Acoustic guitars are one of the most popular instruments in the world. From folk songs to rock and roll, you can find acoustic guitars in any genre. If you’re an aspiring acoustic guitarist who wants to learn how to play more tunes, we’ve compiled a list of the best acoustic songs to cover.
The best acoustic song to cover is Extreme’s “More Than Words.” It is not too complicated to learn, it is a timeless song that is appropriate for a wide variety of settings and events, and will still be impressive to those who are hearing it.
Practicing different songs is one of the quickest ways to improve your skills. Therefore, having a huge catalog of songs is always a plus!
So here are the 49 best acoustic guitar songs of all time for beginner and intermediate players to learn, in no particular order.
1. More Than Words by Extreme
The song is about a man who doesn’t know what to say, but he knows that his feelings are strong.
This soft rock tune is an acoustic ballad that can make any woman’s heart melt, especially in live acoustic performances.
This song’s genre isn’t their signature style, but it turned out to be their most classic song. This is due to its catchy chorus and guitar riffs that beginners can easily pick up.
If you want to learn some cool chords, this is also the perfect pick for you!
2. Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd
The song is a moving tribute to former Floyd frontman Syd Barett, who had to leave the band in 1968 due to mental illness tied with addiction issues.
The lyrics are about how Syd has left his friends and family behind and asks if they will ever be reunited again.
The guitar part is enchanting, but it can be tricky to play without breaking strings—it’s best played on a 12-string acoustic guitar, but a 6-string should work just fine too.
This song will definitely bring out some emotions as you play through it, especially if you’re familiar with Floyd’s history.
3. She Talks to Angels by Black Crowes
“She Talks to Angels”, is a song that everyone is familiar with. The Black Crowes first released this song in 1990 on their debut album.
This iconic acoustic ballad was one of the turning points for the Robinson brothers’ career, as it helped them gain recognition from music critics everywhere.
The main reason why this tune is so popular is because of its unique guitar ensemble owing to its alternate open E tuning. Therefore, re-tuning your guitar is a must for this one.
Don’t worry though, re-tuning your guitar isn’t too difficult once you get used to it!
4. Free Fallin’ by Tom Petty
“Free Fallin'” is one of the top songs by Tom Petty, released in 1989. It’s a timeless song with many artists covering it.
The main riff is played on a 12-string acoustic guitar, which adds extra depth and warmth to the track.
As with most good songs, multiple versions are available—simplified ones for beginners and advanced ones such as John Mayer’s version.
The latter has more difficult chord progressions that involve moving up and down across strings instead of playing only one note at a time.
5. Riptide by Vance Joy
This song is a classic, and you’re sure to have heard the original version of it. It’s about having a crush on someone but feeling too shy to confess your feelings.
It’s an incredibly catchy tune that is easy to learn on guitar with only four chords and a simple strumming pattern.
The chord sequence goes Am – G – C – Fmaj7, which is easy enough for even beginner players to pick up quickly!
The lyrics are also quite straightforward so they won’t be much of a challenge either.
6. Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond
“Sweet Caroline” might be one of the most iconic songs in American music history.
After all, this song has been covered by everyone from professional musicians to Mom’s garage band and even your kindergarten class. So it’s safe to say that this song has withstood the test of time.
The original version was recorded in 1969 by Neil Diamond, but there were many other re-recordings after that.
The simple yet catchy riff makes it easy for any guitarist to pick up and play along with their friends. After all, who doesn’t love singing “ba ba ba ba”?
7. Save Tonight by Eagle-Eye Cherry
This song is by Eagle-Eye Cherry, who released it in 1997.
It’s an easy song to play on guitar and has a lovely melody. The strumming pattern is quite simple, with only four chords: Am, F, C, and G.
If you’re having trouble with the rhythm of this song, it may be because of its fast pace; however, after some practice, you’ll be able to manage it with no problem!
8. The Shape of You by Ed Sheeran
If you’re looking for a pop love song with an irresistible tune, this is it.
Ed Sheeran’s The Shape of You was released in January 2017 and immediately shot to the top of the charts around the world.
If cover versions of this tune don’t convince you how easy it is to play along, well, then I don’t know what will! All you need to cover this great tune is a capo and knowledge of Bm, Em, G, and A chords.
I also wrote about a famous singer-songwriter who happened to be Sheeran’s best friend. If you want to know more about this artist, check out this recent article I made.
9. Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars
I don’t know what it is about this song, but audiences love it. I’ve never seen so many people singing along to live performances of any other song.
The song garnered incredible success by charting in 19 countries worldwide and winning “Record of the Year” at the 2016 Grammy Awards.
It also sounds great in either electric or acoustic guitar versions with 4/4 time signatures.
The song is perfect for any kind of performance and will have your audience singing along in no time. In fact, even Justin Bieber covered this song in a carpool karaoke.
10. Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Eva Cassidy
“Somewhere Over the Rainbow” is a beautiful and iconic song that everyone knows.
It’s a ballad that got everyone’s hearts melting when it was released back in 1939. And even today, it continues to be one of the most played songs at wedding ceremonies.
Playing this on guitar may be tricky at first, but it’s worth the time and effort!
If you’re looking for something with an acoustic vibe that can get people singing along with you, this is your jam!
11. Let Her Go by Passenger
“Let Her Go” is a wonderful fingerstyle guitar song by Mike Rosenberg, also known as Passenger.
The song was released in 2012 and has been covered by many artists since then.
Not only does this song have two versions (fingerpicking and strumming), but both also have tutorials showing you exactly how they’re played!
The strummed version plays around the G, F, Am, C, and Em chords with a capo on the 7th fret. There’s even an additional barre chord thrown into this mix, making things even more interesting!
12. Layla by Eric Clapton
This is one of the most famous and recognizable guitar songs in history.
It’s a classic soulful song that was released by Eric Clapton in 1970. The song got girls falling in love with him, as well as countless other rock fans.
The song ranked number 7 on Rolling Stone’s list of “500 Greatest Songs of All Time” and also won a Grammy for Best Rock Song when it was re-released acoustically 20 years later.
13. Bad Liar by Imagine Dragons
This 2018 release is a breakup anthem, so it’s not exactly a lighthearted pick.
But Anna Hamilton’s acoustic cover makes the song all the more captivating, which comes in a slow yet relaxing tempo.
I would recommend learning this song because it showcases how to play fingerpicking techniques and incorporates them into several different progressions.
If you’re looking for an acoustic guitar song to learn, definitely check out Bad Liar by Imagine Dragons!
14. Despacito by Luis Fonsi
Despacito, by Luis Fonsi, has been an international hit ever since its release in 2017.
The song’s captivating rhythm, which uses a very basic chord progression, will make you want to dance and sing along with it.
Learning how to play Despacito on your acoustic guitar is not as easy as you might think (and there are multiple versions of this song).
However, once you’ve learned the first part of this song’s chorus and verse portions, they’ll become easy to play over again!
15. Ain’t No Sunshine by Bill Withers
This song has been covered by multiple musicians, but it was the original version by Bill Withers that got the ball rolling.
It’s become a popular cover for acoustic guitarists, who use both strummed and fingerpicked versions of this iconic tune.
It’s an easy song to learn, even if you’ve never played an acoustic before. The chords are fairly simple, and there aren’t any tricky fingerpicking patterns to worry about!