Recommended Guitar Songs (by Reddit users)

List of recommended guitar songs from 30+ Reddit posts requesting songs to learn.

Motivation

I have picked up guitar off and on for over a decade. I finally feel like I am improving, but I often feel demotivated when I am not sure what to play. It can be difficult to find songs that both are enjoyable to play and to listen to.

So I scoured some of the top Reddit posts on song recommendations and compiled this list.

Hopefully this help some intermediate players in a rut. Enough learning scales; I hope to be able to play through the full list some day.

Overview

This list was generated by manually copying song names from 30+ Reddit posts requesting songs to play. The songs can be found in the "recommended-guitar-songs" file. The list is sorted by frequency of recommendations. Sub-comments were not included. Usually only comments with more than one upvote was included. It wasn't an exact science. Some comments were skipped (namely some Wonderwall or Freebird comments that were obviously jokes).

Beginner to Intermediate

• 23: Wonderwall - Oasis
• 19: Knocking On Heaven's Door - Bob Dylan
• 14: Smoke On The Water - Deep Purple
• 13: House Of The Rising Sun - The Animals
• 12: Dust In The Wind - Kansas
• 12: Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana
• 10: Good Riddance - Green Day
• 9: Iron Man - Black Sabbath
• 9: Free Falling - Tom Petty
• 9: Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison
• 8: Sunshine Of Your Love - Cream
• 8: Wild Thing - The Troggs
• 8: Seven Nation Army - The White Stripes
• 7: Paranoid - Black Sabbath
• 7: Come As You Are - Nirvana
• 6: About A Girl - Nirvana
• 6: Horse With No Name - America
• 6: Hurt - Johnny Cash
• 6: Day Tripper - The Beatles
• 5: Three Little Birds - Bob Marley
• 5: Californication - Red Hot Chili Peppers
• 5: Glycerine - Bush
• 5: Hotel California - The Eagles
• 5: Polly - Nirvana
• 5: Crazy Train - Ozzy Osbourne
• 5: Tears In Heaven - Eric Clapton
• 5: Wagon Wheel - Old Crow Medicine Show
• 5: Back In Black - AC/DC
• 5: Creep - Radiohead
• 5: Wonderful Tonight - Eric Clapton
• 4: Where Is My Mind - The Pixies
• 4: Take It Easy - The Eagles
• 4: Island In The Sun - Weezer
• 4: Under The Bridge - Red Hot Chili Peppers
• 4: Nothing Else Matters - Metallica
• 4: Let It Be - The Beatles
• 4: Damn It - Blink 182
• 4: Is There Anybody Out There - Pink Floyd
• 3: Boulevard Of Broken Dreams - Green Day
• 3: Save Tonight - Eagle Eye Cherry
• 3: Fast Car - Tracy Chapman
• 3: Wherever You Will Go - The Calling
• 3: What I Got - Sublime
• 3: You Shook Me All Night Long - AC/DC
• 3: Redemption Song - Bob Marley
• 3: Breaking The Law - Judas Priest
• 3: Sweet Home Alabama - Lynyrd Skynyrd
• 3: Fortunate Son - Creedence Clearwater Revival
• 3: Yellow - Coldplay
• 3: Karma Police - Radiohead
• 3: Bad Moon Rising - Creedence Clearwater Revival
• 3: Patience - Guns 'N Roses
• 3: Enter Sandman - Metallica
• 3: Landslide - Fleetwood Mac
• 3: Money - Pink Floyd
• 3: Space Oddity - David Bowie
• 3: Nothing Else Matter - Metallica
• 3: Otherside - Red Hot Chili Peppers
• 3: The Joker - Steve Miller Band
• 3: Aeroplane Over The Sea - Neutral Milk Hotel
• 3: Don't Look Back In Anger - Oasis
• 3: Have You Ever Seen The Rain - Creedence Clearwater Revival
• 3: The Needle And The Damage Done - Neil Young
• 2: Should I Stay Or Should I Go - The Clash
• 2: Blitzkreig Bop - The Ramones
• 2: Closing Time - Semisonic
• 2: Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns N' Roses
• 2: Blowing In The Wind - Bob Dylan
• 2: All Of Me - John Legend
• 2: Crazy Little Thing Called Love - Queen
• 2: A Hard Day's Night - The Beatles
• 2: Where Did You Sleep Last Night - Nirvana
• 2: Jumper - Third Eye Blind
• 2: For What It's Worth - Buffalo Springfield
• 2: Like A Stone - Audioslave
• 2: Cherub Rock - The Smashing Pumpkins
• 2: We Are Gonna Be Friends - The White Stripes
• 2: Ring Of Fire - Johnny Cash
• 2: Just Breathe - Pearl Jam
• 2: Twist And Shout - The Beatles
• 2: Wanted Dead Or Alive - Bon Jovi
• 2: You Really Got Me - The Kinks
• 2: In Bloom - Nirvana
• 2: Aerials - System Of A Down
• 2: Mr. Jones - Counting Crows
• 2: More Beginner Songs
• 2: Lucky Man - The Verve
• 2: The Gambler - Kenny Rodgers
• 2: Jane Says - Jane's Addiction
• 2: Brain Stew - Green Day
• 2: Every Rose Has Its Thorn - Guns N' Roses
• 2: The Weight - The Band
• 2: TNT - AC/DC
• 2: American Pie - Don McLean
• 2: Time Of Your Life - Green Day
• 2: Ho Hey - The Lumineers
• 2: Put Your Lights On - Santana
• 2: Zombie - The Cranberries
• 2: Lithium - Nirvana
• 2: Wild World - Cat Stevens
• 2: Comfortably Numb - Pink Floyd
• 2: Stay With Me - Sam Smith
• 2: Leaving On A Jet Plane - John Denver
• 2: Basket Case - Green Day
• 2: Black - Pearl Jam
• 2: Hey There Delilah - Plain White T's
• 2: All The Small Things - Blink 182
• 2: Just Like Heaven - The Cure
• 2: Say It Ain't So - Weezer
• 2: I Will Follow You Into The Dark - Death Cab For Cutie
• 2: Little Talks - Of Monsters And Men
• 2: Blister In The Sun - The Violent Femmes
• 2: Wild Horses - The Rolling Stones
• 2: Civil War - Guns N' Roses
• 2: Killing In The Name - Rage Against The Machine
• 2: Times Like These - Foo Fighters
• 2: Thinking Out Loud - Ed Sheeran
• 2: Sweater Song - Weezer
• 2: Hey Hey, My My - Neil Young
• 2: Purple Haze - Jimi Hendrix
• 2: Song 2 - Blur
• 2: We're Not Gonna Take It - Twisted Sister
• 2: Zombie - Cranberries
• 2: Love Me Do - The Beatles
• 2: Rockin' In The Free World - Neil Young
• 2: Everybody Hurts - REM
• 2: Hey Joe - Jimi Hendrix
• 2: We're Going To Be Friends - The White Stripes
• 2: Paranoid Android - Radiohead
• 2: Lightning Crashes - Live
• 2: Folsom Prison Blues - Johnny Cash
• 2: Hotel Yorba - The White Stripes
• 2: Stand By Me - Ben E. King
• 2: House Of The Rising Sun - Traditional
• 2: Heart Of Gold - Neil Young
• 2: Whole Lotta Love - Led Zeppelin
• 2: You're Beautiful - James Blunt
• 2: That'll Be The Day - Buddy Holly
• 2: First Day Of My Life - Bright Eyes
• 2: I Walk The Line - Johnny Cash
• 2: Little Black Submarines - The Black Keys
• 2: Walk Of Life - Dire Straits
• 2: Jolene - Ray Lamontagne
• 2: Bron Yr Aur - Zeppelin
• 2: Down On The Corner - Creedence Clearwater Revival
• 2: More Than Words - Extreme
• 2: Songbird - Oasis
• 2: No Rain - Blind Melon

Intermediate to Advanced

• 20: Blackbird - The Beatles
• 17: Over The Hills And Far Away - Led Zeppelin
• 15: Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd
• 12: Comfortably Numb - Pink Floyd
• 11: Under The Bridge - Red Hot Chili Peppers
• 11: Layla - Eric Clapton
• 10: Everlong - Foo Fighters
• 10: Stairway To Heaven - Led Zeppelin
• 9: Master Of Puppets - Metallica
• 9: Babe I'm Gonna Leave You - Led Zeppelin
• 8: Lenny - Stevie Ray Vaughan
• 8: Tears In Heaven - Eric Clapton
• 8: Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns N' Roses
• 8: The Rain Song - Led Zeppelin
• 8: Nothing Else Matters - Metallica
• 7: Maggot Brain - Funkadelic
• 7: November Rain - Guns N' Roses
• 6: Hotel California - The Eagles
• 6: Free Bird - Lynyrd Skynyrd
• 6: I Will Follow You Into The Dark - Death Cab For Cutie
• 6: Paranoid Android - Radiohead
• 5: Pinball Wizard - The Who
• 5: Jessica - The Allman Brothers
• 5: Spirit Of The Radio - Rush
• 5: Hotel California - Eagles
• 5: Purple Haze - Jimi Hendrix
• 5: Bron-Yr-Aur - Led Zeppelin
• 5: Crazy Train - Ozzy Osborne
• 5: Landslide - Fleetwood Mac
• 5: Black Dog - Led Zeppelin
• 5: Hurt - Johnny Cash
• 5: Voodoo Child - Jimi Hendrix
• 4: The Wind Cries Mary - Jimi Hendrix
• 4: Californication - Red Hot Chili Peppers
• 4: Rain Song - Led Zeppelin
• 4: Yesterday - The Beatles
• 4: Night Moves - Bob Seger
• 4: For The Love Of God - Steve Vai
• 4: Yellow Ledbetter - Pearl Jam
• 4: Time In A Bottle - Jim Croce
• 4: Karma Police - Radiohead
• 4: Heartbreaker - Led Zeppelin
• 4: Ocean - John Butler Trio
• 4: The General - Dispatch
• 4: Say It Ain't So - Weezer
• 4: Crazy On You - Heart
• 4: Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry
• 4: Gravity - John Mayer
• 4: House Of The Rising Sun - The Animals
• 4: More Than A Feeling - Boston
• 4: Whole Lotta Love - Led Zeppelin
• 4: Redemption Song - Bob Marley
• 4: Stop This Train - John Mayer
• 4: Time - Pink Floyd
• 3: Wanted Dead Or Alive - Bon Jovi
• 3: Satch Boogie - Joe Satriani
• 3: Behind Blue Eyes - The Who
• 3: Cocaine - Eric Clapton
• 3: Life By The Drop - Stevie Ray Vaughan
• 3: Technical Difficulties - Paul Gilbert
• 3: Money For Nothing - Dire Straits
• 3: Margaritaville - Jimmy Buffett
• 3: While My Guitar Gently Weeps - The Beatles
• 3: Angeles - Elliott Smith
• 3: Eruption - Van Halen
• 3: War Pigs - Black Sabbath
• 3: Hot For Teacher - Van Halen
• 3: If I Could Fly - Joe Satriani
• 3: Fast Car - Tracy Chapman
• 3: Needle And The Damage Done - Neil Young
• 3: Since I've Been Loving You - Led Zeppelin
• 3: Never Going Back Again - Fleetwood Mac
• 3: Here Comes The Sun - The Beatles
• 3: Fuzz Universe - Paul Gilbert
• 3: Sweet Home Alabama - Lynyrd Skynyrd
• 3: Can't Stop - Red Hot Chili Peppers
• 3: Simple Man - Lynyrd Skynyrd
• 3: Santeria - Sublime
• 3: The Trooper - Iron Maiden
• 3: Rylynn - Andy McKee
• 3: Going To California - Led Zeppelin
• 3: Limelight - Rush
• 3: Drive - Incubus
• 3: Hey Joe - Roy Buchanan
• 3: Stash - Phish
• 3: Knights Of Cydonia - Muse
• 3: Always With Me, Always With You - Joe Satriani
• 3: Have You Ever Seen The Rain - Creedence Clearwater Revival
• 3: Wasted Years - Iron Maiden
• 3: Money - Pink Floyd
• 3: Foxy Lady - Jimi Hendrix
• 3: Kathy's Song - Simon & Garfunkel
• 3: Dear Prudence - The Beatles
• 3: Folsom Prison Blues - Johnny Cash
• 3: Wagon Wheel - Old Crow Medicine Show
• 3: Banana Pancakes - Jack Johnson
• 3: Carry On My Wayward Son - Kansas
• 3: Creep - Radiohead
• 3: Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen
• 3: More Than Words - Extreme
• 3: Swing Life Away - Rise Against
• 3: Wind Cries Mary - Jimi Hendrix
• 2: Castles Made Of Sand - Jimi Hendrix
• 2: Solsbury Hill - Peter Gabriel
• 2: Red House - Jimi Hendrix
• 2: The Ocean - Led Zeppelin
• 2: Yyz - Rush
• 2: Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley
• 2: Scar Tissue - Red Hot Chili Peppers
• 2: Texas Flood - Stevie Ray Vaughan
• 2: Take It Easy - The Eagles
• 2: Sympathy for the Devil - The Rolling Stones
• 2: Sympathy For The Devil - Rolling Stones
• 2: Mary Jane's Last Dance - Tom Petty
• 2: Crossroads - Cream
• 2: Pretty Woman - Roy Orbison
• 2: Wait Until Tomorrow - Jimi Hendrix
• 2: All Along The Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix
• 2: Ziggy Stardust - David Bowie
• 2: Woman - Wolfmother
• 2: Pull Me Under - Dream Theater
• 2: Achilles Last Stand - Led Zeppelin
• 2: Eye Of The Tiger - Survivor
• 2: Something Like Olivia - John Mayer
• 2: All Along The Watchtower - Bob Dylan
• 2: Sweet Home Chicago - Robert Johnson
• 2: Free Falling - Tom Petty
• 2: Little Martha - Allman Brothers
• 2: American Pie - Don McLean
• 2: Bad To The Bone - George Thorogood
• 2: Don't Fear The Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult
• 2: Fire And Rain - James Taylor
• 2: Time Of Your Life - Green Day
• 2: I'm Yours - Jason Mraz
• 2: One - Metallica
• 2: My Iron Lung - Radiohead
• 2: Midnight - Joe Satriani
• 2: Tornado Of Souls - Megadeth
• 2: Fortunate Son - Creedence Clearwater Revival
• 2: What I Got - Sublime
• 2: Wayfaring Stranger - Johnny Cash
• 2: Basket Case - Green Day
• 2: Spirit In The Sky - Norman Greenbaum
• 2: Scuttle Buttin - Stevie Ray Vaughan
• 2: Snow (Hey Oh) - Red Hot Chili Peppers
• 2: Patience - Guns 'N Roses
• 2: Razor - Foo Fighters
• 2: Plush - Stone Temple Pilots
• 2: Cavatina - John Williams
• 2: Black Hole Sun - Soundgarden
• 2: 1979 - Smashing Pumpkins
• 2: Mister Sandman - Chet Atkins
• 2: 2112 - Rush
• 2: Alive - Pearl Jam
• 2: Blister In The Sun - The Violent Femmes
• 2: Street Spirit - Radiohead
• 2: Tangerine - Led Zeppelin
• 2: Africa - Toto
• 2: Nutshell - Alice In Chains
• 2: Killing In The Name - Rage Against The Machine
• 2: Scarborough Fair - Paul Simon
• 2: Enter Sandman - Metallica
• 2: Operator - Jim Croce
• 2: Learn To Fly - Foo Fighters
• 2: Ten Years Gone - Led Zeppelin
• 2: These Days - Nico
• 2: From The Morning - Nick Drake
• 2: Across The Universe - The Beatles
• 2: Someone Like You - Adele
• 2: I Want You To Want Me - Cheap Trick
• 2: Ain't No Sunshine - Bill Withers
• 2: The Joker - Steve Miller Band
• 2: Thunderstruck - AC/DC
• 2: Cherub Rock - Smashing Pumpkins
• 2: Hey Joe - Jimi Hendrix
• 2: Dead Leaves And The Dirty Ground - White Stripes
• 2: Fell In Love With A Girl - White Stripes
• 2: Message In A Bottle - The Police
• 2: The Boxer - Simon & Garfunkel
• 2: Back In Black - AC/DC
• 2: Breaking The Girl - Red Hot Chili Peppers
• 2: Heart Of Gold - Neil Young
• 2: Day Tripper - The Beatles
• 2: Blackbird - Alter Bridge
• 2: Black Magic Woman - Santana
• 2: Another Brick in the Wall - Pink Floyd
• 2: May You Never - John Martyn
• 2: Naked As We Came - Iron & Wine
• 2: Take Me Out - Franz Ferdinand
• 2: Dee - Randy Rhoads
• 2: Blackwater Park - Opeth
• 2: Every Breath You Take - The Police
• 2: Badfish - Sublime
• 2: Walk This Way - Aerosmith
• 2: Crossroads - Robert Johnson

Advanced to Expert

• 14: Snow - Red Hot Chili Peppers
• 11: Technical Difficulties - Paul Gilbert
• 10: Neon - John Mayer
• 9: Little Wing - Stevie Ray Vaughan
• 8: Cliffs Of Dover - Eric Johnson
• 7: Waves - Guthrie Govan
• 7: Ocean - John Butler Trio
• 6: Scuttle Buttin - Stevie Ray Vaughan
• 5: Angelina - Tommy Emmanuel
• 4: La Villa Strangiato - Rush
• 4: Classical Gas - Mason Williams
• 4: Satch Boogie - Joe Satriani
• 4: Jerry's Breakdown - Chet Atkins
• 4: Deep River Blues - Doc Watson
• 4: Sultans Of Swing - Dire Straits
• 4: Scarified - Paul Gilbert
• 4: Aerial Boundaries - Michael Hedges
• 3: Can't Stop - Red Hot Chili Peppers
• 3: Lenny - Stevie Ray Vaughan
• 3: Anastasia - Slash
• 3: Ebon Coast - Andy McKee
• 3: Tornado of Souls - Megadeth
• 3: Fives - Guthrie Govan
• 3: Stop This Train - John Mayer
• 3: In The Name Of God - Dream Theater
• 3: Bloodmeat - Protest The Hero
• 3: Blackbird - Alter Bridge
• 3: Asturias - Stevie Ray Vaughan
• 3: Eruption - Van Halen
• 3: Mood For A Day - Steve Howe
• 3: Felicity - Sungha Jung
• 3: Impassion - Polyphia
• 3: Flaming - Sungha Jung
• 2: King Of The Monsters - Racer X
• 2: Tornado Of Souls - Megadeth
• 2: Soothsayer - Buckethead
• 2: Holy Wars - Megadeth
• 2: You Enjoy Myself - Phish
• 2: Mr. Sandman - Chet Atkins
• 2: Mist - Protest The Hero
• 2: For the Love of God - Steve Vai
• 2: Breathe - Chon
• 2: CAFO - Animals as Leaders
• 2: Altitudes - Jason Becker
• 2: Minor Swing - Django Reinhardt
• 2: Windy & Warm - Chet Atkins
• 2: Drifting - Andy McKee
• 2: Caprici Di Diablo - Yngwie Malmsteem
• 2: Money For Nothing - Dire Straits
• 2: Laid To Rest - Lamb Of God
• 2: Questions - Tommy Emmanuel
• 2: Air - Jason Becker
• 2: Angeles - Elliott Smith
• 2: Sweet Tea - Polyphia
• 2: A Change Of Seasons - Dream Theater
• 2: Glasgow Kiss - John Petrucci
• 2: Wonderful Slippery Thing - Guthrie Govan
• 2: Jitterboogie - Michael Hedges
• 2: Afterlife - Avenged Sevenfold
• 2: Flight of the Bumblebee - Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
• 2: For The Love Of God - Steve Vai
• 2: Stream Of Consciousness - Dream Theater
• 2: Black Star - Yngwie Malmsteen
• 2: Guitar Boogie - Tommy Emmanuel