So you're ready to strum your way to guitar hero status? Learning the best songs chords for guitar is the ultimate gateway to unlocking a world of musical expression. Whether you're a seasoned pro looking to expand your repertoire or a beginner eager to tackle your first classic, mastering popular song chords is key to unlocking your guitar potential. This list isn't just about finding easy chords; it's about curating a selection of timeless hits and modern favorites that are both fun to play and rewarding to master. From iconic rock anthems to soulful ballads, we’ve compiled the ultimate collection of songs, categorized for your skill level, ensuring you find the perfect challenge and the satisfaction of hearing your favorite tunes come alive under your fingertips. Get ready to ditch the frustration and embrace the joy of playing your favorite songs! Let's dive into the ultimate guide to the best songs chords for guitar.
| Song | Artist | Album | Listens |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Perfect | Ed Sheeran | ÷ (Deluxe) | 4B+ |
| 2. Let Her Go | Passenger | 4B+ | |
| 3. Someone Like You | Adele | 21 | 2B+ |
| 4. What's Up? | 4 Non Blondes | Bigger, Better, Faster, More ! | 2B+ |
| 5. Shallow |
Lady Gaga Bradley Cooper | A Star Is Born Soundtrack | 2B+ |
| 6. Zombie | The Cranberries | No Need To Argue (The Complete Sessions 1994-1995) | 2B+ |
| 7. When I Was Your Man | Bruno Mars | Unorthodox Jukebox | 1B+ |
1. Perfect - ÷ (Deluxe)
Easy Chords: Perfect features a relatively simple chord progression, making it accessible for beginner guitarists.
Versatile Arrangement: The song's structure lends itself well to various strumming patterns and fingerpicking styles, allowing for creative interpretation.
Emotional Resonance: The melancholic yet hopeful melody and lyrics provide a great foundation for conveying emotion through your guitar playing.
2. Let Her Go (Passenger - 2025)
Easy Chords: "Let Her Go" features a straightforward chord progression, primarily using G, C, D, and Em, making it easily accessible for beginner guitarists.
Fingerpicking Pattern: The song's gentle fingerpicking style is both beautiful and relatively simple to learn, adding depth to the basic chords.
Emotional Resonance: The melancholic melody and heartfelt lyrics create a powerful emotional impact, making it a rewarding song to learn and play.
3. Someone Like You (2011)
Easy Chords: Someone Like You features a relatively simple chord progression, making it accessible for guitarists of intermediate skill levels.
Emotional Depth: Adele's powerful vocals and the song's melancholic melody create a deeply emotional experience perfect for conveying feeling through guitar.
Versatile Arrangement: The song's structure allows for creative interpretations and variations in strumming patterns, offering plenty of room for individual expression.
4. What's Up?
Chords: "What's Up?" features a relatively simple chord progression, primarily using G, C, D, and Em, making it accessible for guitarists of various skill levels.
Rhythm: The song's driving rhythm, anchored by a memorable bassline and powerful drumming, provides a solid foundation for the catchy melody.
Vocal Melody: The soaring vocals and memorable chorus are particularly well-suited for vocal practice and make it easy to learn and sing along.
5. Shallow (Lady Gaga ft Bradley Cooper - 2025)
Easy Chords: Shallow features a relatively simple chord progression, making it accessible for guitarists of various skill levels. The main chords are easily learned and adaptable to different strumming patterns.
Emotional Depth: The song's emotional resonance, conveyed through its powerful vocals and melancholic melody, translates beautifully to a guitar arrangement. The stripped-down nature of a guitar version emphasizes the raw emotion.
Versatile Arrangement: Experiment with fingerpicking or different voicings to add your personal touch to the chords. The song's dynamic range allows for both delicate and powerful interpretations on the guitar.
6. Zombie (The Cranberries)
Chords: "Zombie" features relatively simple yet effective chord progressions, primarily utilizing G, C, and D, making it accessible for guitarists of various skill levels.
Rhythm: The song's driving rhythm, anchored by a memorable bassline and powerful drumming, provides a solid foundation for learning and playing along.
Emotional Impact: The raw emotion in Dolores O'Riordan's vocals, combined with the song's haunting melody, creates a powerful and memorable listening experience that translates well to guitar performance.
7. When I Was Your Man (Bruno Mars - 2025)
Easy Chords: "When I Was Your Man" features a relatively simple chord progression, making it accessible for beginner guitarists.
Emotional Depth: The song's melancholic melody and Bruno Mars' soulful vocals create a powerful emotional impact, perfect for expressive playing.
Versatile Arrangement: Its structure lends itself well to various strumming patterns and fingerpicking styles, allowing for personalized interpretation.
8. Yellow (2000)
Easy Chords: Yellow features a relatively simple chord progression, primarily using G major, C major, and D major, making it accessible for beginner guitarists.
Memorable Melody: The song's iconic melody is instantly recognizable and easy to learn, further enhancing its appeal for guitarists.
Emotional Resonance: The uplifting yet melancholic feel translates beautifully to the guitar, allowing players to explore its emotional depth through various strumming techniques and dynamics.
9. Creep (Radiohead - 1992)
Chords: Creep features a deceptively simple, yet effective chord progression based around G major, B minor, and C major, making it surprisingly accessible for guitarists of various skill levels.
Rhythm: The song's slow, deliberate tempo and driving bassline provide a solid foundation for the iconic guitar riff, making it satisfying to play along to.
Vocal Melody: Thom Yorke's distinctive vocals, with their melancholic tone and dynamic range, are relatively straightforward to learn, enhancing the overall playability and memorability of the song for aspiring guitarists.
10. Viva La Vida (2008)
Chords: Viva La Vida boasts a relatively straightforward chord progression, making it accessible for guitarists of various skill levels. The main riff relies on a combination of G, C, and D, with occasional variations adding interest.
Rhythm: The song's driving rhythm, characterized by a strong, steady beat and a memorable strumming pattern, provides a solid foundation for fingerpicking or strumming techniques.
Vocal Melody: Chris Martin's vocal melody is both soaring and emotive, offering ample opportunities for vocalists to practice dynamics and phrasing.
11Riptide
Vance Joy
2013
Dream Your Life Away (Special Edition)
12Stand By Me
Ben E. King
1961
Don't Play That Song (Mono)
13Iris
Goo Goo Dolls
1998
14Take Me Home, Country Roads
John Denver
1971
Poems, Prayers and Promises
15Wonderwall
Oasis
1995
(What's The Story) Morning Glory? (Deluxe Remastered Edition)
16Have You Ever Seen The Rain
Creedence Clearwater Revival
1971
Pendulum (Expanded Edition)
17Hotel California
Eagles
1976
Hotel California (2013 Remaster)
18Don't Look Back in Anger
Oasis
1995
(What's The Story) Morning Glory? (Deluxe Remastered Edition)
19House of the Rising Sun
The Animals
1964
The Animals
20Wish You Were Here
Pink Floyd
1975
Wish You Were Here
21No Surprises
Radiohead
1997
OK Computer
22Hallelujah
Jeff Buckley
1994
Grace
23Let It Be
The Beatles
1970
Let It Be (Remastered)
24Stairway to Heaven
Led Zeppelin
1971
Led Zeppelin IV (Deluxe Edition)
25Good Riddance
Green Day
1997
Nimrod
26Yesterday
The Beatles
1965
Help! (Remastered)
27Wicked Game
Chris Isaak
1989
Heart Shaped World
28Knockin' On Heaven's Door
Bob Dylan
1973
Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid (Soundtrack From The Motion Picture)
29Blowin' in the Wind
Bob Dylan
1963
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan