Common progressions used in contemporary popular music
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- Twelve-bar blues
- I - vi - IV - V : the 50s progression. Modern examples include "Jesus of Suburbia" (Green Day), "Welcome to my Life", Simple Plan, (also I - vi - ii - V)
- I - V - vi - IV : for example 'Dammit' (Blink-182), 'Feeling This' (Blink-182), 'No Woman, No Cry' (Bob Marley), 'Farmhouse' (Phish) 'Glycerine' (Bush), 'With or Without You' (U2), 'Let It Be' (The Beatles), 'On Fire' (Switchfoot), 'Hide and Seek' (Imogen Heap). This progression uses the same chords as the 50s progression, in a different order.
- I - I - IV - V : for example the verse of 'Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)' by Green Day and the verse of Blitzkrieg Bop by The Ramones.
- i - bVI - bIII - bVII : a progression in minor. One of the more common progressions nowadays. Used in many genres, including pop, rock, techno, punk, metal and many others. For example, 'The Kids Aren't Alright' (The Offspring), 'Dammit I Changed Again' (The Offspring), 'Self Esteem' (The Offspring), 'Crawling' (Linkin Park), 'Numb' (Linkin Park), 'Hands Held High' (Linkin Park), 'Don't Drag Me Down' (Social Distortion), 'Let U Go' (ATB), 'Jokero' (Akcent), 'Believe' (Yellowcard), 'Holiday' (Green Day), 'White Shadows' (Coldplay), 'My Happy Ending' (Avril Lavigne), 'Animal I Have Become' (Three Days Grace), 'Behind These Hazel Eyes' (Kelly Clarkson), 'Pieces' (Sum 41), 'Still Waiting' (Sum 41), 'Zombie' (The Cranberries), 'Save Tonight' (Eagle-Eye Cherry), '(*Fin)' (Anberlin), 'Disarm' (Smashing Pumpkins). Sometimes, V or V7 can be used instead of, or with, bVII. (source: Denis Bach -music instructor)
- Any combination of the chords I , IV and V.
- I - II - IV: e.g., Stay With Me (The Faces), Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts club Band (The Beatles)
- I -
VII-IV : came into prominence from the late 60's onward with gospel/country/blues influenced rock. bVII, is a major chord as opposed to the "natural" seventh chord (viidim) which is diminished, and is also known as the "Mountain 7" chord in old-timey and country circles e.g 'Sweet Home Alabama' (Lynyrd Skynyrd), 'Gloria' (Van Morrison), 'With A Little Help From My Friends' (REF) (Beatles), 'Sympathy for the Devil' (w/ 'V') (The Rolling Stones), 'Takin' Care Of Business' (Bachman-Turner Overdrive), 'Pink Houses' (John Cougar Mellencamp), 'Can't You See' (Marshall Tucker Band), 'I Can See Clearly Now' (REF) (Johnny Nash), 'The End' (w/ 'bIII') (The Doors), 'More Than A Feeling' (intro & vs) (Boston (band)), 'Paradise City' (Guns N' Roses), 'R.O.C.K. In The U.S.A.' (John Cougar Mellencamp), 'Beautiful Girls' (ending tag) (Van Halen) (source: Denis Bach -music instructor) - i - VI - IV : e.g.,'Heart Shaped Box' (Nirvana) (first chord can be major)
- i - III - VII - IV : 'Mad World' (Tears for Fears), 'Wonderwall' (Oasis) and 'Boulevard of Broken Dreams' (Green Day) (First chord can be major (I-III-VII- IV): e.g., 'Bohemian Like You' (The Dandy Warhols))
- I - III - IV : e.g., the guitar solo from 'Free Bird' (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
- I-VI-VII : e.g., 'All I Wanna Do' (Sheryl Crow)
- i-III-IV-VI : 'House of the Rising Sun' (The Animals) (First chord can be major)
- i - VII - VI - VII : e.g 'Don't Fear The Reaper' (Blue Oyster Cult) (first chord can be major)