Whatever style of music you’re into, the guitar offers limitless potential for creative self-expression. Both affordable and approachable, this humble instrument is capable of playing melodies and chords with ease. Learning to play guitar can be challenging, however, so it’s important to find easy songs that inspire you to pluck, strum, and play.
If you’re looking for easy songs on guitar, the following 25 are among the very best.
Horse with No Name - America
This well-known song by America has just two chords. Em forms the basis of the track, and strumming is easy with four open strings. The other chord you need to know is Dadd6add9, which looks scary but has a very simple structure. Both of these guitar chords use the second fret, which makes for very easy progressions.
Knockin' on Heaven's Door - Bob Dylan
This track by Bob Dylan is a beginner guitar classic. “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” has four chords, all of them related and easy to navigate. The basic chord progression is half a bar of G, half a bar of C or D, and a full bar of Am. If you really want to get crazy, you can turn the Am into an Am7 — a move Dylan himself often employs.
Stand by Me - Ben E. King
This famous song by Ben E. King also uses four guitar chords: G, Em, C, and D. Three of these chords are shared by the Dylan track above, so you can transfer shapes between songs. “Stand by Me” follows a simple progression from start to finish, with a line of G and Em followed by a line of C, D, and G. This is among the best easy songs for beginners on guitar.
Love Me Do - The Beatles
Learning a Beatles song is part of every beginner guitar player’s journey. “Love Me Do” is among the easiest, as it features just three basic guitar chords. If you can wrap your fingers around D, A, and E chords, you can learn this song in a matter of hours. To match the original Beatles recording, use a capo on your guitar to transform the I-IV-V progression into G, C, and D.
Three Little Birds - Bob Marley
Bob Marley is a beloved figure among guitar newbies, who adore his simple melodies and memorable chord progressions. “Three Little Birds” is one of the best Marley songs to learn, as it features just three easy chords. The A, D, and E shapes used in this track are the same chords in “Love Me Do” but moved around and played with up-strums in that authentic reggae style.
I'm Yours - Jason Mraz
This song by Jason Mraz is relatively simple and always fun. It’s a great acoustic song, and it’s easy to alter for intermediate players. “I’m Yours” features five guitar chords, starting out with the classic G, D, Em, and C progression before hitting an A or A7 interlude. More advanced players can introduce barre chords, which adds extra spice to an already enjoyable song.
Riptide - Vance Joy
Easy songs on guitar can be lots of fun to learn. “Riptide” by Vance Joy is among the most enjoyable, with four simple chords and a great energetic strumming pattern. The classic Am, G, C progression is used during the intro, verse, and chorus. An F7 chord is introduced during the bridge, where the rhythm change should put a big smile on your face.
Wonderwall - Oasis
Britpop royalty Oasis created the ultimate pub singalong with “Wonderwall.” This song features a catchy melody and simple chord progression, making it ideal for beginner guitar players. It starts with Em7 and G before transitioning to a Dsus4 and A7sus4. Don’t let those suspended shapes freak you out; they flow naturally from the first two chords.
You Are My Sunshine - Traditional
This traditional song is an American country music standard and the official state song of Louisiana. Famous recordings of this song have been made by Bing Crosby and Johnny Cash, and one version even made it onto The Simpsons. This song is based around the progression of A, D, A, D, A, E, and A. If you’re looking for fun and easy songs to play on guitar, this is among the very best.
Yellow Submarine - The Beatles
Another Beatles classic, “Yellow Submarine” is an absolute blast to learn and play. It has a lovely swing vibe and features five chords in total: G, D, C, Em, and Am. The lyrics of this song are full of wonder, especially when you sing them against the accented strumming pattern. This is one of the most enjoyable songs to learn on guitar.
Perfect - Ed Sheeran
Everyone’s favorite modern-day troubadour, Ed Sheeran is a favorite artist for beginner guitar players. “Perfect” is a great choice for newbies, as it’s both easy to learn and impossible to forget. There are four basic shapes used, with the G, Em7, Cadd9, and D chords energized with great strumming. Throughout the song, an eighth note pattern takes turns with accents on the 1st, 4th, 7th, and 10th strokes.
Can't Help Falling in Love - Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley created some of the most memorable love songs of all time. “Can’t Help Falling in Love” is among his best, and it’s also one of the easiest to learn on guitar. This iconic song has five chords in total: C, G, Am, F, and Em. All these shapes have open stings except the F, where only four strings are strummed. The relaxed speed of this song makes it easy to play and practice.
Let Her Go - Passenger
If you’re looking for easy rock songs to play on guitar, this love song is a great pick. “Let Her Go” by Passenger features easy chords and gentle fingerpicking, with a capo put on the 7th fret to create high notes and loved-up vibes. The chorus of this song rocks a simple F, C, G, Am progression, with the verses and instrumental sections adding an Em to the mix.
All of Me - John Legend
If you’re looking for easy songs to play on acoustic guitar, “All of Me” is a great choice. This love song by John Legend has four chords in total — in the standard progression of Em, C, G, and D. This cycle repeats throughout the verse, with the memorable chorus switching things up with single chord lines and big emotions.
More Than Words - Extreme
This isn’t one of the easiest songs to learn on guitar, but it’s not that difficult with practice. Lots of chord variations are possible on “More Than Words” by Extreme, but the basic structure can be broken down into simple progressions. This love song is great for beginner guitar, and it sounds even better when you sing along.
Tears in Heaven - Eric Clapton
This famous track by Eric Clapton is loved by guitarists all over the world. With open string plucking and powerful hammer-ons, you can really let the emotions flow. This song feels sad for a reason, with Clapton writing it after his 4-year-old son died falling from an apartment balcony. If you’re looking for easy songs to play on electric guitar, this is a great option.
Skinny Love - Bon Iver
“Skinny Love” is about being in a relationship for all the wrong reasons. This song is fairly easy to play, and it’s a big favorite with young guitarists. The intro moves repeatedly from Am to C chords before introducing a line of D6sus2 and Am before going back to C. These shapes are kept throughout the verses, with the chorus shifting with C, C/B, F, C, G, and F. If you’re looking for easy sad songs to play on guitar, this is one of the best.
Creep - Radiohead
Thom Yorke may hate this song, but lots of guitarists absolutely love it. “Creep” has a fairly basic structure for a Radiohead number, with pivot notes added to a basic progression to create a bittersweet feeling. The G, B, C, and Cm chord progression is repeated throughout, alternating between arpeggiated and power chords to get the blood pumping.
The Night We Met - Lord Huron
“The Night We Met” was recorded by Lord Huron for their second studio album, Strange Trails. Released in 2015, this track was the standout number on this celebrated long-player. Along with its poetic lyrics and mysterious vibe, “The Night We Met” is known for its simple Em, D, G, Em, G, C chord progression.
Someone Like You - Adele
Adele isn’t famous for writing easy songs on guitar, but this one’s an exception. “Someone Like You” starts with a bog-standard C, G, Am, and F progression before the F and Dm chords add an emotional shake-up. Lyrically, the song sees Adele navigating the end of her first real relationship, when the man involved had moved on and married someone else.
Jingle Bells - Traditional
This Christmas classic sounds great with plucked melodies and strummed chords. “Jingle Bells” was originally called “The One Horse Open Sleigh” when released in 1857, and amazingly, it had no connection to Christmas. This beloved song has become a Christmas classic, however, and it sounds great on a six-string.
Silent Night - Traditional
If you asked a random group of people to name their favorite Christmas song, “Silent Night” would probably top the list. This is a basic three-chord song on guitar, using the first, fourth, and fifth chords of whatever key you’re in. If you play in G, all you need to learn is the G, D, and C chords. If you’re looking for easy songs to play on guitar, this is one of the best.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer - Traditional
“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” is loved by kids of all ages, and it’s a big hit with many grown-ups as well. This Christmas song is easy to learn, with just a few chords and a simple strumming pattern. It begins with the classic D7, Em, G7, and C transition before moving on to a basic C, G, G7 progression in the chorus.
Frosty the Snowman - Traditional
This Christmas classic was written by Walter “Jack” Rollins and Steve Nelson, and it hits all the right notes. It’s been covered by some of the greats over the years, including Gene Autry, Brenda Lee, and Ella Fitzgerald. “Frosty the Snowman” has five chords, and it’s very easy to play on guitar.
Last Christmas - Wham!
It might not be a classic carol, but this Christmas song is an absolute jam. Written and recorded by Wham in 1984, “Last Christmas” remains a holiday favorite to this day. George Michael wrote and played every single instrument on the track. If you don’t have a LinnDrum or Juno-60 synth like the original recording, it also sounds great on guitar with just four chords: C, Am, Dm, and G.
Final Thoughts
When you’re learning a new instrument, it’s important to find easy songs that challenge your skills without scaring you away. Whether you’re just starting out or months into your journey, the songs on this list are a fantastic resource for any guitarist. For more of our great music blogs, check out the greatest guitar solos of all time, songs about missing someone, songs about forbidden love, and songs about family.
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