Easy guitar songs are everywhere. Classic Rock records can teach us alot about guitar riffs, chords and solos. One of my favorite past times is to play a vinyl record and play along with some of the greatest guitar players on the planet. From the hard rocking jams of AC/DC to the women tone of Eric Clapton, Classic Rock will live in my heart forever and we as guitar players can learn from the guitar greats of the 70’s and 80’s. I still play these songs today and learn from the chord progressions each time I play them. These songs are a great place to start. Get Rockin’!
Highway To Hell by AC/DC
Written in 1979 and released on AC/DC’s album with the same name. Highway To Hell is one of the greatest rock songs ever recorded. The song is in the key of A and has a driving rock feel. Angus Young reflecting upon their recent tour as if they were on a “highway to hell”. This song is apart of our easy guitar songs list. I love Malcom Young’s description of this song:
“”There were hundreds of riffs going down every day, But this one, we thought, ‘That’s good.’ It just stuck out like a dog’s balls.”
Malcom Young
La Grange by ZZ Top
Released as a single in 1973, the song has a blues feel similar to “Boogie Chillen” by John Lee Hooker. The lyrics describe a brothel in La Grange, Texas. This song has a wonderful blues-rock feel. The opening riff is incredibly fun to play.
“The genesis and, of course, the heart of the song was that boogie backbeat, which everybody and their brother has learned how to play,”
Billy Gibbons
Learn La Grange with Marty Swartz
Simple Man by Lynyrd Skynyrd
One of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s most popular songs. This tune has some great picking parts for the guitar. The guitar solo is passionate and powerful. I have never tired of playing these simple chords on the guitar. The song was written by Ronnie Van Zant and Gary Rossinton. Each had lost a grandmother and a mother. The song was inspired from memories of these women and dealing with there grief and loss.
“Oh, take your time, don’t live too fast
Ronnie Van Zant
Troubles will come and they will pass
You’ll find a woman, yeah, and you’ll find love
And don’t forget, son, there is someone up above“
Whole Lotta Love by Led Zeppelin
Nobody rocks harder than Led Zeppelin. Powered by the Blues and hard rock, Led Zeppelin has created some of the most iconic guitar riffs in history. Whole Lotta love is a great Blues riff meshed with rock. The song was inspired by a Willie Dixon penned Muddy Waters song- “You Need Love”. Led Zeppelin’s second album is a must listen for any guitar freak.
Paranoid by Black Sabbath
Considered as one of the greatest metal albums of all time. Paranoid is one of Black Sabbath’s most iconic songs. The guitar riff is simple and driving. Played with double stops and single notes, the chord progression sounds like a freight train going off the tracks. The guitar creates a nervous energy over Ozzy’s vocals.
Learn Paranoid with Justin Guitar
Cocaine by Eric Clapton
Written by JJ Cale in 1976, Eric Clapton covered the song in 1977. The guitar riff is simple only using 2 chords (E and D). Clapton is known as one of the best Blues guitarists of our time. From Cream to Derek & The Dominoes, Clapton has crafted some of the best guitar solos known in the music industry.
“The blues are what I’ve turned to, what has given me inspiration and relief in all the trials of my life.”
Eric Clapton
Easy guitar songs are all around us. Classic Rock has a wonderful collection of songs to quickly learn on the guitar. There is nothing better than buying an old vinyl record to play with.
Justin Comstock
Host of the Guitar Freaks Podcast
Justin is a Blues guitarist from Utah. He created a guitar learning tool called the FretDeck on Kickstarter that has helped many guitar players master the fretboard. He is also the host of the Guitar Freaks Podcast.
Download his free tools for learning guitar.
