Bored of practicing chords on guitar? Fret not! (Pun intended. Wink wink.) It's time to play some power chord songs. These songs are easy to learn, and you will feel like Jimi Hendrix in no time. Before I tell you about the 10 easy power chord songs on guitar, let's take a look at what are power chords in the first place.
What are Power Chords? A power chord is a type of chord that is made with only two notes–the root note and the fifth note. A regular chord has three notes: root note, third note, and fifth note. The third note decides if a chord is minor or major. As power chords don't have the third note, they are neither major nor minor chords. Therefore, the definition of power chords would be: When the root note and the fifth note come together, it's a power chord. They are neither major nor minor chords.
Why Play Power Chords? Play the power chords for the following reasons:
Easy to Play Power chords have only two notes, unlike major and minor chords. So, they're easy for beginners to play on guitar. If you're new to guitar chords, play power chords to build up your confidence.
Find the All-In-One Guide on Guitar Chords Checkout the 8 Guitar Chords to learn everything about it. Explore now
Can Play Songs Practicing technical stuff like guitar chords, scales, and chord progressions is something we all dread. Any beginner would rather play songs. And, what's better than power chord songs for beginners? These songs are easy to play on guitar, have fun verse, and are favorites of most guitar fans. Therefore, I recommend playing power chords on guitar because you can sing while playing by doing so, and it's super fun!
How to Play Power Chords? Put your index finger on the lowest string and the ring and pinky finger on the two strings that follow. Read ahead to find the list of easy power chord songs for beginners.
10 Easy Power Chord Songs to Play on Guitar
1. Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit Nirvana's Smells like teen spirit is one of the songs that made me want to become a guitar player. If that's the case with you, congrats! It's one of the easiest power chord songs, and with a little practice, anybody can ace it. Place a capo on the first fret and then play E5, A5, G5, and C5. That's it. You're already playing Smells like teen spirit. If you're a Kurt Cobain fan like me, you can also try playing Polly and Molly's Lips. Both of these songs are also in power chords. Check out this tutorial to play this Smells Like Teen Spirit.
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2. Black Sabbath's Iron Man Undoubtedly, every guitarist out there is a fan of the Godfather of Metal–Ozzy Osbourne. Be it your grandpa or you, I bet every amateur dreamt of playing Black Sabbath's songs someday. Voila! The wait is over. If you can identify the strings and the fret and know the basic guitar notes, then you can play this Black Sabbath's, Iron Man. Watch this video to learn to play this awesome power chord music on guitar.
3. Metallica's Enter Sandman Playing a Metallica song is the ultimate dream of every person who has heard them. What if I told you that you don't have to be an expert to play it? Metallica's Enter Sandman is played using power chords. To play the first riff of this song, your pinky needs to be on the 7th fret of the 5th string, and your index finger needs to be stationary. Here's a detailed tutorial for you to ace Enter Sandman like a pro.
4. U2's Vertigo I remember listening to Vertigo as a kid. The album "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb" came out in 2004, and since then, it's been in every guitar learner's mind. The surprising part is that it's not that difficult. It's a power chord song, and you can easily play it. Here's a tutorial to achieve that.
5. Eric Clapton's Cocaine I don't think there's any need to introduce Eric Clapton. He was, he is, and he will be the god to guitar lovers. So, let's jump into why you should learn to play Cocaine. It's a gateway song to get started with palm muting. This song will help you learn to slide your finger across the guitar's neck. The best part is that a little knowledge of power chords is enough to pick up Eric Clapton's Cocaine on the strings. Here's an awesome tutorial to play this song within a few days.
6. Adele's Rolling in the Deep This suggestion is for amateur guitarists who are into pop music. You can play Adele's Rolling in the Deep by putting the capo on the third fret. Follow this guide to find detailed instructions. I wouldn't suggest new learners begin with songs. If you can already play one or two songs on the guitar, only then start with this. Check out this video to play Adele's Rolling in the Deep on guitar.
7. Green Day's 21 Guns Green Day's lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong's many songs are in power chords. Amongst my favorites, 21 Guns is the easiest. I learned to play it on guitar within a few weeks. So, I am sure anybody can do it. Check out this page to learn the notes and chords in detail. Also, you can take a look at this video for help while playing it.
If you're a Green Day fan, you can also try
If you're a Green Day fan, you can also try American Idiot. It is also played in power chords.
8. Wheezer's Beverly Hills I suggest beginners start with Wheezer's Beverly Hills. It starts with an F power chord song and ends with an E power chord. It may not be as popular as Smells Like Teen Spirit, but it's definitely one of the easiest songs. Here's a tutorial for this song.
9. The Kinks' You Really Got Me I have tried to list the songs that we have commonly heard and always dreamt of playing them. The band "The Kinks" goes back a little and our generation's memory, so yeah, you might not have heard them. But, their songs are really good examples of easy power chord songs. You can try to learn You Really Got Me and All Day and All Night. Both of these songs are easy to learn and fun to play on guitar. Here is You Really Got Me tutorial.
The next is All Day All Night tutorial.
10. The Ramones’ Blitzkrieg Bop If you can identify A5, D5, and E5 on guitar, you are ready to play The Ramones' Blitzkrieg Bop. The band wrote this song as a tribute to its fans, therefore, it has that energy that will keep pumping motivation in the new guitarist in you. I highly recommend this song to all the newbies out there. Trust me; this is an easy song and it will help you take the first step as a guitarist. Take a look at this tutorial.
FAQs
Do all rock songs use power chord songs? No, all rock songs don't use power chords songs, but rock, punk, metal, and blues are the genres that use power chords the most. The reason is that using power chords is convenient to play with distortion.
What are power chords? Power chords are two-notes chords that are neither major nor minor because the third note is missing in them. This type of chord is made with the root note and the fifth note.
Who is the father of power chords? Link Wray is called the father of power chords because he popularized these chords by using them extensively in his songs. Many rock-and-roll icons–such as Pete Townsend and Neil Young–were inspired by him.
Conclusion Dear readers, I highly recommend beginners learn to play songs in power chords. These songs are comparatively easy and upbeat in vibes. Trust me, learning to play at least one song from the above list will boost your confidence doubly. You will be confident as a budding guitarist and feel more enthusiastic about learning advanced topics in your guitar lessons. Adios for now! Till then, keep playing guitar!
