Playing pop songs on guitar is easier than it sounds, and these 162 hits prove it. Whether you love Motown classics, reggae grooves or modern acoustic hits, every one uses the same five open chords. Plus, almost every song comes with a capo spot, so you can play along with the original record.
About These 162 Pop Songs on Guitar
Every song in this list can be played with the same five easy open chords: G, C, D, Em and Am. No barre chords, no F, no Bm. Just five shapes most beginners learn in their first few weeks.
The list covers pop and singer-songwriter hits, acoustic pop, classic soul and Motown, and reggae, from Sam Cooke, The Supremes and Bob Marley to Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift and Lewis Capaldi. Most songs use just three or four chords, and some use only one or two.
These are simplified “easy guitar” versions. They follow each song’s real chord changes, so they sound right, but they leave out the fancy licks and extra notes. For most songs we also show where to put a capo so you can play along with the original recording.
Why the Same Chords Keep Showing Up in Pop
Ever notice how many pop hits sound related? That’s no accident. In fact, our guide to 794 popular guitar songs you can play with 5 easy chords explains why in plain language. First, it shows how a key’s major scale builds a family of chords and why musicians number them. It also explains the famous four-chord sound and how a capo moves any progression into any key.
The POP Song List
Scroll inside the table to see all 162 songs. On a phone, swipe sideways to see every column.
| SONG | ARTIST | CHORDS | PROGRESSION | EASY CHORDS | EASY KEY | ACTUAL KEY | CAPO FRET |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 007 (Shanty Town) | Desmond Dekker | 3 | 1 – 4 – 5 | G – C – D | G | Ab | 1 |
| 1234 | Feist | 4 | 1 – 6m – 4 – 5 | G – Em – C – D | G | D | 7 |
| 22 | Taylor Swift | 4 | 1 – 5 – 4 – 6m | G – D – C – Em | G | G | 0 |
| 54-46 That’s My Number | Toots & The Maytals | 3 | 1 – 4 – 5 | G – C – D | G | G | 0 |
| ABC | The Jackson 5 | 4 | 1 – 2m – 4 – 5 | G – Am – C – D | G | Ab | 1 |
| Africa Unite | Bob Marley & The Wailers | 4 | 1 – 5 – 6m – 4 | G – D – Em – C | G | G | 0 |
| All I Want | Kodaline | 4 | 1 – 4 – 5 – 6m | G – C – D – Em | G | C | 5 |
| All of Me | John Legend | 5 | 6m – 4 – 1 – 5 – 2m | Em – C – G – D – Am | G | Ab | 1 |
| All of the Stars | Ed Sheeran | 4 | 4 – 1 – 6m – 5 | C – G – Em – D | G | B | 4 |
| Angel | Shaggy feat. Rayvon | 3 | 1 – 4 – 5 | G – C – D | G | F# | 11 |
| Anti-Hero | Taylor Swift | 4 | 4 – 1 – 5 – 6m | C – G – D – Em | G | E | 9 |
| Apologize | OneRepublic | 4 | 1m – b6 – b3 – b7 | Em – C – G – D | Em | Cm | 8 |
| As It Was | Harry Styles | 4 | 4 – 2m – 5 – 1 | C – Am – D – G | G | A | 2 |
| Baby | Justin Bieber | 4 | 1 – 6m – 4 – 5 | G – Em – C – D | G | Eb | 8 |
| Baby Love | The Supremes | 5 | 1 – 6m – 2m – 4 – 5 | G – Em – Am – C – D | G | C | 5 |
| Bad Boys | Inner Circle | 2 | 1m – b3 | Am – C | Am | Am | 0 |
| Bad Habits | Ed Sheeran | 5 | 1m – b3 – b6 – b7 – 4m | Em – G – C – D – Am | Em | Bm | 7 |
| Bam Bam | Sister Nancy | 2 | 1 – b7 | D – C | D | C | 10 |
| Before You Go | Lewis Capaldi | 4 | 1 – 6m – 4 – 5 | G – Em – C – D | G | Eb | 8 |
| Better Days | OneRepublic | 3 | 6m – 4 – 1 | Em – C – G | G | F | 10 |
| Blank Space | Taylor Swift | 5 | 1 – 6m – 4 – 5 – 2m | G – Em – C – D – Am | G | F | 10 |
| Brave | Sara Bareilles | 4 | 1 – 6m – 4 – 5 | G – Em – C – D | G | Bb | 3 |
| Breakeven | The Script | 5 | 6m – 5 – 1 – 2m – 4 | Em – D – G – Am – C | G | Bb | 3 |
| Brick House | Commodores | 5 | 1m – 4 – b3 – b7 – 5m | Am – D – C – G – Em | Am | Am | 0 |
| Bring It On Home to Me | Sam Cooke | 3 | 1 – 5 – 4 | G – D – C | G | C | 5 |
| Bubble Toes | Jack Johnson | 3 | 1 – 4 – 5 | G – C – D | G | G | 0 |
| Budapest | George Ezra | 3 | 1 – 4 – 5 | G – C – D | G | F | 10 |
| Caress Me Down | Sublime | 3 | 1 – 4 – 5 | G – C – D | G | A | 2 |
| Castle on the Hill | Ed Sheeran | 4 | 1 – 4 – 6m – 5 | G – C – Em – D | G | D | 7 |
| Chain Gang | Sam Cooke | 4 | 1 – 6m – 4 – 5 | G – Em – C – D | G | G | 0 |
| Chain of Fools | Aretha Franklin | 1 | 1m | Am | Am | Cm | 3 |
| Chapel of Love | The Dixie Cups | 3 | 1 – 2m – 5 | G – Am – D | G | D | 7 |
| Chasing Cars | Snow Patrol | 3 | 1 – 5 – 4 | G – D – C | G | A | 2 |
| Cheap Thrills | Sia | 4 | 1m – b6 – b3 – b7 | Em – C – G – D | Em | F#m | 2 |
| Cheerleader | OMI | 3 | 1 – 4 – 5 | G – C – D | G | E | 9 |
| Cherry Oh Baby | UB40 | 3 | 1 – 4 – 5 | G – C – D | G | G | 0 |
| Closer | The Chainsmokers feat. Halsey | 3 | b6 – b7 – 1m | C – D – Em | Em | Fm | 1 |
| Cold Sweat | James Brown | 2 | 1 – 4 | D – G | D | D | 0 |
| Collide | Howie Day | 4 | 1 – 5 – 6m – 4 | G – D – Em – C | G | B | 4 |
| Cool Jerk | The Capitols | 3 | 1 – 4 – 5 | G – C – D | G | Eb | 8 |
| Counting Stars | OneRepublic | 5 | 1m – b3 – b7 – b6 – 4m | Em – G – D – C – Am | Em | C#m | 9 |
| Cupid | Sam Cooke | 4 | 1 – 6m – 4 – 5 | G – Em – C – D | G | G | 0 |
| Da Doo Ron Ron | The Crystals | 3 | 1 – 4 – 5 | G – C – D | G | Eb | 8 |
| Demons | Imagine Dragons | 4 | 1 – 5 – 6m – 4 | G – D – Em – C | G | Eb | 8 |
| Diamonds | Rihanna | 3 | b6 – 1m – b7 | C – Em – D | Em | Bm | 7 |
| Don’t Worry Be Happy | Bobby McFerrin | 3 | 1 – 2m – 4 | G – Am – C | G | B | 4 |
| Eleanor Rigby | The Beatles | 2 | 1m – b6 | Em – C | Em | Em | 0 |
| Equal Rights | Peter Tosh | 4 | 1 – 2m – 4 – 5 | G – Am – C – D | G | G | 0 |
| Everyday Is a Winding Road | Sheryl Crow | 3 | 1 – 4 – 5m | D – G – Am | D | Db | 11 |
| Exodus | Bob Marley & The Wailers | 4 | 1m – b7 – b3 – 4m | Em – D – G – Am | Em | Am | 5 |
| Fight Song | Rachel Platten | 4 | 1 – 6m – 4 – 5 | G – Em – C – D | G | G | 0 |
| Firework | Katy Perry | 5 | 1 – 2m – 6m – 4 – 5 | G – Am – Em – C – D | G | Ab | 1 |
| Ganja Smuggling | Eek-A-Mouse | 2 | 1m – b7 | Am – G | Am | Cm | 3 |
| Get Up, Stand Up | Bob Marley & The Wailers | 1 | 1m | Am | Am | Cm | 3 |
| Girls Like You | Maroon 5 feat. Cardi B | 4 | 1 – 5 – 6m – 4 | G – D – Em – C | G | C | 5 |
| Good Life | OneRepublic | 4 | 1 – 4 – 6m – 5 | G – C – Em – D | G | F# | 11 |
| Hall of Fame | The Script feat. will.i.am | 4 | 1m – b6 – b3 – b7 | Em – C – G – D | Em | Gm | 3 |
| Halo | Beyoncé | 4 | 1 – 2m – 6m – 4 | G – Am – Em – C | G | A | 2 |
| Happier | Ed Sheeran | 3 | 6m – 4 – 1 | Em – C – G | G | C | 5 |
| Heart of Gold | Neil Young | 4 | 1m – b6 – b7 – b3 | Em – C – D – G | Em | Em | 0 |
| Here Comes the Hotstepper | Ini Kamoze | 3 | 1m – b7 – b6 | Em – D – C | Em | Bm | 7 |
| Hey Brother | Avicii | 4 | 1m – b6 – b3 – b7 | Em – C – G – D | Em | Gm | 3 |
| Hey Jealousy | Gin Blossoms | 4 | b6 – b7 – 1m – b3 | C – D – Em – G | Em | F#m | 2 |
| Hold Back the River | James Bay | 5 | 6m – 1 – 4 – 5 – 2m | Em – G – C – D – Am | G | F | 10 |
| Hold Me Tight | Johnny Nash | 4 | 2m – 5 – 1 – 4 | Am – D – G – C | G | Bb | 3 |
| How to Save a Life | The Fray | 4 | 1 – 5 – 6m – 4 | G – D – Em – C | G | Bb | 3 |
| I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch) | Four Tops | 4 | 1 – 5 – 2m – 4 | G – D – Am – C | G | C | 5 |
| I Got You (I Feel Good) | James Brown | 3 | 1 – 4 – 5 | G – C – D | G | D | 7 |
| I Gotta Feeling | The Black Eyed Peas | 3 | 1 – 4 – 6m | G – C – Em | G | G | 0 |
| I Lived | OneRepublic | 3 | 1 – 6m – 4 | G – Em – C | G | A | 2 |
| I Want You Back | The Jackson 5 | 5 | 1 – 4 – 6m – 5 – 2m | G – C – Em – D – Am | G | Ab | 1 |
| I’d Rather Go Blind | Etta James | 4 | 1 – 2m – 6m – 5 | G – Am – Em – D | G | A | 2 |
| I’ll Take You There | The Staple Singers | 2 | 1 – 4 | G – C | G | C | 5 |
| I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) | The Proclaimers | 4 | 1 – 4 – 5 – 6m | G – C – D – Em | G | E | 9 |
| It Wasn’t Me | Shaggy feat. RikRok | 3 | 1 – b7 – 4 | D – C – G | D | C | 10 |
| It’s the Same Old Song | Four Tops | 5 | 1 – 2m – 4 – 5 – 6m | G – Am – C – D – Em | G | C | 5 |
| It’s Time | Imagine Dragons | 4 | 1 – 6m – 4 – 5 | G – Em – C – D | G | D | 7 |
| Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me) | The Temptations | 3 | 1 – 2m – 5 | G – Am – D | G | C | 5 |
| Just the Way You Are | Bruno Mars | 3 | 1 – 6m – 4 | G – Em – C | G | F | 10 |
| Kiss Me | Ed Sheeran | 4 | 1 – 5 – 6m – 4 | G – D – Em – C | G | D | 7 |
| Legalize It | Peter Tosh | 2 | 1 – b7 | D – C | D | G | 5 |
| Lego House | Ed Sheeran | 4 | 1 – 5 – 6m – 4 | G – D – Em – C | G | B | 4 |
| Let It Go | James Bay | 5 | 1 – 4 – 6m – 5 – 2m | G – C – Em – D – Am | G | Db | 6 |
| Love Me Do | The Beatles | 3 | 1 – 4 – 5 | G – C – D | G | G | 0 |
| Love Yourself | Justin Bieber | 5 | 1 – 5 – 6m – 2m – 4 | G – D – Em – Am – C | G | E | 9 |
| MMMBop | Hanson | 3 | 1 – 5 – 4 | G – D – C | G | A | 2 |
| Monkey Man | Toots & The Maytals | 3 | 1 – 4 – 5 | G – C – D | G | Bb | 3 |
| Mr. Loverman | Shabba Ranks | 3 | 1m – 4m – b7 | Em – Am – D | Em | Am | 5 |
| Mustang Sally | Wilson Pickett | 3 | 1 – 4 – 5 | G – C – D | G | C | 5 |
| New Rules | Dua Lipa | 4 | 1m – b7 – b6 – 4m | Em – D – C – Am | Em | Am | 5 |
| Night Nurse | Gregory Isaacs | 2 | 1m – b7 | Am – G | Am | Am | 0 |
| No Woman, No Cry | Bob Marley & The Wailers | 4 | 1 – 5 – 6m – 4 | G – D – Em – C | G | C | 5 |
| Oh Carolina | Shaggy | 3 | 1 – 5 – 6m | C – G – Am | C | F | 5 |
| On Top of the World | Imagine Dragons | 4 | 1 – 4 – 5 – 2m | G – C – D – Am | G | C | 5 |
| One Love / People Get Ready | Bob Marley & The Wailers | 4 | 1 – 5 – 4 – 6m | G – D – C – Em | G | Bb | 3 |
| Over My Head (Cable Car) | The Fray | 5 | 1 – 3m – 5 – 6m – 2 | C – Em – G – Am – D | C | Ab | 8 |
| Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone | The Temptations | 2 | 1m – 4m | Em – Am | Em | Bbm | 6 |
| Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag | James Brown | 3 | 1 – 4 – 5 | G – C – D | G | E | 9 |
| Pass the Dutchie | Musical Youth | 2 | 1 – 2m | G – Am | G | C | 5 |
| Perfect | Ed Sheeran | 4 | 1 – 6m – 4 – 5 | G – Em – C – D | G | Ab | 1 |
| Photograph | Ed Sheeran | 4 | 1 – 6m – 5 – 4 | G – Em – D – C | G | E | 9 |
| Please Mr. Postman | The Marvelettes | 4 | 1 – 6m – 4 – 5 | G – Em – C – D | G | D | 7 |
| Poker Face | Lady Gaga | 4 | 1m – b6 – b7 – b3 | Em – C – D – G | Em | G#m | 4 |
| Police and Thieves | Junior Murvin | 4 | 1 – 2m – 5 – 4 | G – Am – D – C | G | G | 0 |
| Pressure Drop | Toots & The Maytals | 3 | 1 – 5 – 4 | G – D – C | G | Ab | 1 |
| Punky Reggae Party | Bob Marley & The Wailers | 3 | 1m – 4m – b3 | Em – Am – G | Em | Bm | 7 |
| Radioactive | Imagine Dragons | 4 | 1m – b3 – b7 – 4 | Am – C – G – D | Am | Bm | 2 |
| Realize | Colbie Caillat | 4 | 1 – 5 – 4 – 6m | G – D – C – Em | G | Db | 6 |
| Red Red Wine | UB40 | 3 | 1 – 4 – 5 | G – C – D | G | Db | 6 |
| Redemption Song | Bob Marley & The Wailers | 5 | 1 – 6m – 4 – 2m – 5 | G – Em – C – Am – D | G | G | 0 |
| Reggae Got Soul | Toots & The Maytals | 2 | 1 – 4 | G – C | G | VARIOUS | VARIOUS |
| Rescue Me | Fontella Bass | 4 | 1 – 4 – b7 – 5m | D – G – C – Am | D | A | 7 |
| Ring the Alarm | Tenor Saw | 2 | 1 – b7 | D – C | D | Db | 11 |
| Rivers of Babylon | The Melodians | 4 | 1 – 5 – 4 – 6m | G – D – C – Em | G | G | 0 |
| Roar | Katy Perry | 5 | 1 – 2m – 6m – 4 – 5 | G – Am – Em – C – D | G | Bb | 3 |
| Royals | Lorde | 3 | 1 – b7 – 4 | D – C – G | D | D | 0 |
| Rude | MAGIC! | 4 | 4 – 5 – 1 – 6m | C – D – G – Em | G | Db | 6 |
| Save the Last Dance for Me | The Drifters | 3 | 1 – 5 – 4 | G – D – C | G | E | 9 |
| Save Tonight | Eagle-Eye Cherry | 4 | 1m – b6 – b3 – b7 | Em – C – G – D | Em | Am | 5 |
| Say You Won’t Let Go | James Arthur | 4 | 1 – 5 – 6m – 4 | G – D – Em – C | G | Bb | 3 |
| See You Again | Wiz Khalifa feat. Charlie Puth | 3 | 6m – 1 – 4 | Em – G – C | G | Bb | 3 |
| Shake It Off | Taylor Swift | 3 | 2m – 4 – 1 | Am – C – G | G | G | 0 |
| She Will Be Loved | Maroon 5 | 4 | 1m – b7 – b3 – b6 | Em – D – G – C | Em | Cm | 8 |
| Shivers | Ed Sheeran | 4 | 1m – b6 – b3 – b7 | Em – C – G – D | Em | Bm | 7 |
| Shotgun | George Ezra | 4 | 1 – 4 – 6m – 5 | G – C – Em – D | G | F | 10 |
| Shut Up and Dance | Walk the Moon | 4 | 1 – 4 – 5 – 6m | G – C – D – Em | G | Db | 6 |
| Sitting in Limbo | Jimmy Cliff | 4 | 1 – 4 – 5 – 6m | G – C – D – Em | G | D | 7 |
| Somebody That I Used to Know | Gotye feat. Kimbra | 3 | 1m – b7 – b6 | Em – D – C | Em | Dm | 10 |
| Someone You Loved | Lewis Capaldi | 5 | 1 – 5 – 6m – 4 – 2m | G – D – Em – C – Am | G | Db | 6 |
| Something Just Like This | The Chainsmokers & Coldplay | 3 | b6 – b7 – 1m | C – D – Em | Em | Bm | 7 |
| Sorry | Justin Bieber | 4 | b6 – 1m – b7 – 4m | C – Em – D – Am | Em | Cm | 8 |
| Soul Rebel | Bob Marley & The Wailers | 4 | 1m – b7 – b3 – 4 | Am – G – C – D | Am | C#m | 4 |
| Stand by Me | Ben E. King | 4 | 1 – 6m – 4 – 5 | G – Em – C – D | G | A | 2 |
| Stay With Me | Sam Smith | 4 | 6m – 4 – 1 – 5 | Em – C – G – D | G | C | 5 |
| Stir It Up | Bob Marley & The Wailers | 3 | 1 – 4 – 5 | G – C – D | G | A | 2 |
| Stitches | Shawn Mendes | 4 | 6m – 5 – 1 – 4 | Em – D – G – C | G | Db | 6 |
| Style | Taylor Swift | 5 | 6m – 4 – 2m – 5 – 1 | Em – C – Am – D – G | G | D | 7 |
| Sun Is Shining | Bob Marley & The Wailers | 2 | 1m – 4m | Em – Am | Em | Ebm | 11 |
| Sweat (A La La La La Long) | Inner Circle | 4 | 1 – 6m – 2m – 5 | G – Em – Am – D | G | C | 5 |
| Sweet and Dandy | Toots & The Maytals | 3 | 1 – 4 – 5 | G – C – D | G | VARIOUS | VARIOUS |
| Sweet Soul Music | Arthur Conley | 4 | 1 – 4 – 6m – 5 | G – C – Em – D | G | C | 5 |
| The A Team | Ed Sheeran | 5 | 1 – 6m – 4 – 5 – 2m | G – Em – C – D – Am | G | A | 2 |
| The Man Who Can’t Be Moved | The Script | 5 | 1 – 5 – 2m – 4 – 6m | G – D – Am – C – Em | G | Bb | 3 |
| The Scientist | Coldplay | 4 | 6m – 4 – 1 – 5 | Em – C – G – D | G | F | 10 |
| The Tide Is High | The Paragons | 3 | 1 – 4 – 5 | G – C – D | G | VARIOUS | VARIOUS |
| The Tracks of My Tears | Smokey Robinson & The Miracles | 4 | 1 – 4 – 5 – 6m | G – C – D – Em | G | G | 0 |
| Thinking Out Loud | Ed Sheeran | 5 | 1 – 4 – 5 – 2m – 6m | G – C – D – Am – Em | G | D | 7 |
| Three Little Birds | Bob Marley & The Wailers | 3 | 1 – 4 – 5 | G – C – D | G | A | 2 |
| Treat You Better | Shawn Mendes | 4 | 1m – b7 – b6 – b3 | Em – D – C – G | Em | Bbm | 6 |
| Twistin’ the Night Away | Sam Cooke | 4 | 1 – 6m – 4 – 5 | G – Em – C – D | G | A | 2 |
| Under the Boardwalk | The Drifters | 4 | 1 – 5 – 4 – 6m | G – D – C – Em | G | G | 0 |
| Uptight (Everything’s Alright) | Stevie Wonder | 2 | 1 – b7 | D – C | D | Db | 11 |
| Uptown Funk | Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars | 3 | 1m – 4 – b3 | Am – D – C | Am | Dm | 5 |
| Viva la Vida | Coldplay | 4 | 4 – 5 – 1 – 6m | C – D – G – Em | G | Ab | 1 |
| Wake Me Up | Avicii | 4 | 1m – b6 – b3 – b7 | Em – C – G – D | Em | Bm | 7 |
| Watermelon Sugar | Harry Styles | 4 | 1m – 5m – b7 – 4 | Am – Em – G – D | Am | Dm | 5 |
| We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together | Taylor Swift | 4 | 4 – 1 – 5 – 6m | C – G – D – Em | G | G | 0 |
| What I Got | Sublime | 2 | 1 – 4 | D – G | D | D | 0 |
| Where Did Our Love Go | The Supremes | 4 | 1 – 5 – 2m – 4 | G – D – Am – C | G | C | 5 |
| You Belong With Me | Taylor Swift | 4 | 1 – 5 – 2m – 4 | G – D – Am – C | G | F# | 11 |
| You Found Me | The Fray | 4 | 4 – 5 – 6m – 1 | C – D – Em – G | G | B | 4 |
| (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher | Jackie Wilson | 3 | 1 – 4 – 2m | D – G – Em | D | D | 0 |
What Each Column Means
SONG and ARTIST: The song and the recording we matched. The key and capo match this artist’s studio version.
CHORDS: How many different chords the song uses.
PROGRESSION: The song’s chords written as numbers. “1” is the home chord, the one the song keeps coming back to. “4” and “5” are the other two main chords. “m” means minor. A “b” (flat) number, like b7 or b3, is a chord borrowed from outside the usual set; pop and reggae songs use them a lot. You don’t need the numbers to play the songs, but they show you the pattern. Songs with the same numbers share the same chord pattern.
EASY CHORDS: The chords you actually play.
EASY KEY: The key those easy chords are in.
ACTUAL KEY: The key of the original recording (“m” means a minor key).
CAPO FRET: Where to put your capo so the easy chords match the original recording.
- 0 means no capo. Just play.
- High numbers (8 and up) work, but the frets get cramped. It’s fine to skip the capo and play in the easy key instead. You won’t match the record, but the song will sound right.
- VARIOUS means we couldn’t pin down the key of the original recording. Play it in the easy key, or find the capo spot by ear (see the tip below).
Getting Started With Pop Songs on Guitar
1: Learn the five chords: G, C, D, Em and Am.
2: Learn the patterns that cover most of this list:
- 1 – 4 – 5 (G – C – D): the three-chord foundation. Try Three Little Birds, Love Me Do or Mustang Sally.
- The “four-chord” pop sound: G, C, D and Em in different orders. 1 – 5 – 6m – 4 (G – D – Em – C) is How to Save a Life and No Woman, No Cry. 1 – 6m – 4 – 5 (G – Em – C – D) is Stand by Me and Perfect.
- 1m – b6 – b3 – b7 (Em – C – G – D): the moody minor sound of Apologize, Save Tonight and Hey Brother.
- Two-chord grooves: many reggae and soul songs ride on just two chords, like Night Nurse (Am – G), Pass the Dutchie (G – Am) and Cold Sweat (D – G). So they make great first songs.
3: Put on the record. Put your capo on the fret shown and strum along with the original recording.
4: Find the groove. For reggae, play short, choppy strums on the off-beats (“one AND two AND”, strumming only on the “and”). Then let go of the chord right after each strum so it sounds clipped. Meanwhile, for soul and funk, try short, punchy chord stabs. Finally, for acoustic pop, a steady down, down-up, up-down-up strum works for most songs.
Quick Tips for Playing Along
- To find a capo spot by ear, strum the song’s first chord along with the recording. Then slide your capo up one fret at a time until it matches.
- Also, a few songs, like Chain of Fools and Get Up, Stand Up, stay on one chord the whole way. The groove is the song, so focus on the rhythm.
What Makes a Song Qualify
Five easy chords. Every song can be played with G, C, D, Em and Am at a single capo position. We tested each song at every capo position and with every combination of the five shapes. If it still needed another chord, it didn’t make the list.
Simplified, not changed. We strip out the decorations, such as 7ths, sus and add chords, and skip passing chords that go by in less than a beat. But we never swap a chord for a different one just to make a song fit. Many soul and Motown songs use extra chords, and many pop songs use a chord outside the five in the chorus or bridge. If a song truly needs a chord outside the five, we left it out. That’s why some favorites, like My Girl, Lean on Me and Respect, aren’t here.
How We Matched Every Record
The capo matches the record. Capo positions are set to the actual pitch of the original recording, not just the chord names on a chart. That’s why some capo spots look different from what you’d expect from the chord names alone.
Checked against sources. We checked each song’s key and chords against published sheet music, chord references and other sources. If you hear something different, trust your ears, and please let us know.
One entry per song. Each song appears once, and the key and capo match the version listed.
Where to Go After These Pop Songs
Once a few of these pop songs on guitar feel easy, branch out. Country and pop share a lot of the same chords, so the country list is a natural next step. If singer-songwriter material is your thing, our guide to learning singer-songwriter songs goes deeper on strumming and feel.
Thousands of song lessons available on TrueFire!Start →
Continue Learning
Explore the rest of this series:
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- Play 164 Classic Blues Songs With Just 5 Easy Chords
- Play 144 Country Songs on Guitar With Just 5 Easy Chords
- Play 136 Traditional Songs on Guitar With Just 5 Easy Chords
About the Education Team
Four music-industry veterans with decades of combined experience in music education, curation, and production at TrueFire and ArtistWorks. The TrueFire Studios Education Team plans and edits this content and works with our master-musician faculty to keep it accurate and genuinely useful.