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.
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Lets Introduce: The All Axess 100 Best Fingerpicking Guitar Songs
Note: These are in no particular order of the greatest.
1. 3 Doors Down – Let Me Be Myself
Year: 2008
Album: 3 Doors Down
Tuning: E standard
Alter Bridge
2. Alter Bridge – Blackbird
Year: 2008
Album: Blackbird
Tuning: Eb Standard
3. Alter Bridge- Cry of Achilles
Year: 2013
Album: Fortress
Tuning: Eb Standard
4. Alter Bridge – In Loving Memory
Year: 2004
Album: One Day Remains
Tuning: C#F#C#F#A#C#
5. Alter Bridge – Wonderful Life
Year: 2010
Album: AB III
Tuning: Open G Major
6. Andy McKee – Drifting
Year: 2005
Album: Art Of Motion
Tuning: DADGAD Dsus4
7. Animals – House of The Rising Sun
Year: 1964
Album: Animals
Tuning: E standard
8. Avenged Sevenfold – Buried Alive
Year: 2010
Album: Nightmare
Tuning: Drop D
Ben Harper
9. Ben Harper – Forever
Year: 1997
Album: 3
Tuning: E standard
10. Ben Harper – Number Three
Year: 1997
Album: 3
Tuning: E standard
11. Ben Howard – Old Pine
Year: 2011
Album: Every Kingdom
Tuning: CGCGGC
12. Bill Withers – Ain`t No Sunshine
Year: 1971
Album: Just as I Am
Tuning: E standard
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
14. Bombay Bicycle Club – Leaving Blues
Year: 2010
Album: Flaws
Tuning: E standard* Capo on fourth fret
15. Buckethead – I Love My Parents
Year: 1992
Album: Bucketheadland
Tuning: E standard
16. Cat Stevens – The Wind
Year: 1971
Album: Teaser and the Firecat
Tuning: E standard
Creed
17. Creed – Is This The End
Year: 1999
Album: Human Clay
Tuning: Drop D
18. Creed – Lullaby
Year: 1999
Album: Human Clay
Tuning: Drop D
19. Creed – One Last Breath
Year: 2001
Album: Weathered
Tuning: E standard
20. Creed – What’s This Life For
Year: 1997
Album: My Own Prison
Tuning: E standard
21. Creed – With Arms Wide Open
Year: 1999
Album: Human Clay
Tuning: E standard
22. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – 4 + 20
Year: 1970
Album: Déjà Vu
Tuning: Open D
23. Dave Matthews Band – Grace is Gone
Year: 2002
Album: Busted Stuff
Tuning: E standard
Dire Straits
24. Dire Straits – Brothers in Arms
Year: 1985
Album: Brothers in Arms
Tuning: E standard
25. Dire Straits – Money For Nothing
Year: 1985
Album: Brothers in Arms
Tuning: E standard
26. Dire Straits – Sultans of Swing
Year: 1978
Album: Dire Straits
Tuning: E standard
Eagles
27. Eagles – Hotel California
Year: 1976
Album: Hotel California
Tuning: E standard
28. Eagles – Love Will Keep Us Alive
Year: 1994
Album: Hell Freezes Over
Tuning: E standard
Eddie Vedder
29. Eddie Vedder – Guaranteed
Year: 2007
Album: Into the Wild
Tuning: E standard
30. Eddie Vedder – Tuolumne
Year: 2007
Album: Into the Wild
Tuning: E standard
31. Elliott Smith – Angeles
Year: 1997
Album: Either/Or
Tuning: E standard *Capo on 5th fret
Eric Clapton
32. Eric Clapton – Tears In Heaven
Year: 1992
Album: Rush
Tuning: E standard
33. Eric Clapton – Wonderful Tonight
Year: 1977
Album: Slowhand
Tuning: E standard
34. Extreme – More Than Words
Year: 1990
Album: Extreme II: Pornograffitti
Tuning: Eb standard
35. Fleetwood Mac – Landslide
Year: 1975
Album: Fleetwood Mac
Tuning: E standard* Capo on 3rd fret
36. Francisco Tarrega – Recuerdos de la Alhambra
Year: 1896
Album: N/A
Tuning: E standard
37. G Love & Special Sauce – Gimme Some Lovin’
Year: 1999
Album: Philadelphonic
Tuning: E standard
38. Green day – Good Riddance
Year: 1997
Album: Nimrod
Tuning: E standard
39. Iron and Wine – Naked as We Came
Year: 2004
Album: Our Endless Numbered Days
Tuning: Drop D* Capo on 2nd fret
James Taylor
40. James Taylor – Fire And Rain
Year: 1970
Album: Sweet Baby James
Tuning: E standard* Capo on 3rd fret
41. James Taylor – Oh Susannah
Year: 1970
Album: Sweet Baby James
Tuning: E standard* Capo on 3rd fret
42. Jeff Buckley-Hallelujah
Year: 1994
Album: Grace
Tuning: E standard* Capo on 5th fret
43. Jim Croce – Operator
Year: 1972
Album: You Don’t Mess Around with Jim
Tuning: E standard
44. Joe Satriani – Tears In The Rain
Year: 1992
Album: The Extremist
Tuning: E standard
45. John Butler Trio – Losing You
Year: 2007
Album: Grand National
Tuning: Open G with bottom C
John Mayer
46. John Mayer – Stop This Train
Year: 2006
Album: Continuum
Tuning: E standard
47. John Mayer – Who Says
Year: 2009
Album: Battle Studies
Tuning: E standard
48. Kansas – Dust in the Wind
Year: 1977
Album: Point of Know Return
Tuning: E standard
49. Kenny Loggins – Dannys Song
Year: 1993
Album: Outside: From the Redwoods
Tuning: E standard
Led Zeppelin
50. Led Zeppelin – Babe I’m Gonna Leave You
Year: 1969
Album: Led Zeppelin
Tuning: E standard
51. Led Zeppelin – Bron-Yr-Aur
Year: 1975
Album: Physical Graffiti
Tuning: E standard
52. Led Zeppelin – Going to California
Year: 1971
Album: Led Zeppelin IV
Tuning: Double Drop-D Tuning
53. Led Zeppelin – The Rain Song
Year: 1973
Album: The Song Remains the Same
Tuning: E standard
54. Led Zeppelin – Black Mountain Side
Year: 1969
Album: Led Zeppelin
Tuning: DADGAD
55. Led Zeppelin – Stairway to Heaven
Year: 1971
Album: The Song Remains the Same
Tuning: E standard
56. Little Feat – Roll Um Easy
Year: 1973
Album: Dixie Chicken
Tuning: Open A
57. Lynyrd Skynyrd – Simple Man
Year: 1973
Album: Almost Famous
Tuning: Eb standard
58. Mason William – Classical Gas
Year: 1968
Album: The Mason Williams Phonograph Record
Tuning: E standard
59. Megadeth – Poisonous Shadows
Year: 2016
Album: Dystopia
Tuning: D standard
Metallica
60. Metallica – Fade to Black
Year: 1984
Album: Ride The Lightning
Tuning: E standard
61. Metallica – Nothing Else Matters
Year: 1991
Album: Metallica
Tuning: Eb standard
62. Nirvana – Plateau
Year: 1994
Album: MTV Unplugged in New York
Tuning: Eb standard
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
65. Opeth – Coil
Year: 2008
Album: Watershed
Tuning: E standard
66. Opeth – Dirge For November
Year: 2001
Album: Blackwater Park
Tuning: E standard
67. Opeth – Patterns In The Ivy
Year: 2001
Album: Blackwater Park
Tuning: E standard
Passenger
68. Passenger – Hearts on Fire
Year: 2014
Album: Whispers
Tuning: E standard
69. Passenger – Let Her Go
Year: 2012
Album: All the Little Lights
Tuning: E standard
70. Pearl Jam – Breathe
Year: 2009
Album: Backspacer
Tuning: E standard
71. Phish – Bliss
Year: 1996
Album: Billy Breathes
Tuning: E standard
Pink Floyd
72. Pink Floyd – A Pillow of Winds
Year: 1971
Album: Meddle
Tuning: E standard
73. Pink Floyd – Brain Damage/Eclipse
Year: 1983
Album: Pink Floyd
Tuning: E standard
74. Pink Floyd – If
Year: 1970
Album: Atom Heart Mother
Tuning: E standard
75. Pink Floyd – Is There Anybody Out There?
Year: 1979
Album: The Wall
Tuning: E standard
76. Plain White T’s – Hey There Delilah
Year: 2005
Album: All That We Needed
Tuning: E standard
77. Poets of the Fall – Cradled in Love
Year: 2012
Album: Temple of Thought
Tuning: E standard
78. Queensryche – Silent Lucidity
Year: 1990
Album: Empire
Tuning: E standard
79. Radiohead – Street Spirit (Fade Out)
Year: 1995
Album: The Bends
Tuning: E standard
80. Randy Rhoads – Dee
Year: 1980
Album: Blizzard Of Oz
Tuning: E standard
81. Red Hot Chili Peppers – Road Trippin’
Year: 1999
Album: Californication
Tuning: E standard
Simon & Garfunkel
82. Simon & Garfunkel – America
Year: 1968
Album: Almost Famous
Tuning: E standard
83. Simon & Garfunkel – Scarborough Fair
Year: 1966
Album: Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme
Tuning: E standard* Capo on 7th fret
84. Simon & Garfunkel – The Boxer
Year: 1970
Album: Bridge over Troubled Water
Tuning: E standard
85. Simon and Garfunkel – Wednesday Morning 3 A.M.
Year: 1964
Album: Wednesday Morning 3 A.M.
Tuning: E standard* Capo on 5th fret
86. Slash – Anastasia
Year: 2012
Album: Apocalyptic Love
Tuning: Eb standard
87. Staind – Zoe Jane
Year: 2003
Album: 14 Shades of Grey
Tuning: Eb standard
88. Sting – Shape Of My Heart
Year: 1993
Album: Ten Summoner’s Tales
Tuning: E standard
89. Tesla – Love Song
Year: 1989
Album: The Great Radio Controversy
Tuning: E standard
The Beatles
90. The Beatles – Blackbird
Year: 1968
Album: The Beatles
Tuning: E Standard
91. The Beatles – Julia
Year: 1968
Album: The Beatles
Tuning: E standard* Capo on 2nd fret
92. The Beatles – Yesterday
Year: 1965
Album: Help!
Tuning: E standard
93. The Black Keys – Little Black Submarines
Year: 2011
Album: El Camino
Tuning: E standard
94. The Tallest Man on Earth – I Won’t be Found, Where do my Bluebirds Fly
Year: 2008
Album: Shallow Grave
Tuning: DGDGA#D
95. The White Stripes – We’re Gonna Be Friends
Year: 2001
Album: White Blood Cells
Tuning: E standard
96. The Who – Behind Blue Eyes
Year: 1971
Album: Who’s Next
Tuning: E standard
97. Tom Waits – Hope That I Don’t Fall In Love With You
Year: 1973
Album: Closing Time
Tuning: E standard
98. Tracy Chapman – Fast Car
Year: 1988
Album: Tracy Chapman
Tuning: E standard
Xavier Rudd
99. Xavier Rudd – My Missing
Year: 2005
Album: Food in the Belly
Tuning: E standard
100. Xavier Rudd – Spirit Bird
Year: 2012
Album: Spirit Bird
Tuning: E standard
If you’re interested in fingerpicking then you should check our best acoustic guitars for children, if you’re more experienced you should check out the martin D-15m.
There it is… The Top 100 fingerpicking guitar songs ever!
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