Contrary to popular belief, playing the piano is easy. But it requires constant practice and perseverance. It also requires some amount of hand and eye coordination. With time, however, you don’t need to see the keys to play a smooth tone, and with practice, you can learn the chord inversions and produce a smoother tone.
Now that you see that learning to play the piano is easy, well … you need to start somewhere. Let’s review a list of the best easy songs to play on piano for beginners by popularity and genre.
By Popularity
#1: Love Me Like You Do, by Ellie Goulding
“Fifty Shades of Grey” was popular as a novel. But the best part about the movie was the soundtrack. Admit it or not, with singers like Ellie Goulding and Beyonce, the numbers are awesome to listen to and play on the piano. What’s more, this song by Goulding is easy to play, and you can even hear the predominant piano throughout the track. Might this be because Christian Grey is an accomplished piano player himself? Here’s another one.
#2: Take Me to Church, by Hozier
Although this might annoy some people, it is easy and often very fun to play on the piano. It isn’t that bad when you play it on the keyboard. You can practice the minor and major notes with this easy song to play on piano for beginners.
#3: Counting Stars, by One Republic
Not only is this song melodious, but the lyrics also make sense. So, if you are new to playing piano, then this is the song you should try out. Moreover, you can show off to your friends when you learn to play this song. As a bonus, it’s a real easy song to learn and play!
#4: Thinking Out Loud, by Ed Sheeran
We all love Ed for his awesome lyrics and tunes. What you may not know is Ed has some awesome tunes for piano players which are slow, sensual, and easy to learn. “Thinking Out Loud” is one such tune. It is an easy song to play on piano for beginners. And if you want to propose to that special someone by impressing them with your music skills, this is the tune you would want to learn.
#5: Shake It Off, by Taylor Swift
We can’t put Ed Sheeran on the list and not include Taylor Swift. And when it comes to Taylor Swift, “Shake It Off” is a signature number you must try to play on piano. It is another of the easy songs to play on piano, and practice is all you need to master it quickly.
Now that you know about this awesome list of the best easy pop songs to play on piano for beginners, it is time to get started. Practice one song at a time, and you’ll soon be the piano player who makes everyone proud!
Songs by Genre
Pop songs are an easy way to apply the various piano chords, piano inversions and other piano techniques you’ve learned in a fun way. There are, however, many more cool songs to play on the piano beyond the popular ones listed above.
The piano is an incredibly versatile musical instrument. Many genres use the piano across all styles of music. Nothing makes the piano more fun to learn than the ability to play music from your favorite genre. Just find a genre you like. Below is a list of songs we think you may like from favorite genres.
Classical
For the classical soul, we have chosen Chopin’s Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2.
It is a calming tune that will soothe as you play along.
Why this is an easy song to play on the piano for beginners:
This classic piece of music offers a little bit of a challenge to the beginner with a chance to progress to the original Chopin’s Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2. It also offers the beginner an opportunity to play an easily recognizable song with freedom in the hands. It has a variety of notes in various sequences to keep the beginner’s interest in learning the piano.
Jazz/Blues
For the jazz genre, we chose ”Autumn Leaves.” It is a simple little tune that will get you started into the world of jazz music. There are easy hard versions to play
Why this is an easy song to play on the piano for beginners:
It introduces beginners to the basics of jazz harmony. It is a beautiful, slow tune to play on the piano for those beginning to learn the piano and who want a simple challenge at the same time.
Rock
Rock and roll comes with all kinds of styles and a wide variety of piano covers to some of the most popular songs. We chose “Bohemian Rhapsody,” by Queen. It is one of the most recognizable songs to both play and sing. There is an easy version to play on the piano
Why this is an easy song to play on the piano for beginners:
This song is great for practicing chords and practicing the basics of training your musical hearing. You can play it slowly and then progressively play faster as you learn the song. It offers a nice challenge with the variation in tempo and number of notes used within the song.
Pop
A great pop song to play on the piano is “Viva La Vida,” by Coldplay. Many of their works offer a beautiful piano component. This tune is easy for any beginner.
Why this is an easy song to play on the piano or beginners:
This song uses a few easy piano chords and a little fun movement with other notes while retaining a repetitive melody. The song is great because it is simple and can be played slowly without ruining the song.
Heavy metal
For all you metal heads out there, we chose Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters,” an easy-to-play song from a well-known heavy metal band.
Why this is an easy song to play on the piano for beginners:
It offers an easy-to-play melody that is relatively repetitive. You can start playing the song slowly and then speed up as you improve. It provides a pleasant variety of notes and shows that even heavy metal can be a piano tune.
Want to Learn More?
Find more info on how to play the piano on your own time through Piano in 21 Days.