25 Easy Ed Sheeran Guitar Songs (With Tabs + Videos)
Ed Sheeran is a magician with his guitar. The English artist has inspired a whole generation to learn the instrument. Naturally, his songs are what first come to mind when you’re first learning guitar.
Luckily, there are numerous easy Ed Sheeran guitar songs that you can master in less than a day. Sheeran has a distinctive style of acoustic guitar, resulting in impressive tunes that are effortless to play.
Whether you’re an Ed Sheeran fan or not, you’ll definitely be able to find a song that suits your abilities and style from this list. Let’s dive in!
Read Also: What Guitar Does Ed Sheeran Play?
“The A Team”
One of the essential Ed Sheeran songs is “The A Team” from his debut album +. This song is perfect for beginners as it has a simple strumming pattern.
If you’re an intermediate learner, you can move on to the fingerpicking aspect of the song. The song also features a chill-inducing electric guitar solo for the bridge. So, you can play it even if you’re not an acoustic guitarist.
The best part about playing “The A Team” is that it sounds more complicated than it is. Additionally, if you master “The A Team,” you can move on to more advanced chords.
| Genre | Folk-pop |
| Difficulty | Beginner/Intermediate |
| Chords | G, D, Em, C |
| Type of Guitar | Acoustic, Electric |
| Tabs | The A Team tabs |
“Lego House”
Another classic from + is “Lego House.” Even if you’re not a fan of Ed Sheeran, you’ve probably seen the music video featuring Rupert Grint.
The platinum-certified song is a bass song. Accordingly, it’s the best song for beginners wanting to learn fingerstyle guitar. The hardest part of the song isn’t the fingerpicking, though. Instead, it’s mastering the chords.
Like most Ed Sheeran songs, you can play two versions of this song. One version is simple, requiring only strumming, while the other involves fingerpicking. So, the track is perfect for beginner and seasoned guitarists alike.
| Genre | Indie, Alternative, Pop |
| Chords | C, G, F, Am |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Type of Guitar | Acoustic, Bass |
| Tabs | Lego House tabs |
“Thinking Out Loud”
“Thinking Out Loud” is a track from Ed Sheeran’s hit album ×. It’s a quintessential tune for beginner guitarists, as it’s recognizable to almost everyone.
The top-charting track is one you’ll be playing over and over again. It’s impressive and easy to play.
Once your friends listen to your rendition of the romantic song, they’ll likely ask you to play it at every wedding, party, and anniversary celebration. After all, Sheeran referred to the song as a “walking down the aisle” tune!
| Genre | Soul, Soft-rock |
| Chords | D, G, A, Bm, Am |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Type of Guitar | Acoustic |
| Tabs | Thinking Out Loud tabs |
“Photograph”
“Photograph” is another masterpiece from ×. It’s the final single on the album. The captivating song depicts a long-distance relationship, making it the ideal love song.
It charted as a top 10 across numerous countries. So, your friends will easily identify the song once you start strumming!
The tune is incredibly simple, containing a loop. This means you play the same chord pattern throughout the song. You also use the same strumming motion.
Furthermore, it requires no fingerpicking!
| Genre | Soul, Folk-pop |
| Chords | D, Bm, A, G |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Type of Guitar | Acoustic |
| Tabs | Photograph tabs |
“Perfect”
“Perfect” is one of the record-breaking singles from ÷. The romantic ballad has numerous versions, so you have various melodies to choose from based on your experience level.
This is the most sentimental song by Sheeran. Not only did he write it for his wife, but he also collaborated with his brother on this song, which was their grandmother’s dying wish.
Accordingly, the chords evoke a similar feeling.
Anyone can effortlessly learn “Perfect.” If it’s your first time picking up the guitar, this is the ideal song to get you started. On the other hand, if you’ve been playing guitar for a while, you can experiment with the fingerpicking part of the melody.
| Genre | Pop, Waltz |
| Chords | G, Em, C, D |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Type of Guitar | Acoustic |
| Tabs | Perfect tabs |
“Castle on the Hill”
“Castle on the Hill” is the lead single from ÷. If you’re looking to pay tribute to Ed Sheeran, the multi-platinum certified song would be the one. The song is full of nostalgia, with lyrics about the singer’s hometown, Framlingham.
This song has one of the most interesting guitar builds. It’s both exciting to listen to and play. Anyone can learn “Castle on the Hill” due to the simple strumming pattern and minimal fingerpicking.
In fact, the majority of the song is palm-muted! This results in a deeper tone that’s more forgiving in the case of an error.
| Genre | Folk, Pop, Rock |
| Chords | D, G, Bm, A |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Type of Guitar | Acoustic |
| Tabs | Castle on the Hill tabs |
“Shape of You”
Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You” is one of the coolest songs you can play on the guitar. It has a dance beat, yet you play it entirely on the acoustic guitar.
The Grammy-winning song has the most recognizable chords out of all Ed Sheeran’s tracks. After all, over 2 billion people streamed the hit song on Spotify.
“Shape of You” can be harder to learn than most songs on this list, as it requires some knowledge of fingerpicking. Still, it’s beginner-friendly, since you can get into fingerstyle guitar through this song. For easier learning, you can customize the song by just strumming the chords.
Here’s the kicker: Once you master “Shape of You,” you’ll also have learned TLC’s “No Scrubs”!
| Genre | Pop, Dancehall |
| Chords | Am, C, F, G |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Type of Guitar | Acoustic, Electric |
| Tabs | Shape of You tabs |
“Sing”
“Sing” is the lead single from Ed Sheeran’s ×. It marked Sheeran’s departure from folk and the introduction of his new R&B sound. He worked with legendary producer Pharrell Williams, which explains the song’s catchy rhythm.
It might be surprising, but there’s no fingerpicking in this song. Instead, the funky melody relies on a lot of fast strumming, so you need to be quick!
Though “Sing” might sound intimidating, learning it is rather easy. You’ll only need some time to master the chords.
| Genre | Pop, R&B |
| Chords | Am, C, G, F |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Type of Guitar | Acoustic |
| Tabs | Sing tabs |
“Galway Girl”
“Galway Girl” is the third single from Sheeran’s ÷. The song was a massive success and is probably why many people decided to take up the guitar!
This song has one of the catchiest melodies. “Galway Girl” is the song to play if you want to enjoy yourself and have fun with your guitar, while still impressing everyone listening.
The reason that the song is great for beginners is because it has no back chords. There’s also minimal fingerpicking. It’s all about strumming. All you need to do is learn the three-chord progression. Then, strum away!
| Genre | Pop, Irish Folk |
| Chords | G, D, Em, C |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Type of Guitar | Acoustic |
| Tabs | Galway Girl tabs |
“Dive”
“Dive” is the third track from Sheeran’s ÷. Musical legends like Benny Blanco, Julia Michaels, and Eric Clapton participated in this song. The romantic tune is about the early days of Sheeran’s relationship with his wife, Cherry Seaborn.
Learning this song will help you feel like a professional guitarist, particularly once you master the fingerstyle portion. The strumming pattern is still easy if it’s your first time playing guitar.
“Dive” has one of the best electric guitar solos out of all Ed Sheeran’s songs. So, if you want to move on to an electric instrument, this track would be a great place to start.
| Genre | Pop, Soft-rock |
| Chords | E, C#m, G#m, B, A |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Type of Guitar | Acoustic, Electric |
| Tabs | Dive tabs |
“Kiss Me”
“Kiss Me” is the eleventh track from the debut album, +. Sheeran wrote the track with the intent of it being a classic wedding song.
The song portrays the relationship between two best friends who fall in love. Those people happen to be Sheeran’s godparents! Naturally, it’s exceptionally romantic.
“Kiss Me” is a perfect practice song as it has it all. It’s suitable for both electric and acoustic guitars. It contains two electric guitar solos! Not only that, but it also has fingerstyle guitar and easy strumming patterns.
| Genre | Acoustic Pop |
| Chords | C, Em, Am, F |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Type of Guitar | Acoustic, Electric |
| Tabs | Kiss Me tabs |
“I See Fire”
“I See Fire” is a song from the soundtrack of the 2013 movie, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.
Sheeran has been a long fan of The Hobbit. His dreams came true when The Hobbit’s director, Peter Jackson, asked him to be a part of the movie’s soundtrack. Jackson’s granddaughter was a huge fan of Sheeran and suggested him to her grandfather.
The intro might be discouraging as it has some complicated fingerpicking. Though, beginners can substitute the intro with an easier strum. Still, it’s a great opportunity to practice fingerstyle guitar.
| Genre | Folk |
| Chords | C, Am, F, G |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Type of Guitar | Acoustic |
| Tabs | I See Fire tabs |
“How Would You Feel (Paean)”
“How Would You Feel (Paean)” is the first promotional single from ÷. Sheeran wrote the romantic song in a couple of hours, then recorded it on his phone to send to his wife. Paean translates to hymn or tribute.
The romantic, joyous song is exceptional for acoustic guitar, especially for beginners. Since the song was written in almost no time, you can also learn it rather quickly.
If you’ve only just started learning guitar, “How Would You Feel” contains an easy strumming pattern. In contrast, the riff is ideal for intermediates wanting to impress a crowd.
| Genre | Blue-eyed soul |
| Chords | G, D, Em, C |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Type of Guitar | Acoustic |
| Tabs | How Would You Feel (Paean) tabs |
“Nancy Mulligan”
Ed Sheeran writes mainly from personal experience regarding relationships. However, “Nancy Mulligan” is his most personal and romantic song yet, and it isn’t even about himself!
The song tells the story of Sheeran’s grandparents, William Sheeran and Nancy Mulligan. They had different religions and lived on opposing sides of Ireland, but their love defied all odds.
If you’ve mastered strumming and want to move on to something more challenging, this would be the song. For starters, you’ll need to memorize a few chords to master this song.
That’s not all. The verses on this tune require fingerpicking. It’s the perfect practice song to help you become an advanced guitarist.
| Genre | Irish folk |
| Chords | Em, G, C, D |
| Difficulty | Beginner, Intermediate |
| Type of Guitar | Acoustic |
| Tabs | Nancy Mulligan tabs |
“Happier”
“Happier” is the final single from ÷. Though Sheeran wrote this song about an ex-girlfriend, it’s far from sad. As the name suggests, the song is about accepting that both sides of the relationship are happier with other people.
The track has a three-chord progression, so it’s easy to learn. On the other hand, it has both strumming and fingerpicking patterns. This way, you’ll get to practice both techniques as a beginner.
However, you shouldn’t be discouraged if fingerstyle guitar is too advanced. Simply replace the fingerpicking sections with strums until you get the hang of it.
| Genre | Pop |
| Chords | Am, F, C, G |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Type of Guitar | Acoustic |
| Tabs | Happier tabs |
“Give Me Love”
Ed Sheeran concluded his debut album with the gut-wrenching track, “Give Me Love.” The song earned multi-platinum certifications, concluding his album with a bang. Demi Lovato even covered the song on her fourth record, Demi.
While this might be a sad song, it’s great as guitar practice. Even if you’re an expert guitarist, you can turn to “Give Me Love” to refresh your skills.
The chords are effortless to memorize, and the strumming pattern is unchallenging. Though, you’ll need a capo on the first fret for the tunes to flow seamlessly.
| Genre | Folk, Pop |
| Chords | Am, C, F, G |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Type of Guitar | Acoustic |
| Tabs | Give Me Love tabs |
“Tenerife Sea”
Are you looking for the best song to dedicate to your loved one? Well, “Tenerife Sea” might be the perfect option. Instead of getting an expensive gift, you can surprise your partner with this romantic rendition.
This is a great tune for beginners. Even if you haven’t practiced guitar in a while, you’ll get the hang of the rhythm in almost no time.
“Tenerife Sea” includes strumming and picking, both simple to master, resulting in a mesmerizing melody. The chords are straightforward. Additionally, the chords loop for the intro, verse, and chorus. So, you won’t need to do a lot of memorizing.
| Genre | Folk, Pop |
| Chords | G, D, A, Bm, Em |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Type of Guitar | Acoustic |
| Tabs | Tenerife Sea tabs |
“Small Bump”
The fifth single from + is “Small Bump.” The song’s main instrument is an acoustic guitar, used as both chord and percussion. This distinctive style makes the track ideal for beginners looking to do something different.
“Small Bump” is about a friend of Sheeran’s who went through a miscarriage. As the English musician knows a thing or two about conveying heartbreak, he was the best person to sing about the tragic incident.
You can play two versions of this song, the studio version, which includes fingerpicking, or the strum version with the percussive guitar.
| Genre | Folk-pop |
| Chords | G, D, C, Em |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Type of Guitar | Acoustic |
| Tabs | Small Bump tabs |
“Bloodstream”
“Bloodstream” is the fourth single from Sheeran’s sophomore album, ×. Unlike Sheeran’s other romantic songs, this tune depicts Sheeran’s experience with hallucinogens in Ibiza.
With such an interesting and unique theme, the chords are bound to be just as distinct. Still, this is an easy melody to play once you memorize the chords. Moreover, your hard work will pay off once you impress everyone with your fingerstyle skills!
Instead of just strumming, “Bloodstream” requires a bit of picking. Though, it makes for great beginner practice. For the best sound, you can use a capo in the fourth fret key. This will also give you more control of the chords.
| Genre | Drum and bass |
| Chords | G, D, Em, C |
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Type of Guitar | Acoustic, Electric |
| Tabs | Bloodstream tabs |
“Drunk”
“Drunk” is another memorable track from the debut album, +. If you don’t remember this song from its heartbreaking lyrics or catchy melody, you’ll probably recognize its music video featuring the English artist and his feline best friend!
This is the ideal song for beginners and advanced guitarists. The chords are simple. So, if you haven’t mastered chords yet, this is perfect practice. You can either strum it or add your own style of fingerpicking, and the resulting melody will be mesmerizing all the same.
| Genre | Alternative, Pop |
| Chords | C, G, Am, F |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Type of Guitar | Acoustic |
| Tabs | Drunk tabs |
“All of The Stars”
Anybody who has seen The Fault in Our Stars remembers Sheeran’s “All of the Stars.”
The sorrowful, yet strangely uplifting soundtrack is just unforgettable. It can be hard to believe that no real-life events inspired the sincere song. Instead, Sheeran wrote the song after reading the book.
Surprisingly, Sheeran ditches the guitar in favor of a prominent keyboard in “All of the Stars.” Still, you can translate the notes into a gorgeous acoustic guitar melody.
The resulting tune is uncomplicated to learn. Again, there is no fingerpicking. Once you learn the chords by heart, you can start strumming.
| Genre | Alternative, pop |
| Chords | G, D, Em, C |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Type of Guitar | Acoustic |
| Tabs | All of the Stars tabs |
“U.N.I.”
“U.N.I” is another romantic song from Ed Sheeran’s +. The track pairs heartbreaking lyrics describing Sheeran missing his first love with a sweet guitar melody.
This is one of the easiest Ed Sheeran songs to master on guitar. To make things simpler, you should play the song using a capo on the first fret.
As you’d expect from Sheeran’s tracks from his debut album, “U.N.I.” doesn’t have a lot of fingerstyle chords. Since anyone can strum the guitar, this makes the song significantly straightforward. You’ll only have to memorize the chords.
| Genre | Alternative, pop |
| Chords | G, Bm, C, D |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Type of Guitar | Acoustic |
| Tabs | U.N.I. tabs |
“One”
“One” is a romantic ballad from Sheeran’s sophomore album. The love song is considered to be part of his debut album, +. That’s because Sheeran wrote it about his ex-girlfriend, who inspired most of the tracks on his debut album.
Since it’s a slower ballad, Sheeran turns to fingerpicking instead of his signature strumming. This proves to be a perfect choice for the song. Still, you can strum the melodies if you find this easier!
Some beginners might need time to learn this song, especially if they haven’t practiced fingerstyle guitar. “One” is quite different from the artist’s other songs.
| Genre | Folk-pop |
| Chords | D, G, A, Bm |
| Difficulty | Beginner, Intermediate |
| Type of Guitar | Acoustic |
| Tabs | One tabs |
“I’m a Mess”
There’s no doubt that Ed Sheeran showed off his guitar prowess on x. “I’m a Mess” relies heavily on the guitar sound, with minimal intervention from other instruments. The melody matches perfectly with the meaningful lyrics of the song.
Sheeran took a different direction than his usual romantic songs. Alternatively, the track depicts the artist’s feelings of guilt after a heartbreak.
“I’m a Mess” features a strumming loop throughout the song, so it’s ideal for beginners.
In fact, if you’re an intermediate or expert guitarist, you can learn the song in only minutes. As a beginner, it might take you a couple of hours to memorize and master the chords.
| Genre | Pop, R&B |
| Chords | C, G, Am, F |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Type of Guitar | Acoustic |
| Tabs | I’m a Mess tabs |
“Grade 8”
Finally, “Grade 8” is a song from Sheeran’s debut album +. If you’re an Ed Sheeran fan, also known as a Sheerio, you’ll definitely want to learn how to play this song.
R&B songs sound incredibly fascinating when combined with the acoustic guitar. “Grade 8” is no exception. It also has the English singer’s signature cheerful strum pattern.
Like most of Sheeran’s songs, “Grade 8” relies mostly on strumming. Accordingly, it’s easy for beginners. Though, you’ll need a capo for this song, placed on fret one, two, or three.
| Genre | Alternative, R&B |
| Chords | A, E, F#m, D |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Type of Guitar | Acoustic |
| Tabs | Grade 8 tabs |
