Being able to play pop songs on your piano when you are a fan of modern music can encourage your commitment and passion for the instrument. We’ve put together a list of easy piano songs from the pop genre that has simple structures so you can learn them quickly and easily. Whether you are completely new to the piano or just want to learn some different piano songs, all of these pieces will add something fun to your piano playing repertoire.
For each piece, we will give you a breakdown of how the music is laid out. We also will give you some top practice tips to help you on your learning journey with popular songs. After each section, we have included a handy piano playing tutorial for every pop song so you can play along with the piece online.
1. Sia – Titanium
Sia first became widely pop with this tune, even though she had been an artist for many years prior to her global fame. Titanium is one of our easy piano songs because of how simple the chord structure is. Once you get to grips with what is happening in the left hand, all you have to do is add in the melody with your right. The song is also in an easy key of Eb major.
The melody is completely controlled by your right hand, with chords being played in your left. Depending on how experienced you are with the piano you can decide whether you want to play the melody line as chords or as single notes.
2. Alicia Keys – If I Ain’t Got You
The brilliant thing about If I Ain’t Got You is that the song is completely based on the piano so you don’t really need to transpose anything onto your keyboard. Throughout the song, you will be using a triplet riff and it’s this sequence that is very easy to remember. A piano riff is a sequence that uses the same pattern for your fingers. In this song, you will use your thumb, index and little finger to play the riff. Then all you need to do is move down the intervals as denoted by the tutorial video.
To go along with that riff that your playing in your right hand, the left hand begins a sequence of downward notes that sort of sound like a scale. When you play all of the notes together what you actually create is seventh chords but in a much easier way. The left-hand plays the bassline which follows the chord sequence of C, B, A and then G. Then you play those same chords again but in reverse order.
Eventually, once you finish the intro the key settles into G minor and the rest of the notes stay pretty consistent. Start out with your G major chord and then move on to an E minor, A minor and D major chord progression. The chorus uses the same structure for the chords as you learned in the intro. You will be using some more advanced techniques to play this one such as triplets but it’s these skills that will help you become a well-rounded pianist.
3. Vanessa Carlton – A Thousand Miles
A Thousand Miles probably has the most well-known piano part of all modern pop songs. The notes are very repetitive which makes the whole song easy for beginners. However, you will need to exercise your finger flexibility to get the right finesse for the music. Carlton made use of chord harmonies which are incredibly simple and these repeat for the whole song.
Another new skill will be learned if you decide to take on this song. The rhythm is what is referred to as syncopated and this is something that is a well-used technique in popular music. By dividing up the song into sections and counting out the rhythm for each part, you should be able to nail the song in just a few attempts.
4. Luis Fonsi – Despacito
In 2018 Despacito became one of the biggest pop song hits of the year. Since then it has been covered on multiple instruments including the guitar and, of course, the piano. This song is so simple for a beginner because of how the chords repeat themselves throughout the entire piece. The key is in B minor so that’s the first chord you start out with. You then move to a G major, D major and A major chord sequence.
When you hit the chorus you will pretty much be using the same chord structure as before. However, there’s a bit more energy and range for you to experiment within this part. Introducing the right hand, you can follow a melody of single notes that, when combined with your left, creates full chords with powerful dynamics.
The best way to make sure you nail the melody here is to listen to the original song carefully. If you can find a piano cover version, even better. The artist used a lot of different embellishments which you can get creative with in your right hand. Certain parts of the entire melody have to be accented so that it sounds intense enough on your piano.
5. John Legend – All Of Me
A lot of people want to play the piano just to learn this great song. The entire song uses the piano and can be transposed to an easier version for beginner players. The key for the piece is in A flat major, even though the verses sound like they could be written in F minor. The chord structure is simple as well so it makes for a great easy piano tune.
The bridge is where beginners may get caught because of the key transition from A flat major to B flat minor. This part is really short so don’t worry too much about it. After this section, the music returns to repeating the chorus chord structure so it’s very much the same thing throughout the piece.
6. Ed Sheeran – Thinking Out Loud
Ed Sheeran mainly uses guitar for his music which transposes well onto the piano. This tune was released in 2014 and plays just as well on the piano as it does on the guitar. You can hear the blues influence throughout the piece in the rhythm and overall styling.
You will be using a D major key here which is probably one of the easiest keys to play pop songs in. What makes it even easier is the harmonic structure that repeats which is a common technique used in pop songs. Starting out you will use D major chords, followed by inversions using F sharp.
Next up you will use G major and A major chord patterns in your left hand. The right begins with the melody starting on the F sharp key and then following a simple one-note pattern. The best way to learn the melody would be to find the sheet music for the piece so you can see exactly what notes are coming next.
7. Katy Perry – Firework
When Firework was released in 2010 it became an instant hit. It’s a brilliant piece for our easy piano songs list because it uses a simple piano accompaniment. There are a few versions of this song but all of them use the key of A flat major.
What remains consistent across any version you use is the rhythm in the melody of the song. On beat one, you will rest and then go on to play a group of eighth notes. The chorus uses that syncopation technique again but it’s straightforward to line up your right and left hand for the rhythm.
8. Pharell Williams – Happy
Happy is one of the most famous and popular songs to have ever been made. It was used on the soundtrack for the movie Despicable Me and makes for a fun piece for any piano player to learn. What makes it so enjoyable is the upbeat, jazz style to the overall song and the blues chords that are added in for effect.
Most of the song is based around the F minor key in the verses but when the chorus kicks in you will switch to F major. Your left hand can have a bit of a rest with this piece because it doesn’t have to do much work. The melody with your right hand will be dominating the piece more so than the chords. As you change chords you can also sustain the notes to create the countermelodies you hear in the original track.
What many piano players will do with this song is sing the lyrics and then support their vocals with the simple chord progressions. If you’re not a singer then you can play a one-note melody with your right hand. That’s the beauty of this song – there are so many different ways it can be played and it will still sound great.
9. Idina Menzel – Let It Go
Let It Go from the motion picture Frozen is one of the many Disney songs that went on to hit the charts and eventually become a pop song. Everyone from kids to adults loves to belt out this song, and it’s primarily played on the piano too. You can just listen to the track and try to play it by ear or look at the many different sheet music arrangements and video tutorials that are available online to learn the piece.
10. Lion King – I Just Can’t Wait To Be King
We’ll follow on with another Disney classic worth appearing on our easy piano songs list. This piece comes from the Lion King franchise and there’s plenty of arrangements to choose from here as well. Most of the common versions including the one Disney originally composed is written in the key of C major. The rhythm is simple and there are opportunities to move from beginner piano to an intermediate level with the sheet music.
In a few areas, you will need to use E flats and learn new techniques of eighth notes as well as tied rhythms. The original record also features the syncopation technique. If you haven’t quite got the hang of this yet, don’t worry. You can play without using this skill and the song will still sound great. However, because the original does use that technique it can be a great piece to help you build on your skills.
11. Miley Cyrus – Party In The USA
Miley Cyrus has a lot of easy piano songs that are worth learning as a beginner which is why we included this hit in our list. Throughout the piece you will basically be using the same riff which is made up of three chords. It’s something that can be learned quickly and easily because of the non-complexity of the rhythm and chord structure.
You will be playing this song in G flat major. It’s also a piece where you will be using a lot more black keys than usual which is a great way of building your playing skills.
12. Bruno Mars – Uptown Funk
Bruno Mars changed up the way that pop music was seen with this hit which tool influence from older, classic funk music. Here you will a lot of different rhythms that have been accented. There is also an ostinato bass line that repeats over and over again. It’s this bass line that you will want to learn to begin with. You need to know what the intervals and spaces are between the notes so that you can get that rhythm nailed before playing the melody with your right hand. It will also allow you too get the dynamics and accents in the right places.
13. Beyonce – Halo
What song of easy piano songs from the pop genre would be complete without the Queen of Pop herself, Beyonce! The original was created using a synthesizer but this translates beautifully onto the piano. Halo ended up being one of Beyonce’s most popular tracks and was released in 2008. Nowadays, people cover the song on a variety of different instruments but we would argue that the piano is still the best to recreate the original sound.
14. Stevie Wonder – Superstition
If Uptown Funk has ignited your passion for blues funk then take a look at Superstition which was written by Stevie Wonder. It’s fun to play and very much fits the bill if funky blues is what you are looking for. You will play in the key of E flat. The bass line is a bit of a tricky one here as it moves up and down the keyboard but once you nail that the rest of the song will fall nicely into the right place.
You will use both of your hands for this one and they both do their fair share of the work which is quite unusual for a piano song. Don’t be scared though, this is still easy to play. You can use both of your hands to help each other with the fingers of the right hand helping to play the higher bassline notes.
Another great thing about this piece is that it will help you work on your piano improvisation techniques. The melody and is really repetitive so its your chance to mix it up and try out all of the different chords with fun dynamics to really get into the groove of the funk genre.
15. Louis Armstrong – What A Wonderful World
This is an oldie but still a fun pop song to play on the piano. It’s been a staple song used in American culture for years and can be found in multiple movies. The song just makes you feel good and will be a nice one to add to your repertoire to play for your family and friends.
Because the song is old and has been covered so many times there is a lot of different arrangements you can use online. The original song was composed in the key of F major and the rhythm varies quite a bit. These are both things to look out for if you want your piece to sound as close to the original as possible.
If you can’t find the sheet music for the song, don’t worry. You can still find easy piano songs with chord charts that work just as well.
16. Michael Jackson – Human Nature
Any list of piano songs from the pop genre would be nowhere near complete without the King of Pop joining our entries. Human Nature is one of the songs from Michael Jackson that took more influence from jazz than any other genre. The chord progressions and combinations that are used throughout the song are what make it so unique when you listen to this artist’s entire catalog of music.
At the beginning of the song, you will be playing an interlude that is purely instrumental. You will notice that this instrumental keeps repeating over and over again between the verses and choruses. This instrumental is what we would suggest you start out learning first. The chorus and all of the verses are made up of four chords so these are really simple sections for piano newbies.
Another thing that will help you play this song as a beginner is that your left-hand stays in pretty much the same place throughout the entire piece. You will use your thumb and little finger for most of the bass line harmonies.
17. The Chainsmokers – Don’t Let Me Down
This song was a wonderful collaboration between some very talented and popular artists. It’s also very straightforward on the piano which makes it perfect for our list. The song is in E major for the key and has a basic chord progression. The chord structure goes E major, B major, F# major and then G# minor.
Listening to the original song you will notice that the chorus doesn’t actually use any lyrics. It’s an instrumental section that uses the sustain pedal and consists of G# minor chords. The bridge towards the end of the song also follows a similar progression to this.
Once again we see a syncopated rhythm used in the melody which your right hand will take over. The song overall is upbeat so it should make for a fun one to play. The harmonic structure of your left hand will drive the song so make sure you have these chords nailed before attempting to play the full song.
18. Hansen – Mmm Bop
This song is synonymous with 90s pop music so it’s a no-brainer that it would appear on our list. When learning to play this great song you will notice that the entire piece revolves around three very basic chords. Put some pulse into the overall rhythm of the song and you will instantly have a hit on your hands. The song will work best when you have someone to sing along with you so try and rope in other artists or even family and friends to help round out the music.
Now that we’ve given you a wide array of pop song ideas to choose from that include simple chords and video tutorials, you should be able to start playing more advanced pieces. Don’t worry if you can’t play an entire song right away. The beauty of every piano song we have included in this list is that they can build on your basic piano skills. Nailing these fundamentals will make you a stronger piano player in the future. Start out by playing with just your left hand and then your right. Combine them together to create each piano song which will sound close to the originals. Happy playing!
FAQs
What are the easiest pop songs to play on piano?
All of the songs we have included in our list have simple sheet music that makes it easier for you to play popular and modern songs on your piano. The pieces we have selected are also chosen to help you improve on your basic piano playing skills such as syncopation techniques and fingerstyling.
What are the best pop songs to play on piano?
The best pop songs you can play on your piano are the ones you enjoy listening to. Enjoying a song that you then learn to play will mean you can inject more passion into the piece and you’ll have much more fun on the learning journey also.
What is the easiest Disney song to play on piano?
Let It Go from the movie Frozen is very simple to play and the slower tempo makes it ideal for beginners. Disney have many easy piano songs you can learn to play as a newbie to the keyboard. We have included two in our list above so make sure to check these out if you’re looking for easy Disney songs.
