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)
Funny Bunnythe pillows
A song by the rock band the pillows, who even had a film made in 2019 to commemorate their 30th anniversary.
It’s a well-known number thanks to its use in anime and covers by other artists.
The guitar parts are mostly simple, focusing on chord strumming and arpeggios, and the guitar solo is approachable for beginner guitarists because the overall tempo of the song is slow.
The bass often locks in with the kick drum and features many interval jumps, but like the guitar, the slow tempo keeps the technique fairly straightforward.
The drums use offbeat hi-hats throughout everything except the chorus, which can easily throw off your timing if you’re not used to it, so caution is needed.
With its slow tempo it’s easy to tackle, and thanks to its dynamic contours it’s also a crowd-pleaser live.
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.
Messenger from Sunday↑THE HIGH-LOWS↓
This is the 22nd single by the rock band ↑THE HIGH-LOWS↓, formed around Hiroto Kōmoto and Masatoshi Mashima, who were core members of the legendary punk rock band THE BLUE HEARTS.
It became widely known across generations after being used as the ending theme for the variety show “Downtown no Gottsu Ee Kanji,” and it was also featured in commercials and as a movie theme song.
As the title suggests, its relaxed, weekend-like beat makes it easy to play without rushing, so even beginner band members can take it on.
It’s a rock tune that’s just right for your first time playing together as a band—laid-back and fun to perform.
My First KissHi-STANDARD
A cover of the anime Kiteretsu Daihyakka’s theme song by the punk rock band Hi-STANDARD.
That familiar melody has been arranged into a refreshing punk style, and it feels great to listen to! The distinctive guitar riff will take solid practice until you can play it smoothly, but the rest is mainly power chords, so it’s recommended for beginner guitarists too.
The bass has a bit of movement, but it’s built on simple phrases, and the drums are made up of a straightforward beat except for the fills at the transitions.
If, when you actually start practicing, you find a part that feels truly impossible, it’s fine to ask an experienced player to simplify it into an easier phrase!
To the blue skySABOTEN
SABOTEN is a three-piece rock band that captivates fans with straightforward, Japanese-based lyrics and the beautiful melodic-work typical of melodic hardcore.
“Aozora e,” included on their first album HI ROCK HI, features the clean, simple sound unique to a three-piece, which feels really good.
While there aren’t any difficult phrases, the performance can end up sounding flat unless you focus on tight playing and dynamics, so be mindful of that when practicing as a band.
Also, harmonies—the hallmark of melodic hardcore—are important, so practicing vocals alongside your instruments will raise the overall quality.
Recommended songs for beginner bands: simple, crowd-pleasing tracks (111–120)
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!
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.