I–V–vi–IV progression

The I–V–vi–IV progression is a common chord progression popular across several genres of music. It involves the I, V, vi, and IV chords; for example, in the key of C major, this would be: C–G–Am–F. Uses based on a different starting point but with the same order of chords, include:

• I–V–vi–IV, C-G-Am-F (optimistic)
• V–vi–IV–I, G-Am-F-C
• vi–IV–I–V, Am-F-C-G (pessimistic)
• IV–I–V–vi, F-C-G-Am

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. In C major this would be Am–F–C–G. Hirsh first noticed the chord progression in the song "One of Us" by Joan Osborne, 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.

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

The vi–IV–I–V progression has been associated with the heroic in many popular Hollywood movies and movie trailers, especially in films released since 2000.

The chord progression is also used in the form IV–I–V–vi, as in songs such as "Umbrella" by Rihanna and "Down" by Jay Sean. 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.

A 2009 song by the comedy group The Axis of Awesome, called "Four Chords", parodied the ubiquity of the progression in popular music. It was written in D major (thus using the chords D major, A major, B minor, and G major) and was subsequently published on YouTube. As of August 2016, the most popular version has been viewed over 40 million times.

Examples

Main article: List of songs containing the I–V–vi–IV progression

Examples of use of the I–V–vi–IV progression include:

• U2 – "With or Without You"

• Adele – "Someone Like You" (chorus)
• Alanis Morissette – "Head Over Feet"
• The All-American Rejects – "Night Drive" from Move Along
• The Rolling Stones – "Beast of Burden"
• The Beatles – "Let It Be"
• Blink-182 – "Dammit", "Feeling This", "Always", "Carousel", "What's My Age Again?"
• Bob Marley & The Wailers – "No Woman, No Cry" (verse) (chorus too, but followed by I–IV–I–V)
• Green Day – "When I Come Around"
• Idina Menzel – "Let It Go" (Chorus)
• James Blunt – "You're Beautiful"
• Kelly Clarkson and Jason Aldean – "Don't You Wanna Stay"
• Mika – "Happy Ending"
• P!nk – "Perfect"

Songs using the vi–IV–I–V progression:

• Anselmo Ralph – "Não Me Toca"
• Beyoncé – "If I Were a Boy"
• Bon Jovi – "It's My Life"
• Bruno Mars – "Grenade"
• The Cranberries – "Zombie"
• Don Omar – "Danza Kuduro"
• Eagle Eye Cherry – "Save Tonight"
• Eminem – "Not Afraid"
• Eminem and Rihanna – "Love the Way You Lie"
• Enrique Iglesias – "Bailando"
• Flo Rida – "Whistle"
• Green Day - "Holiday"
• Guy Sebastian and Lupe Fiasco – "Battle Scars"
• Iggy Pop - "The Passenger"
• Jack & Jack – "Tides"
• Jessie J – "Nobody's Perfect"
• Justin Bieber – "Love Me"
• Kelly Clarkson – "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)"
• Lady Gaga – "Poker Face"
• The Lonely Island and Akon – "I Just Had Sex"
• Luis Fonsi featuring Daddy Yankee – "Despacito"
• Maroon 5 – "Never Gonna Leave This Bed"
• Nelly – "Just a Dream"
• Nicki Minaj – "Marilyn Monroe"
• The Offspring – "The Kids Aren't Alright"
• The Offspring – "Self Esteem"
• Sia – "Cheap Thrills"
• Toto – "Africa"
• Train – "Drive By"

• Cigarettes After Sex – "K"

See also

• Roman numeral analysis
• "The Complexity of Songs"

Further reading

• Scott, Richard J. (2003). Chord Progressions for Songwriters. iUniverse. pp. 216–218. ISBN 0-595-26384-4.

External links

• Axis of Awesome - 4 Four Chord Song (with song titles) on YouTube