As a music lover, you’ve probably been looking for an instrument that’s fun, convenient, entertaining, and easy to learn. These are just some of the features that the ukulele brings; no wonder it’s known for producing some of the world’s most popular and best songs.
Whether you’re an experienced guitar player or have never played an instrument before, there’s no denying that the ukulele is a fun and entertaining instrument that’s easy to learn. The ukulele is a little, four-stringed instrument used in island music, though it’s also used in other musical styles, including rock, jazz, and blues. The best part is that the ukulele has become so popular as part of the world’s music culture.
Ukulele songs are so easy to learn. This is because the instrument revolves around four simple chords; C chord, D chord, G chord, and Em chord. Each of these chords is easy to learn and allows you to play a plethora of songs, which is why it’s easy to find a ton of the best ukulele songs.
In this insightful guide, we’ll walk you through the best “ukulele music” you can learn as a ukulele player. We’ll also look at the most famous ukulele songs, top ukulele songs, the most popular ukulele songs, and many more. So without further ado, let’s roll on.
How to Listen/Learn Ukulele Songs on ListenOnRepeat
Before going to the best Ukulele songs, let’s look at how and where to get these Ukulele songs and beats, shall we? ListenOnRepeat has adverse features that give you first-hand experience with Ukulele songs, learning tutorials, and sample songs from the best singers.
What are the Best Ukulele Songs?
The best Ukulele songs are known by many, and they appreciate the tunes in the hits.
14. Riptide
A modern song that is among the greatest to perform on the ukulele, this one has the ideal lively pop vibe. Although many like to translate it to the simpler key of C, as they demonstrate in the video below, the song was initially written with the key of Db.
It uses the very same four tones across the song, regardless of key, making it simple to sing as well as jam to. It’s just an excellent song for starting and moderate ukulele players because the strum stays consistent for a large portion of the song.
Some other musicians, including Billie Eilish, Amtrak, and Vance Joy, are responsible for some of the most well-known ukulele songs. Nearly all of the songs by Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran sound nice when sung on it as well.
13. What A Wonderful World or Somewhere Over The Rainbow
It’s a mashup of two songs, the first of which was initially performed by Judy Garland and the other by Louis Armstrong. Israel Kamakawiwo’ole played the ukulele version that is so well-known. or simply just IZ.
Even though he isn’t alive, he left a tremendous legacy in the ukulele industry. Many people agree that this is the most well-known ukulele tune (or medley) to learn, and many people like hearing it. It surely merits the top spot on the list of ukulele songs you must know.
Due to its widespread use on contemporary movie soundtracks, you have undoubtedly heard this rendition before. One of the key players behind the recent comeback of the “jumping flea” instrument is IZ.
Popular Ukulele Songs
While some of these songs are more recent hits, others have been ukulele mainstays for many years. Let’s have a look at a few popular Uke songs:
12. Hey, Soul Sister
The most popular uke song is this Train hit. You won’t have any trouble locating a ton of videos from other websites and instructors. It creates a pleasant and stylish ukulele song since it has a captivating tune and pop vibe.
The song’s original key is E, although there are just four chords used throughout the chorus and verse. Many people find the E main chord to be difficult because it requires a lot of finger dexterity. You can find its full version here.
11.Here Comes The Sun
It wouldn’t be fair to leave George Harrison off a list of popular ukulele songs because he adored playing the instrument. When he performed “Something” at the memorial service for George, Paul McCartney contributed to the revival of ukulele music.
One of the best ukulele tunes to play is “Something,” although most people find “Here Comes The Sun” to be a little simpler. The initial key was A; however, since G is a simpler ukulele key, you will often hear it played in that key instead.
10. Can’t Help Falling In Love
Elvis Presley first sang this on his 1961 record Blue Hawaii, but he never made it ukulele. He did, however, play the uke for a different song in the same film.
However, thanks to the group Twenty-One Pilots, it has recently become one of the most well-liked tunes to perform on the ukulele. And given how excellent the song is, it is not surprising that they had a record with it. You can find it here.
https://www.listenonrepeat.com/watch?v=Z8AwBkRj4F0
9. Hallelujah
This isn’t only a popular ukulele tune; you can also play this on guitar, harp, autoharp, or any other instrument with plucked strings, and it will sound pretty much the same! And it deftly connects back to the graph at the beginning of the list!
In this song, Leonard Cohen explicitly breaks out the chord movement, which is the whole goal of that chart, to assist you in transposing between chord progressions. Your chords are doing that as he sings, “Well, it runs like this on the fourth, the fifth...” Both fourth and fifth notes on the above chart in the key of C are F and G.
Famous Ukulele Songs
A few of the songs from the ukulele are famous. Let’s have a look at them.
8.Tonight You Belong To Me
It belongs on the finest and most famous ukulele song list because of its place in cinematic history. Steve Martin performs with Bernadette Peters in the Carl Reiner movie The Jerk while playing this pop tune on a soprano ukulele.
This song might not have become a standard for the ukulele if it weren’t for this adorable scene within such a ridiculous movie.
7. 8 (Eight)
Here is a fantastic illustration of a current, catchy, and well-liked ukulele song. Due to Billie Eilish’s passion for the ukulele, many novice players have been inspired to pick one up. Even her own Fender Special Edition ukulele is available for purchase.
Although Eilish has several well-known ukulele songs, we selected this one since it incorporates a capo. String musicians frequently change the chord of the song they are playing by using a capo.
It performs the same task as the flowchart above but more quickly. Additionally, any approach can be used, depending on which is more convenient or appealing.
6. No Woman, No Cry
This is a great ukulele tune because it is well-known, sounds great on the instrument, and primarily repeats the same four chords. In that style, the chords are often simple; the strum (also known as the skank) is what gives it the proper feel.
You have the option of playing it solely in the open position or moving up the fretboard as he does in the video. The chords will be the same but at a higher pitch, and they might even be in a different order (this is called a chord inversion).
It is also rather simple to sing, and almost everyone is familiar with it. Many of Bob Marley’s songs sound fantastic on the ukulele, and most people adore him. Reggae music makes perfect sense on a tiny island instrument. The ukulele may have originated in Hawaii, but Caribbean music sounds equally as fantastic on it.
Other Best Ukulele Songs That Are Great
5. Lost My Religion
Another excellent tune that sounds wonderful on the ukulele is REM’s 1991 surprise smash, “Losing My Religion,” which is based on a melancholy mandolin theme. Learning to play the more challenging mandolin on the ukulele is a great first step. Whatever the case, “Losing My Religion” is another of those 90s anthems that have evolved into a timeless tune.
4. Dream a Little Dream of Me
Another song that seems to have been written specifically for the ukulele is the classic standard “Dream a Little Dream of Me,” which first appeared in 1931. Even Eddie Vedder ends his incredible Ukulele Songs CD with this charming little gem!
3. Havana
An international smash and one of the newest songs on this list. Simple yet very catchy, this tune is. It has easy strumming and straightforward chords. Consider “Havana” to be a contemporary masterpiece that will appeal to the audience’s younger members. The learning and playing of this Camila Cabello song are both enjoyable.
2. Perfect
Ed Sheeran’s song is lovely. In addition to being a global smash, “Perfect” has also developed a reputation as standard wedding music, especially during the entrance of the bride. This song is fantastic to play for that particular someone in your life, even at more subdued volumes. This tune also uses a standard strum rhythm and has good, straightforward harmonies.
1. Wonderwall
The 1990s’ greatest song is “Wonderwall“! Even now, “Wonderwall” is one of the songs that are most frequently played, especially by ukulele and acoustic guitar performers. This song has that particular quality that cuts across genres and time with only a few chords.
Final words
As you can see, we’ve discussed the best Ukulele songs. But if you’d like to listen to or learn more about these songs and many other Ukulele songs, you should consider using ListenOnRepeat, which remains the best site if you want to set YouTube videos on repeat. For Ukulele songs, using ListenOnRepeat is essential as the platform allows you to set infinite loops with start/stop times to practice chords.
