If you play guitar, you’ve probably heard friends say things like, “I’ve always wanted to learn guitar, but it looks too hard and probably takes too long.” Maybe you’ve even said it yourself. The truth? It’s way easier to start than you think.
Sure, mastering the guitar takes time, but you don’t need years of practice to strum real songs. In fact, once you learn just a handful of basic chords – like C, G, and D – you’ll unlock hundreds of tunes you already know and love.
In this guide, we’ve rounded up 30 easy guitar songs perfect for beginners, and some of those popular songs are super easy. Each one comes with helpful tabs, simple chord progressions, and video lessons to get you playing fast.
Why These Songs?
There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of easy guitar songs beginner guitarists can learn that use only the basic chords. So why did we choose these twenty-eight?
For one thing, the songs on our list represent a variety of styles and genres; beginner guitarists should find plenty of songs they’ll want to explore, regardless of their taste.
All the guitar songs for beginners on our list can be played “campfire” style, so to speak; you need not know every guitar fill, for example, to enjoy playing “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” for your friends.
In fact, many of the songs on our list have parts beginners may find challenging; it’s part of the reason we chose them. Most beginners likely won’t yet have the skill to nail the intro to Van Morrison’s Brown-Eyed Girl, for example, but they can easily master the chord progression and strumming patterns as they work to develop those skills.
The Basic Chords
The “main” or “basic” guitar chords are those beginner guitarists should tackle first. While there is some disagreement as to how many chords should be included in this designation (some argue six, some ten, some twelve, just to name a few,) but the vast majority seem to agree on the following: A, D, E, C, G, A minor, D minor, and E minor.
If you learn the abovementioned eight chords, you’ll be more than prepared to learn countless popular songs. Obviously, the more chords and chord variations you learn and master, the more songs you’ll be able to tackle.
I’ve played guitar for years and still, from time to time, come across a chord form I’ve yet to see; still, knowing the basics will help you incorporate new chord variations into your playing.
How to Read Chords
All this sounds good, you may be thinking, but how hard is it to learn a chord, and how long does it take? After all this talk of guitar songs suitable for beginners, are we back to guitar taking too long to learn? Take a deep breath; learning chords is as simple as being able to read a chord chart, which is quite simple indeed.
Guitar chord charts are, essentially, snapshots of a section of a guitar’s neck. The vertical lines of a chord chart represent your guitar’s strings, while the horizontal lines represent a series of frets.
The proper fingerings for a particular chord are marked with a series of 1’s, 2’s, 3’s, or 4’s, indicating which finger should hold which strings, and at which frets. For reference, 1 is the index finger, 2 is the middle finger, 3 is the ring finger, and 4 represents the pinky of the fretting hand.
There may be one or more X’s along the top of a chord diagram; these let you know the string in question should be muted.
The mark ‘O’ in the chart indicates an open string, meaning that the string should be played without pressing down any frets.
How to Place a Capo
If you don’t know what a capo is, don’t worry–these useful guitar tools are inexpensive and easy to use. A capo is a small device that is placed on your guitar’s neck and fretboard that changes the key of the chords you play.
Capos are also useful when playing with a singer, who may or may not be able to sing in the song’s original key. A capo is a great way to alter the key without having to resort to music theory or alternate, more difficult to play chord positions.
The most popular style of capo today is the trigger capo; to apply, simply squeeze the mechanism open, place it on the desired fret of your guitar, and let go. Be sure to place the capo as close to the fret wire as possible without actually touching it to avoid buzzing.
To know more details about how to use a capo, check here.
How to Practice Effectively and Make Progress
Guitar is a lot of fun, and beginner guitarists will tend to over-practice rather than not practice enough. While the ambition of such newbies is admirable, there are potential downsides to over-practicing early in your guitar journey.
Learning guitar will require you to use your body in entirely new ways, from how you sit to how you hold your arms and hands. Too much of this, or any new posture all at once can potentially cause aches, pains, or worse. Few things will discourage a new guitarist more quickly or completely.
New guitarists will be better served sticking to a prescribed practice schedule and keeping unscheduled practice sessions within reason. It’s also a good idea to alternate between practicing sitting and standing.
Practice is essential to becoming a good guitarist but remember that your guitar journey is a marathon and not a sprint; slow and steady often wins the race.
Easy Songs to Learn on Guitar
Let’s start your guitar learning journey with these basic guitar songs.
1. Happy Birthday – Traditional
Guitar Chords | Difficulty: 1/5
The song “Happy Birthday” has been around long enough and its popularity shows no signs of waning. This was my first guitar song to learn, and it uses only beginner guitar chords like G, C and D (or A, E and D if you prefer).
Everyone will find the happy birthday guitar chords easy, especially after a few slow practice rounds. The strumming is super chill: downstroke on “Happy,” then down-up for “birthday” and again on “to you.”
Switching chords quickly was my biggest problem at first, but I kept practicing slowly. I learned it in about 45 minutes, split over two days. Impressing your friends with a performance of Happy Birthday will take some practice, but it’s a great exercise in playing melodies.
2. Three Little Birds – Bob Marley
Guitar Chords | Difficulty: 1/5
This is one of those beginner guitar songs with simple chords that just feels good to play. Three little chords – A, D and E – are all you’ll need to impress your friends with this perennial Bob Marley classic.
The hardest part for me was the reggae strumming. It felt weird at first since the beat falls differently than pop songs. Starting with slow downstrokes really helped.
If you find the reggae strumming pattern of this song difficult, try using a more standard pattern until you work it out.
3. Horse With No Name – America
Guitar Chords | Difficulty: 1/5
The ocean is a desert with its life underground and the perfect disguise above.
With sophisticated lyrics such as these, one might expect the accompanying music to be complex–it certainly paints an effective picture in somber tones, after all.
Thankfully, this isn’t the case; four extremely simple (if somewhat novel) chords are all there: Em, D6/9, Em9, and Dmaj9.
The strumming patterns for this song may take a little practice, but the song is a lot of fun to play and more than simple enough for beginners.
4. Wild Thing – The Troggs
Guitar Chords | Difficulty: 1.5/5
Another easy guitar song is Wild Thing, by the Troggs. Arguably the second greatest party sing-along song of all time (coming in behind Louis, Louis), Wild Thing has become firmly ensconced in our popular culture.
Four major chords are all you’ll need to get your friends singing and clapping along, making Wild Thing one of the best beginner guitar songs to master.
5. Love Me Do – The Beatles
Guitar Chords | Difficulty: 1.5/5
The Beatles’ first single, Love Me Do, was so simple that producer George Martin insisted the band include a harmonica intro. According to numerous sources, John Lennon had to borrow a harmonica to record the impromptu addition to this now classic song.
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Believe it or not, G, C, and D are the only chords you’ll need to play this Beatles favorite.
6. Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door – Bob Dylan
Guitar Chords | Difficulty: 1.5/5
Few people remember the 1973 film Pat Garret and Billy the Kid, but everyone remembers at least one song included on the movie’s soundtrack, Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door.
Nobel laureate and cultural icon Bob Dylan’s gospel-flavored folk classic enjoyed renewed life when it was covered by Guns and Roses and enjoys radio play to this day.
Four chords – G, C, D and A minor are all it takes to play this favorite.
7. Blowin’ In The Wind – Bob Dylan
Guitar Chords | Difficulty: 1.5/5
Here’s a song that sounds deep but is super chill to play. It uses simple chords like C major and sticks to a basic 4/4 rhythm, so you don’t need to overthink anything.
The strumming goes “down down, down-up, down, down-up,” with some parts played louder to give it more feeling. You can even start by just picking the first string on beat one. It’s great for learning timing and making your strumming sound smoother and more musical.
8. Eleanor Rigby – The Beatles
Guitar Chords | Difficulty: 2/5
Only two chords – E minor and C major – make this one of the best guitar songs for beginners. It’s easy on finger placement, and the simple chord transitions help you switch without stressing your hand.
The basic strumming pattern uses just four down strums per chord. Once that feels good, try eight steady down strums to match the rhythm. No need to read tabs yet, just focus on getting clean sounds and good timing.
If you know a few guitar chords for beginners and can hold rhythm, you’re good to go.
9. Achy-Breaky Heart – Billy Ray Cyrus
Guitar chords | Difficulty: 2/5
Billy Ray Cyrus managed one solo hit song during his ultimately forgettable career; written by country musician Don Von Tress, Achy Breaky Heart is a fun, catchy song utilizing only two chords, A and E.
Two chords, a catchy tune, and a spot in the “popular songs” hall of fame—this is one of the best basic guitar songs for absolute beginners.
Chord changes can feel tricky at first. Spend 5 minutes of practice time switching between A and E—slow and steady helps. Listen to the song to match the country-style rhythm. Knowing how to hold the guitar, play open chords, and strum down is all you need to start.
10. Jambalaya (On the Bayou) – Hank Williams
Guitar Chords | Difficulty: 2/5
If you’re looking for an easy country song, this is the one! It only has two chords—G major and C major—so you barely have to move your fingers. It’s great for learning guitar!
You can start with one strum per bar, then level up to two strums or add a cool bass-strum pattern for that real country sound.
Mentionable that there are other versions of the song that utilize different chord pairings, such as A and D, and G and D. If your fingers hit the wrong string while picking the bass notes, just slow down and aim better.
11. Bad Moon Rising – Credence Clearwater Revival
Guitar Chords | Difficulty: 2/5
One of the most recognizable guitar parts ever, CCR’s Bad Moon Rising elevates three simple chords into something you could reasonably call a riff. You don’t need to hear past the initial D chord to be sure you’re listening to this iconic song.
D, A, and G are the only chords you’ll need to have mastered to play this folk/rock staple.
12. What’s Up? – 4 Non Blondes
Guitar Chords | Difficulty: 2/5
When it comes to easy guitar songs for beginners, few fit the bill as well as What’s Up? A one-hit wonder from the band 4 Non-Blondes, What’s Up is a catchy, laid-back number with soaring melodies and a great hook.
Though it may have faded somewhat with time, it would be hard to overstate the popularity and impact of the song upon its release.
A, B minor, and D are the only chords you’ll need to play this fun, simple throwback.
13. Stand By Me – Ben E. King
Guitar Chords | Difficulty: 2/5
Enduring proof that less can be more, Ben E. King’s Stand By Me is a lesson in elegant simplicity. C, A minor, F, and G are the only chords you need to play this hit.
For an interesting, reggae-like twist on the strumming pattern, check out John Lennon’s cover.
14. Free Fallin’ – Tom Petty
Guitar Chords | Difficulty: 2/5
Unless you’ve just arrived on Earth, chances are you’ve heard Tom Petty’s Free Falling. The wildly successful hit “Full Moon Fever” utilizes only four chords – D, A, Dsus4, and E.
However, the song is easiest played with a capo on the third fret; in that case, play chords E, Asus2, and Bsus4. Either way works fine.
The song has chill vibes with simple melodies that sound really good. You don’t need to play fast or fancy. Just keep the rhythm steady and make sure your guitar is in the right tuning.
15. Ho Hey – The Lumineers
Guitar Chords | Difficulty: 2/5
Ever tried reading tabs or following chord diagrams while holding the guitar and still messed up the strumming? Same. This song helps fix that.
It sticks to a super simple chord progression using C, G, Am, and F. You’ll mostly play C and G in the verses, then Am, G, and C in the chorus.
There’s even a cool twist where you add your pinky for a Csus4. The strumming sounds busy, but it follows a steady beat. Practice slowly, and you’ll have it sounding clean in no time.
16. Something In The Way – Nirvana
Guitar Tab | Difficulty: 2.5/5
When it comes to easy acoustic guitar songs for beginners, few match the simplicity of Nirvana’s Something in the Way. A guitar part so lethargic Kurt Cobain reportedly reclined on a couch and recorded it without a click, this melancholy dirge is deceptively fun to play along to.
One of the simplest acoustic guitar songs for new players, Something in the Way can either be played using F# and D on a guitar in drop-d tuning, tuned down a half-step, as explained in the tab above, or drop D tuned down a whole step, as demonstrated in the tutorial.
17. What I Got – Sublime
Guitar Chords | Difficulty: 2.5/5
The entire song can be played using just two chords, D and G, which makes it a great addition to any list of beginner guitar songs with only a few chords.
The song uses a slightly more complex strumming pattern that requires better coordination. But as a beginner, there’s no strict rule – so feel free to just jam how you like.
Knowing how to hold a guitar and count to four in rhythm helps a lot. Once you’re comfy, you can even try the cool picking or add a funky rhythm twist.
18. Chasing Cars – Snow Patrol
Guitar Tab | Difficulty: 2.5/5
When looking for easy guitar songs to add to your repertoire, don’t overlook Snow Patrol’s Chasing Cars. A catchy, fun song to play, Chasing Cars uses only five chords and employs an almost percussive strumming pattern.
Chasing Cars can be pretty easy if you focus on the A, E/G# and D chords. The starting riff is a bit more advanced, but you can still have the song sound good without it. Just practice switching between those chords, and try a basic strumming pattern, and you’ll be playing it in no time!
19. I Used To Love Her – Guns N’ Roses
Guitar Chords | Difficulty: 2.5/5
This tongue-in-cheek offering from GNR’s Lies EP is a super easy guitar song requiring only three major chords to play. Reminiscent of the Rolling Stones’ “Dead Flowers,” Used To Love Her consists exclusively of D, A, and G.
The strumming pattern is simple: “down down up up down down,” and it helps you lock in your rhythm. You don’t need any hard techniques to start, but once you’re ready, you can add some fun chord tricks like Dsus4 or Asus4.
It’s a great one to jam with friends or play along with the recording for practice.
20. Shake It Off – Taylor Swift
Guitar Chords | Difficulty: 2.5/5
If you’re more into pop than rock, blues, or folk, this mega-hit from Taylor Swift is a great pick. It’s an up-tempo song that makes you want to grab your guitar and jam—simple, catchy, and a whole lot of fun to play.
It uses only three chords: A minor, C, and G. The chord progression stays the same almost the whole time, so you don’t have to keep learning new shapes. The fun part is the strumming pattern, which adds a “slap” sound for extra rhythm.
It might take a few tries, but it’s worth it!
21. Hound Dog – Elvis Presley
Guitar Chords | Difficulty: 2.5/5
This one’s loud, fast, and fun—perfect if you want something that sounds cool but isn’t hard to play. It follows a 12-bar blues pattern in the key of A, using just three common open chords: A, D, and E.
You can strum super simply—just two down strums per bar—or try “down, up, down, up” for extra bounce. If chord changes feel tricky, you can skip a few and still make it work.
22. Fire on the Mountain – Grateful Dead
Guitar Chords | Difficulty: 3/5
Super chill to play, this song only uses two chords—B major and A major. That’s it! You just switch back and forth, which makes it perfect if you’re still getting the hang of chord changes.
Strumming can stay loose and groovy—try down-down-up-up-down-up, but even steady downstrokes work fine.
Hard part? Keeping it interesting since there are some rhythmic challenges and more complex chord transitions that require developed finger strength.
23. The Joker – The Steve Miller Band
Guitar Chords | Difficulty: 3/5
This one’s a chill song with a beat that makes you nod your head without even trying. The only chords you need to play this rock classic by the Steve Miller Band are G, Cadd9, D, and Dsus4.
You can play it in standard tuning, even though the original is tuned down a whole step. Start with easy down strums on each beat, then try adding claps or extra strums to match the rhythm.
Once you’re comfy, try the little bassline over the G and C chords to make it sound even cooler and more like the real song.
24. Brown-Eyed Girl – Van Morrison
Guitar Chords | Difficulty: 3/5
If you’re learning guitar and want something fun that people always sing along to, this one’s a great pick.
This classic Van Morrison favorite offers beginner guitarists the best of both worlds: a simple, easily mastered chord progression along with an intro that represents something to shoot for.
It uses easy chords like G, C, D, and E minor, with simple rhythms and simple strumming patterns like “down down up up down up.” This song is perfect for building confidence with easy chord transitions.
25. Honky Tonk Women – Rolling Stones
Guitar Chords | Difficulty: 3/5
Looking for easy songs to learn on guitar for beginners with some genre variety? This one’s got that cool rock and roll vibe and uses easy chords like G, C, D, and A. The chorus only needs G and D, which keeps things simple.
The main strumming pattern is down-down-up-down-down-up-down, great for beginners working on rhythm. If you’re into riffs, there’s a fun intro using open strings and some muting.
The full version features riffs, fills, and alternate tunings—cool but can be a little bit challenging for beginners.
26. All The Small Things – Blink 182
Guitar Chords | Difficulty: 3/5
Punk-pop standard-bearers Blink-182 bring us the next entry on our list of easy guitar songs for beginners. An up-tempo head-bopper, All the Small Things is a fun, energetic song that requires a mere three chords to play: C, G, and F.
But the song uses barre chords and a faster tempo, which might be challenging for beginners who haven’t developed hand strength and quick position changes.
27. Sweet Home Alabama – Lynyrd Skynyrd
Guitar Chords | Difficulty: 3.5/5
It’s impossible to deny–there’s just something special about Lynyrd Skynyrd’s rock anthem, Sweet Home Alabama; few rock songs remain as relevant or enjoy as much enduring popularity.
Catchy, upbeat, and boasting some iconic guitar work, Sweet Home Alabama is actually rather simple to play. Start by mastering the chords used in the song, then try learning the entire riff, fills and all, at your own pace.
28. Born In The USA – Bruce Springsteen
Guitar Chords | Difficulty: 3.5/5
Another song suitable for beginner guitar players is Springsteen’s mega-hit Born in the USA. A simple two-chord progression, Born in the USA is easiest played using G and C chords with a capo on the fourth fret (as shown in the tutorial above).
Also, you can use A and D chords with a capo on the second fret (as described in the attached guitar tab.) Either way, this epic stadium-shaker is easy and fun to play.
Either way, this epic stadium-shaker is easy and fun to play.
29. Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life) – Green Day
Guitar Chords | Difficulty: 4/5
One of the first songs I ever played for my friends was this one, and they actually sang along, which made me feel like a rockstar.
An enduring hit for the band, this song’s big sound belies its simplicity; five simple chords are all you need to play this perennial crowd-pleaser: G, Cadd9, D, Em, and C. If you have a capo, it gets even easier.
The intro sounds picked in the real song, but I just strummed it slowly at first. The “down down up up down up” strumming pattern might feel weird, but once you get it, it clicks.
30. Wonderwall – Oasis
Guitar Chords | Difficulty: 4/5
The first time I played this at school, someone actually yelled, “play Wonderwall!”—so I did. It’s one of those songs people always recognize.
You’ll need a capo on the second fret and chords like Em, G, D, and A7sus4. They sound tricky, but most of them keep your fingers in almost the same spot.
The strumming is where it gets tricky. Try simple down strums first, then work your way up. Once you get the rhythm right, it sounds super cool and feels great to play.
Gustavo is a music teacher and classical guitar player from Brazil, currently residing in Dublin, Ireland. He holds a graduate degree in Classical Guitar Performance from the Federal University of Pelotas. In 2020, Gustavo successfully completed a Master's degree in Sound Engineering from the Academy of Sound in Ireland.