--- title: "The perfect song for... playing air guitar" description: "How many of us have stood in front of a mirror, pretending we are Jimi, or Keith, or Slash, or Stevie? And how many of us still (secretly) do it: playing air guitar when we hear those screaming strings rising above the pounding rhythm section?" type: "NewsArticle" publisher: "Daily Maverick" site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za" section: "WHAT WE'RE LISTENING TO" author: "Fred de Vries and Tim Cohen" author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/fred-de-vries-and-tim-cohen/" canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-11-23-the-perfect-song-for-playing-air-guitar/" published: "2024-11-23T07:00:03" updated: "2024-11-23T08:40:48" lang: "en-ZA" word_count: 375 --- # The perfect song for... playing air guitar > How many of us have stood in front of a mirror, pretending we are Jimi, or Keith, or Slash, or Stevie? And how many of us still (secretly) do it: playing air guitar when we hear those screaming strings rising above the pounding rhythm section? By Fred de Vries and Tim Cohen · Published 23 November 2024, 09:00 SAST · Updated 23 November 2024, 10:40 SAST ## Key points - In a world where air guitars reign supreme, two intrepid journalists dive deep into the melodious mysteries of this invisible instrument, exploring the ultimate playlist that could make even the most grounded among us unleash their inner rock star. - Air guitar transcends gender, captivating enthusiasts with its exaggerated strumming and lip-synching, often at live concerts. - Iconic tracks like Layla and Free Bird are deemed air guitar classics, sparking debate on what makes a song 'air guitarable.' - Music writers Fred de Vries and Tim Cohen share their top six air guitar anthems in a lively podcast episode. - Tune in to ThePerfectSongFor… on Apple Podcasts and Spotify for a deep dive into the art of air guitar and song recommendations. ## Content We have all seen them at live concerts, faced contorted, hands cramped in the air, fingers touching invisible strings: the air guitarist, completely oblivious of their surroundings. [Air guitar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_guitar), says Wikipedia, is “a form of dance and movement in which the performer pretends to play an imaginary rock or heavy metal-style electric guitar, including riffs and solos. Playing an air guitar usually consists of exaggerated strumming and picking motions, and is often coupled with loud singing or lip-synching.” Is air guitar purely a guy thing? What are the qualities of a great air guitarist? Are there competitions? What makes a song air guitarable? Why is it usually the high notes that get air guitared? Does the rhythm guitar lend itself to an air performance as well? And does the air guitar require a recognisable melody, or is speed and screaming noise enough? Does it have to be screaming? There are compilations with dozens of perfect songs to play air guitar to. Famous ones include Layla by Derek and the Dominos, Free Bird by Lynyrd Skynyrd, Smoke On The Water by Deep Purple, and Paradise City by Guns N’ Roses. In this episode, journalists and music writers Fred de Vries and Tim Cohen try to answer some of the questions raised above. They also confess to being avid air guitarists, and introduce you to six of their favourite air guitar songs, with, as usual, some twists. [Spotify audio](https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/2jxfNyjELfB8HDQAsBFVMg?utm_source=generator) This week’s selection consists of: #### **I’m Going Home — Ten Years After** [YouTube video: "YouTube video"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaKgQATdB6I) #### **Voodoo Chile — Stevie Ray Vaughan** [YouTube video: "YouTube video"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rb53-sDII0o) #### **Bohemian Like You — Dandy Warhols** [YouTube video: "YouTube video"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CU3mc0yvRNk) #### **The End — The Beatles** [YouTube video: "YouTube video"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12R4FzIhdoQ) #### **Painkiller — Judas Priest** [YouTube video: "YouTube video"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nM__lPTWThU) #### **Sultans Of Swing — Dire Straits** [YouTube video: "YouTube video"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Pa9x9fZBtY) **DM** *You can listen and subscribe to*ThePerfectSongFor… podcast about the perfect song *on*[*Apple Podcasts*](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/theperfectsongfor-playing-air-guitar/id1736161552?i=1000677486981)and [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/episode/1RgIduYzxh5yfky6egFRDb?si=c106e277fe834ad3). *Full versions of the songs are in Spotify and Apple playlists.* *Contact the hosts of the podcast or email us your suggestions and alternatives at*[*perfectsongfor@gmail.com*](mailto:perfectsongfor@gmail.com) *You can also follow the hosts on X: @perfectsongfor Insta: #perfectsongfor Tim Cohen is the business editor of Daily Maverick. Fred de Vries is an author, writer, journalist and South Africa correspondent for Elsevier Magazine and De Groene Amsterdammer. He writes regular music columns for Platenblad in the Netherlands and Vrye Weekblad in South Africa.*