Learning to play the guitar is an exciting journey, and one of the most rewarding parts is mastering your favorite songs. If you’re just starting out, navigating the world of guitar chords and strumming patterns can feel overwhelming. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the Best Guitar Songs For Beginners, carefully chosen to be both easy to learn and incredibly fun to play. These songs feature simple chord progressions, manageable strumming patterns, and are instantly recognizable, making your practice sessions enjoyable and motivating. Get ready to impress yourself and your friends as you quickly learn these classic tunes and kickstart your guitar playing journey!
1. “Paranoid” by Black Sabbath
If you want to unleash your inner rockstar right from the start, “Paranoid” by Black Sabbath is the perfect song. This iconic metal anthem is surprisingly easy for beginners. It kicks off with a powerful E power chord on the 7th fret, instantly delivering that classic rock sound. The song then moves through a simple yet impactful progression of E, A, and D power chords, all played with a straightforward down-picking style. Focus on listening to the song to grasp the rhythm, and you’ll soon be rocking out to one of the most legendary tracks of the ’70s. “Paranoid” is a fantastic confidence booster for new guitarists eager to dive into rock music.
2. “Someone You Loved” by Lewis Capaldi
Capo on the 1st fret required.
For a more soulful and contemporary feel, “Someone You Loved” by Lewis Capaldi is an excellent choice. This heartfelt hit is built around a simple chord progression of C, G, Am, and F chords. You can start by strumming these chords slowly and repeatedly to match the song’s emotional depth. As you become more comfortable, you can explore fingerpicking the individual strings to add a more melodic texture, enhancing the song’s beauty. While the song introduces variations like Am7 and Dm7 in the bridge, these are just slight adjustments from the basic open chords, making them easily manageable for beginners looking to expand their chord vocabulary.
3. “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd
“Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd features an instantly recognizable and fun riff that’s perfect for beginner guitarists. This classic Southern rock anthem revolves around D, C, and G open chord shapes. If you’ve been practicing these fundamental chords, you’ll find yourself quickly picking up this iconic riff. The riff itself isn’t overly complex, and the more you practice it, the faster and more authentically “twangy” your playing will become. A helpful tip is to keep your pinky finger anchored on the 3rd fret of the B string, which will naturally position your other fingers for the C and G chord shapes, making transitions smoother. The key to mastering this riff is playing along with the original song, carefully syncing your rhythm and picking style with Lynyrd Skynyrd’s iconic sound. And because the riff loops back to the beginning, it’s incredibly satisfying to play repeatedly, helping you build muscle memory and confidence.
4. “Free Fallin'” by Tom Petty
Capo on the 3rd fret required.
“Free Fallin'” by Tom Petty, famously covered by artists like John Mayer, is a timeless classic with a simple chord progression that’s ideal for singing along to. With a capo placed on the 3rd fret, you’ll be playing with open D, A, and E chords. The song also introduces a Dsus4 chord to add a touch of variation, but don’t worry, it’s just a slight modification of the D chord, requiring you to place your pinky on the 3rd fret instead of the 2nd. Perfect for both acoustic and electric guitars, “Free Fallin'” allows you to experiment with different tones – try adding a bit of overdrive on an electric guitar for a classic rock vibe. This song is a fantastic choice for beginner guitarists looking to learn a well-known hit and develop their strumming and chord transition skills.
5. “My Generation” by The Who
“My Generation” by The Who is not only incredibly easy to play but also fantastically fun to rock out to. This iconic ’60s hit is built on just two chords: G and F. To capture that signature meaty rock sound, play these as power chords. The song’s structure, with its pauses and dynamic shifts, provides great opportunities to unleash your vocals and inject your own energy into the performance. While “My Generation” is famous for its bass solo, Pete Townshend’s guitar fills offer perfect cues for you to add your own improvisations. This song is an excellent platform for beginner guitarists to start developing soloing skills, as the straightforward rhythm and chord structure allow you to focus on experimenting with lead guitar techniques and adding your personal flair.
6. “House of the Rising Sun” by The Animals
“House of the Rising Sun” by The Animals is a classic folk-rock ballad that introduces a slightly more complex but still manageable chord progression for beginners. The song centers around Am, C, D, E, and F chords. Instead of strumming, the song’s signature sound comes from picking each note of the chord individually, creating the song’s iconic arpeggiated and bluesy tone. This technique, known as arpeggiation, adds depth and emotion to the song. Later in the song, you’ll encounter a C/E chord, which is simply a C chord with an E note in the bass – an easy variation from the standard open C chord. The song also includes E7 and F7 chords, which incorporate 7th notes, adding a touch of harmonic color and tension. These variations are introduced sparingly to enhance the song’s emotional impact without being overly complicated for beginners.
7. “Achy Breaky Heart” by Billy Ray Cyrus
If you’re in the mood for some country twang, “Achy Breaky Heart” by Billy Ray Cyrus is a fun, upbeat song that’s remarkably simple to play. This country-style jam is built on just two chords: A and E. This simplicity provides a fantastic foundation for beginner guitarists to explore country guitar techniques. The straightforward chord structure leaves plenty of room to experiment with country-style licks and fills using the notes within the A and E open chord shapes. Delve into scales in the key of A to start improvising solos over the song. For those looking to advance their country guitar skills, “Achy Breaky Heart” is also a great track to try out chicken pickin’ techniques, adding that authentic country sound to your playing.
8. “American Idiot” by Green Day
“American Idiot” by Green Day, a defining anthem of the 2000s, remains as energetic and fun to play today as when it first topped the charts. The main riff is constructed from three straightforward power chords in C#, G#, and F# positions. The song’s energy comes from the quick transitions between these chords, creating its driving rhythm. At the end of the riff, a short, sharp hit of the open strings acts as a dynamic punctuation, signaling the vocal entrance and adding to the song’s punk energy. Even the guitar solo in “American Idiot” is accessible for beginners. It features octave shapes played in quick succession, followed by an easy-to-learn lick higher up the fretboard, making it a rewarding challenge for those looking to expand their lead guitar skills.
9. “Three Little Birds” by Bob Marley
“Three Little Birds” by Bob Marley is an uplifting reggae classic that’s guaranteed to put a smile on your face and is wonderfully easy to learn on guitar. The song is composed of just three chords – A, D, and E – played with a distinctive reggae rhythm. While the reggae strumming pattern might initially seem tricky for beginners unfamiliar with the genre, starting with a regular strumming rhythm is a great way to get comfortable with the chord changes. Once you’re comfortable with the chords, you can gradually incorporate the more complex reggae strumming patterns to capture the authentic feel of the song. “Three Little Birds” is a fantastic song for practicing rhythm and learning to play in a relaxed, groove-oriented style.
10. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana
“Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana is often considered a rite of passage for guitar players, and for good reason. This groundbreaking grunge anthem is built around just four power chords. These power chords are played at 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. The rhythm is straightforward, allowing you to play with plenty of grunge attitude. To nail the rhythm, strike the chords a couple of times and then fill the spaces in between with muted strums across the strings, a technique known as palm-muting, which gives the song its characteristic percussive drive. Even the verses are incredibly simple: by holding down the 1st fret of the high E and B strings and plucking them, you can play the verse melody, making “Smells Like Teen Spirit” accessible from start to finish for beginner guitarists.
11. “Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison
“Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison is an undeniably feel-good song that’s hard not to sing along to, largely due to its cheerful G major key. This classic track features easy-strumming open G, C, D, and Em chords, making it an excellent choice for practicing both your guitar skills and your vocals simultaneously. Once you’ve mastered the chords and the rhythm, you can challenge yourself with the fun, riff-based intro. This intro riff adds a catchy melodic element to the song and is a great exercise in learning to play simple lead lines. “Brown Eyed Girl” is a crowd-pleasing song that’s perfect for beginner guitarists looking to build confidence and enjoy playing recognizable tunes.
12. “Wonderwall” by Oasis
Capo on the 2nd fret required.
“Wonderwall” by Oasis, while sometimes jokingly groaned at for its ubiquity, is undeniably a seminal song that every guitarist should have in their repertoire. It’s built from basic G, C, D, and Em chords, but with a slight twist that gives it its signature sound. The key to the “Wonderwall” sound is to hold down the 3rd fret of the B and high E strings across all these chords. This creates the iconic bright, trebly tone that defines the song. Later in the song, you’ll encounter a G transition chord. This is a clever chord movement where you shift from the 3rd fret of the low E string to the 2nd fret, while keeping the B and high E strings fretted at the 3rd fret, and playing the rest of the strings open. This G transition chord, played just once, smoothly bridges the chord progression into the Em chord and is a technique you’ll see in many other songs, making “Wonderwall” a valuable learning piece.
13. “Zombie” by The Cranberries
“Zombie” by The Cranberries is a powerful and emotive song, emblematic of the 90s, and surprisingly simple to learn on guitar. It utilizes just four chords: Em, Cmaj7, G, and D. The Cmaj7 chord might sound complex, but it’s essentially the same as an open C chord, just without playing the 1st fret on the B string, simplifying it for beginners. There’s a unique satisfaction in belting out “What’s in your heaaaad” while playing through this comfortable and emotionally resonant chord progression. “Zombie” is a great song for beginner guitarists to practice expressive strumming and chord transitions while playing a song with significant cultural impact.
14. “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” by Bob Dylan/Guns N’ Roses
“Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door,” originally by Bob Dylan and famously covered by Guns N’ Roses, is a timeless song that’s both fun to play and easy to sing along with. The verse sections follow a chord progression of G, D, Am/G, D, C, alternating between Am and C as the final chord in the sequence. For the chorus, the progression simplifies to just G, D, and C, making it even easier to remember and play. The song then returns to the verse progression, creating a familiar and cyclical structure. “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” is an excellent choice for beginner guitarists to practice consistent strumming and smooth chord changes across a song with a memorable melody and singable lyrics.
15. “The Joker” by Steve Miller Band
“The Joker” by Steve Miller Band is a real earworm – you might not immediately recognize the title, but you’ll instantly know the tune when you hear it, and it’s a breeze to play on guitar. The song is built around just three chords: G, Cadd9, and D. These are all very beginner-friendly chords, played in a steady and repetitive pattern that’s easy to get into a groove with. As you become more confident in playing and transitioning between these chords, you can start to mimic the song’s bass line by picking individual notes within the chords. You can also begin adding small guitar licks and fills to personalize your rendition. “The Joker” is a fantastic song for developing rhythm and timing while playing a tune that’s instantly recognizable and enjoyable.
16. “Buck Rogers” by Feeder
“Buck Rogers” by Feeder, a hit from the 2000s, is a song that still rocks today and is surprisingly simple for beginner guitarists. The song has a very straightforward arrangement featuring an open Em chord and power chords positioned at the 7th and 9th frets of the low E string. This forms the basic rhythmic structure of the song. The chorus introduces an additional power chord at the 5th fret of the low E string, adding a bit more harmonic movement. All chords are strummed with a consistent beat that’s easy to follow and pick up. “Buck Rogers” is a great choice for those looking to play a more modern rock song that’s still accessible in terms of chord complexity and rhythm.
17. “All The Small Things” by Blink-182
“All The Small Things” by Blink-182 is pop-punk at its catchiest and most crowd-pleasing. This smash hit is sure to get any audience singing along, and it’s also incredibly easy to play on guitar. The song revolves around a C power chord on the 3rd fret of the A string, a G power chord on the 3rd fret of the low E string, and a power chord in the F position (5th fret of the low E string). The strumming pattern is quick to pick up as it’s primarily steady down-picking, characteristic of punk rock. Pay attention to the palm mutes in the intro and other slight pauses throughout the song; these nuances are key to capturing the authentic Blink-182 sound. “All The Small Things” is perfect for beginners wanting to learn a high-energy, well-known pop-punk anthem.
18. “Chasing Cars” by Snow Patrol
“Chasing Cars” by Snow Patrol is a soulful and incredibly catchy song that’s also surprisingly easy to play on guitar. It features a cool, melodic riff that’s picked throughout a significant portion of the song, offering a refreshing change from strumming-heavy songs. “Chasing Cars” requires you to pick the notes within power chord shapes rather than strumming full chords, which can be a great introduction to fingerstyle techniques. There’s a slight stretch involved in picking the 5th fret of the A string and the 9th fret of the G string simultaneously, which is excellent for building hand strength and dexterity. Towards the end of the song, a series of chords – A, E/G#, D, Dsus2, Dmaj7 – are introduced, played in a steady, down-picked fashion to match the vocal melody. While these chord names might look a bit more advanced, they are played in a simple, rhythmic way that’s manageable for beginners and adds a beautiful harmonic richness to the song’s conclusion.
19. “Stand By Me” by Ben E. King
“Stand By Me” by Ben E. King is a timeless classic that combines open chords, a memorable intro, and heartfelt lyrics, making it a perfect song for beginner guitarists. This soulful ballad uses the chord progression C, Am, F, G, which is both iconic and easy to learn. The familiarity of these chords makes it easier to focus on singing along while you play. The intro riff of “Stand By Me” is what truly brings the song to life. It’s all about timing and feel, so listen closely to the original recording to capture its nuances. For the strumming pattern, aim to match the beat and tempo of the song to capture its smooth, rhythmic feel. “Stand By Me” is a fantastic song for practicing smooth chord transitions and developing your sense of rhythm while playing a universally loved classic.
20. “Love Me Do” by The Beatles
“Love Me Do” by The Beatles is a super simple and undeniably classic song that’s perfect for beginner guitarists looking to play a foundational piece of rock and roll history. Consisting of just G, C, G7, and D chords, “Love Me Do” is very quick to pick up and start strumming along with. The G7 chord is a slight variation of the G chord, simply moving one finger from the 3rd fret to the 1st fret on the high E string, which is an easy adjustment for beginners. Even better, the strumming pattern is steady and not overly complex, making it easy to keep in time with the song. “Love Me Do” is an excellent choice for learning basic chord changes and rhythms while playing a song that’s instantly recognizable and historically significant.
21. “A Horse With No Name” by America
“A Horse With No Name” by America stands out for its distinctive, mellow vibe and a strumming pattern that’s a little different from the usual, making it a great song for beginner guitarists to expand their rhythmic skills. The song’s chord progression is made up of Em, D6/9, Em9, and Dmaj9. While these chord names might look a bit unusual, they are actually very easy to play. The D6/9 is just a single-finger chord, and Em9 only requires you to hold the 2nd fret of the high E string instead of the A string. Dmaj9 is a slight and simple variation of the standard D chord. The strumming pattern in “A Horse With No Name” has a unique, almost hypnotic quality, which is key to the song’s distinctive feel. This song is perfect for practicing rhythmic variation and getting comfortable with slightly less common, but still beginner-friendly, chord voicings.
22. “Blitzkrieg Bop” by The Ramones
“Blitzkrieg Bop” by The Ramones is the quintessential punk rock anthem, known for its raw energy and incredible simplicity, making it an ideal song for beginner guitarists. This high-energy track is made up of just three power chords. These power chords are positioned at the 5th fret of the low E string, the 5th fret of the A string, and the 7th fret of the A string, forming a simple and repetitive progression that’s very easy to memorize and play. The key to “Blitzkrieg Bop” is to play it fast and loud, capturing the raw, energetic spirit of The Ramones. This song is perfect for beginners to practice fast chord changes and develop a strong, aggressive strumming style while playing one of punk rock’s most iconic tracks.
23. “What’s Up?” by 4 Non Blondes
“What’s Up?” by 4 Non Blondes is a 90s classic known for its powerful vocals and sing-along chorus, and it’s also incredibly accessible for beginner guitarists. The entire song is based on just three chords: G, Am, and C. These fundamental open chords are easy to learn and transition between, making the song very playable for those just starting out. The strumming pattern in “What’s Up?” varies in tempo within each bar, going from slow to fast. This rhythmic variation is quick to get the hang of and adds to the song’s dynamic feel. “What’s Up?” is a great song for practicing dynamic strumming and smooth chord changes while enjoying a song with a strong melody and memorable lyrics.
24. “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” by Green Day
“Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” by Green Day offers a mellow and catchy alternative to their punkier songs, making it an excellent choice for acoustic guitar lovers and beginners alike. The song features a simple chord progression of G, Cadd9, D, Em, and C chords. These chords are all beginner-friendly and create a beautiful, flowing melody. The key to mastering “Good Riddance” lies in the intro, which uses a fingerpicking style rather than full strums. In the intro, you gently play the bass notes while sequentially picking the high E and B strings. Soon after the intro, the song transitions to standard strumming for the verses and choruses, making it easy to follow along. “Good Riddance” is perfect for practicing both fingerpicking and strumming techniques within a single song, while learning a modern classic.
25. “Circles” by Post Malone
“Circles” by Post Malone is a contemporary hit that’s really fun to strum and sing along with, and it’s also surprisingly approachable for beginner guitarists. The strumming pattern is very simple and consistent throughout the song. The chords used are Cmaj7, Fmaj7, Fm, C, F, C/B, and Cmaj7/B. While some of these chord names might initially seem complicated, they are actually just slight variations on basic open chords, and many are easier to play than they look. If you find the F barre chord challenging, you can simplify it by playing it as either an F power chord or an open F chord, which still fits well within the song. “Circles” is a great song for practicing rhythm and getting accustomed to slightly more complex chord names and variations without overwhelming beginner skills.
26. “Otherside” by Red Hot Chili Peppers
“Otherside” by Red Hot Chili Peppers is known for its distinctive guitar riff and simple chord structure, making it a great song for beginner guitarists to learn. Typically, “Otherside” doesn’t feature strummed chords in the verses; instead, it emphasizes the iconic guitar riff. However, strumming the chords works just as well for beginners and simplifies the learning process. The song uses Am, F, C, G, Em, and A chords, which are all fundamental open chords and easy to get started with. As you progress, you can challenge yourself to learn the song’s signature riff and melody and play along to a backing track, gradually moving towards a more authentic rendition of “Otherside.” This song is perfect for transitioning from basic strumming to learning riffs and melodies, while playing a well-known and popular track.
27. “Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran
Capo on the 2nd fret required.
“Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran is a beautiful and mellow song with a slow tempo and an easy selection of chords, making it ideal for beginner guitarists looking to play a contemporary ballad. The song uses C, C/E, F, G, Dm, and Am chords throughout, which, while a few more than some other songs on this list, are all manageable open or slightly modified open chords. The key to mastering “Thinking Out Loud” is paying close attention to the timing of the chord changes. The line “maybe we found love right where we are” is particularly noteworthy as it features a chord change for each word, which can be a bit tricky at first but is excellent practice for developing chord transition speed and accuracy. With a bit of practice, you’ll soon master this beautiful song and add a popular romantic ballad to your repertoire.
These 27 songs are just the beginning of your guitar playing journey. Each song is a stepping stone, helping you build essential skills while keeping you motivated with recognizable and enjoyable music. Pick your favorites from this list, grab your guitar, and start playing today! You’ll be surprised at how quickly you progress and how much fun you have along the way. Happy playing!
