Recommended songs for beginner bands: simple and crowd-pleasing tracks.
Your first live performance at a school festival or a live house… At the beginning, most bands probably perform as a cover band rather than playing original songs, right?
When that time comes, you’ll likely agonize over which songs to play—especially if your band is full of instrumental beginners, you’ll want to choose from simpler tracks.
You might want to hype the crowd by covering popular bands’ songs, but at the same time, you may find yourself hesitating, thinking, “This one seems tough…”
So in this article, we’ll introduce plenty of beginner-friendly songs that band newcomers can learn to play with practice!
Of course, carefully listening to and recreating the original is important, but boldly arranging songs to make them easier to play is also a great way to energize your live performance!
Alright, let’s dive into which songs we recommend!
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Recommended songs for beginner bands: simple, crowd-pleasing tracks (101–110)
VenusTele
Tele is the solo project of Kitaro Taniguchi, who has been gaining attention for his literary lyrics and soulful, penetrating vocals.
The track Venus, released on September 6, 2023, leaves a lasting impression with its refreshing melody that carries a sense of weightlessness.
The simple rock ensemble uses few elements, yet each part stands out with a distinct presence.
With no fast passages, including the guitar solo, it’s a rock tune recommended for band musicians seeking something easy to play yet cool.
Bacchi DancerDOES
DOES is a three-piece rock band that has gained popularity with a rock ensemble featuring a cool, rock-tinged vocal style and guitar sound.
Their 10th single, “Bakuchi Dancer,” used as the theme song for the animated film Gintama: The Movie – A New Retelling of Benizakura, was released in advance from their best-of album SINGLES.
While the guitar and bass are simple, the drum beats are intricate, so beginner drummers should solidify their phrases individually before band practice.
With its driving sense of speed, it’s a rock tune that can get everyone hyped at school festivals and live shows.
Mass-produced boyfriendSHISHAMO
This is the second single from SHISHAMO, a three-piece rock band that has won overwhelming popularity among younger generations with candid, down-to-earth lyrics and a punchy rock sound.
It’s a number that hooks you with an arrangement that makes the most of the sound pressure from a minimal three-piece setup and a breezy shuffle-beat rhythm.
The fast tempo might make it seem challenging, but it doesn’t use difficult techniques, so if you practice slowly at first, even beginner band members will be able to play it.
I recommend listening to it repeatedly and practicing until you get used to the bouncy feel of the beat, which is different from a standard straight 8-beat.
rock upsetMakishimamu Za Horumon
Maximum the Hormone’s “Rock Bankuruwase” has a tempo close to 180, offering a pleasant sense of speed and making it a recommended song for beginners.
It seems difficult, but the guitar part is surprisingly easy since it’s just simple strumming with power chords! There’s some cutting in the middle, so be mindful of the rhythm there.
The drums use mainly 16th-note phrases, which makes it a bit tough.
It might be a good idea to ask someone who’s comfortable playing fast drum patterns to handle the drums.
Without putting it into wordsSIX LOUNGE
SIX LOUNGE’s “Kotoba ni Sezudomo” was also chosen as the theme song for the TV anime BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Conflict Arc, and with its sense of speed and emotional sound, it’s a track that’s sure to shine on stage.
The tight, powerful ensemble unique to a trio setup is extremely instructive for honing band performance skills, so it’s definitely worth a try.
The guitar’s strong chord strumming forms the backbone of the song; even with mainly power chords, varying your use of palm muting should get you close to the nuance of the original.
The bass lays down a tight 8-beat, and the melodic phrases that appear throughout will make for great practice for any bassist.
The drums support the whole with a steady beat—especially aim to nail the spotlighted fills cleanly by listening closely to the other instruments and locking in together!
Recommended songs for beginner bands: simple, crowd-pleasing tracks (111–120)
GIVE ME FIVE!AKB48
This is the 25th single by AKB48, a group that has become synonymous with idol groups in today’s J-pop scene.
The track features members performing instruments, and many fans likely became enthralled by this fresh facet of the group.
While there are no particularly challenging sections in terms of performance technique, making it approachable even for beginner band musicians, the arrangement has a full sound that includes a brass section.
If your band has a keyboard player, aiming to replicate the prominent parts will help you get closer to the original.
As is common with idol songs, there are many unison vocal sections, so be sure to practice the singing along with the instruments.
sparklergagaga supi
This is one of the signature songs by Gagaga SP, a band that helped lead the 2000s youth punk boom.
Packed with the drive, youthful earnestness, and bittersweetness typical of youth punk, this track can make for a cool live performance as long as beginners play it with passion! For vocals in particular, the key is to sing with heat and conviction without worrying about technical perfection.
If the drums and bass practice diligently to avoid dragging the tempo, they should be able to lock in tightly.
However, the guitar features continuous eighth-note palm muting, which might be a bit challenging for beginner guitarists.
Practice repeatedly so you can palm mute with alternate picking—producing sound on both the downstroke and the upstroke.
The key is to start at a slow tempo and gradually speed up!
