk-country anthem with a straightforward chord progression (G, D, Em, C) and a catchy chorus.
4. “You Belong with Me” by Taylor Swift – A country-pop crossover hit with beginner-friendly chords (C, G, Am, F) and a strumming pattern that follows the song’s rhythm.

Acoustic Ballads

1. “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen – A beautiful ballad with an easy chord progression (C, Am, F, G) and a melodic picking pattern.
2. “Fast Car” by Tracy Chapman – A soulful acoustic song with simple chords (C, G, Em, D) and an iconic fingerpicking pattern.
3. “Blackbird” by The Beatles – A timeless acoustic gem featuring intricate but beginner-friendly fingerpicking patterns and open chords (G, Am7, G/B, C).
4. “Tears in Heaven” by Eric Clapton – A heartfelt ballad that utilizes basic chords (G, D, Em, C) and a delicate strumming pattern.

Practice Tips for Beginners

To make the most out of learning easy guitar songs, beginners can follow these practice tips:

• Start slow: Begin by practicing each song at a comfortable tempo, gradually increasing the speed as you become more comfortable.
• Focus on accuracy: Pay attention to chord transitions and strumming patterns to ensure accuracy and clarity.
• Use a metronome: Practicing with a metronome helps develop a solid sense of rhythm and timing.
• Break it down: If a particular section or chord progression feels challenging, break it down into smaller parts and practice them individually before integrating them into the whole song.
• Record yourself: Recording your practice sessions allows you to listen back and identify areas for improvement.

Benefits of Learning Easy Guitar Songs

Learning easy guitar songs offers several benefits for beginners:

• Building confidence: Mastering simple songs boosts confidence and provides a sense of accomplishment, motivating beginners to continue their guitar journey.
• Enhancing chord transition and rhythm skills: Easy songs focus on fundamental chord changes and strumming patterns, helping beginners develop dexterity and rhythm skills.
• Practical application of techniques: Applying chords, strumming patterns, and rhythm to real songs enhances practical understanding and enjoyment of the instrument.

FAQs

1. How long does it take to learn an easy guitar song as a beginner?

The time required to learn an easy guitar song as a beginner varies depending on factors such as practice time, prior musical experience, and the complexity of the song. With regular practice, beginners can expect to learn and play simple songs within a few weeks.

2. Can I play easy guitar songs on an electric guitar as well?

Absolutely! Easy guitar songs can be played on both acoustic and electric guitars. While some songs may have slight variations in sound or arrangement, the fundamental chords and progressions remain the same.

3. Do I need to know music theory to play easy guitar songs?

While knowledge of music theory can be helpful, it is not necessary to play easy guitar songs. These songs typically utilize basic chords and strumming patterns that can be learned by following tablature or chord diagrams.

4. Can I sing along while playing easy guitar songs?

Yes! Singing along while playing guitar is a fantastic way to enhance your musical skills and make your practice sessions more enjoyable. Start by focusing on playing the chords and strumming patterns correctly, and gradually incorporate singing as you become more comfortable.

5. Can I find easy guitar song tutorials online?

Absolutely! There are numerous online resources, including websites, video tutorials, and chord/tab repositories, where you can find easy guitar song tutorials. These resources often provide step-by-step instructions, chord diagrams, and play-along videos to help beginners learn their favorite songs.

Conclusion

Easy guitar songs for beginners provide an excellent starting point for novice players to develop their skills and enjoy the process of learning the guitar. By selecting songs that align with personal musical preferences and utilize beginner-friendly chords and strumming patterns, beginners can make steady progress and stay motivated on their guitar-playing journey. Whether it’s classic rock, pop tunes, folk melodies, or acoustic ballads, there are plenty of easy songs available to help beginners develop their skills and build a solid foundation in guitar playing.

— Book your lesson today at Marvin Empire – Online, Home, or In-Studio.

lot of songs are actually far easier to play than they seem to be from listening to them. One of the best pieces of advice I give to guitar beginners is to search online for ‘easy songs by …..’ – inserting their favorite band or artist. You’ll probably be amazed by what you find.

However, certain parts of the song you want to play may stretch your talents somewhat and the solos are normally a bit too technical at this early stage, but you should have no problem playing the basics of many of the songs you love.

That’s why I decided to cover a variety of great beginner’s electric guitar songs in a number of genres. However, you will need to at least know your basic root chords – A, Am, C, D, Dm, E, Em, and G, as well as a few simple rhythm patterns to play them. I’ll be avoiding the typical best songs for a novice guitarist suggestions, such as Happy Birthday, Amazing Grace, etc. for songs that are a lot more interesting to play and to listen to.— Book your lesson today at Marvin Empire – Online, Home, or In-Studio.

So, let’s get started with…

7. Your Ghost – Kristin Hersh

My first choice is unusual in that it isn’t an incredibly well-known song, in fact, most of you reading this will have probably never heard of Kristin Herch, or her band, Throwing Muses. You, however, will have heard of the male vocalist who joins her in the choruses, Michael Stipe from REM.

Regardless, this is easily one of the best songs for any beginner guitarist, acoustic or electric, to learn for a number of reasons. First off, it only contains three simple chards, Am, G, and D. And secondly, the rhythm – down – down – down/up/down – is equally as easy.

But what makes this song so good is that, unlike lots of standard beginner’s songs, it sounds much more complicated than it is. This is because even though it only contains three chords, whose order never changes, the melody is sung over different chords as the song progresses. Let me explain…

The first line of the song is sung over the chords Am, G, D, Am. The second over G, D, Am, G, the third over D, Am, G, D. The fourth line consists of Am, then G, and then the D chord is strummed and left to ring before the whole sequence starts again as the vocals re-enter.

This makes it a lot more interesting to play and play along with the recording/video than most of the standard songs that beginners learn.

Here are the Your Ghost lyrics and chords if you want to sing and play along.

6. Zombie – The Cranberries

From a beautiful little-known song, we move to an absolutely massive worldwide hit. Zombie basically only contains four chords, and they are some of the easiest chords to play. Plus, the rhythm couldn’t be much easier, and the solo is nearly all on one string making it superb for beginners to learn. However, the rhythm parts require some palm muting, which I’ll explain soon, but apart from that it’s all very easy.

In simple terms, the chords are Em, C, G, and D. Easy enough, but to make it even easier, you don’t even need to play the full chords. Play the Em as normal, then for the C play a Cmaj7 (CM7), which is the same as a normal C, but you don’t use the first finger. Now for the G, this is a G6, which only involves the first and second fingers – so it’s the same shape as the Cmaj7 we just played, but up a string.

And finally, a little more complicated, the D is a Dadd9/F#, which is a D chord with a finger on the 2nd fret of the low E string to create a F# note, with the other fingers on a D chord, but no finger on the high e string. You can play the F# note with the first finger (easiest option), second finger (harder for most people), or your thumb, by wrapping it around the neck.

That’s the chords covered, the rhythm for theteh intro and verse is all downstrokes, so down, down, down, down, down, down, down, down, down, with palm muting. For the Em, G6, and Dadd9/F# hit the 6th, 5th, and 4th strings, for the Cmaj7, hit the 5th, 4th, and 3rd strings. To palm mute, you need to rest the palm of your strumming hand very gently over the bridge of your guitar so that it mutes the strings slightly. This will require a lot of trial and error, with small movements back and forth until you get it to sound right – it should sound a little staccato with no ringing notes, but not completely dead.

As mentioned the solo is also well worth learning, check it out (along with the rest of the song) in this online Zombie Tab.

5. What’s Up – 4 Non Blondes

I mentioned in the introduction that to play these easy guitar songs, you need to know your root chords, well this song contains two root chords – A and D – plus a barre chord – Bm. The reason I am including it is thatbecause once beginners can play their root chords to a good standard, it normally takes them a while to move on to and master barre chords. However, the time this takes is rapidly decreased if you learn songs such as What’s Up.

You should be able to play your A and D chords well by now, but the additional barre chord – Bm – makes the song far more difficult to play. However, the fact that the chord progression just goes round and round for the entire length of the song, means that even if you just strum the chords once as you play along with the song, your chord changes will get quicker in no time.

Start with the A and strum it once as the song starts, then change to Bm, and strum that once in time with the song, then move to D, strum, and back to A. Carry on doing this for the full duration of the full song. As this gets easier, strum two or three times per chord. Then learn the rhythm and practice it while changing the chords. You’ll be playing along with the song far quicker than you ever thought possible.

Here is the full What’s Up Tab if you want to learn the lead guitar sections, which are relatively simple as well.

4. Knocking on Heavens Door – Bob Dylan

Another classic, that a lot of guitarists, even beginners, can already play, but it’s much more than a great campfire singalong song – it can open the door to techniques such as random picking and improvising!

In its most basic form, the chords are G, D, Am, Am, – G, D, C, C, although most guitarists play an Am7 (Am without the third finger) instead of the Am. The rhythm is simple – down on the first beat, rest on the second, down on the third beat, and down-up on the four-and, so no problems there.

But, as mentioned, it’s a great song to learn so many other techniques, from random picking to improvisation. For random picking, play a chord’s bass note – 6th string for G, 5th string for Am and C, and 4th string for D, then play any other three strings (normally the high e, b, and g strings) in any order. Once you get the hang of it, try playing the bass note followed by a sequence of 7 random notes.

For improvising, learn the Em (Gmajor) pentatonic scale in the root position, then while playing the song, try inserting very simple two or three note riffs using the notes of the scale while keeping some of the basic strums going.

When that gets easier, learn the first position G major scale starting on the third fret of the low E and create simple short riffs using those notes while keeping the song going.

3. House of the Rising Sun – The Animals

As with What’s Up and the B minor chord, this is the go-to song for mastering the infamous and illusive F major chord. The rest of the chords in the song are simple enough, Am, C, D, and E, it’s the F that will cause the problems.

However, as with What’s Up, because the chord sequence circles around and around (even though it is quite a bit longer than in the 4 Non Blondes song), you will soon get the hang of playing the F. Plus, once you get in rhythm with the other easier chords, it forces you to try and make the change from the D to the F chord as quickly as you can so that the song doesn’t stop dead.

The song goes along at quite a pace, a lot quicker than people realize when listening to it, plus it’s very long, making it a great rhythm workout as well.

Here is the full House of the Rising Sun tab for the chord sequence and if you also want to learn the cool picked intro section.

2. High and Dry – Radiohead

The fact that there is a Radiohead song in my Top 7 Easiest Songs to Play on Guitar list might well be a shock for a lot of you. But it deserves to be here, even though a few sections might be too difficult for complete beginners, such as the intro.

The intro involves octaves (the root of a chord and its octave) played up the neck, along with some open strings. They are not particularly hard to play once you get the hang of them, but if you’ve only played root chords so far, they can be challenging at first. If you’re up for the challenge, then check out the full High and Dry Tab.

Next to the verse, which is exactly the same as the chorus, both of which contain only three chords. They are F#min7add9 (don’t worry it sounds much harder than it is!), Asus2, and E.

Starting with the mouthful of a chord, F#min7add9… place your first finger on the 2nd fret of the G string, your third finger on the 4th fret of the A string, and your pinky underneath it, on the 4th fret of the D string. Then play these strings along with the open high e and B strings.

Next is the Asus2, which is an A chord without the third finger, then a standard E chord. And that’s it!

Once you get the hang of the chords, strum them once per chord change as you play along with the song, then try doing two strums per chord, then three, then four, until you can complete the rhythm and change in time along with the video.

1. Everybody Hurts – REM

It’s amazing how such a beautiful song can be so easy to play, but it is.

The verse is D and G, the chorus is Em and A, and that’s basically it. The picking is the root note – 6th string for G and Em, 5th string for A, and 4th string for D – followed by the third string (G), second string (B), first string (high e), second string (B), and third string (G).

There is a middle 8 section that contains harder barre chords – F#m7 and Bm – but don’t worry if you can’t play them yet, the section is only a very small part of the song. But if you do want to master the whole song, here is the full Everybody Hurts tab.

The guitar is one of the best instruments for beginners to learn!  When you are getting started with playing the guitar, it’s incredible to find the sheer number of songs that you can learn to play right from the start. 

Since many guitar songs utilize only 2 or 3 major chords, it is easy to pick up these songs when playing. It’s good to have a starting point for finding some easy guitar songs when you begin your journey of learning.video

Of course, you’ll want to always continue learning more on the guitar as you go because, with practice, you will get better and better. Whether it’s our NYC-based guitar lessons or online guitar lessons,  you need to be willing to learn and practice outside of the lessons as well.

There are many songs you can start with that will help you learn how to switch between chords with more ease as you learn to play. You can use either an acoustic or a classical guitar to suit your desired sound. Let’s explore 50 easy guitar songs for beginners to help you get started!

Let’s take a look at 50+ simple guitar songs that every beginner should learn:

1. “I Wanna Be There” – Blessed Union of Souls

This is a simple song made up of us just three chords – G, C, and D. These being the first three chords you’re likely to learn on the guitar, you can strum the song and learn how to switch between the chords in the progression. 

The chord progression goes like this: G | C | D | G, and once you can switch to each without any problems, you’ve got yourself this song. It’s a very simple and easy song to begin with, and who doesn’t like a love song?

2. “What’s Up” – Four Non-Blondes

This song has a few more chords than three, utilizing the chords E, Am, G, D, and B. However, these are all chords that can be easily picked up on the guitar.

This is also one of those songs that are familiar, especially to the karaoke folk, so it’ll be a big hit at parties and get-togethers.

3. “Love Me Do” – The Beatles

The classic song “Love Me Do” by the iconic Beatles is very simple to play.

When you play this great song, it only takes TWO initial chords for the chorus: G major and C major, until you get to the bridge part of the song that goes, “Someone to love…” where you add in a D major chord.

A very simple song with just two chords to start, making it very easy to play.

Note that every song is going to have its own strumming pattern, and they will differ based on the song you choose. It helps if you are familiar with the song and its rhythm because this will help with your strumming.

The chord changes are pretty easy since it’s a slower but still upbeat in-tempo tune. And it can be aided by the use of a harmonica, like with the Bluest Traveler song.

4. “Brown Eyed Girl” – Van Morrison

Van Morrison is a popular name in the world of music, and his hit “Brown Eyed Girl” is played at almost every American festival, party, and gathering.

It’s easy to play on the guitar by strumming the chords G, C, D, E minor, and D7.

Again, the strum pattern that you use is what will solidify you as a true guitarist. The rhythm is just as important as learning how to play the chords correctly.

5. “Three Little Birds” – Bob Marley

Another simple song but one that everyone will know, “Three Little Birds” is a great one to have in your back pocket.

The chords again are only just using three: The A chord, the D chord, and the E chord. You play them to a reggae beat, and you’ll master this song in no time at all!

The strumming pattern will be the trickiest part to learn here because the genre calls for it to be more specifically played. But with a little practice, you’ll get the hang of how it compliments the song.

6. “Achy Breaky Heart” – Billy Ray Cyrus

If you’re into the country scene, you can pick up this little tune on the guitar with some simple strums of the chords C and G. And that’s it, just two chords! Talk about easy. 

It could be the first song you learn, especially if you like country songs. Because both the chorus and the verses of this song follow the same pattern, this is an excellent beginner song.

Watch Tutorial

7. “Sweet Home Alabama” – Lynyrd Skynyrd

Very well-known and popular, the old country rock song “Sweet Home Alabama” is another easy song you can learn for the guitar. The simple three-chord progression goes G, C, D, and sometimes with an F chord. 

Since the chords are the same, you might also be able to throw in the song “Werewolves of London” by Warren Zevin – remember the Kid Rock version that incorporated both? Two songs in one!

Since the chords are the same you might also be able to throw in the song “Werewolves of London” by Warren Zevin – remember the Kid Rock version that incorporated both? Two songs in one!

— Book your lesson today at Marvin Empire – Online, Home, or In-Studio.

8. “Bad Moon Rising” – Creedence Clearwater Revival

The ease of playing a Creedence song can help give way to your bluesy side. This uses the chords D, A, and G in the progression that goes D | A | G | D and then adds a G major chord in the beginning when you get to the part in the chorus of “Don’t go around tonight…”

— Book your lesson today at Marvin Empire – Online, Home, or In-Studio.

9.”Run Around” – Blues Traveler

If you want something that’s not so old, this hit song by Blues Traveler is one that everyone would like to play. It would be essential to play with someone who knows the harmonica, too, and make you a smash hit at your next party. The song comes from the album Four, and it’s an easygoing, uptempo song that uses just four chords: G, C, A Minor, and D. 

Usually, the first chords you’re going to learn on the guitar involve D, G, and C because they are the easiest. And with those three chords, you can easily make an entire song so that it’s easy to play for a beginner guitarist

— Book your lesson today at Marvin Empire – Online, Home, or In-Studio.

10. “Wild Horses” – The Rolling Stones

A slower melody, the song “Wild Horses” is an easy song that uses more chords and chord progressions so you can practice adding in more than just three. It’s in the Key of G and uses the following chords in succession: Am, G, C, D, Bm, and the F chord. It’s a great song to play that will impress your audience.

Watch Tutorial

11. “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” – Bob Dylan/Guns N’ Roses

The cover that Guns N’ Roses did of “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” by Bob Dylan is an excellent song to have in your guitar repertoire. You can also play this one on an electric guitar to give it a different sound. 

The chords in this song go from G to D, the A Minor chord, G, D, and C, with alternating between the A minor chord and the C chord as the final. For the chorus, you play as G chord, D chord, and C chord, then back to alternating when going to the verse. 

12. “The Joker” – Steve Miller Band

Many people recognize this song but don’t really know the name of it. This is another great example of a song with only three chords, making it easier to practice. The chords are all played in a steady pattern – G, Cadd9, and D. 

This is a great example of using your fingering to do some gutar picking once you get more confident in your playing ability. You can mimic the bass line with your fingers rather than just play the easy chords.

13. “Wildest Dreams” – Taylor Swift

If you want to play more popular songs, this one by Taylor Swift is an easier one for the guitar. This is a great example to help you learn how to switch between chords. 

The song has five chords, but they are easier open chords to play. With a capo at the first fret, you play the C chord, E minor chord, D chord, G chord, and A minor chord. The key is to encompass the dreamy sound of the song. 

14. “All The Small Things” – Blink 182

Another popular song and smash hit, going in a different genre of punk and pop, “All The Small Things” is a crowd-pleaser to play that will have everyone singing along. It revolves around the C power chord on the third fret of the A string, a G power chord on the third of the low E string, and a power chord in the F position.

You can practice your strumming pattern, it’s easy to learn because it’s a steady down pick. You also can work on your palm mutes, where you use your full hand to deaden the strings when playing them

15. “Chasing Cars” – Snow Patrol

Another in the more modern realm, this song features a really neat melodic guitar riff that uses picking so you can practice with your fingers. It’s a breakaway easy song that doesn’t use such chord-heavy playing.

Playing this uses the chords A, E/G sharp, D, D2, and Dmaj7. You play in a down-pick fashion that matches up with the vocals.

16. “Learning To Fly” – Tom Petty

A great beginner song to learn, the chord progression is played on repeat throughout with very minor variations. The chords are played as follows: F, C, A minor, and G. 

17. “Rockin’ In The Free World” – Neil Young

One of those hard rock songs that is played in a minor key, Neil Young’s classic song is another easy riff. The chords are played in E minor, D, C, G, and A.  

18. “Ho Hey” – The Lumineers

The Lumineers were genius by using just four chords to get a ton of recognition. A great song for beginning guitar players, “Ho Hey” uses the chords in the key of C, with the progression of F chord, C chord, A minor, and G chord.  

You have opportunities to vary the fingers in your F and G chords. So you can play around a bit more with this tune.

Watch Tutorial

19. “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life” – Green Day)

With a capo, this song is a very popular and nostalgic-feeling tune. It’s also relatively simple to play on the guitar. The chords are arpeggiated in the beginning of the song, but they can be strummed as well. In the key G, the chords are G, C, D, Cadd9, and E minor.

Watch Tutorial

20. “Mother” – Pink Floyd

The Wall was an incredibly popular album for Pink Floyd. The song ” Mother” uses a simple chord progression played in the G key. Pay attention to the strumming pattern in this song when playing the chords.: G, C, D, and F.

Watch Tutorial

21. “No Rain” – Blind Melon

The guitar tab for Blind Melon’s “No Rain” is a great alternative and grunge song that most people are familiar with. The four guitar chords used are E, A, G, and D, with an E7 brought in for embellishment.

Watch Tutorial

22. “Summer of ’69” – Bryan Adams

This influential rock song can be played on an electric guitar if you’re so inclined. In the Key of D, it’s played with guitar chords D, A, G, B minor, F, B flat, and D minor. It’s a very fun and uplifting tune that will have everyone rocking out!

Watch Tutorial

23. “Mr. Jones” – Counting Crows

Even though the song is played in a minor chord, “Mr. Jones” is a great song for a beginner to learn. It may take some time to master, but it’s a good five-chord progression of A minor, F, D minor, G, and C.

Watch Tutorial

24. “Stand By Me” – Ben E. King

The intro’s riff in this song all has to do with timing, so you’ll have to practice and listen closely. But it has open chord shapes with the progression of C, Am, F, and G. Everyone knows and will sing along to this classic tune!

Watch Tutorial

25. “A Horse With No Name” – America

You can practice your strumming patterns with this song since it’s a little different than most songs. The chords are what make it easy, with just these four: Em, D6/9, Em9, and Dmaj9. 

Watch Tutorial

26.”Thinking Out Loud” – Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran is a popular artist who often plays the acoustic guitar, and his slow love song “Thinking Out Loud” is a perfect song for any beginner who is learning. The key to this is using your ear to pick up the timing when playing the chords – C, C/E, F, G, Dm, and Am. 

The part of the song that goes, “maybe we found love right where we are,” has a chord change with each word. This can make it difficult at first, but you’ll soon have it mastered with some time.

Watch Tutorial

27. “Wonderwall” – Oasis

The strumming techniques in this song are what make up the challenging part for a beginner. It will take a little bit of time to work out the chord progression and play it. The chords are as follows: Em, G, D, A, and C. 

Watch Tutorial

28. “Buddy Holly” – Weezer

The song that got Weezer the recognition and a fun song to learn on the guitar. If you’re a fan of 90’s tunes, you can enjoy learning the chords in a minor key (F sharp ). The chord pattern goes G#, A, D, Dm, F#m, E, and C#m. It’s a great example of how to learn to play different keys since it’s not a major chord.

Watch Tutorial

29. “Small Town” – John Mellencamp

A throwback song is a great uptempo play for the guitar. It’s especially a lot of fun to play if you live in a small town! The chords for this play are simple chords: G, D, C, and A minor. 

Watch Tutorial

30. “Every Rose Has its Thorn” – Poison

Maybe you’re more into 80s power ballads. This great song from Poison has an easy strumming pattern with open chords G, Cadd9, D, C, and Em. 

Watch Tutorial

31. “About a Girl” – Nirvana

If you’re into learning songs that are lesser known, “About a Girl” by Nirvana is from their first album Bleach. This is a great example of the first steps to learning how to switch across many chords, as the number of chords is large: Em, G, C#, G3, F#, A, and C.

Watch Tutorial

32. “Disarm” – The Smashing Pumpkins

The Smashing Pumpkins have some great songs to learn on the guitar, one being “Disarm.” It’s a straightforward song with easy chords in the E minor key: Em7, Cadd9, G, Dsus4, F#, D, and Em. The chords can be a bit tricky to learn at first, so it takes some practice to get the hang of it.

Watch Tutorial

33. “Closing Time” – Semisonic

This four-chord progression song that goes G, D, Am, and C is repetitive, which makes it an easy guitar song to practice and learn quickly. You can find your own strumming pattern to sing along to where it doesn’t exactly match the recording, too, making it fun.

Watch Tutorial

34. “I Ran” – Flock of Seagulls

Want to start with a song that only uses two chords? This simple song from the 80s uses some cool synthesizer sounds and a delay effect on the guitar. But when played plainly, the two chords are played with A minor and G to make up this hit.

Watch Tutorial

35. “I Walk The Line” – Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash had multiple number-one hits during his career. One of his well-known songs, “I Walk The Line,” is one of his simple guitar songs for beginners to learn, and it also has multiple chords to help with your learning to do progressions and switching. It uses the major chords E, A, and D, and the strumming pattern goes like E/A/E/A/D/A/E/A.

Watch Tutorial

36. “Ain’t No Sunshine” – Bill Withers

Bill Withers had a hit that is a class song today with “Ain’t No Sunshine” in the key of A minor. The chords used include Am, Em, and G. And just consider how easy it is to play when you’re holding the part that goes “I know, I know, I know, I know, I know….” 

Watch Tutorial

37. “Stay With Me” – Sam Smith

This song got some scrutiny because of its similarity to the song “Won’t Back Down” by Tom Petty. The chords are only slightly different, but the strumming pattern is very close. This song uses Am, F, and C chords, while Petty’s classic song uses Em, D, and G. 

Watch Tutorial

38. “Creep” – Radiohead

This is another karaoke favorite for people, “Creep” uses a four chord progression that goes G, B, C, and Cm. Even though it was dubbed as a song that was too depressing, many people find it to be a fun song to sing.

Watch Tutorial

39. “Free Fallin” – Tom Petty

There is nothing too fancy, but there is a lot of soul in Tom Petty’s songs, and they are excellent tunes to learn and play on your guitar. “Free Fallin’” comes from the album Full Moon Fever and was a huge hit for the band. The four-chord progression is simple with D, A, Dsus4, and E.

Watch Tutorial

40. “Comfortably Numb” – Pink Floyd

Another Pink Floyd song that makes it easy to learn guitar, “Comfortably Numb” is a popular song with a slow tempo and heavily utilizes open chords. It’s great for a beginner guitar player  to work on switching between the chords for Bm, A, G, Em, D, A, and C.

Watch Tutorial

41. “Seven Turns” – The Allman Brothers

You can’t play guitar and not have an Allman Brothers song in your repertoire. There are so many songs that you could learn, but “Seven Turns” is the easiest guitar song of them all. The chord progression for this tune goes C, G, Em, D, and C/B.

42. “I’m Gonne Be (500 Miles)” – The Proclaimers

Learning a staccato-style strumming pattern can be useful with this hit song. You can practice how to strum up and down to a predetermined tempo (listen to the tune to get the hang of it). It only uses three chords, but they are strummed in a particular fashion, going E, A, B. 

Watch Tutorial

43. “3 AM” – Matchbox Twenty

The song “3 AM” is an easy song for beginners because it’s catchy. Many guitarists who start off learning want to play songs that they know and like, and this song helps get you off to a great start. 

The open chords make it easy to play: G, Cadd9, D, and Em. You can also get fancy and learn the fingering and picking pattern at the very beginning of the song once you’ve mastered the strum.

Watch Tutorial

44. “Simple Man” – Lynyrd Skynyrd

This three-chord masterpiece from Lynyrd Skynyrd is more fun to play than “Free Bird.” The recording has the chords more arpeggiated, but you can strum them on an acoustic guitar, and it still sounds excellent. The chords are C, G, and Am.

Watch Tutorial

45. “Wild Thing” – The Troggs

Your easy song list for the guitar is not complete without “Wild Thing” by The Troggs. The song uses a 1-4-5 chord progression with A, D, E, and G. Another song that’s well-known and will have people singing along to it!

Watch Tutorial

46. “Sympathy for the Devil” – The Rolling Stones

A great cover of this is done by Guns N’ Roses, but The Rolling Stones made an easy song of “Sympathy for the Devil.” It’s a welcome song for beginners to learn to play because the verse only uses three chords: E, D, and A. The chorus uses just two chords: B and E. 

Watch Tutorial

47. “What I Got” – Sublime

Sublime got a smash hit with “What I Got,” and one you should learn the guitar tabs for so you can play it. There’s no specific strumming pattern for this song, so you can feel free to experiment with it, but with just a two-chord pattern, it is pretty simple: D, G / D, G.

Watch Tutorial

48. “Fire on the Mountain” – Grateful Dead

People love to hear the Grateful Dead songs, and you can easily learn a couple of them to put under your belt as a beginner. One song in particular, “Fire on the Mountain,” uses the two chords B and A to make it an extremely simple song to learn.

Watch Tutorial

49. “Landslide” – Fleetwood Mac

Another song that can help you learn finger styles, the movement of this on the guitar with the capo on the third fret is utilized in another song (“Simple Man” by Lynyrd Skynyrd). For this tune, you can work on fingerpicking with the chords C, G, and B.

Watch Tutorial

50. “With or Without You” – U2

A four-chord classic song, U2 couldn’t miss our beginner guitar list. This song is excellent for playing, singing, and solos on the guitar. The strumming technique is a “1 and 2 and” type of strum. The chords used are D, A, Bm, and G.

Lesson Description

In this lesson I teach how to play 10 easy guitar songs for beginners.

If you’re a beginner player wanting to learn easy guitar songs at your level, or an experienced player looking to learn some classics, then this video is for you.

For each song, I show tabs or diagrams on the screen and highlight them as I play, making it easy to follow along.

In some cases, I teach the iconic riff in a song instead of the whole song.

In other cases, I teach the chord progression that lasts throughout the song.

I break down some songs into multiple difficulty levels, so you can hone your skills or jump right in.

These guitar songs for beginners might be taught differently elsewhere, so I think you’ll appreciate the way I teach them.

I’m confident that this lesson will provide you with a clear way to learn at least one song that’s right for your level.

I hope you enjoyed this lesson about easy guitar songs for beginners.

Let me know what you thought in the comments.

Thanks!

– Jared

Diagrams from This Lesson

Beginner Guitar Song #1
Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Level 4

Level 5

Beginner Guitar Song #2
Free Fallin’ by Tom Petty

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Beginner Guitar Song #3
Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Beginner Guitar Song #4
Wagon Wheel by Old Crow Medicine Show

Beginner Guitar Song #5
Wild Thing by The Troggs / Louie Louie by Richard Berry

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Level 4

Beginner Guitar Song #6
Sunshine of Your Love by Cream

Option 1

Option 2

Beginner Guitar Song #7
Ode to Joy by Beethoven

Beginner Guitar Song #8
Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door by Bob Dylan

 
Beginner Guitar Song #9
Wonderwall by Oasis

Beginner Guitar Song #10
Stand by Me by Ben E. King

— Book your lesson today at Marvin Empire – Online, Home, or In-Studio.

We’ve chosen popular songs that contain a variety of chords, tempos, and genres to keep things fresh throughout the list. We’ve also included a mix of acoustic and electric songs.

It’s up to you how far you’d like to go with practising each song.

If want to just get the main chords down so you can sing over the top, that’s fine! For others, you might wish to get the main chords locked in, then start improvising fills and solos to embellish your music even further.

Basic chords you need to know

Put simply, a chord is a group of notes played together at the same time. You’ll see two types of chords referred to in guitar speak: open chords and barre (pronounced ‘bar’) chords.

• Open chords are played near the nut (headstock of the guitar), with some strings left to ring openly – without you pressing down any frets.
• Barre chords don’t have any open strings in them, so they can be moved around the guitar neck to change the pitch of the chord.

In terms of difficulty, open chords are generally easier as you don’t have to hold down multiple strings with one finger or stretch your fingers too much.

Some good ones to start with are C, D, E, and G in the open position.

These diagrams represent the neck of a guitar, with the dots on the grid showing you which fingers (1 is index, 2 is your middle, 3 is your ring, and 4 is your pinky) to place on which frets. The dots on the top indicate which strings need to be played and which you should leave muted.

Want to get creative? You can move chords further up the neck with a handy capo, like the Fender Dragon, for interesting key changes!

Book your lesson today at Marvin Empire – Online, Home, or In-Studio.

27 Easy Guitar Songs for Beginners

1. “Paranoid” by Black Sabbath

Raise your rock hands because “Paranoid” is perhaps one of the most legendary metal songs in existence.

Starting with two strums of an E power chord on the 7th fret, you’ll instantly feel like a rock god! That strong chord is followed by a cool little hammer-on riff in the same position and E, A, and D power chords in a steadily down-picked fashion.

Listen to the song closely to pick up the rhythm and you’ll soon be bopping along to one of the most iconic songs of the ’70s.

2. “Someone You Loved” by Lewis Capaldi

Requires a capo on 1st fret.

A soulful hit by Scottish bard Lewis Capaldi, this is a great song to strum and sing, with it consisting of C, G, Am, and F chords.

You can either strum repeatedly at a slow pace to match the mood of the song or, if you’re feeling advanced, fingerpick the individual strings for more melodic quality.

Later, there are some variations of the basic chords, but don’t worry! These are super easy to play. There are Am7 and Dm7 in the bridge which only require some slight adjustments from the normal open chords.

3. “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd

A fun, iconic riff that instantly takes you to the American south. It works around D, C, and G open chord shapes, so if you’ve practised these chords, you’ll quickly pick it up.

It isn’t too complex, and the more you run it, the speedier and ‘twangier’ your playing will become.

Keep your pinky finger on the 3rd fret of the B string, then your other fingers will naturally slot into the C and G chord shapes. The trick to perfecting it is to play along with the song, carefully matching the beat and picking style of Skynard.

And because the riff ends where it starts, it’s a breeze to just keep playing it on repeat! Trust us, you’ll be picking this riff blindfolded in no time at all.

4. “Free Fallin” by Tom Petty

Requires a capo on 3rd fret.

Covered by many artists over the years, this is a simple chord progression that you can quickly master and sing over the top.

With a capo on the 3rd fret, you’ll play open D, A, and E chords, with a Dsus4 chord thrown in to mix it up. Not to worry, Dsus4 is a D chord with your pinky on the 3rd fret rather than the 2nd.

Suitable for both acoustic and electric (try adding a little crunch for a classic rock tone), you’ll be dad rocking in no time with this classic hit.

5. “My Generation” by The Who

Incredibly easy to play and incredibly easy to rock out to. “My Generation” consists of two chords: G and F. Play them as power chords to get that meaty rock sound and let loose with your roaring vocals in the pauses.

This ’60s mega-hit is particularly famous for its bass solo, but Pete Townshend’s guitar fills are your cue to add some improvisations of your own!

It’s a great song to develop your soloing skills as there’s nothing too complex going on with the rhythm or chords.

6. “House of the Rising Sun” by The Animals

House Of The Rising Sun revolves around Am, C, D, E, and F chords. Rather than strumming them, pick each note of the chord, ascending and descending in pitch to create the bluesy and sombre tone of the song.

Later in the song, you’ll see a C/E chord, which is a C chord with an E note as the bass note. It’s super simple to play – just a step out of the usual open chord structure!

There’s also E7 and F7, which add in 7th notes from the scale. Again, simple variations of the open chords which crop up once or twice in the song to add tension to a line.

7. “Achy Breaky Heart” by Billy Ray Cyrus

If you’re in the mood for some two-step, then this rootin’ tootin’ song from mullet-wielding weirdo Billy Ray Cyrus will do the trick.

A solid country-style jam, “Achy Breaky Heart” consists of just two chords: A and E (appropriate because this song belongs in Accidents and Emergencies).

The simplicity gives you loads of room to try out country-style licks using the notes you find in open A and E.

Look for scales in the key of A and you can also start improvising solos over the top – and if really want to get advanced, try out chicken pickin’ techniques for a real country sound.

8. “American Idiot” by Green Day

“American Idiot” smashed the pop charts back in 2003, and it’s still fun as ever to play.

The main riff is three simple power chords in C#, G# and F# positions, with you quickly switching between the three.

At the end of the riff, there’s a short, sharp, and energetic hit of the open strings that signals the start of the vocals.

The solo is fairly simple to pick up too, it involves octave shapes played in quick succession, then an easy lick further up the board.

9. “Three Little Birds” by Bob Marley

Don’t worry about a thing, coz you’ll have this song mastered in no time at all! It’s made of three chords – A, D, and E – played to a reggae beat.

This pattern of strumming can be quite tricky to pick up when you’re new to the genre, so try a regular rhythm first as you get used to the song.

The video below shows you how to nail an easy strumming pattern and the more complex reggae beat strum.

10. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana

A rite of passage for guitar players, this groundbreaking grunge record features four power chords on the 1st fret of the E string, 1st fret of the A string, 4th fret of the E string, and 4th fret of the A string. It’s a really simple rhythm that you can kick out with plenty of attitude.

The key to getting the rhythm correct is to hit the chords a couple of times and fill the gaps between them with muted hits of the strings.

As for the verses, if you hold down the 1st fret of the high E and B strings and pluck them, you’ll have the complete song!

11. “Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison

Eminently singable. It’s hard not to be in a good mood when you’re playing “Brown Eyed Girl”, and that’s because of its sweet G major key.

Featuring easy-strumming open G, C, D and E chords, it’s a great crowd-pleaser to practise your vocals on.

Once you’ve got the chords and rhythm down, why not have a crack at the fun riffy intro?

12. “Wonderwall” by Oasis

Capo on the 2nd fret.

Yes, yes, we know. There’s nothing like “Wonderwall” to make a crowd groan but it’s one of those seminal songs that every guitarist needs in their back pocket.

It’s made up of basic G, C, D, and Em chords – but with a slight twist. Hold down the 3rd fret of the B and high E strings on all chords – this creates that iconic “Wonderwall” treble tone.

Later in the song, we’ve got a G transition chord. This means you simply go from the 3rd fret of the bottom E string to the 2nd fret and play the rest of the strings open – apart from the B and high E, which have the 3rd frets pressed.

The G transition chord is played just once and helps you blend into the Em chord. You’ll see this movement crop up in loads of songs, so it’s good to get under your belt early!

13. “Zombie” by The Cranberries

Soulful, sombre, and emblematic of the ’90s, “Zombie” is super simple to learn with just four chords: Em, Cmaj7, G, and D.

Cmaj7 sounds complex but it’s really the same as open C without you hitting the 1st fret on the B string.

There’s nothing quite as satisfying as belting out “What’s in your heaaaad” as you work through this comfortable chord progression.

14. “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” by Bob Dylan/Guns N’ Roses

Originally by vaunted musical poet Bob Dylan and famously covered by Guns N’ Roses, “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” is great fun to play and easy to sing along with.

It goes G, D, Am/G, D, C on the verses, alternating between the Am and C as the last chord.

On the chorus, you just stick with the G, D, and C progression, and then start alternating again once you get back to the next verse!

15. “The Joker” by Steve Miller Band

A real earworm. You might not recognise the name of this song, but it’s a breeze to play. It consists of G, Cadd9, and D – all very simple chords, played in a steady pattern.

As you grow confident in playing these and stringing them together, you can start picking the notes individually to mimic the bass line and adding in little licks of your own!

16. “Buck Rogers” by Feeder

A legend from the 2000s – and still a bop today.

“Buck Rogers” has a super simple arrangement with an open Em chord and power chords at the 7th and 9th fret of the low E string. That’s the basic rhythm, and the chorus has an additional power chord at the 5th fret of the low E string, all strummed in a steady beat that’s easy to pick up. I wonder if he ever got that house in Devon?

17. “All The Small Things” by Blink 182

As pop punk as pop punk gets, “All The Small Things” is a smash hit crowd-pleaser that’s sure to get the audience singing.

Revolving around a C power chord on the 3rd fret of the A string, a G power chord on the 3rd of the low E string, and a power chord in the F position, it’s nice and easy to sing along with.

The strumming pattern is quick to learn as it’s all a steady down-pick.

Listen for the palm mutes (where your palm deadens the strings while playing them) in the intro and other slight pauses to get the song memorised.

18. “Chasing Cars” by Snow Patrol

Soulful, catchy, and super easy to play!

Featuring a cool little melodic riff that’s picked throughout most of the song, “Chasing Cars” is a refreshing break from the chord-heavy songs we’ve seen so far. It requires you to pick the power chord shapes rather than strum them.

There’s a little bit of a stretch in which you pick the 5th fret of the A string and the 9th fret of the G string, but it’s great for building that hand strength.

At the end of the song is a series of chords – A, E/G#, D, Dsus2, Dmaj7 – played in a steady, down-picked fashion to match the vocals.

19. “Stand By Me” by Ben E. King

Open chords, a fun intro, and timeless lyrics.

“Stand by Me” is one of those songs that you just can’t help but sing along with. That’s good, because the C, Am, F, G chord progression makes it easy to focus on the vocals!

The intro’s riff is brought to life by the timing, so listen closely to the song to pick it up.

As for strumming patterns, you want to be in time with the beat to match the tempo and feel of the song.

20. “Love Me Do” by The Beatles

Super simple and super classic. Consisting of G, C, G7, and D, “Love Me Do” is very fast to pick up and strum along with. G7 simply moves the note from the 3rd fret of the high E string to the 1st.

Better still, the strumming pattern is steady and not too complex.

21. “A Horse With No Name” by America

There are no difficult chords here but the strumming pattern is a little different from usual.

Em, D6/9, Em9, and Dmaj9 make up the progression, and it’s very easy to play.

D6/9 is just one fret, Em9 has you holding the 2nd fret of the high E string rather than the A string, and Dmaj9 is a slight variation of the normal D chord.

22. “Blitzkrieg Bop” by The Ramones

A classic punk tune, “Blitzkrieg Bop” is a super simple song that’s made up of three power chords.

These are located on the 5th fret of the low E string, the 5th fret of the A string, and the 7th fret of the A string – a simple progression to pick up. Play it fast and play it loud!

23. “What’s Up?” by 4 Non Blondes

Three chords, simple strumming pattern, and soulful vocals.

G, Am, and C are all you need to master 4 Non Blondes’ “What’s Up?”.

The strumming goes slow to fast on each bar, so it’s quick to get into the rhythm of the entire song.

24. “Good Riddance” by Green Day

Mellow and catchy, this is a great song for acoustic lovers.

G, Cadd9, D, Em, and C chords make for a simple progression that’s quick to pick up.

The trick to mastering it is to avoid full strums in the intro and instead play the bottom strings while picking the high E and B strings sequentially. Not long into the song, it moves to standard strumming.

— Book your lesson today at Marvin Empire – Online, Home, or In-Studio.

25. “Circles” by Post Malone

A really fun tune to strum and sing along with. The strumming pattern is very simple, and the chords are as follows: Cmaj7, Fmaj7, Fm, C, F, C/B, and Cmaj7/B.

While some of these chords look complicated, they’re actually just slight variations on open chords.

If you’re having trouble playing F as a barre chord, you can play it as either a power chord or an open chord.

26. “Otherside” by Red Hot Chilli Peppers

A fun riff and simple chords. Usually, “Otherside” doesn’t have strummed chords in the verses but they work just as well. Featuring Am, F, C, G, Em, and A chords, it’s really simple to get going.

As you progress, you can start playing the riff and melody over a backing track.

27. “Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran

Requires a capo on 2nd fret.

A nice and slow song with an easy selection of chords. C, C/E, F, G, Dm, and Am are all you need to play the whole tune, but the key is listening closely to pick up the timing.

In particular, the line “maybe we found love right where we are” has a chord change for each word – difficult at first, but you’ll soon have it mastered!