Finding the right song for your skill level is the fastest way to improve at guitar. This guide organizes 50+ songs by the chords they use, so you can find songs that match exactly which chords you know.
2-Chord Songs
If you know just two chords, you can already play these songs:
Em + D
– Horse with No Name (America) — Em to D6, the entire song
– Eleanor Rigby (Beatles) — Em and C
G + C
– Achy Breaky Heart (Billy Ray Cyrus) — Just G and A (or G and C with capo)
– Iko Iko — Simple two-chord groove
Am + G
– Fever (Peggy Lee) — Am groove
3-Chord Songs (G, C, D)
The holy trinity of guitar chords. These three open thousands of songs:
– Bad Moon Rising (CCR) — G, C, D throughout
– Sweet Home Alabama (Lynyrd Skynyrd) — D, C, G
– Twist and Shout (Beatles) — D, G, A
– Ring of Fire (Johnny Cash) — G, C, D
– You Are My Sunshine — G, C, D
– Amazing Grace — G, C, D
– La Bamba — C, F, G
– Blitzkrieg Bop (Ramones) — A, D, E
– Hound Dog (Elvis) — A, D, E
– Get Up Stand Up (Bob Marley) — G, C
– Jambalaya (Hank Williams) — C, G
4-Chord Songs
G – D – Em – C
The most popular chord progression in music:
– Let It Be (Beatles)
– Wagon Wheel (Old Crow Medicine Show)
– Zombie (Cranberries) — Em, C, G, D
– With or Without You (U2)
– Someone Like You (Adele) — in different key
– Counting Stars (OneRepublic) — Am, C, G, F
– No Woman No Cry (Bob Marley)
Am – F – C – G
– Numb (Linkin Park)
– Boulevard of Broken Dreams (Green Day)
– Stay With Me (Sam Smith)
G – Em – C – D
– Brown Eyed Girl (Van Morrison)
– Have You Ever Seen the Rain (CCR)
– Country Roads (John Denver)
5-Chord Songs
Adding Am or Em to your vocabulary opens up even more:
– Hey There Delilah (Plain White T’s) — D, F#m, Bm, G, A
– Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door (Bob Dylan) — G, D, Am, C
– Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen) — C, Am, F, G, E
– House of the Rising Sun — Am, C, D, F, E
– Hotel California (Eagles) — Bm, F#, A, E, G, D, Em
– Wonderwall (Oasis) — Em, G, D, A, C
– Free Fallin’ (Tom Petty) — D, G, A
Easy Barre Chord Songs
Once you’ve mastered your first barre chord (F or Bm):
– Hey Jude (Beatles) — F, C, Bb, Gm
– Imagine (John Lennon) — C, F, Am, Dm, G
– Perfect (Ed Sheeran) — G, Em, C, D
Tips for Learning Songs
Start with songs you love
You’ll practice more if you’re playing music you enjoy. Find your favorite songs in the chord group you’re working on.
Use a capo
Many songs can be simplified with a capo. A song in Eb with barre chords becomes a song in C with open chords using a capo on the 3rd fret.
Slow down
Play at half speed until the chord changes are smooth, then gradually increase tempo.
Focus on the transition
The hardest part is switching between chords. Isolate the two-chord transitions that give you trouble and practice just those switches.