In today’s article, we’re going to highlight 10 easy Radiohead songs to learn and play on your guitar. Since we recently covered Metallica, AC/DC and Foo Fighters, it’s time for something for fans of alternative music.
Radiohead released 9 albums so far – it means that there are a lot of songs that you can potentially learn! Whether you’re into their songs from their legendary ‘OK Computer’ (1997) or their recent ‘A Moon Shaped Pool‘ (2016), you will definitely find something for yourself in today’s blog post.
I picked 10 great Radiohead tracks and gathered them into a short list. Of course, all songs mentioned below are fairly easy to play. On top of that, it doesn’t matter what kind of guitar you have – you can play it all on both acoustic and electric guitars.
Check out the list of songs with guitar tabs below. For those who prefer video lessons, I included links to videos in the next section under the table. Enjoy your practice!
10 Easy Radiohead Songs – List
| Radiohead – Karma Police | TABS |
| Radiohead – High and Dry | TABS |
| Radiohead – Planet Telex | TABS |
| Radiohead – No Surprises | TABS |
| Radiohead – Creep | TABS |
| Radiohead – Lurgee | TABS |
| Radiohead – Fake Plastic Trees | TABS |
| Radiohead – How To Disappear Completely | TABS |
| Radiohead – True Love Waits | TABS |
| Radiohead – Lucky | TABS |
For The Biggest Fans of Radiohead
1. Radiohead – Karma Police
For those who are not aware – Karma Police is one of the most famous songs created by Radiohead. The chord progression in that tune sounds absolutely amazing. Overall, the whole song is fairly simple, so if you know basic chords, learning it from start to finish should be a massive issue for you.
2. Radiohead – High and Dry
Another great song by Radiohead that will be perfect for musicians with acoustic guitars. The tune sounds really cool and there is some really interesting octave stuff going on in the intro, so I highly recommend checking it the lesson above. There are a few things that may be challenging for beginners (like using your thumb on the 6th string), but in general, this piece is perfect to practice your strumming and accuracy skills.
3. Radiohead – Planet Telex
‘Planet Telex‘ comes from their third album and it features some really cool and uncommon chords. In my opinion, this tune is perfect for players who are bored of playing the same basic chords again and again. It’s definitely not the easiest track on today’s list, but I think that giving it a try will be really beneficial for all guitarists out there.
4. Radiohead – No Surprises
This has to be the biggest hit by Radiohead! I’m sure that all of you already know that song. Whether you want to play that soothing intro on your electric guitar or simple chords on your acoustic guitar, the video above explains everything really well. It’s not surprising that No Surprises is on today’s list – it’s one of the easiest songs in the whole discography of Radiohead!
5. Radiohead – Creep
Another iconic song by Radiohead. I think that knowing Creep is a must for any guitarist out there! Especially if you’re into performing live. Back when I was playing in pubs and busking in the UK, a lot of people often asked me to play that song. Since a lot of people recognize it and even know the lyrics, it’s a great track to add to your own setlist.
6. Radiohead – Lurgee
Lurgee is a perfect track for beginner guitarists. It’s just a few simple chords and you’re ready to go! It may not be as popular as Creep or No Surprises, but it’s definitely worth checking out.
7. Radiohead – Fake Plastic Trees
Another popular and really easy Radiohead song to play on guitar. This tune will be ideal for people who want to train their strumming skills. The song features a classic Radiohead chord progression, which is also worth knowing. Feel free to check out this excellent video lesson above – I’m sure that you’ll be able to learn this song in a matter of minutes.
8. Radiohead – How To Disappear Completely
Although this song requires a capo on the second fret, you can still try to learn it even if you don’t have it. This really simple ballad is great for practicing your accuracy and strumming skills. Just a few basic chords and you’re sorted! It’s definitely one of the easier songs by Radiohead.
9. Radiohead – True Love Waits
True Love Waits by Radiohead is another example of a song that sounds good and is fairly easy to play at the same time. This track is perfect for practicing your rhythm and strumming skills! There are a few challenging parts in there too, but I’m sure that you’ll be able to learn to play it smoothly in a matter of hours.
10. Radiohead – Lucky
The last song on my list, Lucky, is aimed for guitarists with electric guitars. Of course, you can try it on your acoustic guitar too, but there are some parts that sound absolutely amazing with your guitar plugged in. A great track and a great guitar lesson – who needs anything else? I highly recommend checking it out, even if you aren’t familiar with that tune.
Learning Effectively
Although most of these songs are pretty simple to learn and play, songs by Radiohead feature unique and fascinating chord progressions. These unusual chord shapes, sounds and melodies can be challenging at times.
If you still experience a lot of problems with learning these songs, it may indicate that you should go back to the basics. Feel free to check out my article about Fender Play, a platform for all-level guitarists designed to learn fast and effectively.
Summary
As you can see, Radiohead has quite a few songs that sound awesome and at the same time are really easy to play. I hope that you took your time and you check out the tabs and video lessons above.
And remember – don’t worry if you can’t play these songs yet! Becoming a good guitar player takes time and it won’t happen overnight. Make sure to practice regularly and feel free to come back to these Radiohead songs every few weeks. At some point all of these tunes will be a piece of cake for you!
Thanks for checking out today’s article. If you want to learn more songs, you may also like:
