Theory is useful, exercises build strength, but nothing locks in a chord change faster than playing it inside a song you actually love.
All chord sheets and interactive tabs for these songs are free on Open Fretboard's Songs page.
The 5 Chords That Unlock Everything on This List
Almost every beginner song on earth uses some combination of just five chords — G, C, D, Em, and Am. Learn these five shapes, and you're already ready to play most of this list.
Start here if you haven't already: Beginner Guitar Chords — Lesson 9 covers C, G, D and Em with diagrams and practice tips. Lesson 13 (F, Am, Dm, E7) adds the next essential shapes.
Level 1: 3-Chord Songs (Perfect for Your First Month)
These songs use only 2–3 chords and slow chord changes. Your goal here is not perfection — it's getting comfortable making chord shapes ring cleanly.
1. "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" — Bob Dylan
Chords: G, D, Am (or C). One of the most-played beginner songs for a reason — the chord changes are slow, the strumming is forgiving, and it sounds great even played slowly. A perfect first song.
2. "Horse With No Name" — America
Chords: Em and D6add9 (essentially Em and a simple two-finger shape). The entire song alternates between two chords. Best two-chord song ever written. Practice keeping a steady strum while switching between them.
3. "Leaving on a Jet Plane" — John Denver
Chords: G, C, D. Simple, singable, and the chord changes happen at predictable moments in the lyric. Great for building the G-C-D muscle memory that recurs in hundreds of songs.
4. "Wonderful Tonight" — Eric Clapton
Chords: G, D, C, Em. A slow, beautiful song with a famous intro riff that's very approachable. The chord changes are well-spaced, giving you time to think.
5. "Brown Eyed Girl" — Van Morrison
Chords: G, C, D, Em. A feel-good classic that sounds full even when strummed simply. Once you can play this, you've cracked the G-C-D-Em loop that powers an enormous slice of popular music.
Level 2: 4-Chord Songs (Month 1–3)
These songs introduce the Am chord and slightly faster changes. This is the level where most guitarists experience their first "I can actually play guitar" moment.
6. "Let Her Go" — Passenger
Chords: F, C, G, Am (Capo 7). One of the most searched beginner songs online. The chorus chord progression is ultra-satisfying and works perfectly with a down-strum pattern. Grab the free chord sheet on our songs page with interactive capo tool.
7. "Sparks Fly" — Taylor Swift
Chords: Am, F, C, G (Capo 5). The open-chord acoustic version is genuinely beginner-friendly. Free "Sparks Fly" chord sheet with capo adjustment built in.
8. "Stay With Me" — Sam Smith
Chords: Am, F, C, G. The 4-chord loop repeats throughout the entire song, which makes it ideal for building smooth switching. Also excellent for practising a slow, controlled strum.
9. "Use Somebody" — Kings of Leon
Chords: C, Em (and variations). Deceptively simple and deeply satisfying to strum. The strumming pattern is slightly more intricate than earlier songs — a good next challenge.
10. "Riptide" — Vance Joy
Chords: Am, G, C. Only three chords but the rhythm is syncopated in a way that forces you to develop better strumming feel. One of the most rewarding beginner songs to finally nail.
11. "Ho Hey" — The Lumineers
Chords: C, G, F, Am. A warm, folky strum that sounds great at any tempo. The F chord appears here — a gentle introduction to the most notorious beginner hurdle.
12. "Take Me to Church" — Hozier
Chords: Am, F, C, G, Em. Five chords, slow changes, and one of the most powerful acoustic sounds on this list. Introduces the concept of playing dynamics — loud and soft within the same song.
Level 3: Strumming Pattern Songs (Month 2–4)
These songs have the same simple chord sets but require a specific strumming pattern that defines the song's feel. Nailing the rhythm is the challenge here.
Before tackling these, check out Guitar Strumming Patterns (Lesson 18) and Playing Guitar with a Beat (Lesson 5) to build solid rhythm fundamentals.
13. "Thinking Out Loud" — Ed Sheeran
Chords: D, G, Em, A. Famous for its smooth chord melody feel. The strumming is finger-style leaning, but the basic chord version is very approachable. Introduces the D-A movement.
14. "Banana Pancakes" — Jack Johnson
Chords: G, C, D, Am. Laid-back, syncopated reggae-inflected strumming. Once you can keep the groove loose and relaxed, this one feels like pure joy to play.
15. "Wagon Wheel" — Old Crow Medicine Show
Chords: D, A, Bm, G. Introduces Bm — a simple barre chord shape — in a song where the energy carries you through the difficulty. A massive confidence builder.
16. "I'm Yours" — Jason Mraz
Chords: G, D, Em, C. The reggae strum pattern (emphasising the off-beat) is the lesson here. Master this rhythm and you'll understand a whole new feel of guitar playing.
Level 4: Fingerpicking Songs (Month 4–8)
Moving from strumming to fingerpicking doubles the range of music you can play. These songs sound beautiful fingerpicked and are achievable once you have chord shapes down cold.
Learn proper finger technique first: How to Fingerpick Guitar (Lesson 22) covers the p-i-m-a fingering system and basic patterns from scratch.
17. "Blackbird" — The Beatles
The most famous fingerpicking beginner piece in guitar history. Uses a Travis-style alternating bass with melody notes on top. Sounds stunning when learned well.
18. "Dust in the Wind" — Kansas
A pure fingerpicking arpeggio piece. The chords change slowly and the fingerpicking pattern is consistent throughout, making it excellent for building pattern muscle memory.
19. "The Scientist" — Coldplay
Chords: Dm, Bb, F, C. A flowing, emotional fingerpicked song. Introduces Bb (a barre chord) in a context where the rest of the piece is very accessible.
20. "Fast Car" — Tracy Chapman
A fingerpicked masterpiece that also works brilliantly strummed. Chords: C, G, Am, F. The fingerpicking version introduces a bass-melody separation that will teach you a lot.
Level 5: Songs That Will Make You Sound Advanced
These songs are technically beginner-to-intermediate but sound far more difficult than they are. Great for showing off and staying motivated.
21. "Wonderwall" — Oasis (Capo 2)
Chords: Em7, G, Dsus4, A7sus4, Cadd9. All open shapes. The unusual chord voicings give it an immediately recognisable sound. Uses a consistent strumming pattern throughout.
22. "More Than Words" — Extreme
A fingerpicked ballad using standard open chords in a more sophisticated harmonic sequence. Sounds like advanced playing but is entirely within reach.
23. "Here Comes the Sun" — The Beatles
Chords: A, D, G, E7 (Capo 7). The iconic riff between chords makes this sound complex but it's made of open shapes most beginners already know.
24. "Shallow" — Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper
Chords: Em, D, G, C, A. A perfect blend of accessible chords and dramatic song structure. The chord changes are clean and the song allows you to play with emotional dynamics.
25. "Hallelujah" — Leonard Cohen
Chords: C, Am, F, G, E. A timeless song that rewards sensitive playing and teaches you to shape phrases musically, not just nail the chords. A song you'll play for the rest of your life.
How to Use This List
Don't jump to song 25 on day one. Work through the levels. Each song you properly learn — can play start to finish, in time, without stopping — builds the physical and musical vocabulary for the next one.
And when you're not working on songs, work on the underlying skills that make songs easier: chord transitions, rhythm, and basic theory. Open Fretboard's full free curriculum is designed to build exactly those skills in sequence.