When starting out with playing the guitar, it’s exciting to discover the vast amount of songs you can learn with just a few major chords. Easy guitar songs like these are a great place to begin for beginner guitarists.
As you continue to practice, you’ll improve and learn more on the guitar, but it’s important to have a starting point for finding the best easy guitar songs for beginners with tabs, chords, and lyrics. While guitar lessons, whether in-person or online, can provide guidance, it’s up to the player to put in the time and effort to improve.
It’s important to remember that starting out, you may not sound great. Becoming a skilled guitarist takes time and practice such as Eric Clapton or Johnny Depp, so don’t give up! Embrace your mistakes, learn from them, and work to make them sound better.
To help with learning chords, guitar tabs are easy-to-read diagrams that show where to place your fingers. Three common chords that appear in many songs are often used as a starting point for beginners. By breaking down these chords on a chord chart, players can easily visualize where to place their fingers. Let’s take a look now at what it looks like on a chord chart.
When reading a chord chart, the numbers correspond to the fingers on your hand, indicating where to place them on the fretboard and which strings to play. For example, in the C Major chord, your index finger would be placed on the 1st fret of the B string, your middle finger on the 2nd fret of the D string, and your ring finger on the 3rd fret of the A string.
The “X” symbol indicates that a string should not be played, while the “O” symbol indicates that a string should be played open, without any finger on it. The number on the upper left side of the chart indicates which fret should be played with the first finger.
E Minor Chord:
Now, let’s take a look at some simple and easy guitar songs that every beginner should learn.
5 Simple & Easy Guitar Songs For Beginners (Guitar Tutorial Videos)
1. “i wanna be there” by blessed union of souls
This song is a great easy song for beginners to learn on the guitar. With just three simple major chords – G, C, and D – it’s a great starting point for those learning to strum and switch chords.
The chord progression is G | C | D | G. Once players can switch between these chords smoothly, they can play the entire song. It’s a simple and enjoyable love song that’s perfect for beginner guitarists.
2. “what’s up” by four non-blondes
The chords used in this song include E, Am, G, D, and B, but these are all fairly easy to learn on the guitar. This song is a crowd-pleaser and is widely recognized, making it a great choice.
3. “love me do” by the beatles
This easy guitar song can be played with just two chords for the chorus – G major and C major. Later in the song, during the bridge that goes, “Someone to love…”, a D major chord is added. This simple and easy guitar song is a great choice for beginner guitarists.
4. “brown eyed girl” by van morrison
“Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison is a great example of an easy guitar song that can be played with just three guitar chords – G major, C major, and D major. During the chorus, an E minor chord is added in at the first “My brown-eyed girl”.
The chord progression for “Brown Eyed Girl” goes G | C | G | D, then C | D | G | Em. It’s important to note that while learning the chords correctly is important, the strum pattern used is what truly solidifies a player’s skill and rhythm.
5. “three little birds” by bob marley
“Three Little Birds” by Bob Marley is a classic reggae tune that is simple to play on the guitar. The song uses just three major chords – A, D, and E.
It’s important to note that the D chord used in the song is an open chord, meaning that one string is unfretted.
“Three Little Birds” can be a fun song to jam along to and is continuous in nature, making it perfect for beginner guitarists looking to practice their strumming and chord changes. The uplifting lyrics of the song, “every little thing is gonna be alright,” make it a feel-good tune that’s sure to put a smile on everyone’s face.
How To Use A Capo To Play The Best Easy Guitar Songs
A capo is a simple yet powerful tool that can help guitarists play easy guitar songs without needing to learn complex chords or barre chords. Essentially, a capo is a clamp that is placed on the fretboard of the guitar, allowing players to transpose chords up the neck of the guitar, effectively changing the key of the song.
Using a capo is fairly easy. To get started, simply attach the capo to the desired fret on the guitar. This creates a new nut on the fretboard and effectively raises the pitch of all the strings by the same amount. For example, if you place the capo on the second fret, the pitch of all strings will be raised by a whole step.
Using a capo is particularly helpful when playing easy guitar songs that use basic chords, such as G, C, D, and E. By placing the capo on a higher fret, these chords can be transposed to new keys, making it possible to play a wider variety of songs without needing to learn new chord shapes.
For example, if you wanted to play a song that uses the chords G, C, and D, but find that the key is too low for your voice, you could use a capo on the second fret to transpose the chords up by a whole step. This would effectively turn the G chord into an A chord, the C chord into a D chord, and the D chord into an E chord, while still maintaining the same chord shapes you are already familiar with.
Using a capo can be an incredibly useful tool for beginner guitarists looking to expand their repertoire of easy songs. With just a capo and a few basic chords, players can open up a whole new world of music and explore a wider range of styles and genres.
72 Easy Guitar Songs: The List For Beginners (Chords, Lyrics)
- Horse with No Name – America
- Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door – Bob Dylan
- Wonderful Tonight – Eric Clapton
- Love Me Do – The Beatles
- Chasing Cars – Snow Patrol
- Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison
- Sweet Home Alabama – Lynyrd Skynyrd
- Redemption Song – Bob Marley
- Hallelujah – Leonard Cohen
- Time of Your Life – Green Day
- Twist and Shout – The Beatles
- Wild Thing – The Troggs
- Bad Moon Rising – Creedence Clearwater Revival
- Three Little Birds – Bob Marley
- Ring of Fire – Johnny Cash
- I’m Yours – Jason Mraz
- Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd
- You’re Beautiful – James Blunt
- Leaving on a Jet Plane – John Denver
- Let It Be – The Beatles
- Stand by Me – Ben E. King
- La Bamba – Ritchie Valens
- Wonderwall – Oasis
- House of the Rising Sun – The Animals
- Eleanor Rigby – The Beatles
- I Walk the Line – Johnny Cash
- Jolene – Dolly Parton
- The Scientist – Coldplay
- The Joker – Steve Miller Band
- Zombie – The Cranberries
- Ain’t No Sunshine – Bill Withers
- Every Rose Has Its Thorn – Poison
- One Love – Bob Marley
- Tainted Love – Soft Cell
- Have You Ever Seen the Rain – Creedence Clearwater Revival
- All Apologies – Nirvana
- Take Me Home, Country Roads – John Denver
- Yellow – Coldplay
- Hey Jude – The Beatles
- Hurt – Johnny Cash
- Island in the Sun – Weezer
- Losing My Religion – R.E.M.
- What’s Up – 4 Non Blondes
- Maggie May – Rod Stewart
- Free Fallin’ – Tom Petty
- I Will Follow You Into The Dark – Death Cab for Cutie
- Boulevard of Broken Dreams – Green Day
- A Thousand Years – Christina Perri
- Counting Stars – OneRepublic
- Imagine – John Lennon
- Hound Dog – Elvis Presley
- Lean on Me – Bill Withers
- I Gotta Feeling – Black Eyed Peas
- Save Tonight – Eagle-Eye Cherry
- All of Me – John Legend
- Let Her Go – Passenger
- Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) – Green Day
- California Dreamin’ – The Mamas & The Papas
- Royals – Lorde
- Someone Like You – Adele
- Wagon Wheel – Old Crow Medicine Show
- Hey Joe – Jimi Hendrix
- Don’t Look Back in Anger – Oasis
- Use Somebody – Kings of Leon
- Pumped Up Kicks – Foster The People
- Sweet Caroline – Neil Diamond
- Riptide – Vance Joy
- Radioactive – Imagine Dragons
- The Weight – The Band
- (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction – The Rolling Stones
- Everybody Hurts – R.E.M.
- Sugar, We’re Goin Down – Fall Out Boy
1. Horse with No Name – America
Key: Em
Chords: Em, D6/9, Asus2, Em7, Dsus2, Fmaj7, G6, F#m7b5
Lyrics: “On the first part of the journey, I was looking at all the life”
Next: Best Campfire Guitar Songs (Easy, Chords, Tabs, Everyone Knows)
2. Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door – Bob Dylan
Key: G
Chords: G, D, Am7
Lyrics: “Mama, take this badge off of me. I can’t use it anymore.”
3. Wonderful Tonight – Eric Clapton
Key: G
Chords: G, D, C, Em7, Cmaj7, Am7, D7, B7
Lyrics: “And I say, ‘Yes, you look wonderful tonight.'”
4. Love Me Do – The Beatles
Key: G
Chords: G, C, D
Lyrics: “Love, love me do. You know I love you.”
5. Chasing Cars – Snow Patrol
Key: A
Chords: A, E, D, A/C#, F#m
Lyrics: “If I lay here, if I just lay here, would you lie with me and just forget the world?”
6. Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison
Key: G
Chords: G, C, D, Am7
Lyrics: “Do you remember when we used to sing, sha la la la la la la la la la la te da”
7. Sweet Home Alabama – Lynyrd Skynyrd
Key: D
Chords: D, C, G, F, Am
Lyrics: “Big wheels keep on turning. Carry me home to see my kin.”
8. Redemption Song – Bob Marley
Key: G
Chords: G, Em, C, Am, D
Lyrics: “Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery. None but ourselves can free our minds.”
9. Hallelujah – Leonard Cohen
Key: C
Chords: C, Am, F, G, E7
Lyrics: “I heard there was a secret chord that David played and it pleased the Lord.”
10. Time of Your Life – Green Day
Key: G
Chords: G, D, C, Em, Am
Lyrics: “Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road. Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go.”
11. Twist and Shout – The Beatles
Key: D
Chords: D, G, A
Lyrics: “Well, shake it up, baby, now (shake it up, baby). Twist and shout (twist and shout). C’mon, c’mon, c’mon, c’mon, baby, now (come on baby). Come on and work it on out (work it on out).”
12. Wild Thing – The Troggs
Key: A
Chords: A, D, E
Lyrics: “Wild thing, you make my heart sing. You make everything groovy.”
13. Bad Moon Rising – Creedence Clearwater Revival
Key: D
Chords: D, A, G
Lyrics: “I see a bad moon rising. I see trouble on the way.”
14. Three Little Birds – Bob Marley
Key: A
Chords: A, D, E
Lyrics: “Don’t worry about a thing, ’cause every little thing gonna be all right.”
15. Ring of Fire – Johnny Cash
Key: G
Chords: G, C, D, Em
Lyrics: “I fell into a burning ring of fire. I went down, down, down and the flames went higher.”
16. I’m Yours – Jason Mraz
Key: B
Chords: B, F#, G#m, E, F#7
Lyrics: “Well, you done done me and you bet I felt it. I tried to be chill, but you’re so hot that I melted.”
17. Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd
Key: G
Chords: G, D, Am, C
Lyrics: “So, so you think you can tell Heaven from Hell, blue skies from pain?”
18. You’re Beautiful – James Blunt
Key: G
Chords: G, D, Em, C Lyrics: “You’re beautiful. You’re beautiful. You’re beautiful, it’s true.”
19. Leaving on a Jet Plane – John Denver
Key: G
Chords: G, C, D, Em Lyrics: “All my bags are packed, I’m ready to go. I’m standing here outside your door.”
20. Let It Be – The Beatles
Key: C
Chords: C, G, Am, F
Lyrics: “When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be.”
21. Stand by Me – Ben E. King
Key: A
Chords: A, F#m, D, E
Lyrics: “When the night has come and the land is dark and the moon is the only light we’ll see.”
22. La Bamba – Ritchie Valens
Key: C
Chords: C, F, G
Lyrics: “Para bailar la bamba, para bailar la bamba, se necesita una poca de gracia.”
23. Wonderwall – Oasis
Key: G
Chords: G, D, Am7, Cadd9, Em7
Lyrics: “Today is gonna be the day that they’re gonna throw it back to you.”
24. House of the Rising Sun – The Animals
Key: Am
Chords: Am, C, D, F, E
Lyrics: “There is a house in New Orleans, they call the Rising Sun.”
25. Eleanor Rigby – The Beatles
Key: Cm
Chords: Cm, G#, Bb, Ab, Eb
Lyrics: “Ah, look at all the lonely people. Ah, look at all the lonely people.”
26. I Walk the Line – Johnny Cash
Key: F
Chords: F, Bb, C7, Dm, G7
Lyrics: “I keep a close watch on this heart of mine. I keep my eyes wide open all the time.”
27. Jolene – Dolly Parton
Key: G
Chords: G, C, D
Lyrics: “Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene. I’m begging of you please don’t take my man.”
28. The Scientist – Coldplay
Key: Bb
Chords: Bb, F, Gm, Eb
Lyrics: “Come up to meet you, tell you I’m sorry. You don’t know how lovely you are.”
29. The Joker – Steve Miller Band
Key: G
Chords: G, C, D
Lyrics: “Some people call me the space cowboy. Some call me the gangster of love.”
30. Zombie – The Cranberries
Key: Em
Chords: Em, C, G, D
Lyrics: “In your head, in your head, they are fighting. With their tanks and their bombs, and their bombs and their guns.”
31. Ain’t No Sunshine – Bill Withers
Key: Am
Chords: Am, G, F, Em
Lyrics: “Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone. It’s not warm when she’s away.”
32. Every Rose Has Its Thorn – Poison
Key: G
Chords: G, C, D, Em
Lyrics: “We both lie silently still in the dead of the night, although we both lie close together, we feel miles apart inside.”
33. One Love – Bob Marley
Key: C
Chords: C, G, Am, F
Lyrics: “One love, one heart, let’s get together and feel all right. Hear the children cryin’ (One love), hear the children cryin’ (One heart).”
34. Tainted Love – Soft Cell
Key: F#m
Chords: F#m, D, A, E
Lyrics: “Sometimes I feel I’ve got to run away. I’ve got to get away from the pain that you drive into the heart of me.”
35. Have You Ever Seen the Rain – Creedence Clearwater Revival
Key: G
Chords: G, D, C
Lyrics: “Someone told me long ago, there’s a calm before the storm. I know, it’s been comin’ for some time.”
36. All Apologies – Nirvana
Key: F
Chords: F, Dm, G, C, Bb
Lyrics: “What else should I be? All apologies. What else could I say?”
37. Take Me Home, Country Roads – John Denver
Key: A
Chords: A, D, E, F#m
Lyrics: “Almost heaven, West Virginia, Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River.”
38. Yellow – Coldplay
Key: B
Chords: B, F#, G#m, E
Lyrics: “Look at the stars, look how they shine for you, and everything you do.”
39. Hey Jude – The Beatles
Key: C
Chords: C, G, Am, F
Lyrics: “Hey Jude, don’t make it bad. Take a sad song and make it better.”
40. Hurt – Johnny Cash
Key: A
Chords: A, E, D Lyrics: “I hurt myself today, to see if I still feel. I focus on the pain, the only thing that’s real.”
41. Island in the Sun – Weezer
Key: D
Chords: D, G, A, Bm
Lyrics: “Hip hip. Hip hip. Hip hip. Hip hip.”
42. Losing My Religion – R.E.M.
Key: Am
Chords: Am, Em, Dm, G, F, C
Lyrics: “That’s me in the corner, that’s me in the spotlight”
43. What’s Up – 4 Non Blondes
Key: G
Chords: G, C, D, Em
Lyrics: “25 years and my life is still, trying to get up that great big hill of hope.”
44. Maggie May – Rod Stewart
Key: D
Chords: D, G, A, Bm
Lyrics: “Wake up, Maggie, I think I got something to say to you. It’s late September and I really should be back at school.”
45. Free Fallin’ – Tom Petty
Key: F
Chords: F, C, Am, Dm, Bb
Lyrics: “She’s a good girl, loves her mama, loves Jesus, and America too.”
46. I Will Follow You Into The Dark – Death Cab for Cutie
Key: C
Chords: C, Am, F, G
Lyrics: “Love of mine, someday you will die, but I’ll be close behind, I’ll follow you into the dark.”
47. Boulevard of Broken Dreams – Green Day
Key: F#
Chords: F#, B, C#, G#m
Lyrics: “I walk a lonely road, the only one that I have ever known.”
48. A Thousand Years – Christina Perri
Key: Bb
Chords: Bb, Gm, Eb, F
Lyrics: “Heart beats fast, colors and promises, how to be brave, how can I love when I’m afraid.”
49. Counting Stars – OneRepublic
Key: C#
Chords: C#, A#m, F#, G#, G#m
Lyrics: “Lately I been, I been losing sleep, dreaming about the things that we could be.”
50. Imagine – John Lennon
Key: C
Chords: C, Cmaj7, F, G, Am, Dm, E7
51. Hound Dog – Elvis Presley
Key: C
Chords: C, F, G
Lyrics: “You ain’t nothing but a hound dog, crying all the time.”
52. Lean on Me – Bill Withers
Key: C
Chords: C, Am, F, G
Lyrics: “Sometimes in our lives, we all have pain, we all have sorrow.”
53. I Gotta Feeling – Black Eyed Peas
Key: G
Chords: G, D, Em, C
Lyrics: “I gotta feeling that tonight’s gonna be a good night. That tonight’s gonna be a good night.”
54. Save Tonight – Eagle-Eye Cherry
Key: Am
Chords: Am, F, C, G
Lyrics: “Go on and close the curtains ’cause all we need is candlelight. You and me and a bottle of wine, going to hold you tonight.”
55. All of Me – John Legend
Key: Ab
Chords: Ab, Eb, Db, Fm
Lyrics: “What would I do without your smart mouth, drawing me in, and you kicking me out?”
56. Let Her Go – Passenger
Key: G
Chords: G, D, Em, C
Lyrics: “Only miss the sun when it starts to snow, only know you love her when you let her go.”
57. Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) – Green Day
Key: G
Chords: G, C, D, Em
Lyrics: “Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road. Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go.”
58. California Dreamin’ – The Mamas & The Papas
Key: E
Chords: E, G, A, D, F#m
Lyrics: “All the leaves are brown and the sky is gray. I’ve been for a walk on a winter’s day.”
59. Royals – Lorde
Key: C#
Chords: C#, A#m, F#, G#
Lyrics: “I’ve never seen a diamond in the flesh. I cut my teeth on wedding rings in the movies.”
60. Someone Like You – Adele
Key: A
Chords: A, E, F#m, D
Lyrics: “I heard that you’re settled down, that you found a girl and you’re married now.”
61. Wagon Wheel – Old Crow Medicine Show
Key: A
Chords: A, D, E, F#m
Lyrics: “Headed down south to the land of the pines. I’m thumbing my way into North Carolina.”
62. Hey Joe – Jimi Hendrix
Key: E
Chords: E, G, A, D
63. Don’t Look Back in Anger – Oasis
Key: C
Chords: C, G, Am, F
64. Use Somebody – Kings of Leon
Key: C
Chords: C, F, Am, G
Lyrics: “I’ve been roaming around, always looking down at all I see. Painted faces fill the places I can’t reach.”
65. Pumped Up Kicks – Foster The People
Key: F#
Chords: F#, G#m, C#, B
Lyrics: “All the other kids with the pumped up kicks, you better run, better run, outrun my gun.”
66. Sweet Caroline – Neil Diamond
Key: A
Chords: A, D, E
Lyrics: “Where it began, I can’t begin to knowin’, but then I know it’s growing strong.”
67. Riptide – Vance Joy
Key: Am
Chords: Am, G, C, F
Lyrics: “I was scared of dentists and the dark, I was scared of pretty girls and starting conversations.”
68. Radioactive – Imagine Dragons
Key: Bm
Chords: Bm, D, A, E
Lyrics: “I’m waking up to ash and dust, I wipe my brow and I sweat my rust.”
69. The Weight – The Band
Key: A
Chords: A, D, E
Lyrics: “I pulled into Nazareth, was feelin’ about half past dead. I just need some place where I can lay my head.”
70. (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction – The Rolling Stones
Key: E
Chords: E, A, D, G
Lyrics: “I can’t get no satisfaction, I can’t get no satisfaction. ‘Cause I try, and I try, and I try, and I try.”
71. Everybody Hurts – R.E.M.
Key: C
Chords: C, G, Am, F
Lyrics: “When your day is long and the night, the night is yours alone, when you’re sure you’ve had enough of this life, well hang on.”
72. Sugar, We’re Goin Down – Fall Out Boy
Key: G
Chords: G, D, Em, C
Lyrics: “Am I more than you bargained for yet? I’ve been dying to tell you anything you want to hear.”
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