🎵 Song list + honest notes ⏱ 8 min read ✓ Real chords, real difficulty ratings
In this article
- 20 songs organised by week of learning — not just a random list
- The real chords for each song, not simplified versions
- An honest note on what's actually tricky in each song
- Why the songs you love beat "technically easy" songs every time
- How to find chord charts for any song not on this list
Hi, I'm Charles. I've watched over 1,200 adult beginners choose their first songs. I know which ones keep people playing and which ones end up abandoned after three attempts. This list is built on that — not on what looks good on paper, but on what actually works in practice.
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The best easy ukulele song isn't the one with the fewest chords. It's the one you actually want to play. I've seen students breeze through technically difficult songs because they loved them, and abandon "beginner" songs after two days because they found them boring. This list takes both things seriously.
I've organised these songs by when you should try them — not by genre, not alphabetically, but by the chord knowledge they require. Week one songs use two chords. Week two adds a third. By the end of month one, you have four chords and access to most of what's on this list.
For each song I've given you the real chords, a tempo note, and an honest line about what's actually tricky in it — because most song lists treat everything as equally easy, which it isn't.
Before You Start: The One Rule That Makes All of This Work
Play every song at a tempo where every chord lands cleanly. Not the song's actual tempo. Your tempo — whatever speed allows clean changes and consistent rhythm. The song's tempo comes later, automatically, as the chord changes become more fluid. Practicing at a speed your accuracy can't support doesn't build speed. It builds imprecision.
If this is your first week and you're still working on your core chords, my guide to the four beginner chords gives you the exact sequence to follow before diving into songs.
Week 1 — Two Chords: C and Am
These songs use primarily C and Am — your first two chords. Some include G or F, but you can play simplified versions with just C and Am and still sound recognisable. Start here.
1. Happy Birthday
Chords: C, G, F (simplified: C and G only for the melody version)
Tempo: Very slow — play it slower than you think you need to
Why it works: You already know exactly how it sounds, which means you'll immediately hear when something's wrong. Perfect for training your ear in week one. Also: genuinely useful at parties.
2. Stand By Me — Ben E. King
Chords: C, Am, F, G
Tempo: Medium-slow, very steady
Why it works: The chord sequence repeats identically throughout — once you know the pattern, you know the whole song. Start with just C and Am in week one; add F and G as you learn them. The song still sounds great with two chords.
3. Knockin' on Heaven's Door — Bob Dylan
Chords: G, D, Am (or simplified: C and Am)
Tempo: Slow, very forgiving
Why it works: One of the slowest chord-change songs in popular music. You have ages on each chord before you need to move. Great for beginners who feel their transitions are too slow — on this song, slow is fine.
4. The Scientist — Coldplay (verse only)
Chords: Am, F, C
Tempo: Slow
Why it works: The verse uses only three chords in a slow, meditative sequence. The Am-F-C movement is one of the most beautiful progressions on the ukulele. Play just the verse if the chorus is too fast for now.
Week 2 — Three Chords: C, Am, F
Adding F opens up significantly more repertoire. These songs lean heavily on C, Am, and F — G appears in some of them but you can often skip it or substitute C while you're still learning.
5. Let Her Go — Passenger
Chords: C, G, Am, F
Tempo: Medium
Why it works: The verse is predominantly C, Am, and F. The chorus introduces G — learn the verse first and add the chorus when G is solid. One of the most universally loved ukulele beginner songs, and for good reason: it sounds immediately right.
6. Count on Me — Bruno Mars
Chords: C, Am, F, G
Tempo: Medium-slow
Why it works: Steady, predictable chord changes that give you plenty of time to move. The song is universally known and sounds great at slow tempo. Start without G and add it when you're ready.
7. Can't Help Falling in Love — Elvis Presley
Chords: C, Em, Am, F, G
Tempo: Slow waltz (3/4 time)
Why it works: The tempo is genuinely slow and the chord changes are generous. Em is the one new chord here — it's easy, one of the most intuitive shapes on the ukulele. This song gets gasps when you play it for someone who wasn't expecting it.
8. Wonderful World — Louis Armstrong
Chords: C, Am, F, G, Em
Tempo: Slow
Why it works: The ukulele arrangement of this song is one of the most beautiful things a beginner can play. Slow tempo, unhurried changes, and it sounds bigger than it is. Learn it and you'll want to play it for everyone.
Week 3–4 — Four Chords: C, Am, F, G
With all four core chords in place, you're unlocked. This is where the repertoire explodes. These songs use C, Am, F, and G in various combinations — and some of them are the songs people think of first when they think of the ukulele.
9. Riptide — Vance Joy
Chords: Am, G, C, F
Tempo: Medium
The defining ukulele song of its generation. The chord sequence is Am-G-C-F and it repeats almost identically throughout — once you've got those four bars, you've got the whole song. The tricky bit: the tempo is a touch faster than most week-three players are ready for. Take it slow and build up.
10. I'm Yours — Jason Mraz
Chords: C, G, Am, F
Tempo: Relaxed, medium-slow
Originally played on ukulele, which means it sounds exactly right. The tempo is gentle and forgiving. The C-G-Am-F progression gives you plenty of time to move between chords. One of the most satisfying songs to play when you've just cracked your four-chord rotation.
11. Somewhere Over the Rainbow — Israel Kamakawiwoʻole
Chords: C, Em, Am, F, G
Tempo: Slow, flowing
The ukulele song. The one people mean when they say they want to play ukulele. The tempo is slow and generous, the changes come predictably. Em is the one chord you might not know yet — it's two fingers, and it's worth learning for this song alone. Play it once through cleanly and you'll want to play it every day.
12. Ho Hey — The Lumineers
Chords: C, F, Am, G
Tempo: Medium, upbeat
Stomping, singalong energy. The chord sequence is very simple and very consistent. The faster tempo is the challenge — but the song's rhythm is so infectious that most students find it easier to keep time on this one than on slower songs. The "Ho!" and "Hey!" moments also give you natural pauses where a late chord change doesn't matter.
13. Thinking Out Loud — Ed Sheeran
Chords: C, G, Am, F
Tempo: Slow, soulful
Pure four-chord magic. Slow tempo, long holds on each chord, and a song that everyone in the room will recognise. One of the cleanest examples of how much you can do with C, G, Am, and F.
14. Banana Pancakes — Jack Johnson
Chords: C, Am, F, G
Tempo: Laid-back, slow
Jack Johnson was basically writing ukulele songs before he knew it. This one is unhurried, sunny, and forgiving. The groove makes it feel easier than it technically is. A good song for the end of week three when you want to play something that feels like a real performance rather than practice.
15. With or Without You — U2
Chords: C, G, Am, F
Tempo: Slow, driving
The same four-chord sequence repeated all the way through. That's the entire song. Once you know it, you know it. The magic is in the strumming pattern and the build — which makes it a great song for experimenting with dynamics once your changes are solid.
Month 2 — Expanding the Repertoire
These songs introduce one or two new chords beyond the core four, or have slightly faster tempo requirements. Try them when your C-Am-F-G rotation is genuinely automatic.
16. Wagon Wheel — Old Crow Medicine Show
Chords: G, D, Am, C, F
Tempo: Medium-fast, driving
D is the new chord here. It's worth learning — D appears in a huge number of songs and isn't difficult once you know it. Wagon Wheel is infectious, perfect for singing along to, and sounds great when played for other people. One of those songs where the energy in the room changes when you start playing.
17. 9 Crimes — Damien Rice
Chords: C, G, Am, F, Em
Tempo: Very slow
Quiet, beautiful, and emotionally devastating in the best way. This is a song you play for yourself late at night. The tempo is slow enough that the Em transition isn't a problem. One of those songs where simple chords and good timing produce something that sounds genuinely moving.
18. You Are My Sunshine
Chords: C, F, G
Tempo: Medium, waltz feel
Only three chords, universally known, sounds wonderful. Often listed as a beginner song but it belongs in month two because the 3/4 timing (waltz) feels different from the 4/4 timing of most other songs on this list. Once you've got 4/4 feeling natural, 3/4 is a good challenge to add.
19. Ring of Fire — Johnny Cash
Chords: C, F, G
Tempo: Medium, driving
Three chords, but the tempo is faster than week-one songs. The ukulele arrangement sounds unexpectedly brilliant — something about the brightness of the soprano against a Cash song that really works. Learn it once your G and F transitions are genuinely fast.
20. Perfect — Ed Sheeran
Chords: G, Em, C, D
Tempo: Slow
The D chord and the G-Em-C-D progression make this a month-two song, but it's worth working toward. Slow tempo, everyone knows it, and when you play it cleanly for someone it tends to land very well. One of those songs that makes the whole learning process feel worthwhile.
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The student who plays ten songs they love is a ukulele player. The student who learns thirty songs they're indifferent to is still waiting for permission to start. Pick the songs that mean something to you. Technical difficulty is a much smaller obstacle than people think when the motivation is real.
— Charles, EasyUke founder
How to Find Chord Charts for Any Song Not on This List
Search "[song name] ukulele chords" on Google or YouTube. Free charts exist for almost everything released in the last fifty years. Before committing to a chart, check two things: how many unique chords it uses (more than six or seven is probably too complex for now), and whether those chords are ones you recognise. If every chord is new, the chart may be in an unusual key — search for a different arrangement of the same song.
Once you're comfortable with the songs here, my guide to choosing your first ukulele songs explains the framework for evaluating any song you want to add to your repertoire. And when you're ready to add a strumming pattern to bring these songs to life, my strumming patterns guide gives you everything you need.
4 chords to unlock most songs on this list
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7 days from zero to first full song for most complete beginners
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Charles — Founder, EasyUke
Charles has taught hundreds of adult beginners to play ukulele from scratch. He runs EasyUke and L'École du Ukulélé — the French-language version — and teaches in-person courses each summer in the French Alps.
