top 14 easy ed sheeran songs for beginners (guitar, piano & vocals)

By Spardha Learnings

If you think that you need fancy solos or difficult riffs to sound like ED, you can be wrong. You only need emotions, easy chords, and always a bit of practice. To be honest, that’s why beginners who want to learn singing love Ed Sheeran songs. Not only are they real, raw, and melodic, but super learnable. From chart-topping Ed Sheeran hit songs to globally loved ED Sheeran famous songs, his music feels like it was written for anyone who wants to pick up an instrument and just play. 

Whether you're learning piano harmonies, guitar strumming, or working on vocals, his tracks are some of the most beginner-friendly pop songs ever made. So today, we’re diving into Ed Sheeran's best songs that are easy to learn and sound impressive even when played simply. Get ready to practice the ED Sheeran top songs, hum the melodies, and maybe just maybe surprise yourself with how fast you can sound like a pro.

All the beginner guitar players, checkout some top artist songs in the below blog!

Why Ed Sheeran Songs Are Perfect for Beginners

Let’s break it down before we jump into the list:

  • Simple Chord Progressions: Most ED Sheeran songs use 3–4 repeating chords.
  • Slow to Medium Tempo: Ideal for learning timing and control.
  • Melody-Driven, Not Solo-Heavy: His tracks focus on singing and rhythm.
  • Emotional Vocal Range: Not too high, not too low, just expressive.
  • Strumming Patterns Are Easy: No heavy syncopation or shredding

The Top 14 Easy Ed Sheeran Songs for Beginners

1. Perfect

  • Guitar: G – Em – C – D
  • Piano: Same as guitar, broken chords sound beautiful
  • Vocals: Soft dynamics and controlled breathing

Tip: Try slow down-strums on guitar, add pedal on piano.

2. Thinking Out Loud

  • Guitar: D – D/F# – G – A
  • Piano: Play it jazzy or minimal, both work
  • Vocals: Focus on vibrato only at line endings

Tip: Keep your tempo steady, this song swings easily if rushed.

3. Photograph

  • Guitar: C – G – Am – F
  • Piano: Arpeggios make it sound emotional
  • Vocals: Long phrases, don’t hold breath too tight

Tip: Practice the chorus separately for control.

4. The A Team

  • Guitar: Am – C – G – D
  • Piano: Light touch, right hand melody emphasis
  • Vocals: Storytelling tone > power

Tip: Use fingerpicking on guitar when comfortable.

5. Lego House

  • Guitar: Em – Bm – C – G
  • Piano: Try octaves in the chorus for fun
  • Vocals: Good for learning transitions

Tip: Don’t push your voice, let it flow.

6. Give Me Love

  • Guitar: Am – C – Em – D
  • Piano: Build slowly with layering
  • Vocals: Add emotion gradually

Tip: Learn the song in 3 stages, verse, pre-chorus, chorus.

7. Tenerife Sea

  • Guitar: G – Cadd9 – Em7 – D
  • Piano: Sounds great even with simple block chords
  • Vocals: Gentle falsetto practice track

Tip: Use soft sustain, avoid over-strumming.

8. Overpass Graffiti

  • Guitar: C – G – Am – F
  • Piano: Upbeat rhythm, easy for beginners
  • Vocals: Fun to sing, not too technical

Tip: Practice it like a jam session!

9. Shape of You (Acoustic Version)

  • Guitar: Am – C – F – G
  • Piano: Keep it rhythmic, skip the synth vibe
  • Vocals: Work on pronunciation and timing

Tip: Don’t attempt the original loop style, acoustic is your friend.

10. Castle on the Hill

  • Guitar: D – G – Bm – A
  • Piano: Chord rhythm + melody combo
  • Vocals: Medium range, good stamina builder

Tip: It’s fast. So, start slow, then increase BPM.

11. Kiss Me

  • Guitar: Em – G – D – A
  • Piano: Romantic and easy
  • Vocals: Great for soft singing practice

Tip: Learn dynamics, this song lives in emotion.

12. Afterglow

  • Guitar: G – D – Em – C
  • Piano: Minimalist chords work perfectly
  • Vocals: Easy melody, lots of heart

Tip: Keep it calm and connected.

13. Small Bump

  • Guitar: G – Em – C – D
  • Piano: Gentle progression
  • Vocals: Not high pitched, good for beginners

Tip: Sing like you're telling a personal story.

14. Bad Habits (Acoustic Version)

  • Guitar: Bm – G – D – A
  • Piano: Keep it rhythmic
  • Vocals: Learnable if done acoustic

Tip: Original is heavy on production, acoustic makes it easier.

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Practice Strategy for Beginners

Learning ED Sheeran famous songs is easy when you don’t overwhelm yourself. Try this:

Guitar Routine

  1. Learn 4 chords first
  2. Practice strumming muted strings
  3. Add lyrics later

Piano Routine

  1. Play chords without melody first
  2. Add right hand melody
  3. Try sustain pedal only after comfort

Vocal Routine

  1. Hum the melody first
  2. Add words without forcing notes
  3. Record yourself for improvement

Beginner-Friendly Chord Cheat Sheet

Song

Easy Chords

Perfect

G – Em – C – D

Photograph

C – G – Am – F

Thinking Out Loud

D – G – A

Afterglow

G – D – Em – C

The A Team

Am – C – G – D

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Playing Too Fast: When you play the song too quickly, you will likely lose any chord clarity, strumming accuracy, or emotional expression in the song. This should cause you to maintain a consistent tempo of playing throughout the song, even if the tempo feels slower than the intended tempo of the original recording.
  • Too Loud Without Control: Many people sing too loud without proper control over their breath or pitch. Singing loudly without breath or pitch control will often lead to crackled notes, notes sung out of pitch, and a loss of tone quality when singing. Focusing on vocal modulation and vocal projection in a controlled manner rather than simply trying to be very loud.
  • Using Produced Tracks Rather than Clean Acoustic Tracks: The versions of songs that have been produced by the professional sound engineers include many different overdubbed instruments and digital sound effects that mask imperfections in a performance of a song. Practicing on Clean Acoustic Tracks will help you become a better raw singer, improve your ability to keep time, and have balanced instruments when playing.
  • Not Practicing Transitions: If you skip practicing on your chording changes or on your section changes (verse → chorus → bridge), this will cause pauses and breaks in the natural flow of the song. Having smooth transitions is key to developing a confident performance.
  • Not Paying Attention To Rhythm: Even if you are playing the correct chords to the correct lyrics of a song, the chords will sound out of place if the rhythm is inconsistent. Your strumming patterns, beats, and pauses should align with the natural groove of the song.

How to Sound Like Ed Without Being Ed

You don’t need his loop pedal or stadium voice. To sound like him:

  • Keep chords clean
  • Sing with emotion
  • Use storytelling vocals
  • Don’t chase perfection, chase connection
  • Practice slowly

That’s the secret sauce behind Ed Sheeran popular songs, simplicity and emotions.

Conclusion

Ed Sheeran’s music isn’t just popular, it’s approachable. His songs sit right in the sweet spot for beginners across instruments and vocals. If you're either learning how to play Ed Sheeran songs or are looking for inspiration with his biggest hits or just want to jam out to some of his amazingly popular songs, the above mentioned tracks are an excellent starting point. 

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the easiest Ed Sheeran song for guitar?

Most beginners start with Perfect or Afterglow, both are simple ED Sheeran songs with 4 chords.

2. Are Ed Sheeran songs easy to sing?

Yes! Many ED Sheeran famous songs sit in a comfortable vocal range.

3. Which Ed song is easiest for piano?

Photograph, Perfect, and Tenerife Sea from ED Sheeran best songs list.

4. Should I learn the original or acoustic version?

Always start with acoustic, especially for ED Sheeran most popular songs like Shape of You or Bad Habits.

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