Above the Fold

A digital 'zine by Original Fuzz about creativity and making stuff.

★  Mar 29, 2024  ★

The Best Fingerpicked Songs Ever Recorded

We've compiled our favorite songs featuring fingerpicked guitar into a playlist. From John Fahey, to Nick Drake, to Bob Dylan, to Mississippi John Hurt, these songs are ground zero for this style of playing.

Featured photo for The Best Fingerpicked Songs Ever Recorded

Our recent post about the trick to learning to fingerpick got us started on a new playlist with our favorite fingerpicked songs of all time. In our opinion, these are some of the best songs ever recorded that have a prominent fingerpicked guitar part.

It's not like we're Pitchfork or something, so we wouldn't dare claim that our list is definitive. Think of this as more of a work in progress and tell us what we've forgotten. Send us an email and let's make this playlist even better!

Our Favorite Fingerpicked Tunes

  • "These Days - Nico
  • "Girl from the North Country" - Bob Dylan
  • "Hellhound on My Trail" - Robert Johnson
  • "Make Me a Pallet on the Floor" - Mississippi John Hurt
  • "Funeral Song for Mississippi John Hurt" - John Fahey
  • "Road" - Nick Drake
  • "Tale in Hard Time" - Fairport Convention
  • "Mr. Tambourine Man" - The Byrds
  • "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright" - Bob Dylan
  • "Souvenirs" - John Prine
  • "The Fairest of the Seasons" - Nico
  • "Lost Cause" - Beck
  • "Which Will" - Nick Drake
  • "Black Rain, Black Rain" - A.A. Bondy
  • "The Shining" - Badly Drawn Boy
  • "Thirteen" - Big Star
  • "Gypsy" - Fleetwood Mac
  • "Mister Sandman" - Chet Atkins
  • "Baby Let Me Follow You Down" - Bob Dylan
  • "500 Miles" - The Journeymen
  • "Ambulance Blues" - Neil Young
  • "Green, Green Rocky Road" - Dave Van Ronk
  • "Baby's Arms" - Kurt Vile
  • "Me and the Devil Blues" - Robert Johnson
  • "I'm So Glad" - Skip James
  • "16 Tons" - Merle Travis
  • "Deep River Blues" - Doc Watson
  • "April She Will Come" - Simon & Garfunkel
  • "My Name Is Jonas" - Weezer
  • "The World Has Turned and Left Me Here" - Weezer
  • "Fluffhead" - Phish
  • "Freight Train" - Peter, Paul and Mary
  • "Scythian Empires" - Andrew Bird
  • "Never Going Back Again" - Fleetwood Mac
  • "Fire and Rain" - James Taylor
  • "Girl in the War" - Josh Ritter
  • "Dr. Strangeluv" - Blonde Redhead
  • "Muzzle of Bees" - Wilco
  • "Sittin on Top of the World" - Doc Watson
  • "Stars and Stripes Forever" - Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
  • "Hang Me, Oh Hang Me" - Dave Van Ronk
  • "Needle of Death" - Bert Jansch