The ranking of the 40 greatest pop-rock acoustic guitar songs of all time according to Music Radar

Sure, we all love the adrenaline rush of feedback and the power of an electric guitar solo, but plenty of masterpieces in the history of popular music are built on the acoustic guitar. Starting from this premise, the online magazine Music Radar has drawn up a special ranking dedicated precisely to the 40 greatest acoustic guitar songs of all time. "Electricity? Overrated," Music Radar quips in its introduction. "'Real' guitarists know that the instrument's true charm comes above all from the direct relationship between the musician and the soundboard of an acoustic guitar. Long before electric guitars and technological innovations revolutionized the sound of modern music, it was the six strings of an acoustic that carried songs, thanks to refined arpeggios and engaging rhythms capable of sustaining melody and accompaniment at the same time. And if you wanted more volume? You just played louder."
Music Radar also points out that "without amplifiers or extra gear, the acoustic guitar has always been - and remains - the ideal starting point for anyone approaching music, thanks to a vast repertoire of great classics that, let's be honest, are often easier to play than their authors would like you to believe." So here's a list built on a few clear criteria: "Some songs were chosen because they put the acoustic guitar clearly in the spotlight; others use it more discreetly, yet still make it a fundamental part of their sound and rhythm. Some are simple to learn, others far less so, but all of them deserve to be listened to and played."

So here's the ranking of the 40 greatest pop-rock acoustic guitar songs of all time, according to Music Radar (full feature here).

40. Queen – “Love Of My Life”
39. The Smiths – “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want”
38. John Lennon – “Working Class Hero”
37. Queen – “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”
36. George Ezra – “Shotgun”
35. Nick Drake – “Pink Moon”
34. Fleetwood Mac – “Landslide”
33. Alice In Chains – “Down In A Hole (Unplugged)”
32. Erasure – “Victim Of Love”
31. Mr. Big – “To Be With You”
30. Don McLean – “American Pie”
29. Bob Dylan – “The Times They Are A-Changin'”
28. America – “A Horse With No Name”
27. Stevie Ray Vaughan – “Life By The Drop”
26. The Rolling Stones – “Wild Horses”
25. Foo Fighters – “Everlong (Acoustic)”
24. Oasis – “Wonderwall”
23. John Martyn – “May You Never”
22. Kansas – “Dust In The Wind”
21. Eric Clapton – “Layla (Unplugged)”
20. Radiohead – “Fake Plastic Trees”
19. Led Zeppelin – “Going To California”
18. James Taylor – “Fire And Rain”
17. The Mamas And The Papas – “California Dreamin'”
16. Neil Young – “Heart Of Gold”
15. Extreme – “More Than Words”
14. Simon And Garfunkel – “The Boxer”
13. R.E.M. – “Losing My Religion”
12. Bob Marley – “Redemption Song”
11. Neil Young – “Needle And The Damage Done”
10. Johnny Cash – “Hurt”
9. The Who – “Pinball Wizard”
8. Eric Clapton – “Tears In Heaven”
7. Ed Sheeran – “The A Team”
6. The Eagles – “Hotel California (Unplugged)”
5. The Beatles – “Blackbird”
4. The Beatles – “Here Comes The Sun”
3. Led Zeppelin – “Stairway To Heaven”
2. The Beatles – “Yesterday”
1. Pink Floyd – “Wish You Were Here”

Ride the wave of great music

Add OndaRock to your favorite sources on Google Discover. Don't miss our reviews, milestones and latest news straight in your feed.

Follow on Google