The 2010s Guitar
2010–2019
The 2010s saw guitar music thrive in new ways. While pop charts were dominated by electronic production, guitar-driven artists found massive audiences through streaming, social media and live performance. A new generation of players emerged alongside the legends.
Ed Sheeran proved acoustic guitar could top global charts. Ghost brought theatrical metal to a mainstream audience. Metallica and Iron Maiden continued to fill stadiums. And creators on YouTube made guitar education more accessible than ever.
Essential Songs from The 2010s
A Great Big World ft. Christina Aguilera 1
Adam Lambert 1
Adele 7
Alan Walker 6
Alan Walker ‒ The Spectre 1
Alan Walker ft. Gavin James 1
All of me 1
Alter Bridge 1
Arctic Monkeys 3
Ariana Grande 3
Attack on Titan Theme 1
AVANTASIA 1
Avenged Sevenfold 3
Bastille 1
Bebe Rexha ft. Nicki Minaj 1
Belousova, Sonya 1
British Lion 1
Bruno Mars 3
Calvin Harris ft Ellie Goulding 1
Calvin Harris ft. Rihanna 1
Camila Cabello 1
Charlie Puth feat. Selena Gomez 1
Christina Perri 2
Clean Bandit 1
Clean Bandit feat. Zara Larsson -Symphony 1
Coldplay 3
Darkenhöld 6
David Guetta 1
David Guetta ft Bebe Rexha & Nicki Minaj 1
David Guetta ft. Sia 1
Deftones 1
Demi Lovato 5
Disturbed / Simon & Garfunkel 1
DJ Snake ft. Justin Bieber 1
Djawadi, Ramin 1
Don't You Worry Child 1
Dua Lipa 1
Dusk Till Dawn 1
Echoes from the Stone Keeper 1
Ed Sheeran 8
Ella Henderson 1
Elle King 1
Ellie Goulding 2
Fall Out Boy 1
Fall Out Boy ft. Demi Lovato 1
Five Finger Death Punch 1
Five Nights at Freddy's 1 Song 1
Foo Fighters 2
Galdrum 1
Ghost 11
Greta Van Fleet 3
Halestorm 2
Harry Styles 1
I Follow Rivers 1
Iggy Azalea 1
Imagine Dragons 9
Iron Maiden 10
- 1 Empire Of The Clouds TAB 2015
- 2 Empire Of The Clouds Dave Murray TAB 2015
- 3 The Book of Souls TAB 2015
- 4 The Book Of Souls Dave Murray's TAB 2015
- 5 The Book Of Souls Janick Gers TAB 2015
- 6 The Final Frontier Adrian Smith TAB 2010
- 7 The Writing On The Wall Adrian Smith TAB 2015
- 8 When The Wild Wind Blows TAB 2010
- 9 When The Wild Wind Blows Dave Murray's TAB 2015
- 10 When The Wild Wind Blows Janick Gers's TAB 2019
James Arthur 1
Jason Aldean 1
Jason Derulo 1
Jessie J 1
John Legend 1
Juice WRLD 1
Katy Perry 5
Kehlani 1
Kelly Clarkson 1
Kings of Leon 1
Lady Gaga 4
Lana Del Rey 1
Linkin Park 1
Linkin Park feat. Kiiara 1
Little Big Town 1
Little Mix ft. Jason Derulo 1
Louis Tomlinson ft. Bebe Rexha 1
Luis Fonsi ft. Daddy Yankee 1
Lukas Graham 1
Major Lazer & DJ Snake 1
Major Lazer feat. Justin Bieber & MØ 1
Mark Ronson 1
Maroon 5 5
Marshmello & Anne-Marie 1
Martin Garrix & Bebe Rexha 1
Mary On A Cross 1
Mediterranean Sundance 1
Meghan Trainor ft. John Legend 1
Memoria Sylvarum 1
Metallica 9
- 1 All Within My Hands LESSON 2019
- 2 Atlas, Rise! LESSON 2017
- 3 Dream No More LESSON 2016
- 4 Halo On Fire LESSON 2016
- 5 Hardwired LESSON 2016
- 6 Moth Into Flame TAB 2016
- 7 Now That We're Dead TAB 2016
- 8 Spit Out The Bone LESSON 2016
- 9 Spit Out The Bone Guitar Solo LESSON 2016
Mumford & Sons 1
Muse 4
Naruto Shippuden 1
Nick Jonas 1
Nicky Jam ft. J Balvin- X 1
OneRepublic 1
Panic! at the Disco 1
Panic! At the Disco 1
Passenger 1
Portugal. The Man 1
Radiohead 1
Rag'n'Bone Man 1
Rihanna And Kanye West And Paul McCartney 1
s by Kfir Ochaion 1
Sam Smith 3
Selena Gomez ft. A$AP ROCKY 1
Shawn Mendes 3
Shawn Mendes, Camila Cabello 1
Sia 7
Slash 6
Taylor Swift 5
Taylor Swift ft. ZAYN 1
Tenacious D 1
The Black Keys 1
The Chainsmokers 2
The Chainsmokers & Coldplay 1
The Chainsmokers ft. Daya 1
The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey 1
The Lumineers 2
The Mandalorian Theme 1
The Weeknd 10
- 1 Angel COVER 2014
- 2 Blinding Lights COVER 2019
- 3 Can't Feel My Face COVER 2015
- 4 Earned It COVER 2015
- 5 I Feel It Coming ft. Daft Punk COVER 2016
- 6 In the Night COVER 2015
- 7 Shameless COVER 2018
- 8 Starboy ft. Daft Punk COVER 2016
- 9 The Hills COVER 2015
- 10 Wicked Games COVER 2011
Tokyo Ghoul 1
Tones And I 1
Tove Lo 1
Twenty One Pilots 3
Undertale 1
WALK THE MOON 1
Westworld HBO Theme 1
Wiz Khalifa 1
Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth 1
Zac Brown Band 1
Zara Larsson, MNEK 1
Zayn Malik 1
Zedd ft. Jon Bellion 1
Zedd, Kesha 1
Guitar in the 2010s
Ed Sheeran redefined what a solo guitarist could do on stage, using loop pedals, percussive slaps and clever arrangements to fill arenas with just an acoustic guitar. On the heavier side, Ghost proved that riff-heavy, hook-laden metal could still break through to mainstream audiences.
The decade also saw a blues revival with artists like Gary Clark Jr., Joe Bonamassa and John Mayer keeping traditional guitar tones alive. Djent and progressive metal pushed technical boundaries through bands like Periphery and Animals as Leaders. And classic acts like Metallica, Iron Maiden and Slash released some of their strongest work in years.
Gear That Defined the Decade
Digital amp modelers (Kemper, Axe-Fx, Line 6 Helix) matured into professional-grade tools. Multi-scale and extended-range guitars became common in metal. Compact pedalboards replaced rack systems. And the guitar tutorial industry on YouTube created a new generation of educated players.
Key Genres of the 2010s
Pop Rock, Pop, Heavy Metal, Hard Rock, Alternative Rock. The 2010s proved that guitar is never going away. It just keeps evolving.