Chord progressions are the key to unlocking all your favorite songs (well, lots of them, anyway). Countless songs share the same chord progressions, and in this article, I’ll discuss what they are, why they are so common, and how you can use them.
What is a chord progression?
A chord progression is a sequence of chords played one after another in a specific order.
The chosen chords and the order in which you play them determine the harmonic structure of a song and provide an emotional journey for the listener. A song may be happy, sad, uplifting, pensive, and a thousand things in between by using harmony to alter the mood through tension and release.
Other elements, like melody, rhythm, and lyrics, impact a song’s general mood and feel, but chord progressions set the foundations.
Why are some chord progressions so common?
In short, they sound great; that’s the main characteristic that the most common chord progressions share.
When an artist has a smash hit song, it often starts a trend of others trying to emulate that success by borrowing creative ideas, like chord progressions. I say borrowing rather than copying or stealing because very little is entirely new nowadays; it’s more often about personalizing an existing idea (although some artists really push the boundaries of borrowing).
This reuse of the same patterns means that certain progressions define genres and eras in music, not just individual songs. Artists use the other elements mentioned above to distinguish their songs from others using the same chord progression.
Common progressions are tried and tested, and they work; whether you want to make people smile, cry, or think, they get the job done.
In addition to sounding great and having a proven track record, common progressions are simple and show that you don’t need to be a virtuoso to play great music!
Of course, there are many ways to make any progression more complex or interesting, like passing chords and modal interchange. But, at their core, the most common chord progressions are relatively simple.
Harmonizing scales
Before we get into the most common chord progressions, I want to start with some fundamentals to help you play your favorite progressions in any key.
I mentioned reusing patterns earlier, and there are lots of important patterns in music that allow us to simplify concepts that are easily overcomplicated.
Harmonizing a scale is how we identify diatonic chords to the scale. Diatonic chords are chords that occur naturally within a key signature with no accidentals or adjustments.
Let’s start with the C major scale.
An interval is the distance between one note and another, and the pattern of intervals shown in the image above is the same for every major scale.
These formulas ensure we also get a repeating sequence of diatonic chord qualities in each scale.
You can see that every chord is numbered, and this number system makes it easier to play the same progression in every key.
When we use Roman numerals, we use upper case letters for major chords and lower case for minor.
In every major scale, we know that chord I is major, chord ii is minor, and so on.
Primary chords and chord families
Now that we’ve covered harmonizing scales, a few more things will help explain why the most common chord progressions work so well.
Chords I, IV, and V are the primary chords; they include every scale tone, and you can harmonize any song with just the primary chords. We can add more color with the remaining diatonic chords when needed.
The primary chords and the minor vi are the main four chords in most popular music.
When we include all diatonic chords, we can split them into three chord families: Tonic, Subdominant, and Dominant.
The chords in each family above are similar because they share pivotal scale degrees.
Tonic chords from the C major scale share the defining 3rd degree (E), providing stability, especially the I, our home chord (tonal center) that offers complete resolution. The iii (mediant) and vi (submediant) chords function as a way to extend the feeling of home or add subtle variation without a significant departure.
The subdominant chords share the 4th degree (F) and offer more tension. Traditionally, these chords want to transition to the V chord, but they are also a great way to leave home and add some warmth before returning to the I. The movement from IV to I is known as the plagal cadence, and seminal artists like Joni Mitchell used it beautifully.
Dominant chords, the V and vii°, share the leading tone (B) and provide the most tension. The leading tone wants to resolve to the tonic, and the V chord is the furthest, harmonically, from the I, giving it the greatest need to resolve. The V to I movement is known as a perfect cadence; it’s extremely impactful because the V chord creates a pronounced sense of direction.
It’s time to get playing.
The Original Go-To Progression (I-IV-V)
C Major chords: C-F-G
Admittedly, the I-IV-V progressions (in various forms) and using only the primary chords seem old-fashioned right now. But I could say the same about most progressions: popularity peaks, fades, and comes back around.
This progression works so well because it’s simple and full of movement, as the IV and V chords always want to go somewhere. It’s been a recipe for upbeat songs since the mid-20th century, with songs like “La Bamba” by Ritchie Valens. It later became a staple of the punk genre, and bands like The Ramones used it time and time again in tracks like “Blitzkrieg Bop.”
It’s not all about upbeat good-time songs and high-paced punk anarchy; famously melancholy bands like REM kept it simple with this progression on songs like “Stand.” Even Bob Dylan, one of the greatest songwriters of all time, embraced the I-IV-V progression; it’s a great place to start.
The Pop Progression (I-V-vi-IV)
C Major chords: C-G-Am-F
The pop progression, golden progression, every-song progression, or anything else you might call it, is the most prolific in popular music. Artists have used it in countless songs over the last 40-50 years, and The Axis of Awesome hilariously brought it to mainstream attention in their four chord song comedy sketch.
Learning this progression is a real game changer; it unlocks so many songs and allows you to sound great, jamming with other musicians, even as a beginner.
With this progression, you immediately get impact, tension, and movement because the I chord heads straight for the V. From the V, it would be easy to head back to the I and then on to the IV for some variation. But, going from the V to the vi gets us in the tonic family without fully committing to going home.
Similarly, the next move to the IV pulls us back into tension, but not as much as before. The entire sequence becomes a continuous transition through tension and release, which is why so many artists loop it for a whole song.
One of the most iconic songs to use this progression is “Let It Be” by The Beatles. There are countless others like Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin'” and Alphaville’s “Forever Young.”
The Altered Pop Progression (vi-IV-I-V)
C Major chords: Am-F-C-G
The vi-IV-I-V is perhaps the second most prolific chord progression in modern popular music. It’s exactly the same as the last progression but starts on the vi.
Now, we have a minor feel kicking off the progression, which builds towards the most tension from the V chord at the end. Although the chords are the same as the previous progression, changing the order really freshens things up.
The minor chord at the start isn’t too dark but isn’t quite home, and that vagueness paves the way for moody or angsty lyrics. The best thing about this progression is that it’s so adaptable; if you don’t want to fully embrace the minor mood, you can be as upbeat as you like, and it still works. It sounds slightly less traditional than starting on the I, making it ideal for modern popular music.
Hit songs in multiple genres rely on this chord progression, and it works as well today as it did 30 years ago. Eagle-Eye Cherry’s “Save Tonight” and Toto’s “Africa” are great examples.
The Jazz Cadence (ii-V-I)
C Major chords: Dm-G7-Cmaj7
Although it’s very common, the ii-V-I cadence doesn’t typically tell the whole story of a song, not on its own, anyway. You’ll hear this cadence in jazz standards, from Duke Ellington to Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane. The ii-V-I cadence is a tool to get back to the I chord, and it’s scattered all over jazz music.
But if you’re not into bebop or swing, don’t worry, you can still put the ii-V-I to good use. Musicians have adapted the ii-V-I for various genres to spice up dull chord progressions.
A simple C major I-IV vamp alternating between Cmaj7 and Fmaj7 is beautiful but might get repetitive without some additions. We can use this cadence to make it more interesting, but what if we want it to lead to the Fmaj7, which is the IV in this case?
For the duration of the cadence only, we think of Fmaj7 as the I, meaning the ii and V chords come from the F major scale, giving us something like this: Cmaj7-Gm7-C7-Fmaj7.
Once you’re back to the Fmaj7, it’s the IV again, and you’re still in C major. The ii-V-I cadence is one of the most valuable tools at your disposal for composition, performance, and improvisation, as long as you don’t overuse it!
Alternatively, if you fancy building an entire song around this chord progression, why not? Maroon 5 did with “Sunday Morning.”
The Royal Road Progression (IV-V-iii-vi)
C Major chords: F-G-Em-Am
The royal road progression, or the anime progression, is the key to Japan’s K-pop sound. It’s also a game composer’s dream.
I love how unassuming this chord progression is; it doesn’t have any harsh transitions, but it’s still very powerful. The benefit of no harsh transitions and lack of a I chord is that it has a perpetual quality; it feels like it can go on forever and doesn’t get old. It doesn’t fully resolve, but it’s never far from home long enough to become too tense. The progression feels like it just floats close to where it should be.
That perpetual quality is what makes it a game composer’s dream; it’s the perfect loop for video games and is heard throughout classics like the Final Fantasy franchise.
It also has a dreamy and hopeful character despite the inclusion of two minor chords, which is why it’s ideal for the enthusiastically happy sound of K-pop.
Although the royal road progression isn’t as popular in Western pop music, it topped the charts with NSYNC’s 2000 hit, “It’s Gonna Be Me.”
The Doo-Wop Progression (I-vi-IV-V)
C Major chords: C-Am-F-G
The doo-wop progression is the soundtrack of the 1950s and has been one of my favorites ever since I heard “Earth Angel” by The Penguins in the Back to the Future movie as a youngster.
Of course, at the time, I didn’t realize it was the foundation of an entire decade of music and one of the most versatile chord progressions. I just knew I loved the sound.
The doo-wop sound is unmistakable, but the slow build-up of tension makes this progression highly versatile. It goes from no tension to the most tension but does so one small transition at a time. This gradual approach makes it easier to define the final sound with other elements, and that’s why we hear it from everyone from Dolly Parton to Justin Bieber.
Another testament to the versatility of this progression is that, despite its name, one of the most iconic examples of its use comes from Ben E. King’s R&B soul hit “Stand By Me” in the early 1960s. If you ever want to cover a standard pop song in another style, the doo-wop progression is a good place to start.
The Andalusian Cadence (i-VII-VI-V)
A minor chords: Am-G-F-E
The Andalusian cadence comes from the Southern region of Spain and is most traditionally tied to Flamenco music. It’s one of the most dramatic chord progressions due to its clear descending motion and use of the major V chord.
The progression descends the natural minor scale from the i to the VII, then the VI. If it continued with the natural minor scale, the next chord would be a minor v (Em, in this case). However, the minor v is relatively weak, especially when the progression hinges on it. Instead, we raise the 7th degree of the scale, as it is in the harmonic minor scale, to give us a major V chord.
Adding the major V at the end of this progression adds more tension, authority, and drama. More importantly, it provides an obvious desire to get back to the i chord and start the progression over.
The Andalusian cadence isn’t as versatile as some other progressions because it has such a distinct sound. But it’s the backbone of some of the most legendary songs in music history.
Songs like “Runaway” by Del Shannon and “Happy Together” by The Turtles showcase the distinct sound of this progression. Two of my personal favorites are “Hit The Road Jack” by Ray Charles and “Good Vibrations” by The Beach Boys.
If you want the descending movement without the drama of the Spanish influence and major V, try i-VII-VI-VII.
The Mixolydian Progression (I-bVII-IV-I)
C Major chords: C-Bflat-F-C
We call this progression the Mixolydian progression because it adopts the flat 7th degree from the Mixolydian mode. In C major, we end up with a Bflat rather than a B natural. The difference is that the flat 7th degree doesn’t automatically want to resolve to the I like the B natural would.
Instead, the most likely destination is the IV chord. There are a few options once at the IV chord, but heading to the I chord creates a pattern of descending fourths that just sounds epic. Bflat to F is an interval of a fourth, as is F to C.
Descending in fourths creates a sense of grandeur and space, which is why this progression sounds so epic.
You’ll hear the Mixolydian progression in music from multiple genres, from The Rolling Stones’ “Sympathy For The Devil” to Lorde’s “Royals.”
You don’t always hear the Mixolydian progression used throughout an entire song; it’s often used to highlight a breakdown or specific song section, most famously in the Na-Na-Na Na section of “Hey Jude” by The Beatles.
The Canon Progression (I-V-vi-iii-IV-I-IV-V)
C Major chords: C-G-Am-Em-F-C-F-C
I can’t talk about the most common chord progressions without discussing the Canon progression (or Pachelbel progression). It’s undoubtedly one of the most loved and influential chord progressions of all time. It’s also one of the most annoying for some musicians because it’s everywhere, but if it’s not broke, don’t fix it; I love it.
When I say this progression comes from the 80s, I mean the 1680s and Johann Pachelbel’s Canon in D. Even if you think you don’t know classical music, you know Canon in D; it’s played at weddings and formal events everywhere.
Songwriters and composers are drawn to this progression because it’s the perfect bed for a beautiful, flowing melody. One of the coolest things about playing the Canon progression is how easy it is to create gorgeous harmony.
Rather than playing the root note for each chord in your left hand, try starting on the root (C) and descending the C major scale (one step per chord). Left hand plays: C-B-A-G-F-E-F-G.
Not only is it a lovely descending bassline, but you get a pattern of alternating roots and thirds in the bass that sounds incredible.
It seems like everyone has used the Canon progression at some time, but two of the clearest (yet diverse) examples are “C U When You Get There” by Coolio and “Memories” by Maroon 5.
Conclusion
There’s always the temptation to overcomplicate music as if it has to be challenging to be great. While there’s a time and place for advanced techniques, in most cases, less really is more.
These progressions have worked well for decades and continue to do so (without altering them beyond recognition). Get used to them as they are before making changes, and enjoy the thousands of songs they unlock!
