Reference

Common chord progressions

Most of the songs you know live in this list. Roman numerals are key-agnostic — uppercase = major, lowercase = minor, ° = diminished.

The harmonised major scale

Every progression below uses chords drawn from this seven-chord set.

Degree	I	ii	iii	IV	V	vi	vii°
Key of C	C	Dm	Em	F	G	Am	B°
Key of G	G	Am	Bm	C	D	Em	F♯°
Key of D	D	Em	F♯m	G	A	Bm	C♯°

Pop & rock workhorses

I — V — vi — IV

The "axis" or "pop" progression. C – G – Am – F · G – D – Em – C

Used in: Don't Stop Believin', Let It Be, With or Without You, hundreds more.

vi — IV — I — V

A "sad" reordering of the same four chords. Am – F – C – G · Em – C – G – D

Used in: Apologize, Numb, Grenade.

I — vi — IV — V (the 50s)

Doo-wop. C – Am – F – G · G – Em – C – D

Used in: Stand By Me, Every Breath You Take, classic doo-wop.

I — IV — V (the blues / rock root)

Three-chord rock and country. C – F – G · G – C – D

Used in: countless folk, blues, country songs. The skeleton of the 12-bar blues.

ii — V — I (the jazz cadence)

The strongest resolution in tonal music. Dm7 – G7 – Cmaj7

Used in: every jazz standard ever written. Modulate by moving to a new ii–V.

I — V — vi — iii — IV — I — IV — V (the Canon)

Pachelbel's Canon. C – G – Am – Em – F – C – F – G.

Used in: Canon in D, Basket Case, Cryin'.

vi — V — IV — V (minor pop)

Builds tension by approaching IV from V. Am – G – F – G.

Used in: many emotional ballads and modern pop bridges.

I — ♭VII — IV — I (Mixolydian rock)

Borrowed ♭VII gives a Stones / Beatles feel. C – B♭ – F – C.

Used in: Sweet Child O' Mine intro, Sympathy for the Devil.

12-bar blues

I — I — I — I — IV — IV — I — I — V — IV — I — V

Twelve bars, three chords. The single most important form in popular music.

Minor-key staples

i — ♭VI — ♭III — ♭VII (Andalusian / Aeolian)

Am – F – C – G. Dark, anthemic.

i — iv — V — i (harmonic-minor cadence)

Am – Dm – E – Am. The raised 7th in E (G♯) gives the classical minor sound.

i — ♭VII — ♭VI — V (descending tetrachord)

Am – G – F – E. Hit the Road Jack, Stray Cat Strut.

Cadences (how to end a phrase)

Authentic: V → I. Strongest resolution.
Plagal: IV → I. "Amen" cadence. Soft, conclusive.
Half: any chord → V. Suspended ending, leaves you wanting more.
Deceptive: V → vi. The "expected I" doesn't arrive — emotional surprise.

How to use this page: pick any progression, play it through the keys of C, G, and D using the chart at the top. Loop it for 5 minutes. After a week you'll hear these patterns inside songs you've known for years.