The 20 best acoustic rock songs

"As Tears Go By" was  a top-10 hit for the famed English singer Marianne Faithfull, and came out before the Stones released the song themselves. Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, this is one of the band's most popular ballads, with the latter showcasing some brilliant work on the 12-string acoustic guitar. That said, Faithfull's version tends to be more celebrated.  

"Yesterday” showcases Paul McCartney’s lighter, melodic side. To many, it’s the Beatles’ greatest song, and often considered the best of all time in any genre. Of course, it remains a must in McCartney’s live shows and perhaps the song at the forefront of his legacy as a songwriter. There was even an underrated 2019 film named after this masterpiece, which barely tops 2 minutes. 

More from the Beatles. This Paul McCartney-John Lennon creation, from "The White Album," is another beautiful moment within the Beatles' iconic catalog. However, it can be argued that the song sometimes gets lost in the shuffle of the band's more popular, pop-rock tunes. "Blackbird" still remains a staple of McCartney's live shows today, and a popular segment, at that.

From the band's untitled fourth album, "Going to California" has long been praised for its collective musical genius. The folksy number features Jimmy Page's stellar acoustic guitar work (utilizing both the six- and 12-string models) and John Paul Jones' excellence on the mandolin. The overall tone and range of Robert Plant's vocals are also on display from a track that is among the best Zeppelin has to offer.

Sure, Bill Wyman's bass is plugged in, but "Angie," from Goats Head Soup, is fueled by the dual acoustic picking of Keith Richards and Mick Taylor. Not to mention the brilliant piano work of legendary sessionist Nicky Hopkins. While there has been much speculation over the decades as to who exactly the song is about, the arrangement and beauty of the tune is the true story.

The Eagles have always had a country tinge and easy-listening vibe to its collective sound. The latter is on display with one of the group's most notable ballads. The group's first single to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, "Best of My Love" features Glenn Frey playing a double-tracked 12-string acoustic guitar (yes, it's enhanced) and Bernie Leadon on the pedal steel guitar. Randy Meisner's bass is electric, but only offers a modest rhythm element.

To the casual rock fan, and even those of The Who, "Blue, Red and Grey" is not among the legendary band's most notable tunes. From The Who by Numbers record, the song features Pete Townshend singing lead and playing the ukulele. Meanwhile, bassist John Entwistle showing off his talent on the horns. Looking for a true hidden gem -- of sorts -- from The Who, this is it.

A song, from the group's self-titled 1975 album, that's been quite popular when it comes to covering (The Chicks, Smashing Pumpkins), "Landslide" is also among the greatest songs within the massive Fleetwood Mac catalog. While Stevie Nicks' sultry and smoky vocals continue to be celebrated, Lindsey Buckingham's performance, which features two interlocking acoustic guitars, might be the true highlight of the piece. 

OK, OK, when this Pink Floyd classic was overdubbed, synthesizer and bass work were added. However, at the core, this is an acoustic gem, thanks to David Gilmour's work on six and 12-string acoustic guitars. Gilmour's innovative intro is the song's defining moment. Meanwhile, Waters' imaginative and self-reflective lyrics add to the song's overall beauty. Many fans and critics argue that this is the best of the best in Pink Floyd's legendary catalog.

When Kiss drummer Peter Criss brought the song to producer Bob Ezrin during the sessions for 1976's Destroyer album, it was reworked, and the title was changed from "Beck" to "Beth." Ezrin plays piano, there is an acoustic guitar presence, and the New York Philharmonic makes an appearance. The result was a memorable ballad that reached No. 7 on Billboard's Hot 100 (the band's highest-ever chart performance), earned gold status, and even won a People's Choice Award. 

Looking to capitalize on the success of "Beth," Kiss delivered another ballad later in 1976, which also featured drummer Peter Criss singing lead. "Hard Luck Woman," off the Rock and Roll Over  LP wasn't a smash, but it reached No. 15 on the Hot 100. It remains a popular track in the Kiss arsenal, though maybe not among the famed Kiss Army. Paul Stanley played the 12-string acoustic guitar and Gene Simmons worked the acoustic bass.  

There might not be a more progressive ballad than "Dust in the Wind." Former Kansas guitarist and the song's writer, Kerry Livgren, is quite spiritual. So, there is certainly an existential, almost philosophical nature to the song. Which, as legend has it, was birthed from Livgren warming up his fingers to play guitar. It rose to No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached a new generation of music fans through its inclusion in the 2003 comedy Old School.

Take your pick among the greatest, that is Springsteen's stripped-down Nebraska performance. We'll go with the haunting title track. Which features The Boss armed only with an acoustic guitar and harmonica to tell the tale of killer Charles Starkweather, who murdered several people during the 1950s, in Nebraska and Wyoming, with young girlfriend Caril Ann Fugate, by is side. The song's simplicity doesn't tell the full story of the task Springsteen set himself to make the record.

"Patience" has long been one of Guns N' Roses' most popular songs. It reached No. 4 on the Hot 100 and could be considered the start of those hard rock/metal bands stripping down their sound with an acoustic track. The song still seemed more raw and honest than the power ballads coming out of the hair/glam metal scene. The amped-up version from Live Era '87-'93 should not be missed. 

Boston's Extreme was a creatively solid rock band that fused elements of funk metal and glam, thus allowing itself to stand out from other pop metal bands of the time. Not to mention, Nuno Bettencourt is one exceptionally talented rock guitarist. However, Extreme wasn't a household name until the acoustic ballad "More Than Words" was released on the band's 1990 breakout album Pornograffitti. It was part of a movement in which rock bands were performing and releasing more acoustic material as the "unplugged" fad took over mainstream music.

These Sacramento rockers earned some mainstream success with the top-10 Billboard Hot 100 hit "Love Song" and perhaps also had a hand in starting the unplugged craze in 1990 with its version of "Signs" from the five-man Five Man Acoustical Jam. It was a cover of Canada's Five Man Electrical Band, and helped Tesla earn some much-deserved, long-overdue mainstream success while reaching No. 8 on the Hot 100. 

Thanks to the presence of underappreciated guitarist Paul Gilbert and veteran bassist Billy Sheehan, Mr. Big was an underrated band when plugged in for parts of five decades. However, it will always be known for this early 1990s unplugged hit. Showcasing the bluesy, smoky voice of lead singer Eric Martin, "To Be With You" remains the only Mr. Big song to reach No. 1 on the Hot 100 and is a massive MTV favorite.

Florida rock outfit Saigon Kick already had one album under its belt when The Lizard came out in 1992. It featured this acoustic hit and brought the group notoriety as part of the stripped-down unplugged phase in rock of the early-to-mid 1990s. However, Saigon Kick typically had a heavier sound, which was overshadowed by this particular tune, which remains the defining moment in the group's career.

From the band's stellar Jar of Flies EP, this is one of the great all-time unplugged tunes of the grunge era. Sure, Mike Inez's bass is plugged in, but Jerry Cantrell's acoustic picking, along with his co-vocal performance with the late Layne Staley, make for a top-five tune within the Alice In Chains catalog. Interestingly, the band did not include "Don't Follow" during its 1996 MTV Unplugged performance.

Like Kiss with the aforementioned "Beth," Green Day's most widely recognized hit is a ballad. Veering from its signature pop-punk sound, "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" is housed on 1997's Nimrod, and was a major hit upon release. As of 2025, is certified quintuple-platinum. The tune spanned various avenues of pop culture and became a staple at high school proms.