Rolling Stone® Easy Piano Sheet Music Classics, Volume 2: Piano Book

This collection connects students to genuine music history by placing 34 undisputed classics under their hands. Coates's arrangements preserve the character of each original recording while keeping the technical demands reasonable, so students experience real songs they recognize rather than simplified versions that feel hollow. The breadth alone—from 1950s doo-wop to 1990s alternative—teaches that "classic" spans generations.

Opening this book feels like stepping into a museum of sound where you're allowed to touch everything. You'll move between moods constantly: the innocent sweetness of "All I Have to Do Is Dream" gives way to the dramatic tension of "Stairway to Heaven," then shifts to the infectious groove of "Billie Jean." Each arrangement respects its era while translating it faithfully to the piano, so the experience is recognizable but fresh.

This book is made for pianists working at early intermediate levels who want to play songs they've actually heard rather than exercises or simplified originals. Whether you're a private studio teacher looking for motivation-boosting material or a student who's tired of "learning piano" in isolation from actual music, these arrangements offer immediate relevance without technical barriers.

• Read through the chord symbols and fingering suggestions before diving into performance tempo; they're designed to guide hand position and prevent awkward reaches.
• Listen to the original recordings before you begin learning each piece; knowing the vocal melody, phrasing, and energy will inform how you voice the arrangement and shape the dynamics.
• Use the lyrics printed in the score to align your phrasing with the lyrical intent, not just the written note values.
• Pay attention to the arrangement's textural changes (sparse verses opening into fuller choruses, for example) and resist the urge to add more volume before the music actually asks for it.

Use this collection as a motivation tool in private lessons for students who resist traditional method book material, or assign individual pieces as performance goals that build pride in preparation and recital readiness. You could also program selections in student recitals where variety and recognizable music engage family audiences, or build a full-length recital around a themed subset (British Invasion songs, soul and R&B classics, singer-songwriter standards) to showcase stylistic range.

• Sight-reading chord symbols and translating them into performance choices
• Interpreting fingering recommendations to solve hand position problems
• Matching phrasing and dynamics to lyrical content
• Understanding how melody and accompaniment interact in familiar songs
• Building repertoire and confidence through recognizable material
• Sustaining longer pieces with multiple sections and formal structures