Are you a beginner guitar player, looking for songs that are easy to learn and fun to play at the same time? Well, if you answered, “yes”, you’ve come to the right place. There are hundreds, perhaps even thousands of popular songs that are relatively easy to play, and playing these easy songs is a great way to learn, practice, and really hone your guitar-playing skills. Today we are going to look at some of the best songs to learn on the guitar for beginners. Let’s get started.

Don’t Expect Miracles

Some people try playing a musical instrument, and end up giving up because they didn’t sound great right away. It takes years of training and practice to be a great musician, and it can take a very long time just to be a good musician. This is why it is best to start out with songs that are easy to play, such as the songs we will discuss in this article.

It is also never a good idea to try and learn several songs at once. It is best to work on one song until you know it well, and then move on to the next one. Don’t forget to keep practicing that first song, and the songs you learn afterwards. After all, you don’t want to end up forgetting all that you have learned.

No, you are not going to sound amazing the first time you pick up a guitar. But, the more you practice and stick with it, the better and better your playing is going to get over time. Just keep plugging away at it and don’t expect miracles. Nothing great ever comes easy, and the more you work at it, the more you will appreciate it.

Fun and Easy Songs for Beginners

It wasn’t all that long ago when beginner guitar players were learning simple little tunes such as “Mary Had a Little Lamb” and other similar songs. Not only is this boring, it turned a lot of people away from taking guitar lessons, because they knew they wouldn’t be learning anything they really wanted to play, at least not for the first few months.

These days, music teachers know that in order for someone to have an interest in playing any instrument, they need to learn to play music that they actually like and will want to play for other people. Luckily, there are tons of great songs out there that are actually quite easy to play. Whether you want to play for personal enjoyment, to entertain friends at parties, or to be a serious musician, your road to learning will be an enjoyable one.

Now we are going to take a look at some of our favorite, easy-to-play songs for the guitar that are ideal for beginners (and also fun for experienced musicians who just want to fiddle around once in a while).

1) Love Me Do – The Beatles

Many songs by the Beatles are easily recognized, and fairly easy to play, at least when it comes to their earlier music. Love Me Do is a great example of an awesome tune that is relatively easy to play. There are only two main chords in the chorus, G major and C major, and there is a D major chord thrown into the bridge.

This is a song that is pretty familiar to everyone, and this familiarity will help you to learn the chord progression and strumming pattern. The more you hear a song, the easier it will be to learn how to play it later on, and this is a song that we have all heard many times.

2) Sweet Home Alabama – Lynyrd Skynyrd

Not only is this a good song for beginners, it can also get you into the world of finger picking. Sure, you can do the picking with a pick as well, but if you are truly serious about learning how to play the guitar, you really should learn how to finger pick, and this song is a great tool for that.

There are only three chords in this song, C major, D major, and G major, and it has the same tune as “Werewolves of London” by Warren Zevon and “All Summer Long” by Kid Rock. So, you will actually be learning three popular songs all at the same time.

3) Bad Moon Rising – Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR)

Here is another classic that everyone knows and loves, and it’s super-easy to play. Again, this song only has three chords to worry about, D major, A major, and G major, and a relatively easy chord progression. If you are looking for a song that will get everyone singing at a beach party, this is definitely one to learn.

Notice that the first two songs on this list have C, D, and G chords. Once you have mastered these chords and switching between them, it shouldn’t be any problem at all to add the A chord into the mix, and then you’ll be ready to move on to more chords.

Best Songs to Learn on Guitar

4) Hey Joe – Jimi Hendrix

Any guitar player worth their weight in salt should know how to play at least one Jimi Hendrix tune. This song is one of his greatest, and it is a good song for beginners. This song uses five chords, so once again you will be adding a new chord to your repertoire.

In addition to playing chords, this is a great chance to start learning a bit of lead work. It may be a slower song, but it has a wicked lead break, and learning it will help you to gain even more confidence in your playing skills.

5) Wildest Dreams – Taylor Swift

This may not seem like the ideal song for beginners, but it is a great way to start playing some of the most essential chords besides A, C, D, and G. This is a very popular song, particularly among the younger crowd, and it is one that will show that you are versatile, playing both newer and older music.

If your friends are fans of Taylor Swift, expect to have them request it often when you are playing guitar while they are around. It is a great tune, and one that everyone is going to want to sing along with.

6) Zombie – The Cranberries

Here is another “newer” song that is easy to learn to play on the guitar. It is a great tune to practice with, because it is going to help you to master some very important fundamental chords, including B, which can be daunting for many beginners.

You may notice that most of the songs we are talking about use many of the same chords, only they are played in different chord progressions and patterns. The more you work on songs that use the same chords, the more you are going to build your muscle memory. When you are asked to play a particular chord, your hands will know how to do it even before your brain reacts.

7) Stairway to Heaven – Led Zeppelin

Okay, we’ve all heard guitar players say they refuse to play this song, but it is popular, and it is one that is great for beginners. Not only do you get to experiment with a variety of chords, including D major and G major, you will also be working with bar chords. There is also that wicked solo that you can work on to hone your lead-playing skills.

You have the option to use a pick or finger pick the first few verses. We recommend learning to finger pick and practicing the song that way. You just never know when you will need to have that skill, and this is an easy song to practice finger picking with.

8) Enter Sandman – Metallica

If metal is really what you want to learn how to play, a great one to start out with is this song. It is immediately recognizable, even by those who aren’t Metallica fans, and it is a fun song that everyone seems to enjoy, even those who aren’t into metal.

Learning to play this song will also give you a chance to work on some oddball chords, such as G5, E5, and F#5. Remember, not all popular songs are played with the basic chords, so it is important to work on a variety of songs that contain as many chords as possible.

Conclusion

There are so many great songs out there that are ideal for beginners. This list is just a few of our favorites. If you really are serious about learning how to play the guitar, remember to start at the start and not try to get too far ahead of yourself.

Start out by learning songs such as these, which are relatively easy to play and also very popular, and in no time you will be working your way up to the stuff you really want to play. At least these songs won’t bore you to tears like the songs we used to learn as beginners back in the day.

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