The I–V–vi–IV progression is a common chord progression popular across several genres of music. It uses the I, V, vi, and IV chords of a musical scale. For example, in the key of C major, this progression would be C–G–Am–F.[1] Rotations include:

  • I–V–vi–IV:C–G–Am–F
  • V–vi–IV–I:G–Am–F–C
  • vi–IV–I–V:Am–F–C–G
  • IV–I–V–vi:F–C–G–Am
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I–V–vi–IV chord progression in C Play.
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vi–IV–I–V chord progression in C Play.

The '50s progression uses the same chords but in a different order (I–vi–IV–V), no matter the starting point.

Variations

A common ordering of the progression, "vi–IV–I–V", was dubbed the "sensitive female chord progression" by Boston Globe columnist Marc Hirsh.[2] In C major this would be Am–F–C–G, modulating the key to A minor.

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Hirsh first noticed the chord progression in the song "One of Us" by Joan Osborne,[3] and then other songs. He named the progression because he claimed it was used by many performers of the Lilith Fair in the late 1990s.[2] However, examples of the progression appeared in pop hits as early as the 1950s, such as in the Teddy Bears' "To Know Him Is to Love Him", written by Phil Spector.[4]

Dan Bennett claims the progression is also called the "pop-punk progression" because of its frequent use in pop punk.[1]

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In this ordering, the progression ends with a double plagal cadence in the key of the dominant (in the Mixolydian mode) and could also be respelled ii–bVII–IV–I, opening with a backdoor turnaround.

The chord progression is also used in the form IV–I–V–vi, as in songs such as "Umbrella" by Rihanna[5] and "Down" by Jay Sean.[6] Numerous bro-country songs followed the chord progression, as demonstrated by Greg Todd's mash-up of several bro-country songs in an early 2015 video.[7]

It is also common to substitute the supertonic (ii) for the submediant (vi) resulting in the similar sounding I-V-ii-IV. This is present in such songs as the Cure's Just Like Heaven,[8] Taylor Swift's Getaway Car, Semisonic's Closing Time and Smash Mouth's All Star.

A 2008 medley by the comedy group the Axis of Awesome, called "Four Chords", demonstrated the ubiquity of the progression in popular music, for comic effect; for instance, as the progression is played as an ostinato, sometimes it is used as a vi–IV–I–V (i. e. the "pessimistic" inversion). It does not accurately represent the chord progressions of all the songs it depicts. It was originally written in D major (thus the progression being D major, A major, B minor, G major) and performed live in the key of E major (thus using the chords E major, B major, C♯ minor, and A major). The song was subsequently published on YouTube.[9] As of May 2020, the two most popular versions have been viewed over 100 million times combined.[10][11]

The British progressive rock band Porcupine Tree made a song called "Four Chords That Made A Million" that appears to be a satire[according to whom?] of the broad use of this progression in contemporary commercial music.

I–V–♭VII–IV

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I–V–VII–IV in A Play

I–V–VII–IV may be viewed as a variation of I–V–vi–IV, replacing the submediant with the subtonic. It consists of two IV chord progressions, the second a whole step lower (A–E–G–D = I–V in A and I–V in G), giving it a sort of harmonic drive. There are few keys in which one may play the progression with open chords on the guitar, so it is often portrayed with barre chords ("Lay Lady Lay"). The use of the flattened seventh may lend this progression a bluesy feel or sound, and the whole tone descent may be reminiscent of the ninth and tenth chords of the twelve bar blues (V–IV). The progression also makes possible a chromatic descent across a minor third: .

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I–IV–VII–IV Play

"(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" by Carole King makes prominent use of this progression in its verses. "Lay Lady Lay"[12] uses the similar progression I–iii–VII–ii; the second and fourth chords are replaced by the relative minor while preserving the same descent. This progression is used in other songs including "Turning Japanese" (1980) by the Vapors, "Sample in a Jar" (1994) by Phish (I–iii–VII–IV), "Waterfalls" (1995) by TLC,[13] and "Don't Tell Me" (2000) by Madonna. "Cinnamon Girl" (1969) by Neil Young uses I–v–VII–IV (all in Mixolydian).[14] It opens the verse to "Brown Eyes" by Lady Gaga, is used in the chorus to "Rio" (1982) by Duran Duran and "Sugar Hiccup" (1983) by the Cocteau Twins, and is in the 2nd part of the bridge in "Sweet Jane" (1988) by the Cowboy Junkies.[15] John Maus uses a i-v-VII-iv in c minor for the verse of "Cop Killer". The progression is also used entirely with minor chords[i-v-vii-iv (g#, d#, f#, c#)] in the middle section of Chopin's etude op. 10 no. 12. However, using the same chord type (major or minor) on all four chords causes it to feel more like a sequence of descending fourths than a bona fide chord progression. I–IV–VII–IV is a similar chord progression which is arch formed (I–IV–VII–IV–I), and has been used in the chorus to "And She Was" (1985) by Talking Heads,[16] in "Let's Go Crazy" (1984) by Prince,[17] in "Like a Rock" (1986) by Bob Seger,[18] in "Steady, As She Goes" (2006) by the Raconteurs (minor tonic: i–V–VII–IV).[19]

Songs using the progression

This is a list of recorded songs containing multiple, repeated uses of the I–V–vi–IV progression.

More information Song title, Artist ...
Song titleArtistYearProgression Recorded Key
"10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)"[20] Matt Redman and Jonas Myrin 2012 IV–I–V–vi G major
"18 And Life"[21] Skid Row 1989 vi–IV–I–V C♯ minor
"20 Good Reasons"[22] Thirsty Merc 2007 I–V–vi–IV C♯ major
"Africa"[23] Toto 1982 vi−IV–I–V (chorus) F♯ minor (chorus)
"Aicha"[24]Cheb Khaled1996vi–IV–I–V G minor
"Ai Se Eu Te Pego"[25]Michel Teló2011I–V–vi–IVB major
"All of Me"[26]John Legend2013vi–IV–I–VA♭ major
"All You Wanted"[27]Michelle Branch2002vi–IV–I–VA♭ minor (verse)
"All Too Well"[28] Taylor Swift 2012 I–V–vi–IV C major
"Almost"[29] Bowling for Soup 2005 I–V–vi–IV B major
"Alone"[30]Heart1987vi–IV–I–V F♯ major (chorus)
"Alone"[31] Alan Walker 2016 vi–IV–I–V G minor
"Amaranth"[32]Nightwish2007vi–IV–I–V D minor
"A New Day Has Come"[33] Celine Dion 2002 vi–IV–I–V F♯ major
"Any Way You Want It" [34]Journey1980I–V–vi–IVG major
"Apologize"[35]Timbaland and OneRepublic2007vi–IV–I–VC minor
"As If It's Your Last"[36]Blackpink2017IV−I−V−vi (chorus) A♭ major (chorus)
"Audience of One"[37]Rise Against2009vi–IV–I–V (chorus)C♯ major
"Awesome God"[38]Rich Mullins2005IV–I–V–vi A major
"Bad Blood"[39]Taylor Swift2014IV–I–V–vi G major
"Bailando"[40]Enrique Iglesias feat. Descemer Bueno and Gente de Zona2014vi–IV–I–VE minor
"Beast of Burden"[41]The Rolling Stones1978I–V–vi–IV E major
"Bebe"[42]6ix9ine2018vi–IV–I–V A minor
"Behind These Hazel Eyes"[43]Kelly Clarkson2005vi–IV–I–V A major
"Breakeven"[44] The Script 2008 IV–I–V–vi (chorus) B♭ major/G minor
"Building a Mystery"[45]Sarah McLachlan1997vi–IV–I–VB minor
"Bullet"[46]Hollywood Undead2011I–V–vi–IV E major
"Bulletproof Picasso"[47]Train2015IV–I–V–vi G major
"Burn"[48]Ellie Goulding2013vi–IV–I–V (pre-chorus and chorus)B♭ minor/D♭ major
"California King Bed"[49]Rihanna2011I–V–vi–IV G major
"Caramelldansen"[50]Caramell2001 I–V–vi–IV E♭ major/G♭ major
"Check Yes Juliet (Run Baby Run)"[51]We the Kings2008vi−I−IV−V (chorus)D major
"Clean"[52] Taylor Swift 2014 I–V–vi–IV E major
"Come Over"[53]Kenny Chesney2012vi–IV–I–V B♭ minor
"Complicated"[54]Avril Lavigne2002vi–IV–I–V (intro) D minor
"Cruise"[55]Florida Georgia Line2012I–V–vi–IV B♭ major
"Daddy DJ"[56] Daddy DJ 1999 vi–IV–I–V C minor
"Dammit"[41][57]Blink-1821997I–V–vi–IV C major
"Demons" Imagine Dragons 2013 I–V–vi–IV E♭ major
"Despacito"[58] Luis Fonsi 2017 vi–IV–I–V B minor
"Don't Trust Me"[59]3OH!32008vi–IV–I–V B♭ major
"Don't You Wanna Stay"[60]Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson2010vi–IV–I–V G♯ minor
"Dragostea Din Tei"[61]O-Zone2003IV–I–V–vi; vi–IV–I–V A minor
"Dream Catch Me"[62]Newton Faulkner2007I–V–vi–IV D major
"Drive By"[63]Train2012vi–IV–I–V (verse)

IV–I–V–vi (chorus)

C♯ minor
"Face Down"[64]The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus2006vi–IV–I–VG minor
"Faded"[65]Alan Walker2015vi–IV–I–V E♭ minor
"Feeling This"[41][66]Blink-1822003I–V–vi–IV E major
"Flashlight"[67] Jessie J 2015 I–V–vi–IV F major
"For the First Time"[68]The Script2010I–V–vi–IV A major
"Forever Young"[69]Alphaville1984I–V–vi–IV C major
"Fuckin' Perfect"[70][71]P!nk2010I–V–vi–IV G major
"Ghost"[72]Justin Bieber2021vi–IV–I–VD major
"Girls Chase Boys"[73]Ingrid Michaelson2014I−IV−vi−VA♭ major
"Girls Like You"[74] Maroon 5 2018 I–V–vi–IV C major
"Give Me Everything"[75]Pitbull feat. Ne-Yo, Afrojack, and Nayer2011vi–IV–I–V E♭ major
"Glad You Exist"[76]Dan + Shay2021I–V–vi–IV B major
"Glycerine"[77]Bush1995I–V–vi–IV F major
"Good" [78]Better Than Ezra1995I–V–vi–IVG major
"Gotta Get Away"[79]The Offspring1995vi–IV–I–VE minor
"Hair"[80]Lady Gaga2011I–V–vi–IV F major
"Hall of Fame"[81]The Script feat. will.i.am2012vi–IV–I–V G minor
"Happy Ending"[82]Mika2007I–V–vi–IV D♭ major
"Heart Attack"[83]Demi Lovato2013IV–I–V–vi; vi–IV–I–V F minor
"Hello"[84] Adele 2015 vi–I–V–IV (verse)
vi–IV–I–V (chorus)
F minor
"Hey Brother"[85]Avicii2013vi–IV–I–V G minor
"Hide and Seek"[86] Imogen Heap2005I–V–vi–IV A major
"High" Lighthouse Family1997I–V–vi–IV B♭ major
"Home"[87]Phillip Phillips2012IV–I–V–vi; vi–IV–I–V C major
"How Do I Say Goodbye" [88]Dean Lewis2022IV–I–V–Vi (chorus)Eb major
"How Far We've Come" [89]Matchbox Twenty2007I–V–vi–IV (verse)
vi–IV–I–V (chorus)
C major
"Hwaa"[90](G)I-dle2021vi−IV−I−V F♯ minor
"I Don't Want To Be"[91]Gavin DeGraw2003IV–I–V–vi (chorus) E♭ major
"If I Were a Boy"[92]Beyoncé2008vi–IV–I–V G♭ major
"I Just Had Sex"[93]The Lonely Island feat. Akon2011vi–IV–I–V D♯ minor
"I Love You"[94]EXID2018IV–I–V–vi (chorus)C major
"I'm Goin' Down[95]Bruce Springsteen1985I–V–vi–IV B♭ major
"I'm Not Famous"[96] AJR 2016 V–vi–IV–I F major
"I'm Yours"[97] Jason Mraz 2008 I–V–vi–IV B major
"In My Head"[98]Jason Derulo2009vi–IV–I–V C minor
"International Love"[99]Pitbull feat. Chris Brown2011vi–IV–I–V C minor
"In This River"[100]Black Label Society2005vi–IV–I–V E minor
"I Want You to Want Me"[101]Cheap Trick1977I–V–vi–IV A major
"I Was Here"[102]Beyoncé2011vi–IV–I–V E minor
"Jantung Hatiku"[103]Ita Purnamasari2023I–V–vi–IVF♯ major
"Just a Dream"[104]Nelly2010vi–IV–I–V E♭ minor
"Just the Way I'm Feeling"[105] Feeder 2003 V–vi–IV–I (chorus) D major
"Kids"[106] OneRepublic 2016 V–vi–IV–I D major
"Lemonade"[107]Alexandra Stan2011vi–IV–I–V F♯ minor
"Little Talks"[108]Of Monsters and Men2011vi–IV–I–V B♭ minor
"Love"[109]Lana Del Rey2017I–V–vi–IV (intro, verse, and chorus)B♭ major
"Love Me"[110]Justin Bieber2009vi–IV–I–V C minor
"Love the Way You Lie"[111]Eminem feat. Rihanna2010vi–IV–I–V G minor
"Marilyn Monroe"[112]Nicki Minaj2012vi–IV–I–V E minor
"My Happy Ending"[113]Avril Lavigne2004vi–IV–I–V B minor
"My Name Is Jonas"[114]Weezer1994I–V–vi–IV B major
"Nobody's Perfect"[115]Hannah Montana (Miley Cyrus)2007vi–IV–I–V C minor
"No One"[116]Alicia Keys2007I–V–vi–IV E major
"No Woman, No Cry"[117]Bob Marley1973I–V–vi–IV C♯ major
"Not Afraid"[118]Eminem2010vi–IV–I–V C minor
"Nothing"[119]The Script2010I–V–vi–IV (chorus) D major
"Numb"[120] Linkin Park 2003 vi–IV–I–V F♯ minor
"OMG"[121]Candelita2024vi–IV–I–V E major
"One Day"[122]Matisyahu2008I–V–vi–IV C major
"One Last Breath"[123]Creed2002I–V–vi–IV D major
"One of Us"[3][124]Joan Osborne1995vi–IV–I–V F♯ minor
"On the Floor"[125] Jennifer Lopez feat. Pitbull 2011 vi–IV–I–V E♭ minor
"Only my railgun"[126] fripSide 2009 vi–IV–V–I B major
"Otherside"[127]Red Hot Chili Peppers2000vi–IV–I–V A minor
"Out of the Woods"[128]Taylor Swift2014I–V–vi–IV A minor
"Paparazzi"[129]Lady Gaga2009I–V–vi–IV G major
"Peace of Mind"[130]Boston1976vi–IV–I–V C♯ minor
"Perfect"[131]Ed Sheeran2017vi–IV–I–V (chorus)A♭ major
"Pieces"[132]Sum 412005vi–IV–I–V D minor
"Poker Face"[133] Lady Gaga 2008 vi–IV–I–V G♯ minor
"Pork and Beans"[134]Weezer2008I–V–vi–IV G♭ major
"Prison Bound"[135] Social Distortion 1988 I–V–vi–IV F♯ major
"Radio Nowhere"[136] Bruce Springsteen 2007 vi–IV–I–V E minor
"Read All About It, Pt. III"[137]Emeli Sandé2012vi–IV–I–VB minor
"Real World"[138]Matchbox Twenty1998I–V–vi–IV (verse)B♭ major
"Replay"[139]Iyaz2009vi–IV–I–V F♯ minor
"Rewrite the Stars"[140]Zac Efron and Zendaya2018vi–IV–I–VB♭ major
"Rise"[141]McClain Sisters2012vi–IV–I–V B minor
"River Flows in You"[142]Yiruma2001vi–IV–I–V A major
"Rockstars"[143]Malik Harris2022I–V–vi–IV G major
"Roly-Poly"[144]T-ARA2011vi–IV–I–V A minor
"Runaway" Kanye West 2010 I–V–vi–IV E major
"San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)"[145]Scott McKenzie1967vi–IV–I–VE minor
"Save Tonight"[146]Eagle Eye Cherry1997vi–IV–I–V C major
"Say Something"[147]A Great Big World2013vi–IV–I–V B minor
"Scar"[148]Missy Higgins2004I–V–vi–IV C major
"Self Esteem"[149]The Offspring1994vi–IV–I–V A minor (verses)
D minor (chorus)
"Since You Been Gone"[150] Russ Ballard 1976 I–V–vi–IV G major
"Singing in My Sleep" [151] Semisonic 1998 I–V–vi–IV E major
"Six Degrees of Separation"[152]The Script2012vi–IV–I–V C♯ minor
"Snow (Hey Oh)"[153]Red Hot Chili Peppers2006vi–IV–I–V B major/G♯ minor
"Someone like You"[154]Adele2011I–V–vi–IV A major
"Someone to You"[155]Banners2017I–V–vi–IV D major
"Someone You Loved"[156]Lewis Capaldi2018I–V–vi–IV C♯ major
"Soul To Squeeze"[157]Red Hot Chili Peppers1993I–V–vi–IV F major
"Sparks Fly"[158]Taylor Swift2011vi–IV–I–V D minor
"Stand"[159]Rascal Flatts2007vi–IV–I–V A minor
"Stereo Hearts"[160]Gym Class Heroes2011vi–IV–I–V F♯ minor
"Stick Season"[161] Noah Kahan 2022 I–V–vi–IV A major
"Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)"[162]Kelly Clarkson2012vi–IV–I–V A minor
"Take You Down"[163]Illenium2018vi–IV–I–V B major
"Tangled Up in Me"[164]Skye Sweetnam2004I–V–vi–IV C major
"The Days"[165]Avicii2014IV–I–V–vi (chorus)C major
"The Edge of Glory"[166]Lady Gaga2011I–V–vi–IV A major
"The Kids Aren't Alright"[167]The Offspring1999vi–IV–I–V B♭ minor
"The Rock Show"[168]Blink-1822001vi–IV–I–V (bridge) A major/F♯ minor
"The Spectre"[169]Alan Walker2017vi–IV–I–V C♯ minor
"(There's Gotta Be) More to Life"[170]Stacie Orrico2003vi–IV–I–V F minor
"To Know Him Is to Love Him"[4] The Teddy Bears 1958 I–V–vi–IV D major
"Try"[171]P!nk2012IV–I–V–vi; vi–IV–I–V D major/B minor
"Tuesday's Gone"[172]Lynyrd Skynyrd1973I–V–vi–IV A major
"Up"[173] Olly Murs featuring Demi Lovato 2014 IV−I−V−vi (chorus) A major
"Wagon Wheel"[174]Old Crow Medicine Show and Bob Dylan2004I–V–vi–IV A major
"Wannabe"[175]Itzy2020IV–I–V–vi F♯ minor/A major
"Wannabe"[176]Spice Girls1996V−vi−IV−IB major
"We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together"[177]Taylor Swift2012IV–I–V–vi G major
"We Didn't Start the Fire"[178] Billy Joel 1989 I–V–vi–IV G major
"We Found Love"[179]Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris2011vi–IV–I–V F♯ major
"What About Now"[180]Lonestar2000I–V–vi–IV E major
"Whatever"[181] Ava Max, Kygo 2024 vi–IV–I–V (chorus) Eb major
"Whatever It Takes"[182] Imagine Dragons 2017 IV–I–V–vi (chorus) B♭ minor
"What Would I Change It To"[183]Avicii & AlunaGeorge2017I–V–vi–IV B major
"What's My Age Again?"[184]Blink-1821999IV–I–V–vi; I–V–vi–IV F♯ major
"When Can I See You Again?"[185]Owl City2012I–V–vi–IV D major
"When I Come Around"[186]Green Day1993I–V–vi–IV G♭ major
"Wherever You Will Go"[187]The Calling2001I–V–vi–IV D major
"Where'd You Go"[188]Fort Minor feat. Holly Brook and Jonah Matranga2006I–V–vi–IVE major
"Whistle"[189]Flo Rida2012vi–IV–I–V A minor
"Who You Are"[190]Jessie J2011vi–IV–I–V F♯ minor
"Willst du"[191]Alligatoah2013vi–IV–I–VG♯ minor
"With Me"[192]Sum 412007I–V–vi–IV (intro and verse)E major
"Young Volcanoes"[193]Fall Out Boy2013vi–IV–I–V (verse)B minor
"You Found Me"[194]The Fray2008vi–IV–I–V (chorus)G♯ minor
"You'll Think Of Me"[195]Keith Urban2004I–V–vi–IV; vi–IV–I–V A major/F♯ minor
"You're Not Sorry"[196]Taylor Swift2008vi–IV–I–V E♭ minor
"Zombie"[197]The Cranberries1994vi–IV–I–VE minor
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See also

References

Further reading

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