You don’t have to be the biggest country music fan or even a fan of Taylor Swift to appreciate how talented she is as a songwriter. Her songs are always relatable and you can play these easy country songs on your guitar too. Many of them feature simple structures which makes them perfect for beginner guitarists.
From songs about heartache, to falling in love, to going on adventures, there’s a lot of different inspirations in the songs from this artist. As a country pop song star, Taylor Swift’s music speaks to the masses and it’s what makes her music so special.
We have put together a list of hot country songs from Swift that are easy to play on the guitar thanks to the simple chords used. For each song we have also included a tutorial so you can learn to play Taylor Swift guitar songs at home.
1. You Belong with Me
Let’s start out our list with the easiest of all the easy Taylor Swift guitar songs. You will be using the guitar chords D, A, Em and G to recreate this track.
Even though Taylor Swift is known for her Love Story track, we would say that this is actually her most popular song. It came off the same album and got three Grammy nominations back in 2010. It was also her best performing single on the Hot 100 list, landing second.
The best thing about this easy Taylor Swift guitar song is how simple it is. The structure makes it perfect for a beginner to the acoustic guitar to pick up. It does have similarities to other songs out there, but this will make it better for you to hone those basic guitar skills.
The reason this song is so good for beginners is because you only need three fingers to press on the strings. The strumming pattern goes down, down, up, up, down, up. We would recommend trying out this pattern at a slower tempo first to get used to it. Listen to the original track to speed up to the tempo that Swift plays at.
2. Love Story
We’ll continue our list with probably the most well known of all Taylor Swift guitar songs. You’ll be using chords D, G, Bm and A to recreate this on your acoustic guitar.
Love Story was the original country song that Taylor Swift released. The structure of the song is very clever, building up as the song carries on to fit in with that strong finish at the end. You’ll use the four chords we mentioned above, with one of them being barre chords. The strumming pattern changes in the verse with only the middle strings being played to get that punch bass note beat.
For the rest of the song you just need the most basic of strumming techniques. There’s nothing in this easy Taylor Swift guitar song that should challenge a beginner.
3. Fifteen
We’re going back to 2008 in this Swift song for your acoustic guitar. You’ll be using G, Cadd9 and Em chords.
Fifteen is a song that will speak to anyone who experienced their first heartbreak in high school. It’s a ballad type song that has a relatable message for all teens out there. When it comes to guitar playing, it’s really simple. The chords aren’t nearly as complicated as they look, and the chord switching is easy too.
The Cadd9 chord shouldn’t be offputting for a beginner. It almost is the same as a G major. Being able to play these same chords is useful to build on your playing skills. Strumming along to the original song won’t be a stretch either. There are a few strumming patterns you can choose from which will help you build on your confidence as a guitar player.
4. Shake it Off
To recreate Taylor Swift’s biggest dance pop track, you will need to use the chords Am, C and G. We all know that Swift is more of a country girl but she ventured into other music genres with Shake it Off.
The song was originally released in 2013 and it has a good upbeat tempo to it. The hook is catchy and a lot of fans enjoyed her venture into the pop world. Whatever your opinion is of this entry in our easiest Taylor Swift song list, it’s a really good song for beginners to learn. You will play songs like this that are dance pop on guitar and it may not transpose well. Shake it Off is not one of those songs.
You will be using three open chords to recreate the song and a strumming pattern that is very basic. What you need to do is learn the right technique for strumming your guitar because of the quicker tempo used.
5. State of Grace
Another Taylor Swift song that steered away from the country genre is State of Grace. This alternative rock song uses chords D, G and Em. It’s a song that shows off just how versatile Taylor Swift can be and it’s a cinch for beginner guitar players to pick up.
If you know a drummer this might be the perfect time for you to team up to get those drumbeats that really drive the song. It has an almost U2 like feel to it, and when Swift starts singing you can definitely feel the rock edge to her voice.
The strumming for this song won’t cause you any trouble at all. There are three strumming patterns you can choose from, so go for the easiest first. The barre chords are set out in groups of three as well which makes them easier to play.
6. Teardrops on My Guitar
Going back to the country pop style we know and love Swift for with this one folks. You will need to use G, Em, C and D chords for this one. These are super simple chords but it’s the strumming pattern that will challenge you if you are a beginner guitarist. The tempo is between 99 to 112 BPM so this aspect won’t be difficult for guitar learners. When you add in the down, down, down, down, up, down, up, down, down, down, up strumming pattern, all the elements can be tricky.
When you first start playing the song you don’t need to worry about getting everything right straight away. It will take a bit of practice because it’s not a super easy song to play. One thing that will help you is to put a capo on the third fret. If you find the pattern too difficult for this great song in the beginning, use your own strumming technique until you build your skills a bit more.
7. Our Song
For a straight up country song from Swift, try out Our Song. You’ll need to know the chords D, Em, G, A and D/F#. This track was one that helped Swift gain international recognition for her music. It was included on her debut album which was originally released in 2006, with the single being released the next year. You will notice that there are strong country roots in this piece because of the banjo part that drives the main beat of the song.
The easiest way you can strum along to Our Song is by playing two down strums for every chord. The pattern you want to strum ideally is down, down, down, up. You will also need to use a palm muting technique at the end of that up strum to get the full effect.
As a beginner guitarist, you want to take this one slowly to begin with. Once you have got the strumming pattern and chords nailed, that’s when you can increase your tempo. The rhythm of the song is really important so this is going to be the most important thing for you to learn.
8. We Are Never Getting Back Together
What a way to break things off with someone than letting them know there’s no hope in the future! For this tough, girl power track you will need to use the chords Cadd9, G, Em7 and Dsus.
This was more of a party track by Swift and it’s genre is classed as bubblegum pop. The hook is very catchy and the lyrics, while a little harsh, are actually quite fun.
The best way for you to recreate the song is by strumming downwards for each individual chord. Just one time will do it. One thing you will also need to learn here is palm muting. This is a technique that is almost like slapping the strings of your guitar, and you do this straight after you have strummed the chord. By doing this, you stop the strings from kaing a sound and it gives each chord a unique tone.
If you’re not keen on the one downstrum technique for each of the chords, then try a two strum pattern, both going down. Doing so brings you a bit closer to the actual harmony of the song. With any music, this song offers you a chance to play any way you want so feel free to experiment.
9. I Knew You Were Trouble
We’ll round out our list with the one song we love the most. The electropp hit that is I Knew You Were Trouble can be played on an acoustic guitar using the three chords G, D and C with an Em thrown in for good measure.
This track is all about being in a not so healthy relationship with someone and if you can relate to this, then this is the Taylor Swift song you will want to learn. It is a great track for venting all of those negative emotions in a more constructive way than crying into your pillow.
When Taylor Swift released the song in 2012, it was instantly a breakup banger. The upbeat tempo worked on many levels and the genre spanned more than one. The chords themselves are really easy. It’s the tempo with this one that’s going to be more of a challenge. It is a whopping 152 BPM which will really work on those wrist muscles. You’ll also have to focus on coordinating the up and down movements of your strumming pattern. Once you get the feel for Taylor’s rhtyhm, you’ll be able to nail the song.
Conclusion
That wraps up our list of easy Taylor Swift songs on guitar. We hope you found a Taylor Swift song in our list that you enjoy and will want to play on your guitar. Make sure to comment below your favorite easy songs. Happy playing.
FAQs
What is the easiest Taylor Swift song to play on guitar?
You Belong With Me is known to be the easiest song by Taylor Swift if you want to play it on the guitar. It’s played in the key of F# and the chords are really easy to pick up.
What song did Taylor Swift first learn on the guitar?
It was the song Kiss Me by Sixpence None the Richer that was the first song she ever learned on the guitar. It was actually this band and this particular song that inspired her to play the guitar in the first place.