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Dave P., California

Try searching online for chord sheets. Everything you can think of usually printed in Lead Sheet format.

Jan D., Ohio

Some of the songs that I have used are:

• Hey Jude by The Beatles
• Let It Be by The Beatles
• Yesterday by The Beatles
• This is Home by Switchfoot
• Your Love is a Song by Switchfoot
• Home by Phillip Phillips (the chords are easy, the pattern is the same through most of the song, and we figured out the “Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh” part by ear)
• We Are The Champions by Queen
• These Eyes by The Guess Who
• All I Want For Christmas by Mariah Carey
• You Found Me by The Fray

These were all requested by students – some of these songs are old, but many high schoolers are really into the older music right now.  Currently, I’m working on I Will Wait and Ghosts That We Knew by Mumford and Sons for a student.

I know there are others, but I can’t think of them right now.  (The Switchfoot songs were a little bit my influence because everyone knows I am a HUGE Switchfoot fan, but I even had one student play it at Grandparents’ Day at his school after I introduced it to him.  They played the music video (minus the audio) while he played it and another student may have sung with him.)

I also get requests for quite a few Contemporary Christian Songs so I’ll list the ones I have used in the past year just in case anyone is interested in those, too –

• Hero by Abandon (my daughter just had two of her guitar students ask for this song, as well)
• By Your Side by Tenth Avenue North
• Beautiful, Beautiful by Francesca Battistelli
• Close Your Eyes by Abandon Kansas
• Don’t You Know You’re Beautiful by Seabird
• Something Beautiful by Needtobreathe
• Let The Waters Rise by Mikeschair
• You Are Everything by Matthew West
• Enough by Jeremy Camp
• Jesus Saves by Jeremy Camp
• I Can Only Imagine by MercyMe
• Strong Enough by Matthew West

A little disclaimer here  =-) :  A couple of these songs and bands, Abandon Kansas and Seabird, aren’t as well known as the others and I know students have requested them because the bands are good friends of ours, but all of them are nationally touring bands and the songs worked out well.  The first time anyone requested Hero by Abandon was when the band was staying at my house for a week and a student decided she should learn one of their songs, but others have requested it, as well.)

Sue C., Australia

It is a good idea to ask the coach what they think as well as the student (if possible)  as you might choose something the coach does not want their child to play.

One coach told me that her daughter liked One Direction music so I sourced something for her.

Whereas another person would not be interested in this music and you can put them off if you suggest something they would not want.

Jane H., Australia

I have just discovered Emile Sande. She sang at the London Olympic Closing Ceremony-  she uses easy chord progressions.  Mumford and Sons are fun.

Just ask students what they are listening to.

The majority of music is available through sheet music sites, and you can always print out the first page to see if you like it. If you don’t know the songs, try YouTube or any of the other music sites ie Spotify will have the songs there you can listen to free if you don’ t mind adverts.

My problem is there is so much to choose from, so just ask your student.

Mary R., Michigan

My kids like playing and singing “Pay Phone” by Maroon 5. As with most pop songs it only has 4 chords!

Shelly W., California

I find that even among this age, tastes are so varied! Some recent gems for my students have been:

• Keep Your Head Up (Andy Grammer — all Honey Dew chords in the key of C),
• Skyfall (Adele)…which is more advanced than Honey Dew, but once they know their triads, minor chords and split chords, it’s super fun!

Other recent requests that turned out to be our dear old Honey Dew chords were:

• I’m Yours (Jason Mraz)
• Red (Taylor Swift) transposed to F for a 13-year-old Level 1 student.

Then of course you have the ever popular, timeless Let it Be (Beatles), and American Pie (Don McLean) are fun.

Other less recent hits, but requests I’ve gotten:

• Jar of Hearts
• Call Me Maybe
• Boulevard of Broken Dreams
• Payphone
• Forget You
• Empire State of Mind (Alicia Keyes version)

I always ask my students to give me titles of songs they are currently enjoying. I think that’s always the best route to finding songs you know they will be motivated to learn. Ironically one of my 12-year-old students just told me he wants to learn I Was Strolling in the Park One Day (published in 1880)….so you never know until you ask 🙂

Kate A.

Clocks by Coldplay is great for boys (& girls too I guess) in Level 7 who are doing Fur Elise C Section.  Great practice of the repeated eighth notes in the left hand – teamed with a broken chord in the right hand.  A great sounding outcome!

Marsha S., Washington

When my pre-teen/teen students are ready to learn “outside” pieces, I let them choose the songs. They always have several ideas each, and are animatedly enthusiastic about learning them. We go to my computer and either look up and print out the chord charts or buy the sheet music. They love having the choice and I know they will work on them because they took ownership. I can’t tell you how many songs I have looked up for them that I hadn’t been aware of previously. Your teens are the best resource as they are “experts” in this area.

That being said, I do have standards regarding lyrics and we have modified words. Often a student has never thought about what they are singing. My rule is; don’t sing anything that would embarrass your grandma! They also have to read the lyrics aloud like a poem and tell me what the song is about. We laugh at chord progressions when they realize most songs typically have just 3-6 chords on average. Even the Carly Rae Jepson song “Call Me Maybe” that was up for a Grammy last night is merely “Honey Dew”! (Side note: most kids will roll their eyes at that song because it was so overdone. They also mock Taylor Swift’s “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”, another 4 chord song with progression similar to Honey Dew”). When they choose a favorite song and make those discoveries for themselves (with a little guidance), it is priceless to see their faces.

You can go to YouTube to listen and learn the song, then look up a karaoke or instrumental track to more clearly hear the accompaniment, or even find an a acoustic cover. That can lead to discussions regarding arranging. The student will never lose interest because they are playing songs they love and when they perform them for their peers they receive rock star status, admiration, and affirmation. Give your students a few of your business cards to have handy!