Stuck for inspiration and fancy learning a new song to play on your acoustic or electric guitar? Get your teeth into these bad boys.
From pop to folk, from strumming guitar songs to gorgeous fingerpicking songs, it’s bags of fun learning to play a new song on your guitar.
Here’s an epic list of some of the most popular songs for people of all ages and abilities, along with some of the best YouTube videos of how to play them. So grab your guitar, and let’s get ready to rumble.
1. Snow Patrol – Chasing Cars
2. Ed Sheeran – Small Bump
3. Tracy Chapman – Fast Car
Fast Car is a beautiful song by Tracy Chapman with a great melody and lyrics. It’s perfect to learn on guitar, whether you want to play it the way Tracy does with fingerstyle and strumming or a simpler version with just strumming.
For the fingerstyle and strumming version, you can learn from the video below with Lauren Bateman. She teaches you how to play the song with a capo on the second fret and four chords: C major 7th, G major, E minor, and D major.
Just be sure to stay and watch on this page so you don’t miss the other great songs waiting for you further down this list!
4. The Eagles – Hotel California
5. Extreme – More Than Words
6. Goo Goo Dolls – Iris
7. The Beatles – Blackbird
8. Oasis – Wonderwall
9. Eric Clapton – Tears In Heaven
10. Jimi Hendrix – Hey Jo
11. Led Zeppelin – Stairway To Heaven
12. Foo Fighters - The Pretender
The Pretender by Foo Fighters is a blast to learn on guitar. The song is written in the key of A minor and has a strong riff and chorus that create a powerful and dynamic sound.
If you’re searching for an energetic and enjoyable song to practice, The Pretender is an excellent option.
To learn how to play the original electric guitar version of the song, watch this video by Justin Guitar right here. He shows you all the essential parts of the song, including the riffs, picking patterns, and strumming patterns.
13. AC/DC – Back In Black
14. The Beatles – Hey Jude
15. Coldplay – Yellow
16. Bob Marley – Redemption Song
17. Creedence Clearwater Revival – Bad Moon Rising
18. Nirvana – Come As You Are
19. James Blunt – You’re Beautiful
20. Jimi Hendrix – Red House
21. Free – Alright Now
22. Katy Perry – Firework
23. Avril Lavigne – I’m With You
24. The Troggs – Wild Thing
25. Red Hot Chilli Peppers – Californication
26. Pink Floyd – Comfortably Numb
27. Nickelback – Rockstar
28. Bruno Mars – Just The Way You Are
Looking for a beginner-friendly pop song to learn on guitar? Just the Way You Are by Bruno Mars is a great choice. It’s a catchy song that only uses four chords: D major, B minor, G major, and D major, with the capo on fret 3.
Watch r3v3rfaithful show you how to play Just the Way You Are on acoustic guitar below.
29. Fleetwood Mac – Big Love
30. Metallica – Nothing Else Matters
31. The Beatles – Mother Nature’s Son
32. Joni Mitchell – Little Green
33. Green Day – Wake Me Up When September Ends
34. Guns n Roses – Sweet Child Of Mine
35. Don Mclean – American Pie
36. Leonard Cohen / Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah
37. Rod Stewart – Handbags and Gladrags
38. The Police – Every Breath You Take
39. Bob Dylan – Knocking On Heavens Door
40. Kings Of Leon – Use Somebody
41. Doobie Brothers – Long Train Running
42. Wild Cherry – Play That Funky Music
43. Lynyrd Skynyrd – Sweet Home Alabama
44. Aerosmith – Walk This Way
45. Chuck Berry – Johnny B Goode
46. Catavina – From The Deer Hunter
47. Sting – Shape Of My Heart
48. Stevie Ray Vaughan – Pride and Joy
49. Bill Withers – Ain’t No Sunshine
50. Bon Jovi – Wanted Dead or Alive
51. Cream – Sunshine Of Your Love
52. David Bowie – Space Oddity
53. Jimi Hendrix – Purple Haze
54. Steely Dan – Reelin’ In The Years
55. Neil Young – Heart Of Gold
56. James Taylor – You’ve Got a Friend
58. Queen – Don’t Stop Me Now
59. The Rolling Stones – Angie
60. The White Stripes – 7 Nation Army
61. Johnny Cash – Hurt
Hurt by Johnny Cash is another top song to learn on guitar for confident beginners. It uses only five chords: A minor, C major, D major, G major, and F major7.
The song also uses a mixture of strumming and picking, which will help you improve your overall guitar skills. Check out how to play Hurt in this video by David Pots.
62. James Bay – Hold Back The River
63. Radiohead – Creep
64. Adele – Someone Like You
65. Foo Fighters – Best Of You
66. Plain White T’s – Hey There Delilah
67. Rihanna – Umbrella
68. Elvis Presley – Can’t Help Falling In Love With You
69. The Script – The Man Who Can’t Be Moved
70. Jason Mraz – I’m Yours
71. Arctic Monkeys – I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor
72. AC/DC – Hells Bells
73. Blur – Song 2
74. Bob Marley – No Woman No Cry
75. Fleetwood Mac – Rhiannon
76. Jose Gonzalez – Heartbeats
77. Joe Satriani – Satch Boogie
78. Muse – Plug In Baby
79. Passenger – Let Her Go
80. Soundgarden – Fell On Black Days
81. The Beatles – Day Tripper
82. Tom Petty – Free Fallin’
83. The Animals – House Of The Rising Sun
House of the Rising Sun is one of those classic guitar songs to learn that’s great for confident beginner guitarists. Because of the speed of the chord changes, this song isn’t ideal for absolute beginners.
The chords you’ll need are A minor, C major, D major, E major, and F major. Don’t worry if you can’t play the full barre F major chord yet. You can sub in an easier F major 7th chord.
If you’re after a song to help you improve your basic open chord shapes, rhythm, and flatpicking skills, this is a great option. Check out Relax and Learn’s lessons below.
