When I decided to pick up guitar as an adult, my main interest was Japanese music…and it still is, but trust me, the majority of songs I wanted to play were way too advanced, and some still are even 2 years in. They have many chords, including dominants, diminished, and 7ths included regularly.
So when I was a few weeks in to guitar and I realized those weren’t playable, I would look up ‘easy songs to play on guitar’. Most song lists will feature really old ones from rock’s prime time, such as Jimi Hendrix and Eddie Van Halen. But there were also a few that would feature newer pop artists, like Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift.
Now, I don’t have anything against these artists. Guitar Hero pushed me to pick up guitar, and even I can enjoy songs on the radio, but it would have been nice to play some songs I actually liked or grew up with. And for me, that would have been the songs I heard on Family Channel (Canada)
When you’re a beginner, it takes extra long to learn even an ‘easy’ song, so if you’re forcing yourself to play songs you aren’t that big a fan of, it’s easy to lose motivation.
So recently, I was going down memory lane, as I do now and then, and I figured, other millennials or Gen Z’s who are picking up guitar now may love a list of easy songs that they grew up with….why not compile a list for them? ^_^
I searched long and hard for these songs. There were artists I did consider, like Raven Symone, Corbin Blue, Debby Ryan, Victoria Duffield, and Zendaya, but A) I couldn’t find (accurate) tabs for their songs, B) the guitar/chords weren’t prominent enough (ie. electro-pop songs), or C) the chords were too complex for beginners.
But hopefully I’ve gathered enough that you can find more than a few that you like and would love to play 🙂
What Makes A Song “Easy”?
Now, when I say “easy”, I mean the majority of the song is made of basic open chords that every beginner guitarists would or should know. Some songs do have an F or B barre chord, but I do encourage you to get a hold of it sooner rather than later. It gets easier with practice, trust me!
Some songs may have other chords that may be newer to you, like suspended or slash (B/G) chords, but I only included them if they are also open chords and easy to learn/play.
And don’t worry! If barre chords are just a little too advanced for you right now, I included a Star (✰) symbol beside the real easy songs that can be played with only open chords 🙂
I have personally gone through each song’s tabs to ensure accuracy. If something is off, but that’s the best tabs I could find, I have made a note to let you know how to make use of those tabs.
Note: You Will Need A Capo (Mini Lesson)
Because of the key songs are made in, along with the chords they choose to use, many songs will naturally have chords that cannot be played in open position. This is not just F and B chords, but C#, Ab, and so on. However, there is a way that you can still play these songs, and that’s with a capo!
A capo is a very simple device that mimics the nut of the guitar by pressing down on all strings simultaneously. It essentially does the job of a barre chord.
For example, when you play an F major barre chord, you’re actually just playing a regular E major chord…you’re just moving the nut and the chord up one fret. If you wanted to play the B major chord without playing a barre chord, you can move the capo to the 2nd fret, and just play an A chord regularly.
So imagine, if you were playing a song in the key of G, and you were playing the chords G, C, D, and Em, but your singer wanted you to play in a higher key, in the key of A.
You *could* relearn the whole song with new chords, or you could use a capo, put it on the 2nd fret (because G and A are 2 semi-tones apart, G-G#-A), and now, when you play the G, C, D, and Em shape, you’re actually playing A, D, E, and F#m! Like magic!
Some advanced guitarists look down on capos and see it as a ‘cheat’ or a ‘crutch’, and I don’t doubt that some guitarists do use it for the simple purpose of avoiding barres, but it also has many amazing uses! You can learn more about it in this article.
But as a beginner, don’t be afraid to use it! And don’t let others discourage you. One step at a time! Get a hold on your open chords first. If you don’t have a capo, you can get them at your local music store, or online.
Amazon has highly rated capos. (This is my affiliate link. It won’t cost you anything extra, but I will get commission if you purchase through it). Do note that all capos work the same, and price doesn’t really make one much better than the other. I usually spend about $5-$8 each for mine. Just don’t go too cheap and don’t opt for plastic as they may break very easily.
For some songs on this list, even with a capo, you’ll still have to play some barres. I do, again, highly encourage you to work on them early in your journey. It does get easier, but only through practice!
So let’s get to it!
“Make Some Noise” by Hannah Montana ✰
Tabs | Chords: G, C, Em, D, Am
“Introducing Me” by Nick Jonas (Camp Rock) ✰
Tabs | Capo: 4th Fret | Chords: G, D, Em, C, A, Am, G/B
“Chemicals React” by Aly & AJ ✰
Tabs | Capo: 4th Fret | Chords: C, G, Em, D, Am A
Note: The linked tabs say 3rd fret, but it should be played with the 4th to match the song. The chords are right, just move the capo to the 4th fret.
“All I See Is Gold” by Bridgit Mendler
Tabs | Capo: 4th Fret | Chords: Am, F, C, G, E, Em, A
Note: For the pre-chorus, I think “G-F-G-F” sounds more correct than what is written in the tabs (F-C-G-Am).
“Gotta Find You” by Joe Jonas (Camp Rock) ✰
Tabs | Capo: 4th Fret | Chords: D, C, Cadd9, G, Em, Am
“Who Says” by Selena Gomez
Tabs | Capo: 2nd Fret | Chords: D, G, Bm, A
“This Is Our Song” by Camp Rock ✰
Tabs | Chords: Em, D/F#, G, C, D, Am
Note: I gave this one a star, as the D/F# chord is not a barre chord. It looks intimidating, but don’t get discouraged! Just play a regular D chord, and then hook your thumb over the top to play the E string. It shouldn’t take more than a day to get a hold of it, but feel free to just play a regular D chord in it’s place!
“Come Clean” by Hilary Duff ✰
Tabs | Capo: 4th Fret | Chords: Em, C, G, A, Asus4, D
“I Miss You” by Miley Cyrus
Tabs | Capo: 3rd Fret | Chords: G, D, E, Em, C, A, Bm
Note: Tabs say “no capo”, but for those chords to be in tune with the song, you need a capo on the 3rd fret.
“More Than A Band” by Lemonade Mouth
Tabs | Capo: 2nd Fret | Chords: Am, G, Em, F, D, Dm, C
“Better In Stereo” By Dove Cameron (Liv & Maddie) ✰
Tabs | Capo: 5th Fret | Chords: G, C, Em, D
“Can’t Stop Singing” from Teen Beach Movie
Tabs | Chords: C, Cmaj7, C7, F, Fm, A, Am D, G
“La Da Dee” By Cody Simpson
Tabs | Capo: 5th Fret | Chords: F, C, G, Am
Note: This song has a consistent 4 chord pattern, but it may be a bit too fast if you don’t have your F chord down yet.
“Can I Have This Dance” From High School Musical
Tabs | Chords: C, G, F, A, Bb
“Do You Believe In Magic” by Aly & AJ
Tabs | Capo: 3rd Fret | Chords: Am7, F#m, G, A, D
Notes: If the F major barre chord is a bit too hard, the F#m chord may be a better starting point. It has one less finger, and since it’s one fret higher, you’re not pushing down right against the nut of the guitar. Of course this song is still a lil fast, but all the other chords are pretty easy.
Or, if you want to really work on your barre chords, use the G major barre chord instead of the open one. You’ll get to practice going from F# minor on fret 2, to G major on fret 3. Just slow it down and try it out!
“Hurricane” by Bridgit Mendler
Tabs | Capo: 5th Fret | Chords: C, Dm, Am, F
Note: The tabs say 4th or 5th fret based on your vocals, but 5th fret will match the song.
“Hero” by Sterling Knight (StarStruck)
Tabs | Capo: 3rd Fret | Chords: Am, C, G, D, F
“Kiss The Girl” by Ashley Tisdale
Tabs | Chords: C, F, G, Am
Notes: For the versus, if you know power chords (ie C5, G5 chords, super easy!) they would sound better than the full major and minor chords. Someone also made a comment at the bottom for the chords she’s missing during the bridge.
“A La Nanita Nana” by The Cheetah Girls ✰
Tabs | Chords: Am, Dm, E, A
“Hey” By Mitchel Musso
Tabs | Capo: 1st Fret | Chords: C, G, Am, F, B, D
“Catch Me” by Demi Lovato
Tabs | Capo: 2nd Fret | Chords: G, D, Bm, A
Note: Tabs says 1st fret, but 2nd fret more accurately matches the song.
“Dynamite” by China Anne McClaine
Tabs | Capo: 2nd Fret | Chords: E, B, C#m, A
Note: This song has a couple barre chords, so may not be an ‘easy’ song, but it’s simple and repetitive. I’m sure many Gen Z players were obsessed with this song, so I felt it would be a crime to not include it 😛
“Send It On” by Disney Stars for Change
Tabs | Capo: 2nd Fret | Chords: G, E, Em, Bm, D, C, A
Note: The tabs say no capo, but a capo must be placed on the 2nd fret to match the song.
“All The Way Up” by Emily Osment
Tabs | Chords: G, D, Em, F, Bm, C, G/B
“Love Bug” by Jonas Brothers ✰
Tabs | Capo: 2nd Fret | Chords: A, G, D, Em
“Turn Up The Music” by Lemonade Mouth
Tabs | Chords: Em, C, D, G, G/B, Bm
“Gift Of A Friend” by Demi Lovato
Tabs | Capo: 6th Fret | Chords: Am, F, C, G, C/F
“Wouldn’t Change A Thing” by Camp Rock
Tabs | Chords: G, D, C, Em, A, F, E, F#m, B
Note: You can kinda use this version to play along with the song, but it will be a bit off. Great if you just want to play alone as it’s a beautiful song. The tabs here are more accurate, but even with a capo, it will require more barre chords to play the official version.
“I Think About You” by Ross Lynch (Austin & Ally)
Tabs | Capo: 2nd Fret | Chords: D, G, Bm, A, E
“It’s Alright It’s Ok” by Ashley Tisdale ✰
Tabs | Capo: 2nd Fret | Chords: G, D, Em, C
Note: The tabs says 3rd fret, but 2nd fret is what matches the song.
“Here I Am” by Jasmine Richards (Camp Rock)
Tabs | Capo: 1st Fret | Chords: D, G, Bm, Em, A
Note: The tabs say no fret, but 1st fret matches the song better.
“This is Me” By Demi Lovato (Camp Rock)
Tabs | Capo: 1st Fret | Chords: Am, F, C, G, Dm
“You Are The Only One” by Emily Osment
Tabs | Chords: Am, Bb, C, Dm, Em, F, G, D
Note: Definitely not a ‘beginner’ song, but if you have a better hold of your basic barre chords, this is a great song to practice Bb and Dm, which you don’t see as often in other songs.
“So Yesterday” by Hilary Duff
Tabs | Chords: C, Cadd9, G, F, Fmaj7, Am, Dm, G6
Note: Don’t let the abundance of chords intimidate you. The F barre chord is the hardest to play of the bunch. The other new chords are open and easy in comparison. This song does use F quite a bit, though, so it’s a great song if you’re looking to truly master switching to and from that chord.
Conclusion
If you’re hoping to take the next step in guitar and want to learn theory so you could understand songs, create them, and improvise with ease, definitely check out my super beginner article series starting with how scales are made, followed by the difference between major and minor chords, and then chord progressions.
If by chance, you’re into anime and Japanese music, I have a lot of beginner electric guitar songs here, and also lots of informative articles on my Japanese Music Resources page.
And if you’re looking for some motivation as a beginner guitarist, feel free to check out and follow my Instagram page. I’ve been documenting my journey since near the beginning, and within 3 years of playing actively, I’m performing on stage, so I believe you can do it too ^^
Don’t get discouraged. Guitar has a steep learning curve, but it will be so worth it if you can push through it <3