Photo by John W. Tuggle
Guitar players (beginners and intermediate) ask me from time to time which songs they really should know how to play on the guitar.
Sure there are a lot of songs you can mention but there are always certain songs that stand out from the rest and which most guitar players want to know how to play when they start out.
I still know how great it felt and what a victory it was when I could play “Sweet child o’ mine” and “More than words” for the first time. The golden days of learning your classics you will never forget.
To give you an idea of what guitar songs have really made a name for itself I put together a list with 20 guitar classics with help and many thanks of guitar players on twitter and in real life.
I appreciate every song you want to add to this list. I know the list is far from complete and not each and every song may suit your taste, but it’s here to give you some inspiration. You might want to learn to play some great classics that have made musical history.
Note: I want you to know I earn a small commission if you make a purchase through an amazon link to support the Guitarhabits website.
Enjoy!
1 Hotel California – The Eagles – Tabs
2 Nothing else matters – Metallica – Tabs
3 More than words – Extreme – Tabs
5 Stairway to heaven – Led Zeppelin – Tabs
6 Sweet child o’ mine – Guns ‘n roses – Tabs
7 Knocking on heavens door – Bob Dylan Chords
8 Sweet home Alabama – Lynyrd Skynyrd – Tabs
9 Wish you were here – Pink Floyd – Tabs
10 Blackbird – The Beatles – Tabs
11 Smoke on the water – Deep Purple – Tabs
12 Under the bridge – Red hot chili peppers – Tabs
13 Dust in the wind – Kansas – Tabs
14 Heart of gold – Neil Young – Tabs
15 Sunshine of your love – Cream – Tabs
16 Autumn leaves – Tabs
17 Girl from Ipanema – Antonio Carlos Jobim – Tabs
18 Smells like teen spirit – Nirvana – Tabs
19 Give a little bit – Supertramp – Tabs
20 Tears in heaven – Eric Clapton – Tabs
Here is one song I really love. It’s not necessarily a guitar classic, but just a beautiful song I often play. Originally written by the Bee Gees, but this version by Ray La Montagne and Damien Rice makes me fall in love with it over and over again.
1 To love somebody – Ray La Montagne & Damien Rice
What is your favorite guitar classic?
Please share in the comments.
I thought your list (with a pass for Neil Young – he’s just undeniable) was kind of generic … the “do you know ‘Freebird’?” list that every guitar player needs before taking his or her guitar to a party. But you brought it home with your “addition” to the list … That version of “To Love Somebody” is nothing short of incredible. I watch the YouTube video of it regularly, and my brother and I did a similar version together at my wedding reception.
Thanks for the great site. I think I’ll go home and learn a song from your top twenty.
my guitar classic (this moment) : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rePcHxFJIuU death cab for a cutie , i’ll follow you into the dark. play it in different ways, you can also fingerpick it like simon and garfunkels ‘the boxer’ …
Thank you for your article! I never thought of learning songs as a “victory”, but it is! If fact, I’ve seen it as such a mountain in my mind, that I have been overwhelmed by it too many times, I get stuck. Unfortunity tho, the freedom experienced once you have a song under your belt, is so rewarding, you cant not want to commit! If I learn a song a week, then that is 52 in a year! Then it will become a habit I will get use too!
Hey very good song choices!!! Although i feel the fact that theres no Jimi Hendrix in there at all is a lil bit of a downer. There should definitely be maybe some little wing, castles made of sand, or wind cries mary action, but other than that very strong song choices!
Dire Straits – Sultans of Swing a must !
I’m from the OLD coffee house generation. Back then it was the Animals, “House of the Rising Sun”
On most open mic nights you would hear, “Hey Joe”,and “Words” It was the time of the Hippie generation. I was in the Army during that time but we had our own Coffee House in one of the Service Clubs on Post every Thursday night.
Any My Morning Jacket song.
Hi everyone,
Thanks for sharing your favorite guitar classics. Love reading your comments.
You’re awesome!
Thanks,
Klaus
I like your choice of songs . The song that got me into guitar was Van Halen Aint talkin about love . I remember it was 1989 and I was living in California and I heard the song from the 1984 album. I also heard Eruption which made something in my head click.It was the beginning of a long journey.Regards Mark
Hey what about Santana??? Black Magic Woman? or Bon Jovi, Wanted Dead Or Alive? And the best of all…..My Sharona by the Knack!!!
Master of Puppets – Metallica
Rock You Like a Hurricane – The Scorpions
Hi Nehal,
Thanks for your contribution.
“Master of puppets” is indeed a heavy metal classic we can not ignore.
Best regards,
Klaus Crow
Layla by Eric Clapton.
Certainly any rock guitarist would have some love for Kirk Hammet’s biological father, Mr. Tony Iommi.
It’s great to see the passion that everyone has for “their” music. The great thing is that we get to share it with the world! I have seen this list recreated many times over the years and as always it’s hard to dispute any artist left in or out. The point being that we are all artists. We just paint our pictures in a different way.
That song is good for learn guitar… i like so much…
Good selection…summer of 69 is a must
layla by Eric clapton
wow, when i saw this i felt great because i know how to play four songs here, namely blackbird, more than words, stairway to heaven and sweet child o mine. looks like i need to learn the next 16! ;)
Here comes the sun was my first and jam with george on you tube regularly
Hi Chris,
Thanks for mentioning. That’s a great classic.
Best regards,
Klaus Crow
I love the guitar in “Are You Gonna Go My Way” by Lenny Kravitz.
House of the Rising Sun is a great one to learn, and Johnny B Goode, definately should be mentioned!
Great article!
I really wanted to learn to play guitar but the problem is that I was not given a chance to do it. But if I could maybe I was also playing guitar in some weddings too as sideline.
Shouldn’t “Hey There Delilah” be there??
Stairway to Heaven, is a good song for beginners, because it flexes a lot of chords, picking, and neck movements. It may be the best one for beginners to learn on.
IMHO
I love all those song options and I’m really glad i actually know how to play a few of them. One song i would recommend is “Romance de Amour”. it may not be a classic but its a really fun song to play and it really helps with the speed of your fingering, and it allows a lot of room to improvise and be creative !!!
Nice list :)
To be honest i was looking for, classic guitar songs to get inspired to learn :) .
Love all the songs from the list and i leave here another kind of “style”, hoping someone get’s inspired ^^
Asturias – Isac Albeniz
1 Yes
2 Yes
3 No
4 No
5 Yes
6 Yes
7 Eh
8 No
9 Yes
10 Yes
11 Yes
12 No
13 No
14 No
15 Yes
16 No
17 Yes
18 Yes
19 No
20 No
Simple kind of Man is another classic that when you play with people they should know.
My favorite classic is: simple man-lynard skynyrd