20 Easy Piano Songs for Beginners (With Video Tutorials)

Do you want to learn how to play the piano while having a lot of fun along the way? These 20 famous songs are surprisingly easy to play on the piano and will give you a great jump start playing this instrument.

This list can be used by adults and kids alike. Learning songs is just one facet of playing an instrument, but it’s a great way to practice while keeping you motivated.

That’s why we’ve chosen ten popular songs that can be learned quite easily on the piano. After you’ve learned how to separate your hands on the piano, you can start playing the songs from this guide.

Even basic songs might initially appear difficult at first, but you will be surprised at how quickly they will become easy to you.

1. Perfect by Ed Sheeran

“Perfect” was released on Ed Sheeran’s album Divide from 2017. A slow but interesting ballad, it shouldn’t be too big a challenge for beginners.

However, the original key is Ab major, which might be tricky even for intermediate players. Because of that, we’ve added a link to the tutorial in C major, which should be much easier for piano rookies. When you learn how to play it properly in this key, you can try to perform it in the original key, as well.

2. Faded by Alan Walker

“Faded” by Alan Walker was released in 2015 and has been one of the most popular songs of the past few years. The song is about lost love and the feeling of nostalgia that comes with it.

Carrying a very easy piano learning curve displayed in the tutorial below, this song is perfect for a beginner musician looking to add a heartfelt ballad to their repertoire.

To play “Faded” on piano, you’ll need to know how to play basic chords and melodies. The tutorial below will walk you through the basics of the song, and by the end, you’ll be able to play it yourself. With a little practice, you’ll be able to add this beautiful ballad to your repertoire in no time!

3. Hey Jude by The Beatles

Another slow evergreen in F major, “Hey Jude” is an effective choice for new piano players. Released by The Beatles in 1968 as a single record, it has been one of the most popular piano songs for 50 years now. In the link below you can watch Paul McCartney singing it live in 2010 in Hyde Park, just to get the right feel of how to play this song.

While its harmony isn’t as simple as one would expect, you can play it first in a simple way and then add some bridges and breaks. In this tutorial. you can learn step by step how to put different parts of this song together into a powerful singalong song.

4. The Scientist by Coldplay

Everyone knows Coldplay! Their song “The Scientist” was released in 2002 and it is still popular today. Coldplay is a British rock band that was formed in London, England in 1996. Learning this song on the piano will make you sound like a pro!

The easy version provided is an excellent way for beginners to get started. “The Scientist” is a hauntingly beautiful song that has been enjoyed by Coldplay fans for years. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced pianist, learning this song will be a fun and rewarding experience.

5. Lean On Me by Will Withers

One of the soul standards of the 1970s, Bill Wither’s “Lean On Me” is one of the simplest, yet most effective songs to play on the piano. It was released in this album Still Bill from 1972.

Apart from the straightforward chord progression, another great thing about this song is that it was originally performed in C major. On the piano, this means that you need to play only white keys to perform the melody.

In this video, you can easily follow the notes and the finger arrangement thanks to the visually well-organized tutorial.

6. Someone Like You by Adele

One of the most popular songs of the 2010s, “Someone Like You” was released in 2011 on Adele’s album 21.

The original version was recorded in A major, which includes using both white and black keys. Since the melody is catchy and the tempo is slow, it’s not that difficult to play this song. As for the singing part, here you might have to practice a bit more, especially if you want to play it and sing it at the same time.

The tutorial provided in the link below will help you learn to play this song quite precisely. After that, you can switch to combining playing and singing.

7. Elastic Heart by Sia

The piano version of “Elastic Heart” by Sia made this song one of the most powerful ballads of the 2010s. It’s certainly more difficult than most but once you get the groove down, it’s easier than it might appear.

Written and recorded in A major, it’s a simple song with a straightforward beat. There’s no need for any particular syncopation and even beginners can get that groove. The singing is also not too complex, which will make it easier for you to sing it in public.

In the video below, you can follow a thorough tutorial that will teach you how to play “Elastic Heart” accurately and easily.

8. Crocodile Rock

“Crocodile Rock” is a catchy and lively piano song written by Elton John.

The song is originally performed and recorded in G major and the chord progression in the verse is I-ii-III-V, i.e. G-a-C-D. With only one minor chord – a minor – it’s a plain harmony that can be easily played by piano beginners.

In this tutorial, the entire song has been precisely broken down into smaller chunks that can be easily practiced and learned.

Also, the album is tailor-made for the piano, so more avid beginners could give it a shot and try playing more songs from this album.

9. Let It Be by The Beatles

Released on the eponymous album in 1970, “Let It Be” is still one of the most beloved sing-alongs created by The Beatles, i.e. mostly by Paul McCartney.

Written and recorded in C major, this song with the predominant piano intro can be learned pretty easily even if you’re only a piano newbie. It has a simple beat and pretty clear chord progression throughout the entire song. Just sit at your piano and follow the tutorial provided in the link below to learn how to play this song.

10. Imagine by John Lennon

John Lennon wasn’t the best piano player himself, but he wrote one of the most beautiful piano songs of all time. Released on the eponymous album in 1971, “Imagine” is best-known for the smoothly pulsing intro played on the piano.

This song has been happily appreciated by many generations. Because of that, people will sing along with you if you decide to once show them what you’ve learned. Until then, practice how to play “Imagine” with the help of this video tutorial.

11. Für Elise by Beethoven

You read it right, you can actually play a Beethoven song even if you’re a beginner. Für Elise was published in 1867 and despite the name behind it, it has a very simple base and is a perfect way to impress listeners even if you’re just starting.

The tutorial video below will take you through the steps and before you know it, you will be playing a Beethoven toon and jaws will certainly drop. This song will certainly motivate you to progress your learning further!

12. Fly Me To The Moon by Frank Sinatra

You’ve probably already heard of Fly Me To The Moon by Frank Sinatra, but how fun would it be to actually play it? The song was sung by Sinatra in 1964 even though it was not originally his which people tend to confuse from time to time.

Regarding the song structure, it is a bit more fast-paced than the video but this easy version still sounds amazing and will provide a good base for you to learn it. Afterward, you can speed it up gradually, and there you have it!

13. Somewhere Over The Rainbow

The original Somewhere Over The Rainbow was written in 1939 for the movie The Wizard of Oz. It was sung by Judy Garland and remains popular to this day.

This song is very melodic and gives good vibes all around. As far as structure goes, this easy version is very manageable for beginners and will most likely take an hour to get down, afterward, you can speed it up and add some harmonics if you like.

14. Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen

Who among us hasn’t thought about playing this one on the piano? Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen was released in 1984 and to this day, remains one of the most emotional and frequently played songs in the world.

Learning this piece is extremely easy, especially with this easy version below. If you throw in some singing, you are looking at a jaw-dropping performance anytime you play this, despite being a beginner.

15. What A Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong

Released in 1967, What A Wonderful World is an incredibly popular song even today. Louis Armstrong’s masterpiece is very easy to play on the piano so any beginner can have this under their belt in a matter of hours.

Regarding song structure and ease of playing, this tutorial video below showcases the entire song in a very simple manner. Just watching it once you will see that it is very doable. Adding this evergreen to your arsenal will be very impressive.

16. The Godfather Theme

If you’re looking to turn heads, what better way to do it than with the Godfather theme. The theme song was released in 1972 for the original movie and has since been a staple for soundtracks all over the world.

When it comes to the difficulty of the song, any beginner can pick this up in a matter of hours and have it down to the note. Next time you have a get-together, you can play this song and impress anyone around you.

17. Harry Potter Theme

Most likely all Harry Potter fans have this one under their belt by now, but even if you’re not a fan, it will certainly come in handy and will impress the lot of them when they hear it.

The theme song was released for the original movie and is a very recognizable tune even if you haven’t watched the movies. The tutorial video will take you through the notes and before you know it, you will have every Harry Potter fan around you in awe.

18. Careless Whisper by George Michael

Careless Whisper by George Michael was released in 1984 and the prominent sax riff is known worldwide. It sounds amazing even on the piano as the melody is very memorable and surely everyone will recognize it within seconds.

This is a good beginner song because it plays around the piano very well and will help build your finger movement and help you progress in your playing. The tutorial video shows each note carefully and you will have this one down within the day.

19. The Pink Panther Theme

We’re all familiar with Pink Panther and the legendary theme song. If you’re feeling witty and want to spice it up a bit, while having everyone around you in a good vibe, this tune is the ideal one to pick up and learn.

The piano tutorial below shows you what you need to do. It’s also a cool song that will help you loosen your fingers and play around the piano more easily, helping your finger movement progress while adding a new addition to your growing repertoire.

20. Ophelia by The Lumineers

Finishing off this list is the well-known Ophelia by The Lumineers. The song was released in 2016 and has one of the most catchy tunes in recent history on the piano. Granted this easy version is a bit dialed down but still.

The song is very catchy and will make for an excellent addition to any beginner’s repertoire. After mastering the easy version you can slowly add more notes and have the complete version down in no time. Watch the tutorial below and happy playing!

Conclusion

Learning how to play any musical instrument requires a lot of time and concentration. Still, if you play the piano on the songs you like or know well, you’ll be more motivated to master them on the piano. That’s why we’ve included some simple songs from different decades of popular music.

We hope you’ll learn how to play them without too many difficulties, as well as to add dozens of other songs to your piano songbook.

Brian Clark

Brian Clark

I’ve been a writer with Musician Wave for six years, turning my 17-year journey as a multi-instrumentalist and music producer into insightful news, tutorials, reviews, and features.

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