Common Chord Progressions: 12 Patterns Every Songwriter Should Know
Almost all popular music sits on a small set of chord progressions. Learn these 12 patterns and you can play, recognize, or compose the harmonic backbone of thousands of songs.
A chord progression is just a sequence of chords played in order. What makes some progressions feel inevitable — what makes “Let It Be” sound like Let It Be — is the relationship between those chords and the key they sit in. The 12 patterns below show up across decades, genres, and continents. They are the vocabulary of popular music.
All examples are written in C major or A minor for readability, but progressions transpose freely. Every example has a free MIDI download once you generate it inside ChordGen — try the prompts at the bottom of each section.
1. I – V – vi – IV (the "axis" progression)
Key of C major
The most-used four-chord progression in popular music. Found in "Let It Be," "Don't Stop Believin'," "With or Without You," "No Woman No Cry," and thousands more. The lift from V to vi is what makes it irresistible — a strong tonic resolution defused by an unexpected minor chord.
2. vi – IV – I – V (the "sad pop" rotation)
Key of C major
Same chords as the axis, started on the vi. The minor opening makes it feel reflective and bittersweet rather than triumphant. "Apologize" by OneRepublic, "Numb" by Linkin Park, "Despacito" — all sit on this rotation.
3. I – vi – IV – V (the 50s progression)
Key of C major
The doo-wop progression. "Stand By Me," "Earth Angel," "Heart and Soul" — comforting and instantly recognizable. Modern uses include "Beautiful Girls" by Sean Kingston and "Crocodile Rock" by Elton John.
4. ii – V – I (the jazz cadence)
Key of C major
The single most important cadence in jazz. The ii sets up the dominant V; the V resolves to I with maximum harmonic gravity. Every standard uses it, often dozens of times. In pop it appears in "Sunday Morning" by Maroon 5 and "Just the Two of Us" by Bill Withers.
5. I – IV – V (the three-chord trick)
Key of G major
The bedrock of blues, country, folk, and rock and roll. "Twist and Shout," "La Bamba," "Wild Thing" — three chords and the truth. If you only learn one progression, learn this.
6. i – ♭VI – ♭III – ♭VII (the epic minor cycle)
Key of A minor
The "Inception" progression. Used by Hans Zimmer in film, by Avicii in EDM, by Toto in "Africa." Same chords as the pop axis, but heard as starting on the relative minor — the emotional weight shifts entirely.
7. i – iv – V (the harmonic minor cadence)
Key of A minor
A minor key with a major V — the V borrowed from the harmonic minor scale. Used in classical music, metal, and middle-eastern-flavored pop. The leading tone in the V chord makes the resolution to i feel inevitable.
8. i – ♭VII – ♭VI – V (the Andalusian cadence)
Key of A minor
A descending bass line that walks down the minor tetrachord. Heard in flamenco, surf rock ("Misirlou"), and hundreds of metal tracks. "Hit the Road Jack" is a famous pop example.
9. I – V – IV – I (the country / gospel turnaround)
Key of G major
Less common in modern pop but everywhere in country, gospel, and bluegrass. The IV resolves directly back to I instead of going through V — a "plagal" cadence with a softer, more conclusive feel.
10. I – ♭VII – IV (the Mixolydian rock pattern)
Key of D Mixolydian
The ♭VII chord is borrowed from the Mixolydian mode (the major scale with a flatted 7th). Used in "Sweet Home Alabama," "Sympathy for the Devil," "Royals" by Lorde. Instantly evokes 70s rock.
11. I – iii – IV – V (the Doris Day variant)
Key of C major
The iii minor in second position adds gentle melancholy without breaking the I–IV–V backbone. Used in "Que Sera Sera," "Lean on Me," and many show tunes.
12. imaj7 – IVmaj7 – iim7 – V7 (the bossa nova cycle)
Key of C major
Jobim's harmonic vocabulary in miniature. The maj7 voicings give it a smooth, hovering quality; the ii–V at the end pulls back to the I to restart the cycle. "The Girl from Ipanema" lives in this territory.
Try any progression in any key
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