Great Electric Guitar Songs to Learn for Beginners

Learning to play the electric guitar can be an exciting and rewarding journey. While acoustic guitars are often the starting point for many, the electric guitar offers a unique appeal with its thinner strings and slimmer necks, making it easier on the fingers and more accessible for players with smaller hands. This article provides a curated list of songs perfect for beginners, focusing on recognizable guitar parts, simple chords, and enjoyable riffs.

The Importance of Choosing the Right Songs

As a guitar teacher, a crucial part of the job involves selecting songs that students will enjoy learning. While some students have a clear vision of what they want to play, others need guidance. Unlike subjects like math or physics, there isn't a strict, linear path to guitar mastery. The best approach is to learn songs that ignite your passion and keep you motivated.

Why Riffs are a Great Starting Point

Traditional guitar instruction often emphasizes chord-based strumming songs. While these are important, beginners can sometimes find them difficult and frustrating. Teaching riffs, on the other hand, allows students to play recognizable music much faster. Riffs are often easier to play than full chords, and they provide a sense of accomplishment that encourages continued learning.

A Curated List of Beginner-Friendly Songs

This list comprises popular songs that are accessible to beginner guitarists. The songs span various styles and difficulties, focusing on those recognizable from the guitar part alone.

Songs with Simple Chord Progressions

Many popular songs are built on simple three- or four-chord progressions, making them ideal for beginners. These songs allow you to focus on mastering basic chord changes and strumming patterns.

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Get Lucky (Daft Punk): This four-chord song is a crowd-pleaser and great for practicing funky strumming.
Englishman in New York (Sting): Despite its sophisticated sound, the verse and chorus use only three chords (Em-A-Bm).
Closing Time (Semisonic): This song features a repeating four-chord progression (G-D-Am-C).
I Ran (Flock of Seagulls): This 80s new wave hit is incredibly simple, with each section using only two chords (Am-G).
Shout (Tears for Fears): This classic 80s tune uses the AB song form and relatively simple chords (Gm-Ebmaj7-Cm).
All About That Bass (Meghan Trainor): A surprising but fun choice, this song can be adapted to various styles.
Ain’t No Sunshine (Bill Withers): This song uses basic, first-position chords that sound great on acoustic guitar.
Stir It Up (Bob Marley): This three-chord classic is a reggae favorite that's fun to play, sing, and solo over.
Groove Is In The Heart (Deee-Lite): This surprise lesson uses only two chords: G#m-C#m (or Em-Am with a capo).
Guns of Brixton (The Clash): This song is great for beginners, using Bm-F#m-G chords (or Am-Em-F with a capo).
I Shot the Sheriff (Bob Marley): This song can be arranged for a guitar ensemble with a simple bass line, chords, and melody.
Moves Like Jagger (Maroon 5): This popular song uses only two chords: Bm-Em (or Am-Dm with a capo).
Miss You (The Rolling Stones): Similar to "Moves Like Jagger," this song utilizes the Am-Dm chords.
Stay With Me (Sam Smith): This contemporary song uses the Am-F-C chords.
Brown Eyed Girl (Van Morrison): A classic tune that's a "must-know" for any guitarist.
Creep (Radiohead): This fan favorite uses a four-chord progression: G-B-C-Cm.
Get Back (The Beatles): This rooftop jam uses only three chords: A-G-D.
Sympathy for the Devil (The Rolling Stones): This song features a three-chord verse (E-D-A) and a two-chord chorus (B-E).
Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen): This song appeals to fans of all ages and is perfect for practicing arpeggiated chords and simple strumming.
Hey Joe (Jimi Hendrix): This classic is great for learning the CAGED system.
House of the Rising Sun (Traditional): This folk song is a favorite among audiences and is perfect for practicing arpeggios and chord strums.
Knocking on Heaven’s Door (Bob Dylan): This Dylan classic is a staple at jams and music venues.
London Calling (The Clash): This student favorite is fun and easy to play.
Pyro (Kings of Leon): The main riff uses three chords: C#m-A-E (or Am-F-C with a capo).
Stand By Me (Ben E. King): This four-chord classic is well-loved by a wide audience.
Mockingbird (James Taylor): This song is fun to sing and can be played as a campfire song or a full-blown rock tune.
For Your Love (The Yardbirds): This song is a lot of fun and consists of four chords.
Spooky (Dusty Springfield): With a hippy/jazzy feel, this three-chord tune is great for female singers and beginning soloists.
Good Riddance (Green Day): This song is fun to strum in the key of G.
I Can’t Explain (The Who): The percussive strum in this song is perfect for introducing beginners to The Who.
Squeeze Box (The Who): This song includes many blues elements and the G-C chord movement is a must for acoustic guitar players.
Die Young (Kesha): The flanged-guitar chords that open this song can be played on an acoustic guitar and sound great.
Get It On Bang A Gong (T-Rex): Although a fun song to play on acoustic guitar, this song really shines on electric.
Can’t You See (The Marshall Tucker Band): This is just one of many D-C-G chord-based tunes.
With or Without You (U2): This four-chord classic is fun for playing and singing.
Bob Dylan - Knockin’ on Heavens Door: Chords Used: G, D, Am and C
Ben E King - Stand By Me: Chords Used: G, Em, C and D
Eagle Eye Cherry - Save Tonight: Chords Used: Am, F, C and G
Tom Petty - Free Fallin’: Chords Used: D, G and A
Jimi Hendrix - Hey Joe: Chords Used: C, G, D, A and E
Fleetwood Mac - Dreams: Chords Used: F and G
The White Stripes - Hotel Yorba: Chords Used: G, C and D
4 Non Blondes - What’s Up?: Chords Used: G, Am and C
Harry Styles - Watermelon Sugar: Chords Used: Dm, Am, C and G
Ed Sheeran - Shape of You: Chords Used: Am, Dm, F and G

Songs with Recognizable Riffs

Learning riffs is a great way to engage with the electric guitar and develop essential skills. These songs feature iconic riffs that are relatively easy to learn and instantly recognizable.

The Rolling Stones: "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction”: This song features one of the most recognizable guitar riffs ever.
Smashing Pumpkins: “Cherub Rock”: This song offers a solid practice regimen for octave riffs and 16th note strumming.
Blue Öyster Cult: “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper”: Brush up on your arpeggio picking and palm muting with this song.

Blues-Based Songs

The blues is a foundational genre for electric guitar, and these songs provide a great introduction to blues techniques and chord changes.

Willie Dixon: “I Can’t Quit You Baby”: This blues standard features only three chords (G, C, and D).
Elmore James: “It Hurts Me Too”: This classic blues song features traditional blues chord changes.
Robert Cray: “Smoking Gun”: This song uses the chords E minor and A minor and teaches basic blues techniques.

Other Great Beginner Songs

Black Uhuru: “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner”: Work on your reggae rhythm skills with this song.
The Strokes: “Last Nite”: This song offers practice with chord anticipation and 16th note strumming patterns.
The Cars: “My Best Friend’s Girl”: This song features an easy three-chord progression.
Cracker: “Low”: This song uses only four chords (D, C, E, and G) and helps with basic chord switching.

Tips for Learning Guitar Songs

Start with the basics: Master your basic root chords (A, Am, C, D, Dm, E, Em, and G) and simple rhythm patterns.
Focus on rhythm: Practice strumming in time and switching chords smoothly.
Break it down: Divide songs into smaller sections and master each part before putting them together.
Use online resources: Take advantage of online lessons, tabs, and videos to learn songs.
Practice consistently: Regular practice is key to improving your guitar skills.
Find a teacher: A guitar teacher can provide personalized guidance and help you overcome challenges.
Learn whole songs: Aim to learn the entire song, not just the riffs or chord progressions.
Don't be afraid to simplify: Simplify complex chords or rhythms to make songs more accessible.
Have fun: Choose songs you enjoy and celebrate your progress along the way.

Challenges and Solutions

Strumming Chords in Time and Switching: Attack the problem head-on. Practice chord changes slowly and gradually increase speed.
Finding Recognizable and Enjoyable Songs: Explore different genres and artists to find songs that resonate with you.
Mastering Barre Chords: Practice barre chords regularly and gradually build strength and dexterity.

Beyond the Basics

Once you've mastered some basic songs, you can start exploring more advanced techniques, such as:

Fingerstyle guitar: Develop your fingerpicking technique with songs like "Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac.
Improvisation: Learn scales and create your own solos over simple chord progressions.
Songwriting: Use your knowledge of chords and song structures to write your own songs.

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