Useful / Commonly-Used Chord Progressions

Below are some chord progressions - some of which are extremely common, others not as much but are still very useful - broken
down into three categories: The ‘4 chords of pop’ (1, 4, 5, 6m), other diatonic progressions, and non-diatonic, or modal, progressions.

One recommended way to play these progressions is to play either the root (single or doubled at the octave) or a “power chord” (root
+ 5th) in the left hand, and the chord (or part of it) in the right hand. You can play the chords any way you like, though the most
foolproof way is to invert chords as necessary for proper voice leading and as minimal motion in your right hand from one chord to
the next.

This is an example of how you might play a IV I V vi progression in Eb. The right hand (red) is playing each chord, inverting them as
necessary so that the hand isn’t jumping all over the place. The left hand (green) is playing power chords underneath each chord.

* An ‘m’ next to a number indicates that it is a minor chord; a ° symbol signifies a diminished chord; all others are major chords.

Breakdown Of Useful Chord Progressions! Kerry Leva, 2015

I. Diatonic Progressions - The “4 Chords Of Pop”

Chord Progression Chord Progression Type Of Song Example Chords in Example

(Expressed in (Expressed Progression
Roman Numerals) Numerically) (Major /
Minor /
Modal)

Gm / Eb / Bb / F (all
vi IV I V 6m* 4 1 5 Major Skylar Grey, “Love The Way
You Lie” (Bb) except bridge)

1m b6 b3 b7 Cm / Ab / Eb / Bb
i VI III VII Minor Timbaland & OneRepublic,
“Apologize” (Cm)

vi IV I (alteration of 6m 4 1 Major Sam Smith, “Stay With Am / F / C (verse;

the vi IV I V) Me” (C) chorus uses this with G
and G#° chords as
turnarounds)

IV I V vi 4 1 5 6m Major Sia, “Elastic Heart” (A) D / A / E / F#m

D b / A b / Eb
IV I V 415 Major Above & Beyond + Zoe
Johnston, “Good For
Me” (Ab)

Bb / Gm / Dm / C/E
VI iv i VII 6 4m 1m 5 Minor Calvin Harris, “Outside”
feat. Ellie Goulding (Dm)

IV I vi V 4 1 6m 5 Major Maroon 5 feat. Wiz Khalifa, E / B / G#m / F#

“Payphone” (B)

[Also: Bastille - “Pompeii”]

Breakdown Of Useful Chord Progressions! Kerry Leva, 2015

 Chord Progression Chord Progression Type Of Song Example Chords in Example
(Expressed in (Expressed Progression
Roman Numerals) Numerically) (Major /
Minor /
Modal)

V vi IV I 5 6m 4 1 Major Spice Girls, “Wannabe” (C) G / Am / F / C (verse /

chorus)

Ab / Eb / Fm / Db
I V vi IV 1 5 6m 4 Major Lady Gaga,
“Paparazzi” (Cm / Ab) (chorus)

Ebmaj7 / F / Gm / Bb
IV V vi I 4 5 6m 1 Major Major Lazer & DJ Snake
with MØ, “Lean On” (Bb)
(switches btwn Bbsus4-
[Also: Bjork, “Hyperballad”] Bb on bar 4; Bbsus2-Bb
on bar 8, etc)

I V vi vi V IV 1 5 6m 6m 5 4 Major Jose Gonzalez, “Stay F# / C# / D#m / D#m /

Alive” (F#) C# / B (verse)

Gm / Bb / F / Eb
vi I V IV 6m 1 5 4 Major Eric Prydz, “Call On
Me” (Bb)
OR OR OR
[Also: Avicii “Levels”,
1 b3 b7 b6
i III VII VI Minor
Kesha / Pitbull “Timber,” Ke
$ha “Die Young”]

Ab / Bbm / Ab/C / Db /
V vi V I IV V 5 6m 5 1 4 5 Major Deadmau5, “Brazil 2nd
Edit” (Db)
Gbm / Ab

Breakdown Of Useful Chord Progressions! Kerry Leva, 2015

 Chord Progression Chord Progression Type Of Song Example Chords in Example
(Expressed in (Expressed Progression
Roman Numerals) Numerically) (Major /
Minor /
Modal)

1m b6 b7 1m
i VI VII i Minor Snap, “Rhythm Is A G#m / E / F# / G#m
Dancer” (G#m)

Also: La Bouche, “Be My

Lover”

Breakdown Of Useful Chord Progressions! Kerry Leva, 2015

II. Diatonic Chord Progressions Outside the “4 Chords Of Pop”

Chord Progression Chord Progression Type Of Song Example Chords in Example

(Expressed in (Expressed Progression
Roman Numerals) Numerically) (Major /
Minor /
Modal)

I ii iv IV 1 2m 6m 4 Major Rihanna & Mikky Ekko, C / Dm / Am / F (chorus)

“Stay” (C)

Also: Katy Perry “Firework”

IV vi V ii 4 6m 5 2m Major, but M83, “Midnight City” (D) G / Bm / A / Em

there is no ‘1’
chord**

Cm / Eb / Bb / F7
ii IV I V 2m 4 1 5 Major Chet Faker, “Talk Is
Cheap” (Bb)

I iii vi IV 1 3m 6m 4 Major Adele, “Someone Like A / C#m / F#m / D

You” (A) (verses)

4m b6 1m b7 Cm / Eb / Gm / F
iv VI i VII Minor Ellie Goulding, “Figure
8” (Gm)
(chorus)

1m b7 b6 b7 Fm / Eb / Db / Eb /
i VII VI (VII) Minor Active Child, “Hanging
On” (Fm)

VI i VII iv b6 1m b7 4m Minor Lana Del Rey, “Summertime A / C#m / B / F#m (all

Sadness” (C#m) except bridge)

Breakdown Of Useful Chord Progressions! Kerry Leva, 2015

 Chord Progression Chord Progression Type Of Song Example Chords in Example
(Expressed in (Expressed Progression
Roman Numerals) Numerically) (Major /
Minor /
Modal)

VI iv i VII b6 4m 1m b7 Minor Calvin Harris, “Outside”

feat. Ellie Goulding (Dm)
Bb / Gm / Dm / C/E

1m 4m b6 b7
i iv VI VII Minor Craig David, “Walking Am / Dm / F / G
Away” (Am)

VI v i VII 6 5m 1m 7 Minor Alice Deejay, “Better Off E / D#m / G#m / F#

Alone” (G#m)

Breakdown Of Useful Chord Progressions! Kerry Leva, 2015

III. Modal Chord Progressions

Chord Progression Chord Progression Type Of Song Example Chords in Example

(Expressed in (Expressed Progression
Roman Numerals) Numerically) (Major /
Minor /
Modal)

1m b3 b7 4
i III VII IV Dorian Imagine Dragons, Bm / D / A / E
“Radioactive” (B)

1m b3 5m 4
i III v IV Dorian Daft Punk / Pharrell / Nile Bm / D / F#m / E
Rogers, “Get Lucky” (B)

1 b7 4
I VII IV Mixolydian Sting, “If I Ever Lose My A / G / D (verse)
Faith” (A)

Bb / Fm / Eb (verse)
I v IV 1 5m 4 Mixolydian Coldplay, “Speed Of
Sound” (Bb)

1m b7 4
i VII IV Dorian Chris Isaak, “Wicked Bm / A / E
Game” (B)

1 b2 b3 C / Dbmaj7 / Eb6
I II III Spanish Radiohead, “Everything In
Phrygian Its Right Place” (C; chorus
modulates to F) (verses); This
progression has recently
been revived in
Kendrick Lamar’s “How
Much A Dollar Cost”

Breakdown Of Useful Chord Progressions! Kerry Leva, 2015

 Chord Progression Chord Progression Type Of Song Example Chords in Example
(Expressed in (Expressed Progression
Roman Numerals) Numerically) (Major /
Minor /
Modal)

1m b3 4 Fm / Ab / Bb (turnaround
i III IV Dorian Zedd, “Papercut” feat Troye
Sivan (F)
every 4 bars is Db / C /
Ab / Bb)

Breakdown Of Useful Chord Progressions! Kerry Leva, 2015