11 Popular And Easy Beginner Guitar Songs You Will Absolutely Love
Here are 11 easy beginner guitar songs. These are some of our favorites; I feel they would be yours too!
We made this list of easy beginner guitar songs by picking the songs and actually playing the chord progressions.
If you are anything like me, sometimes I just want to get to the point. I want the basic chord charts and main progression, and I’ll figure out the rest. I noticed that most of the other guides either don’t have enough info or have too much. I am hoping to find a happy medium here.
You can browse the whole list or skip right to the song you want by clicking on it here:
Remember, some of these songs have a bit of a variation from the original to make it easier to play. But as you increase your skills, feel free to experiment. If you are not sure how to read chord charts, you can check out Fender’s article on how to read guitar chord charts.
Keep reading to browse the songs.
1. “Horse with No Name” by America
How to Play This Song:
Playing “Horse with No Name” is a breeze, even for beginners, since it’s just two chords all the way through. With a nice, leisurely tempo, you can focus on getting comfy with the chords and strumming pattern while still grooving to the tune.
The Chords You’ll Need:
To start jamming to “Horse with No Name,” you just need these two chords:
Main Chord Progression:
The main chord progression for “Horse with No Name” is super straightforward: Em – D7. Practice switching between these chords smoothly, and once you’re feeling good, add a basic strumming pattern.
Listen to the original song:
Before diving into playing, listen to America’s original “Horse with No Name” below to get the vibe and rhythm down:
2. “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” by Bob Dylan (Cover by Guns and Roses and others)
How to Rock This Song:
If you’re new to guitar, “Knocking on Heaven’s Door” is an awesome choice. It is my favorite among the easy beginner guitar songs! It’s got just four chords and a laid-back strumming pattern that’s perfect for beginners. Plus, the tempo is chill, so you can focus on nailing those chord transitions while still grooving to the melody.
The Chords You’ll Need:
Ready to start jamming? Get familiar with these four chords:
Main Chord Progression:
The main chord progression for “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” is super simple: G – D – Am – Am for the beginning and G – D – C – C for the chorus. Practice moving between these chords smoothly, and once you’re feeling confident, add a basic strumming pattern like down-down-up-up-down-up.
Listen to the original song:
Before you start strumming away, make sure to listen to this cover of “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” below to get the vibe and rhythm down:
3. “Three Little Birds” by Bob Marley
How to Play This Song:
Playing “Three Little Birds” is a joy for new guitarists. With only three chords and a laid-back tempo that lets you focus on getting the chords and strumming pattern just right, all while grooving to the cheerful melody.
The Chords You’ll Need:
To start jamming to “Three Little Birds,” you’ll need these three chords:
Main Chord Progression:
The main chord progression for “Three Little Birds” is super simple: A – A – D – A for the beginning and chorus, and it changes to A – E – A – D – A – E – A. Practice switching between these chords smoothly, and once you’re feeling confident, add in a basic strumming pattern to match the rhythm.
Listen to the original song:
Before you start strumming away, make sure to listen to Bob Marley’s original “Three Little Birds” to get the vibe and rhythm down:
4. “Wonderwall” by Oasis (Simplified)
How to Play This Song:
Playing “Wonderwall” is a blast for new guitarists, with only four chords to learn and a moderately paced tempo. It can be a little intimidating with some of the original chords, but they are not as complicated as they sound. Or you can just simplify it with just basic chords. If you have a capo, place it on the 2nd fret. You can focus on nailing the chords and strumming patterns while grooving to the memorable tune.
The Chords You’ll Need:
To start jamming to “Wonderwall,” you’ll need these four chords:
Main Chord Progression:
The main chord progression for “Wonderwall” is nice and easy (remember to substitute with simplified chords if too much if needed): Em7 – G – Dsus4 – A7sus4 is the main verse. Pre-chorus is C – Dsus4 – Em7 and finish with C – Dsus4 – G – Dsus4 -Em7 – Dsus4 – A7sus4. And the chorus is C – Em7 – G – Em7. Practice switching between these chords smoothly, and once you’re feeling good, add a basic strumming pattern to get the rhythm right.
Listen to the Original:
Before playing, listen to Oasis’s original “Wonderwall” to get the vibe, transitions, and rhythm down:
5. “Love Me Do” by The Beatles
How to Play This Song:
Playing “Love Me Do” is a joy for new guitarists, with just three chords and a moderate tempo that lets you focus on mastering the chords and strumming pattern while still tapping your foot to the catchy tune.
The Chords You’ll Need:
To start jamming to “Love Me Do,” you’ll need these three chords:
Main Chord Progression:
The main chord progression for “Love Me Do” is super straightforward: G – C – G – C -G – C -D – C – G for most of the song. D – C – G for the bridge. Practice switching between these chords smoothly, and once you’re feeling confident, add a basic strumming pattern to get the rhythm right.
Listen to the Original:
Before strumming away, listen to The Beatles’ original “Love Me Do” to get the vibe and rhythm down:
6. “Stand By Me” by Ben E. King
How to Play This Song:
Playing “Stand By Me” is a delight for new guitarists, with just four chords and a relaxed tempo that allows you to focus on mastering the chords and strumming pattern while still grooving to the heartfelt tune.
The Chords You’ll Need:
To start jamming to “Stand By Me,” you’ll need these four chords:
Main Chord Progression:
The main chord progression for “Stand By Me” is nice and straightforward: G – Em – C – D throughout the whole song! Practice switching between these chords smoothly, and once you’re feeling good, add a basic strumming pattern to match the rhythm.
Listen to the Original:
Before diving into playing, listen to Ben E. King’s original “Stand By Me” to get the vibe and rhythm down:
7. “Wagon Wheel” by Old Crow Medicine Show
How to Play This Song:
Playing “Wagon Wheel” is a blast for new guitarists, with just four chords and an upbeat tempo that lets you focus on mastering the chords and strumming pattern while still dancing along to the lively tune. If you have a capo, place it on the 2nd fret.
The Chords You’ll Need:
To start jamming to “Wagon Wheel,” you’ll need these four chords:
Main Chord Progression:
The main chord progression for “Wagon Wheel” is super simple: G – D – Em – C for the intro and verse, and G – D – Em – C – G – D – C – G – D – Em. Practice switching between these chords smoothly, and once you’re feeling confident, add a basic strumming pattern to get the rhythm right.
Listen to the Original:
Before you start strumming away, make sure to listen to Old Crow Medicine Show’s original “Wagon Wheel” to get the vibe and rhythm down:
8. “Ring of Fire” by Johnny Cash
How to Play This Song:
Playing “Ring of Fire” is a pleasure for new guitarists, with just three chords and a moderate tempo that lets you focus on mastering the chords and strumming pattern while still tapping your foot to the catchy tune.
The Chords You’ll Need:
To start jamming to “Ring of Fire,” you’ll need these three chords:
Main Chord Progression:
The main chord progression for “Ring of Fire” is nice and easy: G – C – G – D. and chorus D – C – G – D – C – G – D – G – D -G. Practice switching between these chords smoothly, and once you’re feeling confident, add a basic strumming pattern to get the rhythm right.
Listen to the Original:
Before you start strumming away, make sure to listen to Johnny Cash’s original “Ring of Fire” to get the vibe and rhythm down:
9. “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz
How to Play This Song:
Playing “I’m Yours” is a delight for new guitarists, with just four chords and a relaxed tempo that allows you to focus on mastering the chords and strumming pattern while still grooving to the cheerful tune.
The Chords You’ll Need:
To start jamming to “I’m Yours,” you’ll need these four chords:
Main Chord Progression:
The main chord progression for “I’m Yours” is super straightforward: C – G – Am – F for most of the song, and a bit of a variation on the chorus which is C – G – Am – G – F – D7. Practice switching between these chords smoothly, and once you’re feeling confident, add a basic strumming pattern to match the rhythm.
Listen to the Original:
Before diving into playing, listen to Jason Mraz’s original “I’m Yours” to get the vibe and rhythm down:
10. “Pumped Up Kicks” by Foster the People
How to Play This Song:
Playing “Pumped Up Kicks” is a blast for new guitarists, with just four chords and a moderate tempo that lets you focus on mastering the chords and strumming pattern while still tapping your foot to the catchy tune.
The Chords You’ll Need:
To start jamming to “Pumped Up Kicks,” you’ll need these four chords:
Main Chord Progression:
The main chord progression for “Pumped Up Kicks” is nice and easy: Em – G – D – A through the whole song. Practice switching between these chords smoothly, and once you’re feeling confident, add a basic strumming pattern to get the rhythm right.
Listen to the Original:
Before diving into playing, listen to Foster the People’s original “Pumped Up Kicks” to get the vibe and rhythm down:
11. “Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison
How to PlayThis Song:
Playing “Brown Eyed Girl” is a treat for new guitarists, with just four chords and a moderate tempo that lets you focus on mastering the chords and strumming pattern while still enjoying the catchy tune.
The Chords You’ll Need:
To start jamming to “Brown Eyed Girl,” you’ll need these four chords:
Main Chord Progression:
The main chord progression for “Brown Eyed Girl” is super simple: G – C – G – D for the main verse. The chorus has a slightly different progression C – D – G – Em – C – D – G – D. You can add a D7 to make it closer to the original. Practice switching between these chords smoothly, and once you’re feeling confident, add a basic strumming pattern to get the rhythm right.
Listen to the Original:
Before you start strumming away, make sure to listen to Van Morrison’s original “Brown Eyed Girl” to get the vibe and rhythm down:
BONUS! – Happy Birthday!
Song Scoop:
Simple…You know the song! Happy Birthday!
The Chords You’ll Need:
Main Chord Progression:
Again, simple, the whole song: A – E – E – A – A7 – D – A – E – A
What to do Next?
Now that you have 11 easy beginner guitar songs to practice, start jamming and have fun! Remember, practice makes perfect, and these tunes will help you build your confidence while playing the guitar. Oh yeah, you will also impress your friends and family!
