The steel string acoustic guitar has in recent times become the most widely played instrument in the world. The sound of a string steel guitar was made famous by country and folk music, but has since molded its way into main stream rock ballads and pop songs. Even hip-hop and rap groups these days can produce tracks with nothing other than a steel string acoustic guitar as backing.
Songwriters will often claim a steel string acoustic as their preferred instrument for writing songs. The rich texture and warmth of these guitars is ideal for accompanying a human voice. The steel strings themselves are key to the sound of the guitar, though can cause some finger soreness for beginner guitarists. Keep playing and build up those calluses!