Quick summary: A study by guitarguitar analyzing millions of platform page views reveals that Ed Sheeran, The Beatles, and Taylor Swift are the world’s most sought after artists for aspiring guitarists learning chords and tabs. While contemporary pop tracks dominate overall artist interest, individual classic ballads like Jeff Buckley’s version of Hallelujah and Oasis’s Wonderwall remain the single most requested songs for beginners to master. These findings carry notable relevance for public policy and mental health, demonstrating that engaging with accessible, structurally straightforward music serves as a powerful driver for creative expression and personal well being.
A new study has revealed that Ed Sheeran is the artist whose songs people most want to learn on guitar, accumulating 229.6 million page views for his guitar chords and tabs on Ultimate Guitar.
The research, conducted by UK guitar retailer guitarguitar, analysed the 5,000 most-viewed tabs and chords on the platform, identifying 3,424 unique songs from 1,349 different artists. Page views were totalled to determine which songs and artists are most popular among aspiring players.
Top 20 artists
| Rank | Artist | Total Views | Most Popular Song to Learn |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Top 20 most-wanted songs
| Rank | 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 |
“It’s no surprise to see artists like Ed Sheeran, The Beatles, and Taylor Swift leading the list, thanks to their timeless songs that translate beautifully to guitar,” said Adam Speck, Marketing Director at guitarguitar. “From classic ballads like ‘Let It Be’ to modern favourites like ‘Perfect,’ these are the tracks people dream of being able to pick up and play. What’s really encouraging is that so many of these songs are completely achievable for beginners with a bit of practice.”
The findings underscore how guitar-friendly arrangements continue to fuel interest in learning the instrument, particularly through hits that blend emotional lyrics with techniques accessible enough for home practice.