A chord progression is just a repeating order of chords from one key. Below are the progressions behind most songs ever written — each shown in the five most guitar-friendly keys. Every chord is computed from the key's diatonic triads, so it is always correct.
🎛️ Found a progression you like? Get the right tone for it — free →The most-used progression in modern pop and rock — the backbone of hundreds of hits. Bright, resolved, endlessly singable.
| Key | I | V | vi | IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | C | G | Am | F |
| G | G | D | Em | C |
| D | D | A | Bm | G |
| A | A | E | F#m | D |
| E | E | B | C#m | A |
You already know it from: "Let It Be", "With or Without You", "No Woman No Cry", "Someone Like You".
The oldest trick in the book — the whole of early rock, blues and folk lives here. Learn it in G and you can busk for hours.
| Key | I | IV | V |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | C | F | G |
| G | G | C | D |
| D | D | G | A |
| A | A | D | E |
| E | E | A | B |
You already know it from: "Wild Thing", "Twist and Shout", "La Bamba", "Sweet Home Alabama" (loosely).
The same four chords as I–V–vi–IV but starting on the minor vi — instantly more emotional and yearning while staying in the same key.
| Key | vi | IV | I | V |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | Am | F | C | G |
| G | Em | C | G | D |
| D | Bm | G | D | A |
| A | F#m | D | A | E |
| E | C#m | A | E | B |
You already know it from: "Zombie", "Grenade", "Save Tonight", countless emo/pop-punk choruses.
The sound of 1950s ballads and slow dances. Warm, nostalgic, and forgiving to sing over.
| Key | I | vi | IV | V |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | C | Am | F | G |
| G | G | Em | C | D |
| D | D | Bm | G | A |
| A | A | F#m | D | E |
| E | E | C#m | A | B |
You already know it from: "Stand By Me", "Earth Angel", "Every Breath You Take" (variant).
The gravitational core of jazz. The ii pulls to the V, the V resolves home to I — the strongest "coming home" motion in Western harmony.
| Key | ii | V | I |
|---|---|---|---|
| C | Dm | G | C |
| G | Am | D | G |
| D | Em | A | D |
| A | Bm | E | A |
| E | F#m | B | E |
You already know it from: Almost every jazz standard: "Autumn Leaves", "Fly Me to the Moon".
The famous eight-bar loop from Canon in D — also the skeleton under a surprising number of pop songs once you hear it.
| Key | I | V | vi | iii | IV | I | IV | V |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | C | G | Am | Em | F | C | F | G |
| G | G | D | Em | Bm | C | G | C | D |
| D | D | A | Bm | F#m | G | D | G | A |
| A | A | E | F#m | C#m | D | A | D | E |
| E | E | B | C#m | G#m | A | E | A | B |
You already know it from: "Canon in D", "Basket Case", "Graduation (Friends Forever)".
Not four chords but a 12-bar form built from I, IV and V. Count four beats per bar and loop. Add a dominant 7th to each chord (A7, D7, E7) for the classic bluesy growl.
| Key | 1 I | 2 I | 3 I | 4 I | 5 IV | 6 IV | 7 I | 8 I | 9 V | 10 IV | 11 I | 12 V |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | C | C | C | C | F | F | C | C | G | F | C | G |
| G | G | G | G | G | C | C | G | G | D | C | G | D |
| D | D | D | D | D | G | G | D | D | A | G | D | A |
| A | A | A | A | A | D | D | A | A | E | D | A | E |
| E | E | E | E | E | A | A | E | E | B | A | E | B |
Pick a key, write out its seven diatonic chords (I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi are the usable ones; vii° is rare), then string together any that sound good — almost always ending on I or V. The circle of fifths shows which chords belong to each key at a glance.
I–V–vi–IV is the most-used progression in modern pop and rock — in C that is C–G–Am–F. Hundreds of hit songs are built on those four chords, which is why it is nicknamed the "four chord song".
They are the I, V, vi and IV of a key. In G that is G–D–Em–C; in C it is C–G–Am–F. Starting the same four chords on the vi (vi–IV–I–V) gives the more emotional "sad" version.
It is a 12-bar pattern using just the I, IV and V chords: four bars of I, two of IV, two of I, then V–IV–I–V. In A that is A–A–A–A / D–D / A–A / E–D–A–E.
Every major key has seven diatonic chords built on its scale: I, IV and V are major; ii, iii and vi are minor; vii° is diminished. In C: C, Dm, Em, F, G, Am, B°. Progressions just pick from those.
More: all chords · power chords · circle of fifths · scales · easy songs