Layla acoustic Guitar Lesson

There’s no doubt that acoustic songs have played a lead role in in rock and roll.

And while we’ve talked about many of these songs and their origins, taught you how to play them and shared many a thought about ‘em, we think it’s time to get down to brass tacks.

While it’s been ridiculously hard to whittle our list down, we now present you with what we think are some of the best acoustic rock songs of all time.

Over the next several weeks we’ll be giving you a chance to vote for your favorites as we aim to name the Best Acoustic Rock Song of All Time presented by TC Electronic!

So come back every day and vote. And check out today’s entries below.

"MORE THAN WORDS, " EXTREME
Extreme II: Pornograffitti (1990)

In the late Eighties, Extreme carved out a niche as the funkiest hard rockers on the block, with a sound that, thanks to guitar hero Nuno Bettencourt, straddled the line between Van Halen shred and Aerosmith strut.

And so it was something of a kick in the head when Bettencourt and singer Gary Cherone unleashed the Everly Brothers homage "More Than Words."

Aside from a couple of finger snaps, the only accompaniment to Cherone and Bettencourt's harmonizing voices was Bettencourt's fingerpicking on a Washburn acoustic and the percussive knocking of his hand against the guitar's top. The result was a smash hit: "More Than Words" hit Number One on the Billboard charts in 1991, and led a generation of would-be shred heroes to put down the electric, grab an acoustic, and knock the hell out of it."

”LAYLA (UNPLUGGED), ” ERIC CLAPTON
Unplugged (1992)

“Layla (Unplugged)” is an acoustic take on the original 1971 record by Eric Clapton’s former blues band, Derek and the Dominos.

The track won a Grammy in 1992 for Best Rock Song, which has been documented a one of the biggest upsets in Grammy history because it beat out Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”

This newer arrangement is slowed down and mellowed out, with the focus on the rolling acoustic guitar and emotional, somber vocal performance.