100 Great Fingerpicking Guitar Songs to Learn in 2016 | Tabs Included

As a guitarist, one of the most essential skills to learn is how to fingerpick. Artists like Metallica, Led Zeppelin, and Opeth have numerous classics based around this concept.

Listed below are some of my favorite fingerstyle guitar songs.

I highly encourage any guitarist to try and learn these songs.

While some of these songs are difficult, the majority of the songs can be played by an intermediate guitarist


Lets Introduce: The All Axess 100 Best Fingerpicking Guitar Songs 

Note: These are in no particular order of the greatest.​

Songs

1. 3 Doors Down – Let Me Be Myself

Year: 2008

Album: 3 Doors Down

Tuning:  E standard

Tab 

Alter Bridge

2. Alter Bridge – Blackbird

Year: 2008

Album: Blackbird

Tuning: Eb Standard

Tab

3. Alter Bridge- Cry of Achilles

Year: 2013

Album: Fortress

Tuning: Eb Standard

Tab

4. Alter Bridge – In Loving Memory

Year: 2004

Album: One Day Remains

Tuning: C#F#C#F#A#C#

Tab

5. Alter Bridge – Wonderful Life

Year: 2010

Album: AB III

Tuning: Open G Major

Tab

6. Andy McKee – Drifting

Year: 2005

Album: Art Of Motion

Tuning: DADGAD Dsus4

Tab

7. Animals – House of The Rising Sun

Year: 1964

Album: Animals

Tuning: E standard

Tab

8. Avenged Sevenfold – Buried Alive

Year: 2010

Album: Nightmare

Tuning: Drop D

Tab

Ben Harper

9. Ben Harper – Forever

Year: 1997

Album: 3

Tuning: E standard

Tab

10. Ben Harper – Number Three

Year: 1997

Album: 3

Tuning: E standard

Tab

11. Ben Howard – Old Pine

Year: 2011

Album: Every Kingdom

Tuning: CGCGGC

Tab

12. Bill Withers – Ain`t No Sunshine

Year: 1971

Album:  Just as I Am

Tuning: E standard

Tab

13. Bob Dylan – Don’t Think Twice It’s All Right

Year: 1963

Album: The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan

Tuning: E standard* Capo on fourth fret

Tab

14. Bombay Bicycle Club – Leaving Blues

Year: 2010

Album: Flaws

Tuning: E standard* Capo on fourth fret

Tab

15. Buckethead – I Love My Parents

Year: 1992

Album: Bucketheadland

Tuning: E standard

Tab

16. Cat Stevens – The Wind

Year: 1971

Album: Teaser and the Firecat

Tuning: E standard

Tab

Creed

17. Creed – Is This The End

Year: 1999

Album: Human Clay

Tuning: Drop D

Tab

18. Creed – Lullaby

Year: 1999

Album: Human Clay

Tuning: Drop D

Tab

19. Creed – One Last Breath

Year: 2001

Album: Weathered

Tuning: E standard

Tab

20. Creed – What’s This Life For

Year: 1997

Album: My Own Prison

Tuning: E standard

Tab

21. Creed – With Arms Wide Open

Year: 1999

Album: Human Clay

Tuning: E standard

Tab

22. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – 4 + 20

Year: 1970

Album: Déjà Vu

Tuning: Open D

Tab

23. Dave Matthews Band – Grace is Gone

Year: 2002

Album: Busted Stuff

Tuning: E standard

Tab

Dire Straits

24. Dire Straits – Brothers in Arms

Year: 1985

Album: Brothers in Arms

Tuning: E standard

Tab

25. Dire Straits – Money For Nothing

Year: 1985

Album: Brothers in Arms

Tuning: E standard

Tab

26. Dire Straits – Sultans of Swing

Year: 1978

Album: Dire Straits

Tuning: E standard

Tab

Eagles

27. Eagles – Hotel California

Year: 1976

Album: Hotel California

Tuning: E standard

Tab

28. Eagles – Love Will Keep Us Alive

Year: 1994

Album: Hell Freezes Over

Tuning: E standard

Tab

Eddie Vedder

29. Eddie Vedder – Guaranteed

Year: 2007

Album: Into the Wild

Tuning: E standard

Tab

30. Eddie Vedder – Tuolumne

Year: 2007

Album: Into the Wild

Tuning: E standard

Tab

31. Elliott Smith – Angeles

Year: 1997

Album: Either/Or

Tuning: E standard *Capo on 5th fret

Tab

Eric Clapton

32. Eric Clapton – Tears In Heaven

Year: 1992

Album: Rush

Tuning: E standard

Tab

33. Eric Clapton – Wonderful Tonight

Year: 1977

Album: Slowhand

Tuning: E standard

Tab

34. Extreme – More Than Words

Year: 1990

Album: Extreme II: Pornograffitti

Tuning: Eb standard

Tab

35. Fleetwood Mac – Landslide

Year: 1975

Album: Fleetwood Mac

Tuning: E standard* Capo on 3rd fret

Tab 

36. Francisco Tarrega – Recuerdos de la Alhambra

Year: 1896

Album: N/A

Tuning: E standard

Tab

37. G Love & Special Sauce – Gimme Some Lovin’

Year: 1999

Album: Philadelphonic

Tuning: E standard

Tab

38. Green day – Good Riddance

Year: 1997

Album: Nimrod

Tuning: E standard

Tab

39. Iron and Wine – Naked as We Came

Year: 2004

Album: Our Endless Numbered Days

Tuning: Drop D* Capo on 2nd fret

Tab

James Taylor

40. James Taylor – Fire And Rain

Year: 1970

Album: Sweet Baby James

Tuning: E standard* Capo on 3rd fret

Tab

41. James Taylor – Oh Susannah

Year: 1970

Album: Sweet Baby James

Tuning: E standard* Capo on 3rd fret

Tab 

42. Jeff Buckley-Hallelujah

Year: 1994

Album: Grace

Tuning: E standard* Capo on 5th fret

Tab

43. Jim Croce – Operator

Year: 1972

Album: You Don’t Mess Around with Jim

Tuning: E standard

Tab

44. Joe Satriani – Tears In The Rain

Year: 1992

Album: The Extremist

Tuning: E standard

Tab

45. John Butler Trio – Losing You

Year: 2007

Album: Grand National

Tuning: Open G with bottom C

Tab

John Mayer

46. John Mayer – Stop This Train

Year: 2006

Album: Continuum

Tuning: E standard

Tab

47. John Mayer – Who Says

Year: 2009

Album: Battle Studies

Tuning: E standard

Tab

48. Kansas – Dust in the Wind

Year: 1977

Album: Point of Know Return

Tuning: E standard

Tab

49. Kenny Loggins – Dannys Song

Year: 1993

Album: Outside: From the Redwoods

Tuning: E standard

Tab

Led Zeppelin

50. Led Zeppelin – Babe I’m Gonna Leave You

Year: 1969

Album: Led Zeppelin

Tuning: E standard

Tab

51. Led Zeppelin – Bron-Yr-Aur

Year: 1975

Album: Physical Graffiti

Tuning: E standard

Tab

52. Led Zeppelin – Going to California

Year: 1971

Album: Led Zeppelin IV

Tuning: Double Drop-D Tuning

Tab

53. Led Zeppelin – The Rain Song

Year: 1973

Album: The Song Remains the Same

Tuning: E standard

Tab

54. Led Zeppelin – Black Mountain Side

Year: 1969

Album: Led Zeppelin

Tuning: DADGAD

Tab

55. Led Zeppelin – Stairway to Heaven

Year: 1971

Album: The Song Remains the Same

Tuning: E standard

Tab

56. Little Feat – Roll Um Easy

Year: 1973

Album: Dixie Chicken

Tuning: Open A

Tab

57. Lynyrd Skynyrd – Simple Man

Year: 1973

Album: Almost Famous

Tuning: Eb standard

Tab

58. Mason William – Classical Gas

Year: 1968

Album: The Mason Williams Phonograph Record

Tuning: E standard

Tab

59. Megadeth – Poisonous Shadows

Year: 2016

Album: Dystopia

Tuning: D standard

Tab

Metallica

60. Metallica – Fade to Black

Year: 1984

Album: Ride The Lightning

Tuning: E standard

Tab

61. Metallica – Nothing Else Matters

Year: 1991

Album: Metallica

Tuning: Eb standard

Tab

62. Nirvana – Plateau

Year: 1994

Album: MTV Unplugged in New York

Tuning: Eb standard

Tab

63. O.A.R. – So Good So Far

Year: 2014

Album: The Rockville LP

Tuning: E standard

Tab: N/A

Opeth

64. Opeth – Benighted

Year: 1999

Album: Still Life

Tuning: E standard

Tab

65. Opeth – Coil

Year: 2008

Album: Watershed

Tuning: E standard

Tab

66. Opeth – Dirge For November

Year: 2001

Album: Blackwater Park

Tuning: E standard

Tab

67. Opeth – Patterns In The Ivy

Year: 2001

Album: Blackwater Park

Tuning: E standard

Tab

Passenger

68. Passenger – Hearts on Fire

Year: 2014

Album: Whispers

Tuning: E standard

Tab

69. Passenger – Let Her Go

Year: 2012

Album: All the Little Lights

Tuning: E standard

Tab

70. Pearl Jam – Breathe

Year: 2009

Album: Backspacer

Tuning: E standard

Tab

71. Phish – Bliss

Year: 1996

Album: Billy Breathes

Tuning: E standard

Tab

Pink Floyd

72. Pink Floyd – A Pillow of Winds

Year: 1971

Album: Meddle

Tuning: E standard

Tab

73. Pink Floyd – Brain Damage/Eclipse

Year: 1983

Album: Pink Floyd

Tuning: E standard

Tab

74. Pink Floyd – If

Year: 1970

Album: Atom Heart Mother

Tuning: E standard

Tab

75. Pink Floyd – Is There Anybody Out There?

Year: 1979

Album: The Wall

Tuning: E standard

Tab

76. Plain White T’s – Hey There Delilah

Year: 2005

Album: All That We Needed

Tuning: E standard

Tab

77. Poets of the Fall – Cradled in Love

Year: 2012

Album: Temple of Thought

Tuning: E standard

Tab

78. Queensryche – Silent Lucidity

Year: 1990

Album: Empire

Tuning: E standard

Tab

79. Radiohead – Street Spirit (Fade Out)

Year: 1995

Album: The Bends

Tuning: E standard

Tab

80. Randy Rhoads – Dee

Year: 1980

Album: Blizzard Of Oz

Tuning: E standard

Tab

81. Red Hot Chili Peppers – Road Trippin’

Year: 1999

Album: Californication

Tuning: E standard

Tab

Simon & Garfunkel

82. Simon & Garfunkel – America

Year: 1968

Album: Almost Famous

Tuning: E standard

Tab

83. Simon & Garfunkel – Scarborough Fair

Year: 1966

Album: Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme

Tuning: E standard* Capo on 7th fret

Tab

84. Simon & Garfunkel – The Boxer

Year: 1970

Album: Bridge over Troubled Water

Tuning: E standard

Tab

85. Simon and Garfunkel – Wednesday Morning 3 A.M.

Year: 1964

Album: Wednesday Morning 3 A.M.

Tuning: E standard* Capo on 5th fret

Tab

86. Slash – Anastasia

Year: 2012

Album: Apocalyptic Love

Tuning: Eb standard

Tab

87. Staind – Zoe Jane

Year: 2003

Album: 14 Shades of Grey

Tuning: Eb standard

Tab

88. Sting – Shape Of My Heart

Year: 1993

Album: Ten Summoner’s Tales

Tuning: E standard

Tab

89. Tesla – Love Song

Year: 1989

Album: The Great Radio Controversy

Tuning: E standard

Tab

The Beatles

90. The Beatles – Blackbird

Year: 1968

Album: The Beatles

Tuning: E Standard

Tab

91. The Beatles – Julia

Year: 1968

Album: The Beatles

Tuning: E standard* Capo on 2nd fret

Tab

92. The Beatles – Yesterday

Year: 1965

Album: Help!

Tuning: E standard

Tab

93. The Black Keys – Little Black Submarines

Year: 2011

Album: El Camino

Tuning: E standard

Tab

94. The Tallest Man on Earth – I Won’t be Found, Where do my Bluebirds Fly

Year: 2008

Album: Shallow Grave

Tuning: DGDGA#D

Tab

95. The White Stripes – We’re Gonna Be Friends

Year: 2001

Album: White Blood Cells

Tuning: E standard

Tab

96. The Who – Behind Blue Eyes

Year: 1971

Album: Who’s Next

Tuning: E standard

Tab

97. Tom Waits – Hope That I Don’t Fall In Love With You

Year: 1973

Album: Closing Time

Tuning: E standard

Tab

98. Tracy Chapman – Fast Car

Year: 1988

Album: Tracy Chapman

Tuning: E standard

Tab

Xavier Rudd

99. Xavier Rudd – My Missing

Year: 2005

Album: Food in the Belly

Tuning: E standard

Tab

100. Xavier Rudd – Spirit Bird

Year: 2012

Album: Spirit Bird

Tuning: E standard

Tab


There it is… The Top 100 fingerpicking guitar songs ever!




Think Piece: Why Stone Sour’s “Hydrograd” Will Slay

“It’s all downhill from here,” bellows Stone Sour frontman Corey Taylor on “Fabuless” one of two new cuts from the[…]


Think Piece: Seether Keep Writing Massive Anthems on “Poison The Parish”

It’s crazy to think that Seether’s first full-length album, Disclaimer, arrived 15 years ago. Since 2002, the trio—Shaun Morgan [vocals, guitar],[…]


A Perfect Circle at The Hollywood Bowl…Why They Should Headline Coachella

Throughout history, there have been certain tours that invariably left a mark on not only the attendees, but also pop[…]


Think Piece: Enterprise Earth – “Embodiment”

Deathcore is a funny little beast. Often derided by traditional press, there’s a veritable cult of fans that have transformed[…]


Think Piece: Why Megadeth’s “Dystopia” Is So Important

It was a long time coming, nearly almost as long as it took for Scorsese to win an Oscar, but[…]


Think Piece: Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes – “Modern Ruin”

I remember the first time that I heard Frank Carter. It was back when he was fronting Gallows. Upon the[…]