This iconic ukulele tune has long been enjoyed, making it easy and accessible to new players alike. No matter where your level is at when playing this tune, audiences are sure to join in the fun!
Ukuleles have made an incredible comeback, with more artists using them than ever before – Billie Eilish is just one of many using ukuleles in her pop songs, including this upbeat pop track from Billie Eilish that sounds fantastic on one.
1. The Beach Boys – Sweet Little Sixteen
The Beach Boys’ iconic surf songs make an excellent showcase for ukuleles, an easily playable instrument. Ukes have become more and more popular over time and groups like BUMS (Brisbane Ukulele Musicians Society) offer 1/2 hour tuition as well as free jamming sessions.
Few rock musicians in the 1960s could deny Chuck Berry, the pioneering guitar virtuoso who virtually invented rock ‘n’ roll guitar, an influence. Few were as open about copying his style than Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys who famously mimicked it in “Surfin’ USA.”
“Surfin’ USA” does not exactly follow Berry’s “Sweet Little Sixteen,” but it draws heavily from its melody, meter and locale-dropping aesthetic. So similar was their version to Berry’s original that one of the largest plagiarism disputes ever seen in rock history ensued over this matter.
Berry wasn’t deterred by the controversy surrounding “Surfin’ USA.” Instead, he encouraged The Beach Boys to perform it live and eventually agreed to give Berry a majority share of royalties as composer of the song. Brian Wilson still regularly incorporates live performances of “Surfin’ USA” and “Sweet Little Sixteen” into his performances.
2. The Beatles – Abbey Road
The Ukulele has become increasingly popular over the past decade as an accessible, portable instrument to learn. With its cheerful sound, diminutive size and only four or five strings to learn at a time, the ukulele makes an excellent way for those starting out without feeling intimidated to pick up an instrument – Abbey Road by The Beatles being one of my favorites as a great starting point!
The iconic image of John, Paul and George walking across a zebra crossing outside Abbey Road Studios has become one of the most iconic in musical history. While they had already recorded Let It Be one year earlier, Abbey Road marked their final album together before they disbanded completely; released in October 1969 it quickly rose to the top of both UK and US charts.
The Beatles initially desired taking their album cover photo in the foothills of Everest; however, photographer Iain Macmillan suggested instead taking one on Abbey Road – an actual street named after its studio location. Once traffic had cleared away, Macmillan photographed each member crossing back and forth three times with different expressions before selecting frame five as the best one to become their Abbey Road album cover; later, this would become one of the most recognized in music history. Come Together was released first from Abbey Road while Here Comes the Sun followed later; both hits made an impactful statement for its release as part of its contentious release by its creators as one such as Abbey Road itself has since become recognizable for it’s timeless title track listings alone!
3. Bon Jovi – Crush
Bon Jovi remains one of the few bands from the hair band era to remain popular over time, and Crush was instrumental in helping bring them back into the limelight after five year hiatus. Not only was this a key crossover album but it brought in new audiences too; while not necessarily considered their greatest work it brought them a wave of success that would continue for years.
With its easy chord structure and catchy tune, this upbeat modern hit song makes ukulele learning simple. Perfect for date nights or special events like weddings, this hit worldwide has taken top place on our list of ukulele songs karaoke.
Since its introduction in Hawaii during the 19th century, ukuleles have experienced immense popularity worldwide since 1990. Thanks to its cheerful sound and nonintimidating size, its joyful tune and unintimidating size have made it a favorite choice among beginners around the globe. Now one of the most frequently used instruments used to learn music worldwide and featured in movies, TV shows, commercials etc; playing one can be done effortlessly with proper instruction!
4. Justin Bieber – Take Me Away
Upbeat popular songs with simple chord structures make for fantastic ukulele karaoke songs, making one of the easiest songs to learn being Maroon 5’s irresistible three-chord hit Sunday Morning. With its relaxing melody and accompanying acoustic guitar accompaniment, this tune makes an excellent way for players to impress their friends with their skills on this instrument.
Justin Bieber’s emotive pop song is about an admittedly selfish young man asking his lover to accept and love them unconditionally despite any imperfections they might possess. The music video for the track features Bieber at Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas with Paige Hurd as his love interest, sharing near kisses and touching scenes on exotic locations around them.
This tender and romantic song from My World 2.0’s monumental success is an emotionally stirring ballad about falling in and out of love, with lyrics such as: “My heart feels like an unstable balloon that could burst at any moment” and “But when you’re around, you make me feel safe yet you make me want to fly away”. The track reached number 32 in the US charts, 21 in Canada charts and 17 Australian charts respectively as a Top 20 hit on Billboard Rhythmic Airplay Chart.
5. Vance Joy – Count On Me
This classic ukulele tune is an energetic and fun tune, sure to get people dancing. Utilizing only three chords, this piece can easily be learned with its simple strumming pattern of DD-UU-DU. Play it at any party and impress all your friends!
Hey Jude is another timeless classic from the ’60s that works well on ukulele; although its chord progression consists of more than three chords, its lyrics make this timeless Beatles tune an essential addition to any ukulele player’s collection – and serves as an ideal way to practice chord progression and fingering techniques.
Are you in search of an upbeat, modern song to add to your repertoire? Look no further than Havana by Camila Cabello; its worldwide hit has won fans worldwide and features a catchy tune with easy harmony and strumming pattern making it suitable for beginners to learn.
If you want to take your ukulele skills to the next level, start adding these songs into your repertoire. After mastering these basics you can progress onto learning more complex tunes and start creating your own style; just remember four basic ukulele chords can make a significant impactful statement about your playing ability!
6. John Mayer – Let Me Go
Ukuleles seem to be enjoying an uptick in popularity. Their cheery sound and unintimidating size make them ideal for people learning how to play music instruments – and YouTube offers numerous tutorials for popular songs with simple chord structures – making ukulele practice much simpler for novice players. Upbeat songs that require minimal strumming may be especially suitable as learning material for newcomers.
This Camila Cabello song is one of the latest hits, offering an engaging melody, easy chords and a rhythmic strumming pattern. It is simple to learn and sure to dazzle audiences at parties or weddings alike!
John Mayer released his first single since 2017’s The Search For Everything on June 4th with “Last Train Home.” The singer-songwriter released a music video for this track featuring country star Maren Morris which features an ’80s vibe that goes well with its nostalgic cover art and grainy footage to accentuate its reflective nature. Cameron Duddy and Harper Smith directed it.
Mayer will promote his album with TikTok videos and an upcoming tour with Dead & Company, including joining comedian Dave Chapelle for a pop-up show in Yellow Springs, Ohio.