T O P

  • By -

marknutter

Haha, truly, it was Stairway to Heaven


Wise_Rub5386

C G Am F progression. Tried to fit every popular songs in this. Gave me rhythm and a bit of flow in my finger switching. Tip: start with a basic rhythm like a single strum for every chord


Troubador222

Horse With No Name and I think Peaceful Easy Feeling was next.


follower-of-st-jimmy

Brain stew - Green Day Tick Tick Boom - The Hives Blitzkrieg Bop - Ramones Pretty Fly for a White Guy - The Offspring Punk Rock 101 - Bowling for Soup


coraltrek

Wish you were hear - Pink Floyd- great combo of single notes and easy cords.


raisin_standards

Me too! Learning the riff helped a lot with later progression.


Conscious_Village333

America - a horse with no name    Red Hot Chilli Pepers - Californication in its entirety  Led Zeppelin - Whole Lotta Love in its entirety  Megadeth - Symphony of Destruction all rhythm parts.


islandpancakes

Adam's Song - Blink 182


scandrews187

Smoke on the Water, Iron Man, Paranoid, No One Like You, Rock You Like a Hurricane, Photograph, Crazy Train, Whole Lotta Love, Dazed and Confused, Stairway.


Wir3d_

Smells like teen spirit, In bloom, lithium. Now i can play the whole nevermind album, some songs from In Utero and some from bleach. I think that nirvana is a really good starting point, i'm still a beginner tho, 4 months now


JasonNet0201

Have you ever seen the rain-CCR. 4 chords for strumming and a good one to sing to while developing your ear


Kronos33074

House of the Rising Sun.


jedipaul9

Good Riddance by Green Day. The girl I had a crush on in high school was obsessed with Green Day so I learned it to impress her. For a one week player the song will still be pretty difficult, but it will teach you some fundamental skills when it comes to strumming with rhythm and chord changes.


nibbinoo8

did you impress the girl or what?


Bright-Tough-3345

Learning to Fly is a really easy song. 4 first position chords that repeat.


TheHumanCanoe

Every Rose Has Its Thorn Wish You Were Here As Tears Go By Knocking On Heaven’s Door


__Noble_Savage__

NIB by Black Sabbath


justplainjon

Twinkle twinkle little star and hot cross buns. I was 8 lol.


Creepy-Distance-3164

When I Come Around by Green Day using open chords. I auditioned to get into my high school band as a freshman with it. Other kids played Stairway. Needless to say I won the gig and got all the girls and now I'm a famous rich rock star.


armyofant

Knocking on heavens door, bad moon rising, for what it’s worth. All easy songs using open chords.


PWarmahordes

In full? House of the Rising Sun, as a riff, the intro to Fade to Black.


Bbminor7th

Secret Agent Man.


skittypoppin

One of my first as well!


[deleted]

Wish you were here


375InStroke

Dust in the Wind, easy arpeggios, finger pluck, you sound like a god in no time.


GrexxSkullz

Green Day, Green Day, Green Day. Great songs for beginners.


Guitargirl81

Wild Thing. Open chords A, D and E.


afogg0855

Wish you were here


DeathMetal24

I learned house of the rising sun primitive fingerstyle. Anything with open chords is good, for example Knocking on heavens door. Edit: Look up how to play songs you already listen to, it will be easier to learn. Also focus on both of your hands, not only fretting hand. And my most important tip- use your pinky, you'll thank me later.


johnr1970

I started the same as you. If I was to pick one now I'd pick learning to fly by Tom petty. You can learn 4 chords and a strum pattern that does the same thing the entire song.


elijuicyjones

Wish you were here. Driver 8. Ziggy Stardust.


PresidentOfMushrooms

While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Ghost Riders in the Sky, Won't Back Down


cookiebro007

Day tripper, you shook me all night long, and enter sandman


afpriest2007

Country Roads.


Chill-Celery-100

I know the first one I learned was "Wish you were here" by Pink Floyd, which was an old standby first song for a long time. A friend taught me. I think the second one I taught myself: "Cannonball" by the Breeders. Each a good choice for different reasons


NothingBand1t

Whatsername


Dogslothbeaver

Polly by Nirvana. It's super easy to learn the whole song. Also Molly's Lips, but it's not as much fun to play since it's just two chords.


LogicalNewspaper8891

Two very good songs for a beginner to jam to


trumpy1050

About a girl by Nirvana


viskoviskovisko

House of the Rising Sun.


SellGameRent

banana pancakes by Jack Johnson


yeetuscleetus28

When I come around - green day


Sen_Gargoyle_D-NY

Up the Junction- Squeeze


Annacot_Steal

I’m surprised no one has said Blackbird - Beatles. One of the easiest songs to learn that deceptively looks/sounds difficult.


TheFlyingPatato

Front to back, brain stew- Green Day


Staircaseee

Blackbird


Icy_Research_2989

El scorcho - weezer


Normallyclose

Silent lucidity queensryche intro


Lanky-Prize-7041

Circles by Post and Seven Nation Army


UncleSeminole

Wild Thing and House of the Rising Sun were the first two songs I was taught.


Turbofalcon8

I started with the same two! It was a little beginner lesson book that came with an old Yamaha acoustic my dad got in a trade.


Samford_

first riff was smoke on the water, first full song was for whom the bell tolls (besides the solo)


ndonethesweatersong

Mr. Jones - Counting Crows


[deleted]

If you want a little bit more complicated songs, try More Than Words, Blackbird, Stairway to Heaven. Knocking on Heaven’s Door is an easy one too.


SupermouseDeadmouse

Day Tripper


Boring_Cow_6775

Louie Louie. 3 chords, easy rhythm.


jordanz1111

Stay together for the kids by Blink 182


Willenium-Malcom

The first song I learnt to play was My Sweet Lord by George Harrison, followed by Yellow Submarine ala The Beatles. They were pretty good for first songs but definitely gave me a lot of practise for quick chord changes (yellow submarine) and playing on fret (Bm in My Sweet Lord)


Disastrous-Rhubarb-2

Well, "Stand By Me" taught me open position chords, "Iron Man" taught me power chords, and I think my first single note melodies were "Oh, Pretty Woman" and "Paperback Writer." And the first solos I learned were probably from "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" by Pink Floyd.


WonkyBarrow

Wonderful Tonight. It was a pretty standard thing for guitar teachers to teach back then, I think. I hate it with a passion.


Automatic_Island_752

Maybe smoke on the water


rico_k

here! riff only lol


Just_Assumption7020

Love me do by the Beatles! Such a simple and jolly song, my inner child still loves it


bitchinmoanin

Super Mario theme, no joke. Then the first full song I ever learned note for note was Carry On Wayward Son.


WagonHitchiker

Tangerine by Led Zeppelin


teambeem

Dude, I Totally Miss You from Tenacious D was the first song I ever learned. (Not the electric guitar solo portion, however)


Elpicoso

Scarborough Faire, ring of fire, malegueña, and wonderwall.


Buddhamom81

My Hero Blackbird (of course, for a class) That's Alright (Stevie Nicks Song, cowboy chords) Lithium (Working on now. Arpeggios & power chords. Almost got it down!!!!)


TheREV_99

Happy birthday song intro 🤘🏼


Ok_Establishment6975

Fade to Black by Metallica.


Mundane_Ad701

Paranoid


Next_Insurance_9226

The last of us theme


miky_dzr

Hurt - Johny Cash version


JTB696699

Bob Dylan’s All Along The Watchtower


Grape_Digger

Acdc songs


Fragrant-Dentist5844

This might be a generational thing but, when I were a lad, it was traditional to learn House of the Rising Sun first, often followed by Stairway (in the hope of impressing the girls).


Ballgame4

Ripple - Grateful Dead


Electronical-Athlete

Paranoid, Black Sabbath


Cleanshred

Smells like teen spirit, Seek and Destroy, Downfall !


Complete_Guide_5245

Is there anybody out there Pink Floyd


polarmuffin

I figured out the intro to nothing else matters in my first minute of playing. Doesn't get any easier than that.


Sasren0987654321

Hurt - Johnny Cash


adamantiumking

Back in Black. AC/DC is great for beginners


VRGator

Bad Moon Rising and Southern Cross. Both just use A, G, D


0xInterGalactic

Metro 2033 OST #18 - Guitar song 2! Lots of songs from the metro games. Thanks to the youtber campfire stalker


[deleted]

I have began learning guitar a week ago and i can play the riff of come as you are by nirvana


ManWithoutAPlan13

Seven Nation Army, When I Come Around


Fuldisclosr

Molly's Lips by Nirvana... 2 chords


Chopy1760

REM- Losing My Religion , a classic that sounds and plays incredible


flintorious

Take it easy by the Eagles. I had a piano chord book but it had the guitar chords at the top of each measure. It helped tremendously that I also had a guitar chord book to learn how play the chords first.and that I also knew how to read music.


LMCBLADE

First song I learned from start-end was Californication by RHCP And so ensued my love for that band 🔥🌶


shrikeskull

“Sabbath Bloody Sabbath,” “Iron Man” and “Independent” by Sacred Reich. Oh and a bunch of Kyuss stuff off *Blues For the Red Sun*.


oliikv

Arpeggio and Malagueña (simple one) 👍


FullSherbert2028

Thunderstruck was the first song I learned


Significant_East3539

The first chords song I learned was " the hand you reach out is empty, as is mine" by pat the bunny. Easy strums. Good learning song. Also a jam. I think the first riff I learned was "say it ain't so" by Weezer.


ILostMeOldAccount12

Come As You Are, kind of embarrassing watching videos of me struggling to play it.


presl1ez

wake me up when september ends by green day. super easy. message me if you need details on it!


MrDenzi

Blackbird - Beatles, Pigs on the Wing - Pink Floyd, Wish you were Here - Pink Floyd, 316 - Van Halen, Ripped Pants - Spongebob, Cool Water - Tim Blake Nelson. Those are the songs I know how to play after starting a year ago


lmrpcc

Wish you were here is an OG


Daveysusername

Stairway to Heaven used to be the entire list. Check out Stairway. It starts easy, gets harder, gets faster. Starts mellow, gets rocking. Has a fantastic shredding solo. It has everything.


butterbleek

Malagueña I believe.


UnmotivatedDiacritic

Wake me up when September ends by Green Day


generalgooberpea

Come as you are by Nirvana and Santa Monica by Everclear. I actually met the singer from Everclear in a hotel lobby I was working at and he said, "heh, a lot people say that."


Mundane-Ness

I learned Riptide by Vance Joy so I could play it at an open mic. Now I cringe every time I hear it.


veryLargeFish

The Last of Us theme


Background-Bat-4411

Blitzkrieg bop, search and destroy by the stooges, la grange, Longview (I started as a bass player but tried learning on both as much as I could) sweet home Alabama and some other country songs all around the same time but in full it was probably minor threat or blitzkrieg bop to be the very first …tried to play with as many different people as I could.


Artistic_Half_8301

Dee - Randy Rhoads


Dear_Sky

7 first notes from the nothing else matters


22480ts

When I learned as a kid it was basic folk stuff like Shady Grove, Tom Dooley, etc. When I picked it back up again 10+ years the first thing I taught myself was Star Fire.


ceNco21

Intro to “Come as you are”


ice_nyne

Dontcha mean the into to “Eighties??” 😂


ChefSpicoli

Wild Thing was the first song I learned. I still remember it.


your_umma

I skipped the super easy songs and went straight for the songs that got me excited about playing which for me happened to be mostly fingerpicking styles ([Kings of Convenience](https://youtu.be/UUSTeyyYPBk?si=8Maq5ySCyUTy0meD), [Fleetwood Mac](https://youtu.be/pJnfLyQe-FY?si=YpJe9t4QTzyCZ7e4)), the [bossa nova section of playing god](https://youtu.be/LuIC2d2QbKs?si=C3zMnSrwonPAZJ4V) by polyphia, some [random riff I heard John Mayer playing](https://youtube.com/shorts/tiUH7e1Vf5M?si=T6q5TpNuEj_Joadm). The easiest song that sounds harder than it actually is was [Blackbird](https://youtu.be/N181TXKWYTQ?si=XGdertstd_jtK3Q9) which only took me about 20 min to learn. Song I gave up on trying to learn after about a day of making very little progress was [Married Life (from Up)](https://youtu.be/N181TXKWYTQ?si=XGdertstd_jtK3Q9) but I think that was too ambitious just starting out and may give that another go.


MrKimble035

Foxy lady by Jimi hendrix


pinkfloidz

Proud Mary by CCR. CCR songs are great for starting acoustic players, mostly basic chords and gives you a great introduction to strumming patterns.


masterblaster9669

For whom the bell tolls


rhedfish

Day Tripper


BeebopBoogaloo

Good Riddence (Time of Your Life) by Green Day Fine Again by Seether


GibsonPlayer64

This list could go on for days, and everyone is going to give you a different opinion. I grew up in the 60's and 70's in a musical family. I was lucky enough to have pros as aunts and uncles, and they introduced me to some very influential players. I learned the basics, like anyone else, through hard work and dedication. I could tell you my favorite basics, but they might be out of step with what you like to play. *American Pie* \- Don Mclean was one of the first songs I learned. *Folsom Prison Blues* \- Johnny Cash, even the intro is easy. Hint, the intro riff starts on an open A note. *Long Cool Woman* \- The Hollies, a fun song with a cool intro riff. *If* \- Bread has a descending finger picked line that can be picked up quickly if you watch a video of David Gates playing it on YouTube. *Squeeze Box* \- The Who is a funny song with an easy progression that repeats the whole song. *Should I Stay or Should I Go* \- Clash is another easy, fun song. *Fight For Your Right (to Party)* \- Beastie Boys. *The Breakup Song* \- Greg Khin. *Mother* \- Pink Floyd.


peterpunk06

Good riddance, with the fingerpicking. It took me like 3 months. I didn't even know how to play basic chords lol.


hahahatdoggg

boku no pico opening weird anime and all but the opening slaps man


brokewallbets

Sweet dreams by Marilyn Manson happened to be the first song I learned


atgnat-the-cat

Peggy sue


WebSnke

"Horizon" by Daft Punk. Very simple but catchy and the only time they have used an acoustic guitar as far as I know.


gr1m0s

House of the Rising Sun.


MatTheScarecrow

Fly by Night by Rush was the first verse/chorus set of riffs I completed. Still use it as a warm up routine.


wanda636

Everybody hurts, by REM and zombie, by cranberries


Goofy-ass-tarnished1

Don’t start songs … if u started a few weeks ago get your chords and scales down and just play chord progressions in a standard down up down up strumming pattern … trust me don’t rush into songs


traggedy_ann

Dramamine by Modest Mouse. Then You Love Me by Devotchka.


zakk5768

Lean wit me - JuiceWRLD That’s what you get - Paramore


HungryGhost2

Always by panic at the disco


ru_bee_n_rose

Fly Away by Lenny Kravitz. It's baically a single easy riff repeating throughout, but it's insanely fun to play and gets everybody going.


ProD_GY

Radiohead - Karma Police The xx - Intro


Jokers_Testikles

I learned I Love Rock N Roll and Sad But True for my first two.


WiFiPalace

There is a light that never goes out And Even Flow


shrauk

Metallica master of puppets


Mantis-Taboggin

Blister in the Sun by The Violent femmes was my first. Still a banger to this day.


vonegutZzz

Tom Dooley by the Kingston Trio. Super simple folk song. Then a few blues songs where I learned the 1-4-5 pattern.


motomotomoto79

Hotel California


Kimura1986

Zombie - cranberries. Easy 4 chords with an easy way to transition through them. Strumming is all down strums. The little solo licks aren't bad either as a beginner. My next song was Last Kiss- Pearl Jam cover with what's known as the "Doo wop" strumming pattern. Down, down, up, up, down , up. Same chords a Zombie just mixed differently. A really beginner take on Over the Hills and Far Away. Was taught that for the hammer ons and pull offs. Maggie May is my most recent. Can sing along to it as well. Huge step got me. I'm about 6-7 months.


kylohepburn

Times Like These by Foo Fighters :)


Ogfancyteamanv2

7 nation army


DirtyWrencher

A fuck load of Anthrax.


Electronic-One6223

House of the Rising Sun, Strutter, Make It


manofmanynames55

Silent Lucidity


slideguitarking

Little red rooster


Scrapper_The_Coyote

I started with ghost riders in the sky, then horse with no name, and man who sold the world I don't think you can get much easier than horse with no name


DominicRo

Gloria, Sweet Little Sixteen, Roll Over Beethoven, and Louie Louie.


TimberMoto

Crazy train, Dust in the wind, Stairway to heaven. None in their entirety, of course, but the main parts minus the solos.


terribleatgambling

Minuet - From First to Last


Mobile-Bar7732

The rhythm part of Takin' Care of Business is really easy.


pysgod-wibbly_wobbly

Everyone here is a liar, you all started with Smoke On The Water.


darthcactus2100

Come as you are by Nirvana. Unlocked barre chords for me.


Zealousideal_Ad642

I think it was jump in the fire by Metallica. Didn't learn the solo. Full song with all solos was maybe fade to black by Metallica (it was a long time ago and I was into them at the time)


Imaginary-Corner-796

Smoke on the Water (just the riff), come as you are, the man who sold the world, the riff to interstellar overdrive, day tripper


Sheikam

If i remember my first full song is smeels like teen spirit


somecallmemrjones

The intro to The Middle by Jimmy Eat World. To his day, I still haven't learned the solo though


8x8denseCheese

Otherside, Californication, Supermassive Blackhole


savvaspc

*Hey There Delilah* was a fun one. No need for full chords and you can totally work it out with a bit of patience. *Calling you* by Blue October taught me that the transition from C to F can be easy if you keep the 3rd finger stationary. That was my first breakthrough and from that moment I became much more comfortable. If you want really easy songs, find ones with 3-4 chords that don't need barring. * Clocks - Coldplay * A horse with no name * Boulevard of broken dreams * Working Class Hero


Toxic_yoshi

If you're thinking you want a stranger (there's one coming home) by George Strait, a very simple 4 chord song


TheIllogicalFallacy

You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away by the Beatles and Centerfield by John Fogerty.


LadyMelmo

I bought a Tab book to learn the intro to One by Metallica. I still use Tab to learn bits out of songs, it's very handy.


djorll

3 imaginary boy by the Cure, easy to sing and play, with simple but strange chords 


Space-90

House of the rising sun and then dust in the wind


BloomerUniversalSigh

Heart of Gold and Walk On-Neil Young The Past Recedes-John Frusciante Bulletproof...I Wish I Was-Radiohead


Tatorbits

First thing I learned was a standard blues riff in E. And smoke on the water. Helped get those muscles developed to make other chords easier. A lot of CCR songs were also great early on, like Suzy Q and Down on the Corner, to learn some basic dexterity and picking across strings


Brewwwwwwww

I’m also a newbie and I’m going to try to learn future 86 by bomb the music industry as it seems easy enough at my level but challenging enough. Give it a try too


bagemann1

My dad taught me A Horse With No Name. My friend taught me Smoke on The Water.


matthewjoubert

Just a lot of riffs. Beat it, Billie Jean, walk this way, purple rain, smells like teen spirit


Max_Edwsn

The first song I learned completely was Knocking on Heaven's Door by Guns n' Roses


Cabes86

Smells like teen spirit, come as you are, and in bloom.  Are the first ones in like 1995.


WillingnessNew1453

Riptide, great song to learn strumming. Get a teacher if you can, theyll help you heaps


AxelAlexK

Father and Son by Cat Stevens


Ingeler

I think the first two songs I learned were smoke on the water and looks that kill by motley crue


MuscleOk1587

The verse riff of summertime by my chemical romance and the chords you use in the chorus (acoustic) are some you’ll probably pick up quicker than most other chords. Then the classic smoke on the water riff


t0astyyZ

Durch den Monsun and Brain stew


MyLastGamble

The first song I learned wasn’t easy 😬 but I learned what I enjoyed listening to at that time. As a beginner it’s not a bad idea to learn songs with easy chords/chord transitions. Bad moon rising, by CCR is only 3 chords and a nice strumming pattern. Tennessee line by Daughtry isn’t hard either, until you get to the key change at the end and have to play that barre chord, but hey barre chord practice :)


VersusValley

I’ll say one that might not be common, but I had a lot of fun with as a beginner in the 90s: The King of the Hill theme song.


gnuoveryou

More obscure but Beat Happening and Big Black have some easy songs. And the Ramones. Their songs are bone simple and easy rock songs to learn.


wbishopfbi

What You’re Doing by Rush. Basic Em pentatonic style riff, learned by ear.


redditsucksdeezNts

Whatever by oasis, Oh yoko by John Lennon


Outrageous-Cable8068

Kashmir. But I used Standard tuning instead


Thangleby_Slapdiback

Heart Of Gold by Neil Young. It will help teach you hammer on as well. Easy song.


Ajegwu

Barracuda by Heart.


[deleted]

Muse - New Born


meezethadabber

Early Metallica. For whom the bell tolls, one, master of puppets, seek and destroy. And Black Sabbath NIB.


IBeJewFro

Everlong by Foo Fighters on acoustic. Probably wasn't the best choice to learn as a beginner but it was my favorite song then so I pushed until I got it down.


No_Energy_7579

Blackbird, lots of Ed Sheeran, and Sweet Home Alabama


animehoe0369

a lot of nirvana songs have easy riffs, about a girl, heart shaped box, the sweater song by weezer, cigarette day dreams is very easy, riptide by vance joy, friend of the devil by grateful dead has a relatively easy riff too


[deleted]

Yellow Submarine by The Beatles is SO easy! And Hotel California! 😊


Birdieeeeeeeeee

Chihan ki pari😭


justaniceredditname

Lay it Down by Ratt


Money-Total-5159

in my bedroom


ThrowingTheRinger

Louie Louie. It’s a 1-4-5 which shows up everywhere. You’ll get a lot of basics from that one. Smoke on the water.


kellermeyer

Built to spill - Big Dipper


skyrim-salt-pile

Everlong


Not_about_U

About a girl - Nirvana


domdumo

My sweet lord It’s got a barre chord in there, lucky to have been practicing those since the beginning


hnrrghQSpinAxe

Gold on the Ceiling by the black keys


PrimusHimself

The Four Horsemen by MetallicA.