Open E Tuning is a popular alternative tuning setup that has been used widely by guitarists for decades. It is preferable for guitarists who use slide guitar or fingerstyle techniques.
Besides tuning the strings to E, B, E, G#, B, E, there is another method you get the identical notes by having a capo on the 2nd fret while tuned in Open D. Because it might put too much pressure on your guitar the other way. It would be easier to get both Open D and E tunings simultaneously.
Here are 40 famous songs in Open E Tuning listed for you. Have fun!
Je Men Vais – Vianney
Je Men Vais is a famous french pop song released in 2016. The song appears on the self-titled album of Vianney.
This tune is played with a capo on the 3rd fret while tuned in Open E. Je Men Vais is very easy to play. It is played with only 6 simple chords. Pay attention to how these basic chords are played in this tuning setup.
Too Old To Die Young – Brother Dege
Too Old To Die Young is a famous country song released in 2010. It appears on Brother Dege’s album, Folk Songs of the American Longhair.
This song is also played with a capo on the 3rd fret and a slider. Brother Dege plays this with a steel bottleneck. The tune begins with an intro riff and then shifts into slide riffs with lyrics.
Too Old To Die Young Guitar Tabs
If you want to play more songs in a different open tuning, check out my other article Top 40 Famous Guitar Songs In Open D Tuning – Tabs Included
Crawling In The Dark – Hoobastank
Hoobastank is mostly known for its song, In The Reason. And Crawling In The Dark is another famous song by the band. The tune was released in 2001 and appeared on the band’s self-titled album.
This tune is a nu-metal song, so it needs an aggressive electric guitar sound. An intro riff is played with a delay effect and palm mute technique. It plays throughout the verses. And for the chorus, there is another riff, which goes more furiously.
Crawling In The Dark Guitar Tabs
How He Loves Us – Jesus Culture
This song is originally called How He Loves and was written by John Mark McMillan. Here is a cover version of the Christian alternative rock tune. The Jesus Culture version of the song was released in 2007.
How He Loves Us begins with an electric guitar arpeggio, and it goes throughout, except for the more charged-up parts of the song. There the guitar strums a bit more aggressively. The tune is played with a capo on the 3rd fret, and it only consists of 3 chords.
Scarecrow – Alex & Sierra
Alex & Sierra are a folk-pop, indie-pop duo. They won one of The X Factor US TV-Show. Their first single is Scarecrow, which was released in 2014. It appears on their album; It’s About Us.
This tune is played with a capo on the 7 fret while tuned in Open E setup. The song has basically 4 parts that are very easy to play. Only the last two lines of choruses are played differently. The whole song goes with strumming the acoustic guitar.
Here is another list of alternate open tuning for you to check out Top 40 Easy & Advanced Guitar Songs In Open G – Tabs Included
She Talks To Angels – The Black Crowes
Here is an acoustic rock song by the great band The Black Crowes. The tune was released in 1991 and appeared on the band’s first album, Shake Your Money Maker.
She Talks To Angels sounds better when played with two acoustic guitars. It is a perfect song to play to combine different techniques such as hammer-on, pull-off, natural harmonics, and various patterns for Open E Tuning. There are 3 main riffs for this song: An intro melody, the verse riff, and the chorus riff.
She Talks To Angels Guitar Tabs
Stay With Me – Faces
Faces is a great cult boogie rock band from England. Stay With Me is one of the band’s biggest hits, released in 1971. The tune was written by Rod Stewart and appeared on the band’s album; A Nod Is As Good As a Wink… to a Blind Horse.
Stay With Me is played with electric guitars with an early 70s British rock sound. The tune begins with the main riff of the song. Then this riff shifts into the verse riff and returns to the main riff again. It depends on the sections of the tune. The lead guitar is always playing various melodies and solos on these riffs.
Something In The Air – Thunderclap Newman
Thunderclap Newman is one of the most beautiful bands from the late 60s. Pete Townshend was one of the formers of Thunderclap Newman. Their biggest tune, Something In The Air, was released in 1969 and appeared on the band’s album, Hollywood Dream.
The guitar here plays mostly simple arpeggios throughout the song. It is played with an electric guitar with a jangly, British rock tone. Besides the arpeggios, the guitar is strummed in certain sections.
Something In The Air Guitar Tabs
If you are interested in more open tuning songs, here is another one Top 50 Famous Guitar Songs In Open C Tuning – Tabs Included
Perth – Bon Iver
Bon Iver is a creative musician with many songs in alternative tuning setups. Perth is one of his most beautiful songs ever. The tune was released in 2011 and appeared on his self-titled album.
Perth is played with a capo on the 4th fret while tuned in Open E. The song begins with an emotional intro riff that returns throughout. There are also simple chords being strummed in certain parts.
California – Joni Mitchell
California was released in 1971 and appeared on Joni Mitchell’s probably the perfect folk-rock album, Blue. The song was later covered by Wilson Phillips, Bob Dylan, and Cheryl Strayed.
This tune has the classic open tuning ringing, and it is played with a capo on the 1st fret while tuned in Open E. It starts with an intro riff. She strums simple chords while she sings, and there is the main riff between verses.
California Guitar Tabs
Rambling Man – Laura Marling
Laura Marling is one of the greatest singer-songwriters of the last decades. She has beautiful songs. Rambling Man is another one that appeared on the same-titled album of her. The tune was nominated in 2011 as the best original song by BBC Radio.
The tune is played with a capo on the 3rd fret. This song’s time signature is mainly 4/4; only the last two choruses are played in 3/4. It consists of 3 main guitar sections: Intro/verse, chorus, and the bridge part.
If you want to experiment with other alternate tunings, here is another list for you Top 40 Famous & Easy Guitar Songs In D Standard – Tabs Included
Fiddler’s Green – The Tragically Hip
The Tragically Hip has been making beautiful alternative folk rock music since 1984. Fiddler’s Green is one of them, and it was released in 1991. The tune appeared on the band’s album, Road Apples.
This acoustic guitar song will sound better when played with two guitars. One should strum the chords throughout the song in standard tuning while the other guitar plays the riffs in Open E tuning.
If You See Her Say Hello – Jeff Buckley
This song was originally written by Bob Dylan and was released in 1975. Jeff Buckley covered it later in 1993. It appeared on the EP, Live at Sin-é.
If You See Her Say Hello by Jeff Buckley begins with chord progressions and strumming, which shifts into some slide riffs that Jeff is playing. Then comes the verse chords, and he plays them combined with slide melodies until the break part, which is played a bit differently.
If You See Her Say Hello Guitar Tabs
If I Laugh – Cat Stevens
If I Laugh is the 3rd song of the beautiful album, Teaser and the Firecat by Cat Stevens, another known as Yusuf Islam. The album was released in 1971 and became a huge success for him. The album was remastered perfectly in 2021.
The time signature of the song is in 4/4. It begins with an intro riff and then shifts into another arpeggio-infused unique strumming pattern of Cat Stevens.
Say It To Me Now – Glen Hansard
If you watched the movie Once in 2006, you’d remember this beautiful song by Glen Hansard, the Irish musician.
The song begins with a soft strumming pattern. He starts to sing on these chords. Then he starts to strum and sing more aggressively till the song ends. The chords are very easy and simple to play. Just listen carefully to how he strums.
Lost In The Supermarket – The Clash
Lost In The Supermarket appeared on the band’s legendary album London Calling. It was released in 1979. The tune has later covered by Ben Folds and The Afghan Whigs.
The tune begins with an intro riff that is played by sliding chords into another. The song continues with similar strumming patterns but slightly different variations. There is also a simple punky electric guitar solo in the middle of the song.
Lost In The Supermarket Guitar Tabs
The Medic – Foxing
The Medic is a beautiful indie rock post-rock song by the band Foxing. It also has math-rock elements in it. The song was released in 2013 and appeared on the band’s album, The Albatross.
The song is played with a great electric guitar tone. It goes with various arpeggios, licks, and riffs throughout the song. The tune starts softly and then sounds more aggressive.
All Things Must Pass – George Harrison
All Things Must Pass is a folk rock song released in 1970. It appeared on the same-titled album by George Harrison.
Like most Harrison songs, this song consists of various guitar recordings and layers. Some are in standard tuning, and the main guitar is tuned in Open E. It starts with strumming patterns which continue throughout the song. There is a coda lick that comes at the end of certain sections.
All Things Must Pass Guitar Chords
The Headmaster Ritual – The Smiths
The Smiths is a legendary band with recorded songs with great guitar partitions. The Headmaster Ritual was released in 1985 and appeared on the band’s famous album; Meat Is Murder. Radiohead later covered this song.
There are two guitars in this song. One is playing an amazing jangly electric chord progression, and the other is playing arpeggios and simple riffs. Both have a great British amp tone, that’s for sure.
The Headmaster Ritual Guitar Chords
And Aking Awiting – Side A
Side A is a Pinoy rock, a pop band from the Philippines. They have been making music since 1985. And Aking Awiting is a song that was released in 2001. It appeared on the band’s album The Platinum Collection.
The song starts with a fingerstyle arpeggios chord progression and then shifts into simple chord strumming. It is a simple but cleverly written tune.
And Aking Awiting Guitar Chords
All The Poor And Powerless – The Digital Age
The Digital Age is a Christian rock band, and they have been making music since 2012 under this name. But this four were together in their former band David Crowder Band. All The Poor And Powerless were released in 2013.
This tune is played with a mildly distorted clean electric guitar. The song begins with an arpeggio. Until the chorus comes, this arpeggio is being played. There is a simple chord progression for the chorus part. One of the electric guitars is playing another arpeggio when the bridge comes. The song starts softly and gets more aggressive step by step.
All The Poor And Powerless Guitar Tabs
Meat Is Murder – The Smiths
Meat Is Murder is one of the most successful albums of The Smiths. The legendary band has grown musically with this recording. This same-titled song was released in 1984 when the album came.
The main riff comes along with the classic jangly British electric guitar tone. It comes and goes throughout the song, with simple chord progressions behind it. The piano accompanies the electric guitar here and there. It is a great tune to play in Open E Tuning.
Manta Rays – Chloe Moriondo
Chloe Moriondo is an indie-bedroom pop singer-songwriter who has been famous through the years on YouTube. Manta Rays are one of her songs in Open E Tuning. It was released in 2020.
This tune is played with simple chord progressions and strumming patterns throughout the song. The same progression repeats until the bridge comes. Then it shifts into a similar progression and then back to the main progression.
Feels Like Home – Newton Faulkner
Newton Faulkner has been making folk-pop rock songs since 2007. Feels Like Home was released the same year, and it appeared on his first album, Hand Built by Robots.
This tune is an acoustic guitar song played with a capo on the 4th fret. He has a unique fingerstyle playing in general, and here he plays beautiful licks, melodies, and riffs throughout the song while he is singing on them.
You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go – Bob Dylan
Here is a beautiful folk rock example by Bob Dylan from 1975. This song s covered by many artists and musicians over the years, like Miley Cyrus, Elvis Costello, Madeleine Peyroux, and many more. It appeared on his album Blood on the Tracks.
The song follows simple, fast strumming patterns like Bob Dylan has always done. The chords being played are very easy, and the same progression goes throughout the song.
You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go Guitar Chords
Mountain Song – Little Chief
Little Chief is an indie folk-rock band, and their tune Mountain Song was released in 2014. It appeared on their beautiful album, Lion’s Den.
Mountain Song is a great acoustic guitar song to play in Open E Tuning. The tune begins with a picking riff, then shifts into simple strumming. The general chord progression on this tune is E, C#m, and D#m. The guitars and the composition builds up beautifully in this song.
Done Somebody Wrong – The Allman Brothers
Done Somebody Wrong was originally recorded by Elmore James in 1959, and it is one of his famous recordings. The Allman Brothers have done a cover version of this song and performed live in 1971.
This tune is a classic twelve-bar blues in the key of C. There is a twelve-bar blues in the background as the rhythm guitar plays, and the lead guitar plays various slide guitar solos and improvisations.
Done Somebody Wrong Guitar Tabs
Merry Go Round – The Replacements
The Replacements is an American alternative rock band from the early 90s. Merry Go Round was released in 1990 and appeared on the band’s album; All Shook Down.
The song has a 70s Clash sound with a 90s American touch. Paul, the band’s guitarist, is playing the Open E part. The song has a main riff that plays throughout, besides the verses. And on the verse parts, there is a combination of arpeggios and strumming.
Dirty In My Pocket – Joe Bonamassa
Dirty In My Pocket is the 4th song of Joe Bonamassa’s Sloe Gin album. It was released in 2007. The album peaked at number one on US Billboard Top Blues Albums.
The guitars here have almost a hard rock tone but play the blues. It starts with the song’s main riff, and Indian acoustic string instruments are playing in various parts—a great song to play in Open E. There are also different arpeggio sections and lead guitar solos.
Dirty In My Pocket Guitar Tabs
The Weight – Aretha Franklin
The Weight is one of the greatest hits by Aretha Franklin. The original lyricist here is Robbie Robertson. It was released in 1970 and appeared on the album; This Girl’s in Love with You.
The guitar on this song is played with a slide, and it mostly accompanies Aretha Franklin’s vocals. It plays various licks and melodies in between.
Set Your Head On Fire – The Black Box Revelation
The Black Box Revelation has been making garage rock music since 2005. Set Your Head On Fire was released in 2007 and appeared on the same-titled album. This album became an important milestone for the band’s success.
This tune is played with a capo on the 2nd fret. The song begins with the main riff and then goes to the intersection. There is also a very easy pre-chorus part.
Set Your Head On Fire Guitar Tabs
Little Martha – The Allman Brothers Band
This tune is one of the latest recordings of Duane Allman before he died in a motorcycle accident. Little Martha was released in 1972 and appeared on the band’s album Eat A Peach. Regarding Allman, he saw Jimi Hendrix in his dream as an inspiration to write this song.
This track is an acoustic guitar song. It consists of 4 parts of guitar playing. He uses natural harmonics here and there, which he combines beautifully with various arpeggios and rhythmic patterns. It is an instrumental guitar tune without vocal lyrics.
Thinking About You – Elvis Presley
Thinking About You is a beautiful song that was released in 1975. It appeared on Elvis’ album; Promised Land and was written by Tim Baty.
This tune is played with mildly distorted electric guitars. The guitar mostly plays arpeggios in the background of Elvis’ vocals and plays short licks to accompany the vocal melodies throughout the song. There is also a lead solo part.
Thinking About You Guitar Chords
Stephanie – Lindsey Buckingham
Stephanie is a Buckingham Nicks song that was released in 1973. It appeared on the band’s famous album Without a Leg to Stand On. Here is a live performance version that Lindsey is playing on a TV show.
This tune is a great acoustic guitar song. He plays beautiful arpeggios and licks with fingers throughout the song. It is played a bit differently than the original recording.
Clarity – Jimmy Eat World
This song is recorded by the American emo punk rock band Jimmy Eat World. It was released in 1999 and appeared on the band’s same-titled album.
There are two guitars in this song. One can be considered as a lead guitar. It plays some licks and riffs throughout when there are no vocal parts. The rhythm guitar mostly plays palm mute picking patterns and chord progressions with a distorted sound.
Sue Me Sue You Blues – George Harrison
Here is a dance-infused blues ballad by George Harrison. The tune was released in 1973 and appeared on Harrison’s famous solo album, Living in the Material World.
The song has a very simple chord progression. There is the main riff with a slide guitar and piano parts. And an energetic chorus part that all instruments play harmoniously with vocals.
Shake Your Moneymaker – Fleetwood Mac
This song is originally an Elmore James song recorded in 1961. Here is a Fleetwood Mac version of the legendary blues song Shake Your Moneymaker, released in 1968.
There are two guitars in this song. One plays the simple blues pattern throughout, and the other plays licks and solo parts on it.
Shake Your Moneymaker Guitar Tabs
Sing Your Heart Out – The Trews
The Trews are an alternative rock band from Canada. Sing Your Heart Out was released in 2010.
The song is played with a capo on the 5th fret. It is an acoustic guitar song. The guitar strums various chords throughout the song.
Sing Your Heart Out Guitar Tabs
Bitten By The Wolf – Chickenfoot
Here is a re-release bonus track from the band’s self-titled album, Chickenfoot. It was released in 2012.
It is a country-infused hard rock song. There are acoustic guitar parts and electric guitar parts as well in this tune.
Bitten By The Wolf Guitar Tabs
Bella Kiss – John 5
John 5 is known for his guitarist role in Rob Zombie and Marlyn Manson. Bella Kiss is a guitar-only composition from his solo album, The Devil Knows My Name.
The guitar here has a great amp tone that is worth checking, and John 5 plays it with a fingerpicking style.
Conclusion
As you see, many songs are composed in Open E Tuning from various genres. I hope this list has inspired you for your rock guitar journey!
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