10 Fun Songs to Learn on Guitar: Beginners Special

Learning how to play the guitar is challenging. 

Yet many new enthusiasts are joining the list due to one simple reason. A guitar is a complementary instrument that you can use while singing and one its own too! With so many avenues available to learn to play the guitar you can pick it up in less than 6 months.

Leaving the beginners aside, even with some guitar knowledge, learning to play songs is a natural next step. Let’s outline 10 fun songs you can learn to play on the guitar. These songs are pretty simple and are made up of the starter open chords. 

So check give them a try and see how many you can master!

In A Hurry? – Have A Quick Look At The Top 10 Fun Songs For Beginners

• “Twist and Shout” by The Beatles
• “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” by Queen
• “The Lazy Song” by Bruno Mars
• “Watermelon Sugar” by Harry Styles
• “Three Little Birds” by Bob Marley
• “Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana
• “Zombie” by The Cranberries
• “Losing My Religion” by R.E.M.
• “Californication” by Red Hot Chili Peppers
• “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” by Bob Dylan

Why Should You Start With Easy Songs?

Since learning how to play the guitar can be challenging at first, you can get demotivated easily. You do not have to dive into complex songs right away. Once you complete a decent number of hours with the guitar, complex songs will be easier to tackle. 

Try mastering some easy songs first. It keeps the journey fun and easygoing. You can pick them up in less than an hour which keeps you motivated encouraging keep up the effort. 

The songs we chose today are solely on this list because they fit a few criteria. They have simple chord progressions, intermediate-level riffs, and easy transitions. Some are well-loved with a fun tempo that will keep your blood pumping throughout!

Check Out Our Top Picks For 10 Best Guitar Riffs for Beginners.

All The Chords That You Need To Know

• When talking about guitar chords, you’ll hear the terms “open” and “barre” which means “bar” in English. Open chords have some strings left open to give you a flowy sound. 
• Most of the chords can be played within the first 6 frets. However, with barre chords, you can change the pitch by just moving along the neck of the guitar!
• Generally speaking, open chords are less challenging than closed ones. They usually don’t need you to extend your fingers too far or hold down several strings with only one. The open chords can range from any minor or major chords between notes A to G. 

10 Fun Songs to Learn On The Guitar For Beginners

Here are a few fun songs that you can start learning to play on the guitar. If you have a good understanding of the chords mentioned above, this part should be easy. 

1. Twist and Shout By The Beatles

“Twist and Shout,” is a song covered by The Beatles. This is the first song on our list as it is beginner-friendly and honestly fun to sing along to. It mainly uses open chords D, G, and A. If you want to add some flair to the sound play with an open fifth string. Use the 2nd and 4th frets to add a bit of melody around the D, G, and A chords. 

Quick Breakdown:

• Tuning: Standard E tuning (E A D G B E)
• Key: D Major
• Capo: No capo needed
• Chords Used: D, G, A

2. Crazy Little Thing Called Love

“Crazy Little Thing Called Love” by Queen is a very lively song to play on the guitar. The song starts with a classic D major chord, you’ll switch between D, G, and C chords. The “Crazy Little” twist to the sound comes with the B flat chords. During the verses, focus on keeping the rhythm up. The strumming patterns include skipping the down strum on the third and fourth beats. The B flat chord can be a bit challenging for beginners but nothing you can’t master in minutes. 

Quick Breakdown:

• Tuning: Standard E tuning (E A D G B E)
• Key: D Major
• Capo: No capo needed
• Chords Used: D, G, C, B flat

3. The Lazy Song – Bruno Mars

The Lazy Song is a pop single by American artist Bruno Mars with reggae overtones. The song was released in 2010 in his first album, Doo-Wops & Hooligans. It was an instant hit and is still loved by Bruno Mars fans worldwide. The song cycles through seven open chords. While the original is played on open, you might need to learn barre chords. However, this version with a capo is easier as you only have to worry about a couple of barre chords like Bm and B7

Quick Breakdown:

• Tuning: E A D G B E
• Key: B
• Capo: 4th fret
• Chords Used: G, D, C, B7, Am, Bm, Em

Check Out These Top 7 Guitar Chord Progressions. You will love them.

4. Watermelon Sugar By Harry Styles

“Watermelon Sugar” is a groovy song to pick up if you like funk-inspired rhythm. Although the song is played mostly with barre chords, you can simplify it by using open variations. As you become more comfortable with the guitar, you can challenge yourself by shifting to the original barre chord positions.

The rhythm is particularly funky, incorporating intentional stops to add to the flair. For the first two beats strum straight sixteenth notes. This means you play four strums per beat. When you reach the third and fourth beats, omit the strum on the beat itself and only play the three sixteenth notes in between. Mastering this pattern should bring the funk element you need to play the song.

Quick Breakdown: 

• Tuning: Standard E tuning (E A D G B E)
• Key: D Minor
• Capo: No capo required
• Chords Used: Dm, Am, C, G

5. Three Little Birds By Bob Marley

“Three Little Birds” by Bob Marley has a simple structure and is made up of only three chords: A, D, and E. This song is a great way to practice unique chord transitions only present in reggae music. The basic reggae strumming style is offbeat using down, down, down-up, down-up strums.

Quick Breakdown

• Tuning: Standard E tuning (E A D G B E)
• Key: A Major
• Capo: No capo required
• Chords Used: A, D, E

6. Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana

Unquestionably, the most well-known song from the grunge pioneers Nirvana, Smells Like Teen Spirit, needs no introduction. This is the song new electric guitar players play the most. It is simple to play and with a mix of easy barre chords.  Power chords and palm mutes are two methods you will need to use in this song. 

However, if you want to play a simpler version of this song, use a capo on the 1st fret. This should change the chords to a simple Em, A, G, and C

Quick Breakdown:

• Tuning: Standard (E A D G B E)
• Key: Varies (Verse – E minor, Chorus – F power chord)
• Capo: 1st Fret
• Chords Used: Em, A, G, C, E

Want More Nirvana? Check Out Easy Nirvana Songs On Guitar Here.

7. Zombie by The Cranberries

With amazing guitar sections, simple structure, and poignant and challenging lyrics Zombie a true treasure for beginner players. You can play it on acoustic guitar or with electric guitar, adding overdrive for the chorus. The base of the song only has four basic chords.

To play “Zombie,” you’ll begin by tuning your guitar to standard tuning. This song does not require a capo, making it accessible for those just starting on guitar. The chords used in this song are Em, Cmaj7, G, and D, which are common and versatile chords found in many other songs as well. Follow a down, down, down, down-up strumming pattern throughout the song.

Quick Breakdown:

• Tuning: Standard E tuning (E A D G B E)
• Key: E Minor
• Capo: No capo required
• Chords Used: Em, Cmaj7, G, D

8. Losing My Religion by R.E.M.

“Losing My Religion” is a classic that primarily uses chords F, Dm, G, Am, Em, and C. You can play this song in standard tuning. Although the song was originally recorded with a mandolin and a guitar, primarily playing it on an acoustic guitar sounds great too. 

Quick Breakdown

• Tuning: Standard E tuning (E A D G B E)
• Key: A Minor
• Capo: No capo required
• Chords Used: F, Dm, G, Am, Em, C

9. Californication by Red Hot Chili Peppers

The primary melody of the song is simple chord arpeggios repeated throughout the song. Since it consists primarily of slow single-note phrases with various bends, you may even master John Frusciante’s fundamental melodic solo.

The opening riff is the iconic part of the whole song and is played throughout. Use an Am chord with some open strings and transition through F and C chords. The bridge introduces new chords, such as F#m and Dmaj7, adding a layer of complexity and depth to the progression.

This may not be exactly for beginners as it introduced barre chords not mentioned till now. The song also sounds complex due to the various finger patterns used. Regardless of that, this is a great song to develop your guitar skills.

Quick Breakdown:

• Tuning: Standard E tuning (E A D G B E)
• Key: A Minor
• Capo: No capo required
• Chords Used: Am, F, C, G, Dm, F#m, Dmaj7

Check Out Zager Guitar Lesson Library For More Detailed Guitar Lessons.

10. Knocking on Heaven’s Door By Bob Dylan

“Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” was originally featured on the soundtrack of the 1973 film Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid. With a mix of easy chords and brilliant lyrics, this song is more than iconic. 

The song has main chord progressions. You’ll play G, D, and Am, then switch to G, D, and C every other time. There are some variations like Am7 and an alternative shape for C, but you can get by with standard C too. Follow a ‘down up down up’ using 16th notes and you should be set. 

Quick Breakdown

• Tuning: Standard E tuning (E A D G B E)
• Key: G Major
• Capo: No capo required
• Chords Used: G, D, Am, C, with variations of Am7 and an alternate C

Tips To Master Any Song Quick

If you ever run into any difficulties when learning a new song, follow these tips to speed up the process.

• Learn A Song You Relate To: Start with a song or piece you enjoy and know well. When you know something by heart, you can focus more on the mechanics rather than the tone. You can concentrate more on such as the strumming patterns and rhythms rather than hitting the right notes.
• Pay With the Original Track: Spend time listening to the song you’re learning. Pay close attention to the guitar parts, picking style, strumming patterns, and tempo. When you mimic the original style you can understand what the guitarist felt when creating the song.
• Rinse And Repeat: Continuously play the same piece until you can play each note clearly without any fret buzz or muted strings. Practice helps you articulate the notes cleanly and builds muscle memory.
• Be Patient: Learning guitar can be challenging, especially when tackling difficult sections. If you ever get frustrated, you will take a break. Return with a fresh mind to build on whatever you learned instead of making a hash of the whole thing. 
• Scour through Online resources: If you do not like reading, check out YouTube videos or sign up on Songster to speed up the learning process.
• Keep Your Equipment in Check: Regularly look after your by tuning with a reliable tuner. Keep spare strings handy in case the strings snap!

Check Out Guitar Scales for Beginners.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Fun Song Do You Want To Start With?

If you are looking for easy songs, our list can go on forever. From these top 10 choices, try to master each one by being patient and using online resources. Nothing is difficult when you put your heart into it. So which song do you want to start with? 

Find out more guitar chords tutorials in Zager’s Tutorial section.