If you want to put your guitar to good use, then try out some of the easiest classic rock songs to play on guitar.
The term “classic rock” is more complicated than you would think. See, people tend to disagree on which songs, albums, and bands should be considered classic rock. For example, even if an artist isn’t considered to be “classic rock” material, one of their songs could be. Same goes with albums. The term “classic rock” originated in the ’80s where it was a radio format that featured hard rock songs from the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Nowadays, you can hear some songs from the ’90s (especially grunge) on the classic rock radio stations. I’m just waiting for Green Day to be crammed in there. It is safe to say, that nobody exactly knows the definitive conditions required for a song to be considered classic rock. But, definitely, anything from the late ’90s onward should be called that.
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Like everyone else who is passionate about rock music, I also have my own understanding of classic rock. For me, those are rock songs and albums from the late 60’s, the ’70s and early ’80s that amaze you every time you hear them. And not just you, but millions of people worldwide. You shouldn’t consider a song to be classic rock only because you like it personally. Popularity is crucial here. Here is an example. You are in a bar, and a rock song comes on the radio. If people are raising their glasses, cheering and singing along, then that right there is a classic rock song. No, cheering and singing along in Starbucks to the tunes of 3 Doors Down doesn’t count. The time period is very important here. Nirvana is one of my all – time favorite bands, but I still think they don’t fit in the classic rock term. When I hear Smells like Teen Spirit, it just doesn’t feel that long ago. On the other hand, when I hear AC/DC’s Highway to Hell, it immediately rings those bells. Speaking of the band, you may want to check out our list of 6 easiest AC/DC songs to play on guitar.
So, because my opinion of what should and shouldn’t be classic rock may not sit well with others, I’ve decided to take a different approach in making this list of easiest classic rock songs to play on guitar. I browsed through the Ultimate Classic Rock’s list of top 100 classic rock songs (they should know) singled out the tunes that are easy to play, use simple chords and could sit well with both the beginners and more experienced guitar players, based on my personal experience. So, yes this list is somewhat subjective, but I really tried to remember all those songs I could practice when I first started playing guitar. I tried to include a variety of songs so, you’ll find something for acoustic and electric guitar, as well as slower and high tempo songs. If you have some better suggestions, leave them in your comments, and we may even create another list of easiest classic rock songs to play on guitar. Now, without further ado, let’s start playing!
