It’s that time again – we’re looking back at the top 10 songs of April on Chordify. This edition features the usual mixture of newcomers, community favorites and evergreen classics to make up an interesting list. Keep reading for some jamming motivation!
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
In this Chordify Top 10 songs of April you’ll find:
The voice of Hawaii
At number 2 in the top 10 this month is a renowned cover of the song made famous in The Wizard of Oz, Somewhere Over The Rainbow. Israel Kamakawiwoʻole’s soft but pronounced vocals accompany ukulele chords in his simple arrangement, and it works so effectively to produce a beautiful version.
Musician Del Beazley, who grew up with Israel and wrote two of his songs, said, “In Hawaii, we talk about this thing we call mana. Mana is like an energy that you get. And when we open our mouths to speak, to sing or to play, that’s what we let out. But it’s that that makes him [Israel] special, because his mana always came out.”
Kamakawiwoʻole is regarded as one of the greatest musicians from Hawaii and this is undoubtedly the track he’s remembered for most. The chord progression is quite straightforward, with the occasional 7th chord, so it’s suitable for a wide range of players. It’s a great song to jam alongside other musicians too if you add the vocals. Have a listen to Somewhere Over The Rainbow here!
Amy Winehouse’s enduring impact
Back to Black has been popular for a number of years with the Chordify community, and it’s easy to see why. The whole arrangement of the song featuring sweeping strings and her unmistakable vocals soaring throughout makes the song memorable, drawing your ear in.
April saw the release of the biopic depicting Amy’s life, also named Back to Black, so it’s understandable the song has had a resurgence again. Play along with the classic track here.
We created a special setlist in honor of the biopic and to shine a spotlight on the incredible music she created in a tragically short career. You can check out the full Amy Winehouse setlist for some extra inspiration!
Varying newcomers & the best of the rest
The Spanish group Costa Moreras reached the top 10 for the first time this month with their track Demente. This is a pop rock song which starts off fairly quiet, but really builds the dynamics, particularly in the vocals, as the song progresses to a climax.
The instrumentation is fairly simple throughout, and the chords are accessible to any level of player. The upbeat vibes of the track make it a fun jam, and the space between the chord movements lends itself to improvisation opportunities too. Listen to Demente here.
Another newcomer is American songwriter Benson Boone with the track Beautiful Things – his popularity has boomed via social media as he’s amassed millions of TikTok followers. The song builds the dynamics slowly with pop rock verses before crashing drums, heavy guitars and catchy, wide-ranging vocal melodies enter for the chorus.
It’s an energetic track and there’s a nice challenge for guitarists in some of the chord shapes – get ready to stretch your fingers for barre chords and even a diminished chord. Check out Beautiful Things here.
Another track which has been consistently popular on Chordify is Billy Eilish’s What Was I Made For?, reaching number 7 in the top 10 of April. Having just released her third album Hit Me Hard and Soft, we’ve also created a dedicated Billie Eilish setlist which you can check out here.
You can find the complete top 10 songs of April below, or visit the top 10 setlist here. Happy jamming!
The Top 10 songs of April
- Miley Cyrus – Flowers
- Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwoʻole – Somewhere over the Rainbow
- R.E.M. – Losing My Religion
- Amy Winehouse – Back To Black
- Costa Moreras – Demente
- Benson Boone – Beautiful Things
- Billie Eilish – What Was I Made For?
- Creedence Clearwater Revival – Have You Ever Seen The Rain?
- Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper – Shallow (from A Star Is Born)
- Metallica – Nothing Else Matters
