35 easy songs with chords C, Am, F, & G
Something I have found myself constantly searching for online as a guitar player and teacher is a list of songs that can be played with just a few chords. While there are so many posts out there on this subject, I find that they have the same songs listed over and over again, or songs that are older or songs that I’m just not interested in.
So the ones I’ve listed here will hopefully be some new recommendations for you and will give you some fresh inspiration. There are also some songs that have a few more or a few less chords than C, Am, F and G, so you have a good variety. Beside each song, I’ve listed links to any relevant chord sheets and video tutorials I could find.
Below are some chord diagrams for your C, Am, F and G shapes. *Note: I’ve included the Fmaj7 shape you can use to replace the F chord if the barre is too difficult for you right now.
I’ve included a Spotify playlist of these songs so that you can listen to them too. :)
songs with just C, Am, F, and G:
“Ho Hey” - The Lumineers
UltimateGuitar: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/the-lumineers/ho-hey-chords-1047662
YouTube: https://youtu.be/SPU73ZMhaio?si=5xAYlKhx8ONH_Y8N
YouTube: https://youtu.be/k72kybxQSx8?si=7I0Q8OoNaiqGmBHb
“Stubborn Love” - The Lumineers
CifraClub: https://www.cifraclub.com/the-lumineers/stubborn-love/#google_vignette
YouTube: https://youtu.be/ne1AjVzPsnI?si=wSQ-ZCM0DZ-a53G7
“Rolex” - Camilo, Mau y Ricky
UltimateGuitar: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/camilo-camilo-echeverry/rolex-chords-3595778
“No Woman, No Cry” - Bob Marley
E-Chords: https://www.e-chords.com/chords/bob-marley/no-woman-no-cry
“Rude” - MAGIC!
capo: 1st fret
UltimateGuitar: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/magic/rude-chords-1493018
“Love” - Matt White
UltimateGuitar: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/matt-white/love-chords-2470844
“Sparks Fly” - Taylor Swift
capo: 5th fret
UltimateGuitar: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/taylor-swift/sparks-fly-chords-628287
“I Don’t Wanna Live Forever” - Zayn, Taylor Swift
UltimateGuitar: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/zayn/i-dont-wanna-live-forever-chords-1908714
“Outta My Head” - Khalid
UltimateGuitar:https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/khalid/outta-my-head-chords-2654592
YouTube: https://youtu.be/DIyxSctNMvk?si=qlBbZxi3znW2aJCU
“One Call Away” - Charlie Puth
capo: 1st fret
YouTube: https://youtu.be/XIglzOtp-Us?si=qyJEU71lwYkT4Rt0
YouTube: https://youtu.be/cRj2nJX51pY?si=wTG0MI5OoPoybfBI
“Stay With Me” - Sam Smith
UltimateGuitar: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/sam-smith/stay-with-me-chords-1473649
YouTube: https://youtu.be/UeLWMeLUfoU?si=clxNizoA6aE3uSzp
songs with a few more chords:
“Vida de Rico” - Camilo
other chords: Dm
capo: 6th fret
UltimateGuitar: https://es.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/camilo-camilo-echeverry/vida-de-rico-chords-3346865
“Come Away With Me” - Norah Jones
other chords included: Em, Am7
E-Chords: https://www.e-chords.com/chords/norah-jones/come-away-with-me
YouTube: https://youtu.be/7DCD7UMe9PA?si=9xnhy6UpTu9xNFne
“What Am I to You?” - Norah Jones
other chords included: Em, E7, G7, etc.
UltimateGuitar: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/norah-jones/what-am-i-to-you-chords-124916
YouTube: https://youtu.be/dHo_fLERNQQ?si=VVyoMB6CRsq2RDsf
“Sunrise” - Norah Jones
capo: 3rd fret
other chords included: Am7, Am/G, Em, Dm, D/F#
UltimateGuitar: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/norah-jones/sunrise-chords-529990
YouTube: https://youtu.be/Rfhe99uPyCI?si=Cv7ZvCtnf_ZpxDSY
“Quiet” - Jason Mraz
other chords included: Em, C/B
ChordsEasy: https://chordseasy.com/song/31008/quiet/
YouTube: https://youtu.be/fyYebEpgvho?si=oY1ZryZW6YJiDj0r
“White Flag” - Dido
capo: 5th fret
other chords included: Em, Dm
UltimateGuitar: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/dido/white-flag-chords-98623
YouTube: https://youtu.be/xv0ePaiCyKo?si=vj96KiJontaQD1Uh
“Angel” - Jack Johnson
capo: 3rd fret
other chords included: C/B, Dm
UltimateGuitar: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/jack-johnson/angel-chords-642498
YouTube: https://youtu.be/lL3AK9S6ET8?si=iw6_ap9qUMmzfVQ9
“Could You Be Loved” - Bob Marley
(if you put capo 2, and transpose to Am)
other chords included: Em, Dm
UltimateGuitar: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/bob-marley/could-you-be-loved-chords-578407
“You’re My Best Friend” - Queen
other chords included: D, E, Fm7, D7
MyChordBook: https://www.mychordbook.com/chords/queen/youre-my-best-friend
YouTube: https://youtu.be/2l-e6OUbcBQ?si=JEOqA6GWZaW3rCV0
“Give Me Love” - Ed Sheeran
capo: 1st fret
other chords included: Dm
UltimateGuitar: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/ed-sheeran/give-me-love-chords-1162007
YouTube: https://youtu.be/fvxLy2xZcnw?si=AxmrDxtOh5Al6OZx
“Can’t Help Falling in Love” - Elvis Presley
capo: 2nd fret or no capo depending on whose version you prefer
other chords included: Em, Dm, B7
E-chords: https://www.e-chords.com/chords/haley-reinhart/cant-help-falling-in-love
“I’m Like a Bird” - Nelly Furtado
other chords included: Dm, Em
UltimateGuitar: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/nelly-furtado/im-like-a-bird-chords-128223
“Count on Me” - Bruno Mars
other chords included: Em, Dm
UltimateGuitar: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/bruno-mars/count-on-me-chords-958496
“Sitting, Waiting, Wishing” - Jack Johnson
other chords included: Am7, G7, F7, C7, E, E7
E-Chords: https://www.e-chords.com/chords/jack-johnson/sitting-waiting-wishing
“Slow Hands” - Niall Horan
other chords included: E
E-Chords: https://www.e-chords.com/chords/niall-horan/slow-hands
YouTube: https://youtu.be/ILxaXeHW75Q?si=grEjWUqQKgqEhcI7
“Haven’t Met You Yet” - Michael Bublé
capo: 1st fret
other chords included: Dm7, Em, E, C/G
UltimateGuitar: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/883403
YouTube: https://youtu.be/eo74vmz7vYA?si=T7zUMghR-Uqcir-0
“Let It Go” - James Bay
capo: 1st fret
other chords included: Dm
UltimateGuitar: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/james-bay/let-it-go-chords-1693200
“Marvin Gaye” - Charlie Puth, Meghan Trainor
capo: 4th fret
other chords included: E, E7, D, D7
UltimateGuitar: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/charlie-puth/marvin-gaye-chords-1741228
YouTube: https://youtu.be/Fo63zWa1fUQ?si=g6ztXzRdKOjswvRn
“You Make It Real For Me” - James Morrison
other chords included: E7, D7, G7
UltimateGuitar: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/james-morrison/you-make-it-real-chords-722383
“La Bicicleta” - Carlos Vives, Shakira
other chords included: Em, Dm, G/B
UltimateGuitar: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/carlos-vives/la-bicicleta-chords-1871626
“No One” - Alicia Keys
capo: 4th fret
other chords included: Dm, Em
UltimateGuitar: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/alicia-keys/no-one-chords-596334
YouTube: https://youtu.be/pwv1bQ0ZRA4?si=TCP6mUrAyMki-oSb
songs with a few less chords:
“Red, Red, Wine” - UB40
capo: 1st fret
UltimateGuitar: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/ub40/red-red-wine-chords-1469232
YouTube: (he uses different chords here but you can easily swap them out for the ones listed on the UltimateGuitar link above) https://youtu.be/p018WLJJuTQ?si=eaQOw2gWmGM4QTnl
“Dreams” - Fleetwood Mac
UltimateGuitar: (you can just use the regular F and G if you don’t want to do the other variations) https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/fleetwood-mac/dreams-chords-43918
E-Chords: https://www.e-chords.com/chords/fleetwood-mac/dreams
YouTube: https://youtu.be/L0j9pzC45pM?si=GexVGvCvVrw4fev6
“Sunday Morning” - Maroon 5
other chords included: Dm
UltimateGuitar: https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/maroon-5/sunday-morning-chords-991692
YouTube: https://youtu.be/si4NABgzBoU?si=nnXka8HcwKRQOcvn
Extra resources:
How to Read Guitar Chord Diagrams: https://www.libertyparkmusic.com/read-guitar-chord-diagrams/
How to Read A Guitar Chord Diagram for Beginners: https://youtu.be/SoVGWkC8Pr4?si=BD546OoN-Tdh6OHl
