Rock songs are super fun to play on acoustic guitar, and many of them are actually quite easy to learn. That said, what rock songs are best suited specifically for playing on an acoustic guitar?
Well, to help you out, I put all my favorite rock songs to play on the acoustic guitar here in this list for you. I also included links to the full chord and tab charts, so you can immediately start learning these rock songs on your acoustic guitar.
I even included video lessons for some of the songs where I could find a great lesson available.
One final note before we get started: don’t forget to tune your guitar! These songs won’t sound right if your guitar is out of tune… If you need a great tuner, here’s my favorite clip-on guitar tuner (on Amazon).
Also: you will need a capo to play some of these songs. If you don’t have a capo (or want to upgrade to a better one) here’s my favorite capo (on Amazon).
How to Listen to These Songs for FREE
If you’re unfamiliar with any of these songs and want to listen to them in their entirety, I really recommend doing so with Amazon Music Unlimited.
If you simply sign up for their free trial, you get access to over 60 million songs completely free – and you can listen anytime, anywhere.
It’s a great way to enjoy some awesome acoustic music. You can check out the free trial here.
Can You Play Rock Songs On an Acoustic Guitar?
Before we get started, I want to answer a common question about the following songs. Can you learn these rocks songs on an acoustic guitar instead of an electric?
The answer is yes. Many rock songs actually feature acoustic guitars prominently. Even songs that were composed for the electric guitar translate very well onto the acoustic guitar.
There are a couple of rock techniques really strongly associated with electric guitar, such as power chords. However, these can easily by transitioned onto the acoustic guitar. Learn how in my articles below:
If you are an electric guitarist looking to transition to acoustic, then I recommend checking out my 10 favorite acoustic guitars for beginners on a budget.
Or if you want a resource-packed acoustic guitar buyer’s guide, where I walk you through every step of the process, from deciding what kind of wood you want, what the best guitar strings are, and how to maintain your guitar for years to come, you might want to grab my ultimate acoustic buyer’s guide (now available on Amazon).
But now that we’ve got the guitar details figured out, let’s jump into these 25 Best Rock Songs for Acoustic Guitar:
- Free Fallin – Tom Petty – Chords + Tabs – Video Lesson – Full Tabs on Amazon
- Ring of Fire – Johnny Cash – Chords – Full Tabs on Amazon
- Feelin’ Alright – Joe Cocker – Chords + Tabs – Video Lesson
- Can’t You See – Marshall Tucker Band – Chords – Full Tabs on Amazon
- The House of the Rising Sun – The Animals – Chords + Tabs – Video Lesson – Full Tabs on Amazon
- Every Rose has It’s Thorn – Poison – Chords + Tabs – Video Lesson – Full Tabs on Amazon
- Paperback Writer – The Beatles – Chords + Tabs – Video Lesson – Full Tabs on Amazon
- No Rain – Blind Melon – Chords + Tabs – Video Lesson
- Ripple – The Grateful Dead – Chords+Tabs – Video Lesson – Full Tabs on Amazon
- Take It Easy – The Eagles – Chords + Tabs – Video Lesson – Full Tabs on Amazon
- Have You Ever Seen the Rain? – Creedence Clearwater Revival – Chords + Tabs – Video Lesson – Full Tabs on Amazon
- Born in the USA – Bruce Springsteen – Chords + Tabs – Video Lesson – Full Tabs on Amazon
- What I Got – Sublime – Chords + Tabs – Video Lesson – Full Tabs on Amazon
- Two Tickets to Paradise – Eddie Money – Chords + Tabs – Video Lesson – Full Tabs on Amazon
- Horse with No Name – America – Chords + Tabs – Video Lesson – Full Tabs on Amazon
- Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison – Chords + Tabs – Video Lesson – Full Tabs on Amazon
- Stand By Me – Ben E. King – Chords + Tabs – Video Lesson
- I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For – U2 – Chords + Tabs – Video Lesson – Full Tabs on Amazon
- For What It’s Worth – Buffalo Springfield – Chords + Tabs – Video Lesson
- Dead Flowers – The Rolling Stones – Chords + Tabs – Video Lesson – Full Tabs on Amazon
- Wild Horses – The Rolling Stones – Chords + Tabs – Video Lesson – Full Tabs on Amazon
- Old Man – Neil Young – Chords + Tabs – Video Lesson – Full Tabs on Amazon
- Heart of Gold – Neil Young – Chords + Tabs – Video Lesson – Full Tabs on Amazon
- Three Little Birds – Bob Marley – Chords + Tabs – Video Lesson – Full Tabs on Amazon
- Bad Moon Rising – Creedence Clearwater Revival – Chords + Tabs – Video Lesson – Full Tabs on Amazon
Need More Help Learning These Rock Songs?
To find the best guitar courses, with experts walking you through each step of the learning process, check out my recommended lessons, courses & teachers.
If you’re still looking for more free guitar lesson resources, I’d recommend subscribing to some of the awesome acoustic guitar YouTube channels out there. The only trouble is – it can be hard to find the right channels, and to know who’s really putting out good information.
That’s why I wrote up a whole guide post on my 8 favorite YouTube channels for learning acoustic guitar.
Ready to Get Better at Guitar, Faster?
Whenever you’re ready to take your guitar playing to the next level, check out a few of my favorite resources below:
The Best Acoustic Guitar Strings – A unique polymer coating makes these guitar strings last for months or even years at a time, making for an exceptional value. They provide the perfect mix of boom, range, twang, and brightness that acoustic music is known for. — CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE
The Best Acoustic Guitar – Beloved by everyone from Paul Simon to Gordon Lightfoot, the Martin D-18 is one of Martin’s most legendary guitars ever… It’s an excellent, premier quality acoustic guitar for bluegrass, country, folk, rock and more. This is also what I play myself — CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE
Chords, Tabs & Video Lessons for 100 Epic Songs – This free guide that I created for fellow guitarists gives you chords, tabs, and video lessons for the 100 best songs to learn on guitar… I spent many hours putting this guide together to help you get better at guitar, faster. — CLICK HERE TO GET IT FREE
Fingerpicking vs Flatpicking Guitar – Learn which picking style is right for YOU by exploring examples, history, and popular players of each style. Discover essential techniques and pros and cons of each approach. — CLICK HERE TO GET IT FREE
