Pop Music’s Most Common Chord Progressions

If you’re a fan of pop music, you’ve probably noticed that a lot of songs tend to follow similar chord progressions. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at some of the most common chord progressions in pop music and discuss why they’re so popular.

Pop Music’s Most Common Chord Progressions

I–V–vi–IV: “Don’t Stop Believin'” by Journey, “With or Without You” by U2, “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” by Green Day

ii–V–I: “The Girl from Ipanema” by Astrud Gilberto, “My Favorite Things” by John Coltrane

IV–V–I–VI: “(Just Like) Starting Over” by John Lennon, “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston

I–vi–ii–V: “Let It Be” by The Beatles, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World” by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole

I–V–vi–III–VII: “The Way We Were” by Barbra Streisand, “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You” by Bryan Adams

iiø7–V7/vi–iø7/iii–VI7: “Yesterday” by The Beatles

The I-V-vi-IV Progression

The I-V-vi-IV progression is one of the most common in pop music. It’s often used in songs with a major key, and it’s particularly popular in love songs.

The I-V-vi-IV progression goes like this:

I = one chord

V = five chord

vi = six chord

IV = four chord

So, in the key of C, the I-V-vi-IV progression would be C-G-Am-F. In the key of G, it would be G-D-Em-C. And so on.

The 50s Progression

In the key of C, the 50s progression is C-Am-G-C. This chord progression was extremely popular in the 1950s and is still used in many pop, rock, and country songs today. Some well-known songs that use the 50s progression include “Heart and Soul” by Hoagy Carmichael, “Stand By Me” by Ben E. King, “That’ll Be the Day” by Buddy Holly, and “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin.

The vi-IV-I-V Progression

The vi-IV-I-V progression is one of the most common in pop music. It’s often used in the chorus of a song, as it provides a sense of resolution. The chords in this progression are: vi (minor), IV (major), I (major), V (major).

The ii-V-I Progression

The ii-V-I progression is one of the most common progressions in pop music. It’s often used in songs in major keys, and it has a strong, stable feel.

Here’s how it works: the ii chord is a minor chord, the V chord is a major chord, and the I chord is a major chord. So, in the key of C, the ii chord would be Dm, the V chord would be G, and the I chord would be C.

This progression can be used in any key, but it’s particularly common in major keys. In fact, it’s so common that some people refer to it as “the pop progression.”

There are many variations on the ii-V-I progression, but one of the most common is to add a seventh to each chord. So, in the key of C, you might see Dm7-G7-C. This gives the progression a more bluesy feel.

The ii-V-I progression is a great way to add interest to your pop songs. It’s also relatively easy to play on guitar or keyboard.

The I-vi-ii-V-I Progression

The I-vi-ii-V-I progression is probably the most commonly used chord progression in all of pop music. It’s used in countless songs in almost every genre, from The Beatles’ “Michelle” to Taylor Swift’s “Love Story.”

The basic idea behind the I-vi-ii-V-I progression is that it starts on the tonic (i.e., the “I” chord), then moves to the submediant (vi), the mediant (ii), the dominant (V), before finally resolving back to the tonic. This progression uses all major chords, which gives it a bright, happy sound.

Here’s a quick example of how the I-vi-ii-V-I progression might work in a simple pop song:

Verse:
I – vi – ii – V – I

Chorus:
I – vi – ii – V – I