Ed Sheeran Tops Global List of Most-Learned Guitar Artists

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A new study has found that Ed Sheeran is the music artist whose songs aspiring guitarists most want to learn. His tracks received 229,583,066 page views on Ultimate Guitar, surpassing The Beatles and Taylor Swift.

Study overview

The research was carried out by the UK’s largest guitar retailer, guitarguitar. The company analysed the 5,000 most popular tabs and chords from Ultimate Guitar, identifying 3,424 unique songs by 1,349 artists and totalling their page views to determine the most learned musicians and songs.

Guitarguitar said the results reflect a blend of modern and classic influences shaping guitar trends. Ultimate Guitar, a major online resource for chords and tabs since 2000, provided the view counts, which show growing interest in beginner-friendly acoustic music.

Leading artists

Ed Sheeran ranked first overall, with his 2017 ballad Perfect emerging as his most popular song to learn. The Beatles followed with 226,084,452 combined views, led by Let It Be from the band’s 1970 album. Taylor Swift placed third, with Love Story from Fearless receiving the most attention from learners.

Metallica secured fourth place with 125,975,756 views, driven by interest in Nothing Else Matters. Coldplay ranked fifth with 122,319,381 views, and The Scientist was their most sought-after track despite being largely piano-based.

Top 20 artists people want to learn on guitar

(Artist, total views, most popular song)

1. Ed Sheeran — 229,583,066 — Perfect
2. The Beatles — 226,084,452 — Let It Be
3. Taylor Swift — 167,857,199 — Love Story
4. Metallica — 125,975,756 — Nothing Else Matters
5. Coldplay — 122,319,381 — The Scientist
6. Adele — 115,690,644 — Someone Like You
7. Oasis — 113,436,762 — Wonderwall
8. Green Day — 96,169,199 — Boulevard Of Broken Dreams
9. Bruno Mars — 91,093,483 — When I Was Your Man
10. Red Hot Chili Peppers — 81,106,461 — Under The Bridge
11. Radiohead — 80,669,544 — Creep
12. Nirvana — 80,033,031 — Smells Like Teen Spirit
13. Jason Mraz — 77,625,487 — I’m Yours
14. Pink Floyd — 75,342,001 — Wish You Were Here
15. Eagles — 72,832,161 — Hotel California
16. Guns N’ Roses — 67,900,618 — Sweet Child O’ Mine
17. Jeff Buckley — 63,676,335 — Hallelujah
18. Elvis Presley — 60,092,762 — Can’t Help Falling In Love
19. Queen — 57,825,902 — Bohemian Rhapsody
20. Led Zeppelin — 57,775,585 — Stairway To Heaven

Most-learned songs

Jeff Buckley’s rendition of Hallelujah was the most viewed individual track, with 61,714,586 views. Originally written by Leonard Cohen in 1984, Buckley’s version gained widespread recognition after his 1994 album Grace.

Top 20 songs people want to learn on guitar

(Song, artist, total views)

1. Hallelujah — Jeff Buckley — 61,714,586
2. Wonderwall — Oasis — 56,170,805
3. I’m Yours — Jason Mraz — 52,431,863
4. Perfect — Ed Sheeran — 47,914,584
5. Can’t Help Falling In Love — Elvis Presley — 45,390,886
6. Hotel California — Eagles — 43,285,120
7. Wish You Were Here — Pink Floyd — 39,986,444
8. Let Her Go — Passenger — 38,866,929
9. All Of Me — John Legend — 38,770,259
10. Creep — Radiohead — 37,393,650
11. Nothing Else Matters — Metallica — 34,270,823
12. Stairway To Heaven — Led Zeppelin — 34,241,751
13. Hey There Delilah — Plain White T’s — 32,846,601
14. Thinking Out Loud — Ed Sheeran — 31,560,359
15. Someone Like You — Adele — 31,554,867
16. Sweet Child O’ Mine — Guns N’ Roses — 30,973,665
17. Riptide — Vance Joy — 30,849,554
18. Iris — Goo Goo Dolls — 29,985,214
19. The Scientist — Coldplay — 29,127,524
20. Let It Be — The Beatles — 27,637,402

Industry insights

Adam Speck, Marketing Director at guitarguitar, said, “It is no surprise to see artists like Ed Sheeran, The Beatles, and Taylor Swift leading the list, with their timeless songs that translate beautifully to guitar.” He added, “From classic ballads like Let It Be to modern favorites like Perfect, these are the tracks people dream of being able to pick up and play. What is really encouraging is that so many of these songs are completely achievable for beginners with a bit of practice.”

Guitarguitar noted that the findings align with broader trends in music education, in which online platforms have expanded access to learning materials. Sheeran’s acoustic style, often built around simple open chords, has helped attract new players, while The Beatles’ catalogue continues to engage learners across generations.

The study also comes amid increasing music retail sales in the UK. As guitar interest rises post-pandemic, retailers and educators may use these insights to guide beginners toward accessible and motivating repertoire.