Easy 15 Guitar Songs for Beginners to Play

Learning to play guitar sounds pretty exciting right? But picking up an acoustic guitar for the first time can be intimidating. Whether you have always wanted to play guitar or just decided to try it, trying an instrument for the first time or taking those first steps might seem hard and overwhelming. 

Starting out, it’s important to recognize that you won’t be an expert right away. It takes time and practice to develop the skills of your favorite legendary guitarists.

So, don’t just give up; make mistakes because that’s how you are going to learn and become better.

This blog by Zager is your ultimate guide to learning guitar, whether you’re a complete beginner or looking for easy songs to play. It covers all the basics you need to know to get started with playing guitar, including how to hold and tune the instrument and the essential chords to learn. Additionally, you’ll find a variety of easy songs that are perfect for beginners to practice. With this comprehensive guide, you’ll be well on your way to mastering the guitar in no time.

As a beginner learning to play guitar, it can be amazing to discover all the fun and popular songs you can play. Many popular songs only require the use of a few basic chords, making them super easy for a beginner guitarist to learn.

When it comes to learning guitar, chords are the backbone of playing guitar. A chord is always created when three or more notes are played together simultaneously or played one after another.

The most commonly used guitar chords are minor chord and major chord, which are played using the various notes of major and minor scales.

A major chord is mostly composed of three notes from the major scale. For example, a C major chord is composed of notes C, E, and G played together.

A minor chord, on the other hand, is played using the minor scale. For example, an A minor chord is composed of the notes A, C, and E played together.

However, there are many other types of chords, such as power chord progression and diminished chords, used in various music genres. As a guitarist, one should master simple, open, and the most complex chords.

It’s a terrific idea for beginners to get acquainted with the guitar and start developing their talents by starting with these easy melodies.

Best Songs for Beginners to Play on the Guitar

1. Jimi Hendrix – Hey Joe

“Hey, Joe” by Jimi Hendrix is a classic song that features simple yet catchy guitar riffs. In order to play this song, you will need to know the following chords: E, G, A, D, and C. The song is mainly played entirely in the key of E, and these chords are used throughout the entire song.

The verse starts with an E chord and goes like this: E – G – A – E

The chorus part uses the same chords as the verse, but in a different order: C – G – D – A – E

The chords repeat, which allows one to practice the same chords over and over again, building up muscle memory.

2. Three Little Birds By Bob Marley

“Three Little Birds” by Bob Marley is a great song that was released in 1977 on his album “Exodus.” This song has a positive yet uplifting message. It has a simple yet catchy melody and lyrics, which has made it one of the most popular songs.

To play this song, one needs to know the G, D, and C chords.

A G-D-C chord plays the verse of this song, and the chorus requires a G-C-D chord.

Since this song repeats the same three chords, it is considered one of the easiest songs to play on the guitar.

3. Achy Breaky Heart By Billy Ray Cyrus

“Achy Breaky Heart” by Billy Ray Cyrus is a country pop song that was made famous in 1992. The catchy melody in this song requires the use of only a few basic chords. It is an easy song to play, and it is considered one of the beginner guitar songs.

The entire song is played on A, D, and E chords. The verse goes like

• A-A-A-A
• D-D-A-A
• A-A-A-A
• D-D-A-A

and the chorus, on the other hand, is played like

• E-E-A-A
• D-D-E-E
• E-E-A-A
• D-D-E-E

For the strumming pattern in this song, you can use the down-up-down-up pattern, emphasizing the second and the fourth beats.

4. “Wildest Dreams” by Taylor Swift

The pop ballad “Wildest Dreams” by Taylor Swift features a dreamy rhythm and a nostalgic, mesmerizing vibe. The song was written by Swift, Max Martin, and Shellback, and it was released in 2014 as part of Swift’s “1989” album.

The song’s music consists of a powerful bassline, guitar arpeggios, and a rising chorus with layered vocals.

The verse starts with Am-G-F-C

The chorus includes the following chords: F-Am-G-F

And the bridge includes: C-G-Am-F

These chords are played in the D-DU-UDU pattern.

5. “Muddy Waters” by Mannish Boy

“Muddy Waters” is a song that can get you into folksy guitar music. You need to learn a few basic blues chords and techniques to play this song. It is a really fun song that starts with the low E string and goes like

• E
• B 
• G 
• D 
• A 
• E -3–3-3–3-3–3-3–3-3

When we talk about the verse chords, the E7, A7, and B7 chord is used and played in a 12-bar blues progression.

6. “I Wanna Be There” by Blessed Union of Souls

“I Wanna Be There.” was released in 1997; this song features a catchy melody and an upbeat rhythm. Some basic chords are required to play this popular song. When it comes to verse, the verse chords are G, C, D, and Em, played in a strumming pattern like this: D D U D U D.

• D = downstroke
• U = upstroke

The chorus requires a simple chord progression as the verse, but it uses slightly different strumming patterns, such as D D U U D U.

7. “Bad Moon Rising” by Creedence Clearwater revival

One of the most iconic rock songs ever written is “Bad Moon Rising” by the American rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival. The song, which was first released in 1969, has become one of the band’s most famous and well-known hits.

For this easy guitar song, a guitarist has to learn these chords:

• D – A – G-D

The chords D-A-G-D are used in verse, whereas A-G-D is all that is present in the chorus. The chord progression of “Bad Moon Rising” is as follows:

• D D U U D U

8. “Twist and Shout” by The Beatles

Twist and Shout is a great song by the Beatles that came out in 1963. It is a high-energy song. The song requires the use of simple chords as it has a really easy guitar tune.

The verse chords are D and A, played in a fast, upbeat strumming pattern like this: D D U U D U.

The chorus features the chords G and A, played in a similar strumming pattern: D D U U D U.

9. “Don’t Fear the Reaper” by Blue Oyster Cult

The American rock band Blue Oyster Cult is responsible for “Don’t Fear the Reaper,” one of their well-known songs. The song debuted in 1976 and has since grown to be one of the band’s most well-known and memorable songs.

The song’s powerful guitar chords and unusual use of cowbell support a gloomy, melancholy melody.

As this is one of the easy songs to play on guitar songs for beginners, you only have to know the basic chords:

• G – D – Am – G – D – Am

This is an easy guitar song that has the following guitar strumming pattern:

• D D U U D U

10. “Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison

The iconic rock song “Brown Eyed Girl” was penned by Northern Irish artist Van Morrison. Since its debut in 1967, the song has become one of Morrison’s most well-known and lasting hits. The song’s upbeat, lively melody is highlighted by Morrison’s passionate vocals and enticing guitar riffs.

Being another one of the easy guitar songs, “Brown Eyed Girl” only requires you to learn the following chords:

• G – C – G – D

A beginner guitar player can easily play this song on both his acoustic guitar and electric guitar as this song has a really simple chord progression:

• D D U U D U

11. “Imagine” by John Lennon

One such song is “Imagine,” which was released by John Lennon in 1971. By imagining a world without conflict, discrimination, and borders, the song promotes peace and harmony among all people. The song is a well-known peace anthem.

The chords of “Imagine” by John Lennon include:

• C Cmaj7 F C/E

• Dm7 Fmaj7 C/G G7

This might seem like a challenging song to play, but it’s very easy when you try, it has a very simple chord progression that all guitar beginners can play:

• D D U U D U

12. “Wonderful Tonight” by Eric Clapton

Eric Clapton’s “Wonderful Tonight,” which was released in 1977, is a classic love ballad. Using an acoustic guitar and piano, it is a slow ballad that is usually played at weddings and other important occasions.

The chords used in this song might be a little confusing for guitar beginners, but with a little bit of practice, you will get the hang of it.

• G D/F#
• C G/B
• Am7 D7
• G D/F#
• C G/B
• Am7 D7
• G D7
• C D

With the exception of this, you’ll discover that the song’s strumming rhythm is pretty basic and easy:

• D D U U D U

13. “Wonderful World” by Sam Cooke

Sam Cooke’s “Beautiful World” is regarded as a classic R&B and soul ballad and is a passionate and romantic song. The song, which debuted in 1960, has endured the test of time and is recognized for spreading a cheery and encouraging message about the wonder and joy of life.

The chords of this song might include:

• G Em7 Am7 D7
• G B7 Em C

The chords are strung down, down-up, up-down, and down-up, with the exception of the verses’ Am7 and D7 chords, which employ a down rhythm.

14. “Love Me Do” by The Beatles

“Love Me Do” by the Beatles is yet another simple song to play on guitar; it came out in 1962. Once you start playing it, you’ll realize how catchy this song is and why it has been considered a perfect song among the fans of pop music.

This song only uses the G, C, and D chords, and it is played using the standard user with a capo on the first fret of your acoustic guitar. G, C, and D are some of the easiest chords when it comes to playing guitar.

For the verse part, it goes like this: G – G – D – D – G – G – D – D – G – G – C – C – G – G – D – D while on the other hand, the chorus is played with G – C – G – D.

15. “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd

“Sweet Home Alabama” came out in 1974, and it is a classic Southern rock song that requires every guitar player to master only a few basic chords.

The chords used in this song are D, C, and G.

The song is played using a capo on the second fret. The verse is played using D-C-G-G, and the chorus is played using D-C-G-G-D-C-G-G.

However, the solo version of this song is played using the D minor chord and verse chord progression.

Zager’s Guitar Lessons

To learn all these various chords, you can sign up for the Zager Guitar Lessons. The Zager Guitar Lesson Library allows you to learn guitar using a revolutionary guitar system one-on-one with a true guitar master.

• Library with 100’s lessons from a 70 year Master player who’s sold over 20 million records worldwide.
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About Zager Guitars

The best thing for beginners is that Zager is offering a free accessory pack with the purchase of a guitar, and it includes all the essential accessories one needs when buying a guitar.

The Zegars accessory pack includes the following:

• Free Zager pro-ABS digital humidified case $199
• Free lifetime membership to Mr. Zager’s Guitar Lesson Library for $295
• Free years’ worth of Zager custom EZ-Play pillow touch strings for $89
• Free years’ worth of Zager carbon guitar picks for $39
• Free Zager leather padded strap $48
• Free Zager pro stainless capo $39
• Free expedited shipping for $79

Zagar has the best guitars in the market, as they are super easy to play because they are made with a custom bracing system and custom string spacing.

The bracing gives in the face slightly, so you barely have to press form chords, and the custom spacing makes it easier to play the guitar as there are no accidental buzzing and rattles.

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