Count on Me: Piano/Vocal/Chords

This collection cuts through the noise of pop songbook collections by gathering 44 genuinely singable, recognizable tracks that students and amateur musicians actually want to perform. The breadth spans two decades of pop and rock history, so whether your singers connect with Bruno Mars, ABBA, Adele, or Aerosmith, there's repertoire that feels current and relevant to them. It's the rare folio where students bring enthusiasm instead of obligation.

Opening this book is like unlocking a jukebox of the last two decades. You'll move seamlessly from the triumphant swells of power ballads like "Greatest Love of All" to the rhythmic groove of "Don't Stop Believin'," from the indie intimacy of "Falling Slowly" to the electronic shimmer of "Firework." It captures the emotional range of pop music itself: vulnerability, celebration, heartbreak, and resilience all live side by side.

Pianists and singers preparing solo or duo repertoire for recitals, open mics, or informal performance settings will find immediate material here. This collection also works well for pianists building a repertoire of contemporary songs for improvisation and play-along contexts, or for guitarists looking to expand beyond standard chord charts.

• Study the chord symbols and voicings as written before improvising or substituting your own. These arrangements are designed with specific harmonic colors in mind that support the vocal melody.
• Balance the vocal line so it sits naturally over the piano accompaniment. Many of these songs have subtle rhythmic interplay between voice and keys that deserves clarity.
• Use the guitar chord diagrams as a reference for transposition or alternate voicings if you're accompanying a singer whose range differs from the original key.
• Listen to the original recordings to internalize phrasing and rhythmic inflection, especially on songs with syncopated figures or rhythmic catches that sheet music alone can't fully capture.

Use this as a resource for students preparing audition materials or end-of-term performance portfolios, since the variety ensures most singers will find something that matches their voice type and artistic sensibility. It also serves as a practical songbook for accompanists working with voice students, providing readable, accessible arrangements without requiring transposition for most standard voice ranges. Individual songs work well as concert openers or encores that connect with mixed audiences.

• Reading and interpreting guitar chord symbols
• Balancing vocal melody with piano accompaniment
• Navigating varied song forms and structural patterns across contemporary pop and rock
• Sight-reading across multiple staves simultaneously (voice, piano treble and bass, chord symbols)