Starting your guitar journey is exciting, and one of the best ways to stay motivated is to quickly learn songs you love. If you’re a beginner eager to strum your first tunes, you’ve come to the right place. This list of 27 Simple Songs For Guitar is perfect for beginners just starting to learn chords and strumming. These songs are not only easy to play but also incredibly popular, so you’ll be impressing your friends and family in no time. Let’s dive into some fantastic and accessible songs to kickstart your guitar playing!
1. “Paranoid” by Black Sabbath
For those ready to rock, “Paranoid” by Black Sabbath is an iconic metal anthem that’s surprisingly simple to learn on guitar. It’s built around power chords, making it a great introduction to rock guitar.
Start with an E power chord on the 7th fret. This powerful sound immediately captures the essence of rock music. The song progresses with E, A, and D power chords, all played with a steady down-picking rhythm. Focus on listening to the song to nail the rhythm, and soon you’ll be rocking out to this legendary 70s track.
Alt text: Ozzy Osbourne passionately singing Paranoid with Black Sabbath, showcasing the energy of a live metal performance.
2. “Someone You Loved” by Lewis Capaldi
“Someone You Loved” by Lewis Capaldi is a soulful and emotionally resonant hit that’s perfect for beginner guitarists. This song uses a capo on the 1st fret and features a simple chord progression that’s easy to master.
You’ll be playing with C, G, Am, and F chords. For beginners, simple strumming works beautifully with this song, capturing its melancholic mood. If you’re feeling a bit more adventurous, try fingerpicking the strings to add a delicate, melodic touch. While there are some chord variations later in the song, such as Am7 and Dm7 in the bridge, these are just slight adjustments from the basic open chords, keeping it beginner-friendly.
Alt text: Lewis Capaldi emotionally performing “Someone You Loved” on stage, highlighting the song’s heartfelt delivery.
3. “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd
“Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd is an instantly recognizable classic rock anthem with a fun, catchy riff that’s perfect for beginner guitarists. This song transports you straight to the American South with its twangy guitar sound.
The song revolves around D, C, and G open chord shapes. If you’ve practiced these fundamental chords, you’ll pick up the main riff quickly. It’s not overly complicated, and the more you play it, the faster and more authentically Southern rock it will sound. A helpful tip is to keep your pinky finger on the 3rd fret of the B string; this will naturally position your other fingers for the C and G chord shapes. The key is to play along with the original song, carefully matching the beat and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s picking style. The riff loops back to the beginning, making it easy to play repeatedly and build your muscle memory.
Alt text: Lynyrd Skynyrd band members energetically performing “Sweet Home Alabama” with guitars, capturing the spirit of Southern rock.
4. “Free Fallin'” by Tom Petty
“Free Fallin'” by Tom Petty is a timeless classic that’s been covered by numerous artists, including John Mayer. This song features a simple chord progression that’s easy for beginners to master and sing along to.
With a capo placed on the 3rd fret, you’ll be using open D, A, and E chords, along with a Dsus4 chord for a bit of variation. Don’t worry about the Dsus4; it’s simply a D chord with your pinky on the 3rd fret of the high E string instead of the 2nd. “Free Fallin'” works well on both acoustic and electric guitars. For an electric version, try adding a touch of overdrive for a classic rock tone. You’ll be playing this dad-rock anthem in no time.
Alt text: Tom Petty singing and playing guitar during a live performance of “Free Fallin’,” showcasing his iconic stage presence.
5. “My Generation” by The Who
“My Generation” by The Who is incredibly easy to play and a fantastic song to rock out to. This iconic 60s hit consists of just two chords: G and F.
For that powerful rock sound, play these as power chords. The song’s pauses are perfect for unleashing your vocals with a roaring delivery. While “My Generation” is famous for its bass solo, Pete Townshend’s guitar fills offer great cues for your own improvisations. It’s an excellent song for developing your soloing skills because the rhythm and chords are straightforward, allowing you to focus on your lead playing.
Alt text: Pete Townshend of The Who dynamically playing guitar, capturing his energetic performance style during “My Generation”.
6. “House of the Rising Sun” by The Animals
“House of the Rising Sun” by The Animals is a classic with a bluesy and somber tone, perfect for practicing fingerpicking. This song revolves around Am, C, D, E, and F chords.
Instead of strumming, pick each note of the chord, ascending and descending in pitch to create the song’s signature arpeggiated sound. Later in the song, you’ll encounter a C/E chord, which is a C chord with an E note as the bass. It’s a simple variation, just slightly different from the standard open chord structure. You’ll also find E7 and F7 chords, which incorporate 7th notes from the scale, adding tension and bluesy flavor. These are easy variations of open chords that appear a few times in the song to enhance certain lines.
Alt text: Eric Burdon of The Animals passionately singing “House of the Rising Sun,” highlighting the bluesy and soulful nature of the song.
7. “Achy Breaky Heart” by Billy Ray Cyrus
If you’re in the mood for some country fun, “Achy Breaky Heart” by Billy Ray Cyrus is a catchy, country-style jam that uses only two chords.
This song is built on just A and E chords. Its simplicity provides plenty of room to experiment with country-style guitar licks using the notes within the open A and E chords. Explore scales in the key of A to improvise solos over the song. For an advanced country sound, try incorporating chicken pickin’ techniques.
Alt text: Billy Ray Cyrus in a classic pose performing “Achy Breaky Heart,” showcasing his country persona and signature mullet.
8. “American Idiot” by Green Day
“American Idiot” by Green Day is a powerful and energetic pop-punk anthem that’s still incredibly fun to play. This hit from 2003 remains a favorite for guitarists of all levels.
The main riff consists of three simple power chords in C#, G#, and F# positions. You’ll quickly switch between these three chords. At the end of the riff, there’s a short, sharp hit of the open strings, signaling the vocal entry. The guitar solo is also fairly accessible, featuring octave shapes played in quick succession, followed by an easy lick higher up the neck.
Alt text: Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day energetically performing “American Idiot” with his guitar, capturing the song’s punk rock energy.
9. “Three Little Birds” by Bob Marley
“Three Little Birds” by Bob Marley is an uplifting reggae classic with a positive message and a simple chord structure. As Bob Marley says, “Don’t worry about a thing,” because you’ll master this song quickly.
It’s made up of three chords – A, D, and E – played with a reggae beat. The reggae strumming pattern can be a bit tricky for beginners, so start with a regular rhythm as you get comfortable with the song. Once you’re familiar with the chords, you can gradually incorporate the more complex reggae strum.
Alt text: Bob Marley smiling and performing “Three Little Birds” with his guitar, radiating the song’s positive and peaceful vibe.
10. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana
“Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana is a grunge anthem and a rite of passage for any guitarist. This groundbreaking song features just four power chords.
These power chords are located 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, but you can infuse it with plenty of grunge attitude. To get the rhythm right, hit the chords a couple of times and then fill the spaces with muted strums of the strings. For the verses, simply hold down the 1st fret of the high E and B strings and pluck them – that’s all there is to it!
Alt text: Kurt Cobain of Nirvana intensely performing “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” capturing the raw energy of the grunge movement.
11. “Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison
“Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison is an endlessly singable and feel-good classic. It’s hard not to be in a good mood when playing “Brown Eyed Girl,” thanks to its cheerful G major key.
Featuring easy-strumming open G, C, D, and Em chords, it’s a fantastic song to practice your vocals with and a crowd-pleaser for singalongs. Once you’ve got the chords and rhythm down, challenge yourself with the fun, riff-based intro.
Alt text: Van Morrison smiling and performing “Brown Eyed Girl” on stage, conveying the song’s joyful and upbeat atmosphere.
12. “Wonderwall” by Oasis
“Wonderwall” by Oasis is a 90s anthem that, despite its ubiquity, remains an essential song for every guitarist’s repertoire. Use a capo on the 2nd fret.
It’s built around basic G, C, D, and Em chords, but with a distinctive twist. Hold down the 3rd fret of the B and high E strings on all chords to create that iconic “Wonderwall” treble-rich tone. Later in the song, you’ll encounter a G transition chord. This involves moving from the 3rd fret of the low E string to the 2nd fret and playing the rest of the strings open, except for the B and high E, which remain fretted at the 3rd. This G transition chord is played once and helps smoothly transition into the Em chord. This chord movement is common in many songs, making it a valuable technique to learn early on.
Alt text: Liam and Noel Gallagher of Oasis performing “Wonderwall” on stage, capturing the iconic Britpop era band.
13. “Zombie” by The Cranberries
“Zombie” by The Cranberries is a soulful and somber song that became an anthem of the 90s. It’s surprisingly simple to learn, using just four chords: Em, Cmaj7, G, and D.
The Cmaj7 chord might sound complicated, but it’s essentially the same as an open C chord without pressing down the 1st fret on the B string. There’s immense satisfaction in belting out “What’s in your heaaaad” as you play through this comfortable and emotionally charged chord progression.
Alt text: Dolores O’Riordan of The Cranberries powerfully performing “Zombie,” highlighting her emotive vocals and stage presence.
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 versatile song that’s both fun to play and easy to sing along to.
In the verses, the chord progression is G, D, Am, G, D, C, alternating between Am and C as the last chord in the sequence. For the chorus, the progression simplifies to G, D, and C. Then, revert to the verse progression when you return to the next verse. This clear structure makes it easy to follow and memorize.
Alt text: Bob Dylan and Axl Rose performing “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” together, showcasing a unique collaboration across generations.
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 definitely know the tune. And it’s a breeze to play on guitar.
The song consists of G, Cadd9, and D chords, all very simple and played in a steady, rhythmic pattern. As you gain confidence playing and transitioning between these chords, you can start fingerpicking individual notes to mimic the bass line and incorporate your own guitar licks.
Alt text: Steve Miller performing “The Joker” with his guitar, capturing his cool and laid-back stage persona.
16. “Buck Rogers” by Feeder
“Buck Rogers” by Feeder is a 2000s legend that still sounds great today. This song has a super simple guitar arrangement, making it perfect for beginners wanting to play something more contemporary.
“Buck Rogers” uses an open Em chord and power chords at the 7th and 9th frets of the low E string for the main rhythm. The chorus adds a power chord at the 5th fret of the low E string. All chords are strummed in a consistent beat that’s easy to pick up and play along with.
Alt text: Grant Nicholas of Feeder energetically performing “Buck Rogers” with his guitar, capturing the song’s upbeat and catchy vibe.
17. “All The Small Things” by Blink 182
“All The Small Things” by Blink 182 is pop-punk at its finest, a smash hit crowd-pleaser guaranteed to get everyone singing along. 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. The strumming pattern is simple, mostly steady down-picking. Listen for the palm mutes in the intro and other subtle pauses to get the song memorized accurately.
Alt text: Mark Hoppus of Blink 182 singing and playing bass during a performance of “All The Small Things,” showcasing the band’s pop-punk energy.
18. “Chasing Cars” by Snow Patrol
“Chasing Cars” by Snow Patrol is a soulful, catchy, and remarkably easy song to play on guitar. It offers a refreshing change from chord-heavy songs with its melodic focus.
“Chasing Cars” features a cool, melodic riff that’s picked throughout much of the song. Instead of strumming chords, you’ll be picking power chord shapes. There’s a slight stretch required to pick the 5th fret of the A string and the 9th fret of the G string, which is great for building hand strength. Towards the song’s end, a series of chords – A, E/G#, D, Dsus2, Dmaj7 – are played in a steady, down-picked rhythm to match the vocals.
Alt text: Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol emotionally singing and playing guitar during “Chasing Cars,” capturing the song’s heartfelt mood.
19. “Stand By Me” by Ben E. King
“Stand By Me” by Ben E. King is a timeless classic with open chords, a memorable intro, and universally loved lyrics. It’s one of those songs that’s irresistible to sing along with.
The C, Am, F, G chord progression makes it easy to focus on your vocals while playing. The song’s iconic intro riff is all about timing, so listen closely to the original to pick it up accurately. For the strumming pattern, aim to match the beat to capture the tempo and feel of this classic tune.
Alt text: Ben E. King singing “Stand By Me” with soulful expression, highlighting the timeless quality of his performance.
20. “Love Me Do” by The Beatles
“Love Me Do” by The Beatles is super simple and a true classic. Consisting of G, C, G7, and D chords, it’s very quick to learn and strum along with. The G7 chord is a minor variation, simply moving a finger from the 3rd fret to the 1st fret on the high E string.
Even better, the strumming pattern is steady and not too complex, making it very beginner-friendly. It’s a perfect introduction to playing Beatles songs on guitar.
Alt text: The Beatles in their early days performing “Love Me Do,” showcasing their iconic lineup and musical innovation.
21. “A Horse With No Name” by America
“A Horse With No Name” by America features no difficult chords, but the strumming pattern is a bit different from the usual, offering a nice rhythmic challenge for beginners.
The chord progression is Em, D6/9, Em9, and Dmaj9, and it’s quite easy to play. D6/9 requires just one finger, Em9 involves holding the 2nd fret of the high E string instead of the A string, and Dmaj9 is a slight variation of the standard D chord. Despite the slightly fancier chord names, the shapes are very accessible.
Alt text: America band performing “A Horse With No Name,” capturing their folk-rock sound and desert-themed imagery.
22. “Blitzkrieg Bop” by The Ramones
“Blitzkrieg Bop” by The Ramones is a quintessential punk tune, known for its high energy and simplicity. It’s made up of only three power chords.
These power chords 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 very straightforward progression to learn. The key to “Blitzkrieg Bop” is to play it fast and loud, embracing the raw energy of punk rock.
Alt text: The Ramones performing “Blitzkrieg Bop” with high energy, showcasing their iconic punk rock style and stage presence.
23. “What’s Up?” by 4 Non Blondes
“What’s Up?” by 4 Non Blondes is a 90s hit with a powerful message, characterized by its soulful vocals and simple guitar part. It uses just three chords and an easy strumming pattern.
G, Am, and C chords are all you need to play “What’s Up?”. The strumming pattern progresses from slow to fast within each bar, making it easy to get into the song’s rhythm quickly. It’s a great song for practicing dynamics and rhythm control.
Alt text: Linda Perry of 4 Non Blondes passionately singing “What’s Up?” highlighting her powerful vocals and the song’s emotional depth.
24. “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” by Green Day
“Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” by Green Day is a mellow and catchy acoustic ballad, perfect for those who love acoustic guitar sounds. It’s a departure from Green Day’s punkier songs, showcasing their versatility.
The song uses G, Cadd9, D, Em, and C chords in a simple progression that’s quick to learn. The trick to mastering the intro is to avoid full strums initially, instead picking the lower strings while sequentially plucking the high E and B strings. The song transitions to standard strumming shortly after the intro.
Alt text: Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day performing “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” acoustically, capturing the song’s intimate and reflective mood.
25. “Circles” by Post Malone
“Circles” by Post Malone is a modern hit that’s really fun to strum and sing along with. It blends pop and rock elements with a catchy melody and accessible guitar part.
The strumming pattern is very straightforward, and the chords are: Cmaj7, Fmaj7, Fm, C, F, C/B, and Cmaj7/B. While some of these chord names look complex, they are actually slight variations on open chords and barre chords. If you find barre chords challenging, you can play the F chord as a power chord or an open F initially.
Alt text: Post Malone performing “Circles” on stage with his guitar, showcasing his genre-blending musical style.
26. “Otherside” by Red Hot Chili Peppers
“Otherside” by Red Hot Chili Peppers is known for its distinctive riff and simple chord structure. While the verses typically don’t have strummed chords in the original recording, strumming works just as well for beginners and simplifies the song.
Featuring Am, F, C, G, Em, and A chords, it’s very easy to get started with. As you improve, you can challenge yourself to play the iconic guitar riff and melody over a backing track, adding complexity as your skills develop.
Alt text: John Frusciante of Red Hot Chili Peppers intensely playing guitar during “Otherside,” highlighting his unique guitar style.
27. “Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran
“Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran is a popular and romantic ballad with a nice, slow tempo and an easy selection of chords, perfect for practicing smooth chord transitions. Use a capo on the 2nd fret.
The chords needed to play the entire song are C, C/E, F, G, Dm, and Am. The key to mastering “Thinking Out Loud” is paying close attention to the timing, especially in the line “maybe we found love right where we are,” which features a chord change for each word. It might be a bit challenging at first, but with practice, you’ll master it and impress with this beautiful song.
Alt text: Ed Sheeran singing and playing guitar during a live performance of “Thinking Out Loud,” capturing the song’s romantic and heartfelt essence.
