Maybe you’re learning guitar as a hobby for the summer or maybe you’re procrastinating on your finals. Maybe you’ve just been looking into playing guitar for a while now. No matter what, you’ve come to the right place to learn some new songs. These are a few of the easiest songs to learn on the guitar.
“Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd
This 1975 track from Pink Floyd uses five of the easiest chords: G, E minor, A minor, C and D. You don’t have to stretch your fingers very far across the fretboard to reach the correct placements, and the chords don’t switch very often throughout the song, making it ultimately one of the easiest songs for a beginner.
“The Night We Met” by Lord Huron
You’ll likely recognize this song from its debut on 13 Reasons Why. Both the fingerpicking and the chords of the song are relatively easy. The fingerpicking follows a simple riff up and down the scale, whereas the chords are a very basic Em, D, G and C.
“Hammer to Fall” by Queen
If you’re looking for a loud, angry song for your electric guitar, “Hammer to Fall” is the place to look. It makes use of three primary chords, A, D, and E for a simple track that’s meant to be played loud enough to shake the house.
“Canyon Moon” by Harry Styles
This quick, upbeat song utilizes the D, A, D7, E minor, and G chords throughout it. While the speed at which they are played can seem slightly daunting, this is made up for by how infrequent the chord changes are, making it ideal for a new guitarist.
“Yellow” by Coldplay
While it requires a capo, this sweet love song is actually super easy to play. Utilizing a very simple D, G, E minor, and C and a very straightforward strumming pattern, the song is one of the most popular for new guitarists to learn.
“Telescope” by Cage the Elephant
The ever-popular band Cage the Elephant is already well known amongst guitarists for their songs like “Cigarette Daydreams” and “Ain’t No Rest For The Wicked,” but when it comes to ease, “Telescope” is one of the best. It uses six of the most basic chords: C, A minor, E minor, D minor, F, and G, earning it a spot on the list.
“House of the Rising Sun” by The Animals
The opening chords of this song are instantly recognizable to any music lover, meaning that it’s a great place to start for aspiring guitarists. While the switch between chords can be a bit daunting at first, the ease of the A minor, D minor, G, E, F, and C chords balances it out, keeping it nice and easy.
“Eleanor Rigby” by The Beatles
This song is perhaps the most basic and easy-to-learn on the list. It uses just two chords, C and E minor, with very little switching between them throughout the song, making it one of the simplest songs to learn.