2 Chord Guitar Songs: 20 Songs You Need To Know

Transitioning between numerous different chords is one of the most difficult things to learn when you first start playing guitar. Most songs have a variety of chords, which takes a lot of practice to get the fingers to move smoothly and rapidly between them. With so many chords, strumming patterns, and other things to master on the guitar.

It might feel like learning your favorite songs would take a lifetime. The music we know and love is frequently a reflection of the characteristics of our favorite performers. While some artists use a succession of intricate chords to express themselves, others use just two.

We’ve put up a nice collection of two-chord songs that are all extremely easy to learn to help you build and practice your chord changes and strumming abilities. This collection includes well-known songs from a variety of genres, all of which have three things in common, they’re easy to learn, identifiable, and playable by guitarists of all skill levels.

So now, let’s have a look at these 20 songs from all genres and time eras that all have two chords in common.

“Lady in Black” by Uriah Heep

One of Uriah Heep’s most well-known tracks is “lady in Black”. With its catchy voices, divisions, and simple arrangement, the song was a major hit when it was released in 1971.
With two simple chords, A minor and G major, the song is simple to play and sing along to.

The strumming pattern is practically the same throughout the songs, which is incredibly traditional and consistent. It’s a fantastic tune for total beginners since it’s really easy to play and entertaining to sing the melodic vocal divisions.

“Horse With No Name” by America

This list begins with America’s 1970s classic Horse With No Name, popular among beginning guitarists. The entire song is constructed on an E minor and a D6 chord. Don’t be intimidated by the D6 chord, you can play it with just two fingers on the E and G strings on the second fret.

You may also try the second fret on the G and E strings (avoid playing the low E and A strings while trying these fingerings.) That’s the full song for you, but what makes it particularly intriguing is its muted strumming, which adds a percussive dimension.

Personally, I recommend starting with only the chords and gradually introducing the muted after you’re comfortable with the transitions. This song’s strumming is a fantastic way to practice adding percussion to your rhythm.

“Feeling Alright” by Joe Cocker

The soul classic “Feeling Alright” from the 1960s is a wonderful song that became popular when Joe Cocker recorded his own version of it. It’s a thrill to perform the song, with its samba rhythms and funky soul vibe.

As a funk tune, the song has various unusual chords, such as F7 and C7 major chords. The finger locations might be a little challenging, so practice the changes slowly. The strumming pattern is simple, consisting of one bar of each chord.

If you’re having trouble with the finger locations, you may capo the third fret and play the song using A and D chords.

“Jambalaya” by Hank Williams

Jambalaya (On The Bayou) was recorded in 1952 and has produced innumerable covers across genres since then, making it Williams’ most covered song. This song is a feet-good, a joyous melody that swings from the first note to the last between the G and C chords.

Strum your way through this eight-bar progression, starting with 2 bars on G, 4 bars on C, and concluding with 2 bars on G. Although it may be difficult at first such minor changes may add a lot of zing to your rhythm playing. When you’re feeling depressed, strumming along to this tune can instantly lift your mood.

“I Only Want You” by EODM

Contrary to the band’s name, Eagles Of Death Metal’s “I Only Want You” is an alternately-indie type song. It’s a pleasant tune to play as a beginner, but with its complex intricates, it may be fantastic for expert players as well.

Alternately between A minor and C major chords to play the song. The strumming pattern is simple, with four strums at every bar. However, you may make it sound stronger by strumming 8 times on each bar, resulting in a more rhythmic, frenetic style of playing.

“Oye Como Va” by Santana

We’re talking about Sanatana, so bring on the Latin rock. Oye Como Va is a catchy melody featuring a characteristic Cuban ‘cha-cha-cha’ beat pattern with elements from other genres. The guitar genius has kept the background beat in classic Santana style, allowing his beautiful and atmospheric guitars to shine through.

While learning to play the track’s lead guitars may need some practice and talent, the background beat is fairly simple to master for beginners as well. All you need to know is how to play the Am7 and D7 chords.

The Am7 chord is just the A minor chord with the third-string open, whereas the D7 chord is the D major with the first fret held down instead of the third on the second string. Pay special attention to the strumming pattern because this isn’t your typical acoustic guitar strumming.

“When Love Comes To Town” by U2 & BB King

“When Love Comes To Town” is a bluesy song co-written by U2 with the great BB King. It’s a simple tune to play that introduces you to various blues skills. The song is performed on the guitar using two of the most basic chords, E and A major.

Throughout the song, the strumming pattern changes, with double strokes followed by mutes and on sometimes, simply strumming down and letting the instrument ring for a long period.

When listening to music, pay close attention to the rhythm guitar and attempt to imitate it as much as possible. It’s the ideal tune for putting on some overdrive and messing about with the recording. You’ll get the sensation of being a bluesy superstar.

“Tulsa Time” by Eric Clapton

Tulsa Time was originally performed by Don Williams, but Eric Clapton’s bouncy, blues rock version is the one that has gone popular. Tulsa Time is a basic blues-rock pattern brought to life using the chords G and D (feel free to use any key you choose). It’s similar in structure and even tone to Achy Breaky Heart which appears earlier on this list.

This song’s strumming includes a few different versions, so pick one that works best with the tune. As we previously stated, this pattern and chord structure is a rock and clues standard, so once you’ve learned it you’ll be able to play not only song but a slew of others that are only a Google search away.

After you’ve mastered the chord changes, two-chord compositions like this one are ideal for practicing your singing since the guitar muscle memory takes over and you can focus on hitting the proper notes with your voice. This is just another of my favorite two-chord guitar tunes.

“Achy Breaky Heart” by Billy Ray Cyrus

“Achy Breaky Heart” a famous song by Billy Ray Cyrus in the early 1990s, became a worldwide smash and almost everyone knows it. The country song is one of the simplest two-chord tunes to learn on the guitar, and it’s a wonderful tune to perform around campfires or at parties since almost everyone knows the lines.

This is a perfect place to start, especially if you like country music, and the song is so simple to learn that you’ll have it down in no time. It’s a straightforward transition between the C major and G major chords. Two of the most significant chords in a country, are folk, rock, and pop music.

Learning these two chords will allow you to perform a variety of songs in a variety of styles and genres.

“Heroin” by The Velvet Underground

The manner in which these chords are employed is what makes this song intriguing, despite the fact that it is constructed on only two chords. The timing shifts from the entrance to the verse, and it doesn’t end there.

The speed picks up in the middle of the verse to generate suspense before abruptly dropping down to where we were at the beginning. The down-strumming rhythm is maintained throughout the song.

The tune is made up of eight down-strokes of D and G major chords. Although the song is simple to play and sing, keeping time with the constantly changing groove might be challenging at first. Maintaining accents when strumming is critical while playing the song.

This may be accomplished by alternating the pressure of the strum to generate movement in your playing rather than keeping it constant from beginning to end.

“One World (Not Three)” by The Police

The Police’s “One World” like most of the band’s other songs, is a reggae-influenced rock tune. It’s an excellent piece for experimenting with odds strumming and simple chord changes. F and G major are two simple chords in the song.

If you’re having trouble with the barre chord, consider positioning the barre between the 1st and 3rd frets for a simpler variation. The reggae rhythm is created by an unusual strumming pattern that uses solely upstrokes. To get acclimated to the odd strumming begin by playing the song slowly.

When you feel more at ease, you may increase your speed. Playing these types of rhythms will let you experiment with a wide range of styles.

“Okie from Muskoge” by Merle Haggard

This is one of the most well-known songs from one of the genre’s most popular and successful songs, this song was so successful that it reached number one on the Hot Country Singles chart within three months of its debut, not an easy feat in 1969.

This piece offers some very basic guitar fingerpicking for beginners, in addition to having merely two easy chords. The entire song transitions between A and D chords. Furthermore, the song’s basic melody and storytelling method are excellent examples for anybody interested in composing their own songs.

“Tennessee Whiskey” by Chris Stapleton

Stapleton released what may be the ultimate rendition of David Allan Coe’s 1981 original in 2015, and if you’re a current country lover, you’ll know this song by heart Tennessee Whiskey even made it into the top quarter of the Billboard Hot 100, so you don’t even have to be a little bit country to enjoy it.

The opening bassline is a blast and a nice change of pace from the rest of the list of strum-heavy pieces, and if you’re not comfortable with barre chords, you can use a capo to play A as G and the Bm as Am.

“Eleanor Rigby” by The Beatles

The C and Em chord sequence is used in far too many songs, and Eleanor Rigby is one of them. You can play Paperback Writer by the same artist if you learn this song since the chords are the same. The song transitions between the C and E minor chords, which are two of the most common and versatile chords across all genres of guitar playing.

If you learn how to play music, you can create a mashup that combines the two tracks. A song’s ease of play does not imply that it is a good tune. The Beatles wrote some of the greatest songs of all time and this is one of their timeless masterpiece that you should learn to play as soon as possible.

“Solitude” by Black Sabbath

When you hear the name Black Sabbath, you immediately think of driving rhythms and power chords from start to finish, yet the English band that lay the groundwork for numerous types of metal took periodic detours from their irregular sound to give us tranquil ballads.

Solitude is one such tune, with a lovely melody highlighted by pan flutes that will make you do a second take the first time you hear it. However, tracks like this demonstrate Black Sabbath’s diversity.

To play this song all you need are the G minor and F major barre chords to perform it. You may strum through it or play it as arpeggios, but whichever style you choose the shift between F and G minor quickly generates a sorrowful vibe for this song.

“Unknown Legend” by Neil Young

Neil Young’s wonderful song “Unknown Legend” is a country-rock classic, the song which was released in 1992 is ideal for beginners to develop the right hand by mixing single picks and strumming. The song’s two primary chords are G and C major, which are two of the simple chords to transition between.

The strumming pattern has hand-picked transitions that novices may need to master. First, focus on mastering the beat then add the transitions afterward. Once you acquire the feel for it, it’s fun to play the tune. It features all the elements of a country tune, including the finger pickings and Niel Young’s signature, continuous strumming.

This tune is ideal for working on your right-hand technique.

“Stop Whispering” by Radiohead

“Stop whispering” is one of Radiohead’s lesser-known songs. It is lovely easy to play the melody with a sorrowful theme. The melody alternates between two easy chords, D and G major. Although the song may be played with basing strumming, the original versions add various arpeggios between chords.

Begin with strumming and progress to arpeggios as you gain confidence. The pieces are fantastic for practicing arpeggio fingerpicking and left-hand posture with chord changes.

“Boys Round Here” by Blake Shelton

One of the things I appreciate about this beginner’s country song is that there are only two chords, but they may be played in two different ways in separate portions of the song. Both A and D may be played in the traditional cowboy chord style, or you can experiment with the power chords or barre chords.

Boys Round Here, which was released in 2013, was an instant smash in the country music scene, and it’s simple to understand why. Shelton has a history of being a smart lyricist, and this song is no exception. The strumming pattern is incredibly easy for novices.

“Jane Says” by Jane’s Addiction

Jane’s Addiction’s late-eighties smash “Jane Says” is one of the most well-known songs in the world. It’s a wonderful place to start because of the simple guitar playing. The song is relatively easy to play and sing because of the straightforward transitions between A and G major chords and a simple strumming rhythm.

When playing 8th note strums, mutes can be used to provide a little more spice. The vocal parts are likewise simple to perform with representing lines that make the tune ideal for practicing both playing and singing at the same time.

“What I Got” by Sublime

You can’t help but groove when “When I Got” plays, whether you know how to dance like a human or not. This is a got-to car trip music since it’s so upbeat, contagious, and relaxed. The only chords that recur throughout “What I Got” are D major and G major.

These chords should be recognizable to guitar novices, as they are one of the first few chords we learn when we pick up the instrument

“Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke

Robin Thicke and Pharrell’s song Blurred Lines was released in 2014, which seems like a long time ago now. This is another simple two-chord song guitar piece that transitions from D to G. It’s simple to make the switch. The song’s time signature is 4/4, and every four counts, you’ll change chords.

Each chord will linger a little longer than the rest of the songs in the playlist. Because this song was quite famous when it was released some people would know it and sing along if you play it.

How do you write a 2 chord song?

What’s bizarre around a one-harmony melody is that it’s anything but a movement since the word movement suggests two things: 1) that there are a few harmonies that move one to the following, and 2) that there is a sort of melodic rationale to how those harmonies move.

With two-harmony melodies, you don’t as a rule need to stress significantly over which two you pick, as long as you can imagine their blend. So they could be anything:

• Dm-C (like the launch of “Someone That I Used to Know”)
• C-Bb
• Am-Em
• G-Am
• C-F

That rundown could be unending. It doesn’t actually make any difference which two harmonies you pick. Be that as it may, a two-harmony melody can fall flat. Also, the reasons it may bomb will probably have nothing to do with your selection of harmonies.

A two-harmony tune, similar to any tune, will tumble if:

• The cadenced feel of the tune neglects to captivate or in any case draw in audience members.
• The verse neglects to make an enthusiastic association.
• The tune neglects to ascend to the degree of being a fruitful accomplice for the verse.
  

Yet, the main thing to recollect around two-harmony tunes is that you can’t depend on the “venture” that a more extended movement gives. Its plan will guarantee that audience members move their consideration away from the harmony movement, thus tune and additionally verses normally need to venture forward.

At the end of the day, without an intriguing movement, you really want to ensure that something in your melody gives sufficient interest to keep crowds feeling that they’re hearing a decent tune.

An Easy Start

Chords are made of a set of frequencies that consists of multiple notes that are heard when combined. Guitars have chords as well and it is very essential to learn these chords when a person opts to learn to play the guitar.

What are the 2 easiest chords on guitar? The first one is the E Minor Chord. Upon beginning to learn, this chord is one of the must learn chords for basics. The second guitar chord that is easiest and a must to learn is the C Chord.

These chords are part of the beginner’s must learn chords because these are not only easy to learn but also these chords are mostly used in songs. Moreover, these chords are some of those chords that are widely used and mixed with other chords for they sound beautiful together.

Learning these chords, along with the other chords out there, you can definitely play a variety of songs.

Conclusion

Although two chord songs are simple to play, there are techniques to make them sound more interesting. To emphasize different passages, play with dynamics and modify the strumming rhythm. You may strum quietly on the verses and build up to a louder chorus for added dynamics.

There are a lot of things you can accomplish with only two chords. Enjoy playing these two-chord songs and you will soon be able to play additional songs with more chords.
This concludes our collection of two-chord songs to play on your guitar from various genres.

You’ll see the musicianship of the performers show through when you play these songs, whether you’re a novice or not. Truly, there’s a lot you can accomplish with only two-chord songs.

You’ll be tempted to use your whole collection of chords, scales, and modes to construct a sing as you proceed to produce original music, but keep coming back to this list to remind yourself that less may be more.

Among the twenty (20) two-chord songs, which one do you think you could play well using two chords? Should you have any songs you’d like to suggest, comment down below.