Common Chord Progressions

Below are three examples of common chord progressions that appear all the time in pop music:

1. I - V - vi - IV 

This chord progression has been used so much, that it’s literally a meme. To try it for yourself, use the chords C Major, G Major, A minor, and F Major. 

2. ii - V - I

ii - V - I ← jazzy version

This chord progression serves as the foundation for a lot of jazz. In C Major, the chords will be D minor, G Major, and C Major. Keep stacking notes on those chords to make it jazzy ♨️ 

3. i - VII - VI - V 

This chord progression is in a minor key (that’s why the 1 is a lowercase i), but it has a major 5 chord. Try it out by playing A minor, G Major, F Major, and E Major. 

There are no right or wrong answers when you’re writing chord progressions, just traditions to be followed or not. 

In general, the major 5 chord feels like it wants to go back to the 1, major or minor, as seen in progressions 2 and 3 above. But you might be thinking, “Hey! The 5 chord in progression 1 goes to the minor six chord.” Well, chill out bro, and check it out: The vi and the I chord are the same except for one note (C Major = C/E/G, A minor = A/C/E), so they serve a similar function. 

But remember, music theory is just a theory! There are no laws with this stuff. Make what you think sounds cool and draw from the traditions however feels authentic to you!