Happy Chord Progressions

Bright, confident and made to sing along to: these progressions live mostly on major chords and resolve firmly home.

Play them in C major — or pick another key

Pop anthem in C major

The most-used loop in modern pop — four chords that fit countless melodies. 4 bars, then it loops.

90 BPM
Four beats per bar · speed trainer goes up to 140 BPM
Press play — or hit the space bar.

Solo on the fretboard

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Chord tones C major Key note

Press play — or tap a chord above — to see its notes light up. Open the scale in the fretboard tool

Pick a progression

15 happy & uplifting progressions

  1. Pop anthem

    I – V – vi – IV

    The most-used loop in modern pop — four chords that fit countless melodies.

    In C: C – G – Am – F

    In G: G – D – Em – CIn D: D – A – Bm – G

  2. Three-chord rock

    I – IV – V – IV

    I, IV and V — the three major chords of the key and the foundation of rock 'n' roll.

    In C: C – F – G – F

    In G: G – C – D – CIn D: D – G – A – G

  3. Heroic cadence

    I – ♭VI – ♭VII – I

    Two borrowed major chords climbing back home — big, triumphant and used in rock and game music.

    In C: C – A♭ – B♭ – C

    In G: G – E♭ – F – GIn D: D – B♭ – C – D

  4. Bossa nova

    Imaj7 (2 bars) – II7 (2 bars) – ii7 – ♭II7 – Imaj7 (2 bars)

    A relaxed Brazilian-style loop: a bright II7, then ii7 slides down through ♭II7 to I.

    In C: Cmaj7 – D7 – Dm7 – D♭7 – Cmaj7

    In G: Gmaj7 – A7 – Am7 – A♭7 – Gmaj7In D: Dmaj7 – E7 – Em7 – E♭7 – Dmaj7

  5. Funk vamp

    I9 (2 bars) – IV9 (2 bars)

    Two dominant 9th chords — the bright, chunky groove of funk rhythm guitar.

    In C: C9 – F9

    In G: G9 – C9In D: D9 – G9

  6. Motown loop

    I – vi7 – IVmaj7 – V7

    The 50s loop with soul colours — a sunny, danceable feel.

    In C: C – Am7 – Fmaj7 – G7

    In G: G – Em7 – Cmaj7 – D7In D: D – Bm7 – Gmaj7 – A7

  7. Sunset house

    vi7 – IVmaj7 – Imaj7 – V

    The pop loop in soft 7ths, played as off-beat stabs — warm, summery and danceable.

    In C: Am7 – Fmaj7 – Cmaj7 – G

    In G: Em7 – Cmaj7 – Gmaj7 – DIn D: Bm7 – Gmaj7 – Dmaj7 – A

  8. Lounge house

    Imaj9 (2 bars) – IVmaj9 (2 bars)

    Two major 9th chords — smooth, jazzy and relaxed, the sound of chill and lounge house.

    In C: Cmaj9 – Fmaj9

    In G: Gmaj9 – Cmaj9In D: Dmaj9 – Gmaj9

  9. 80s soft-rock soul

    ii9 – V13 – Imaj7 – vi9

    Rich 9ths and 13ths moving round the circle of fifths — the polished sound of 80s soul and soft rock.

    In C: Dm9 – G13 – Cmaj7 – Am9

    In G: Am9 – D13 – Gmaj7 – Em9In D: Em9 – A13 – Dmaj7 – Bm9

  10. Folk / country

    I – IV – I – V

    A simple back-and-forth between I and its neighbours, heard in folk, country and campfire songs.

    In C: C – F – C – G

    In G: G – C – G – DIn D: D – G – D – A

  11. Singalong

    I – V – IV – V

    Only major chords, swinging between I and V — bright, simple and made for a crowd to sing along.

    In C: C – G – F – G

    In G: G – D – C – DIn D: D – A – G – A

  12. Bright pop

    I – iii – IV – V

    The minor iii adds a touch of colour, then IV and V push back up to I.

    In C: C – Em – F – G

    In G: G – Bm – C – DIn D: D – F♯m – G – A

  13. Step-up

    I – ii – iii – IV

    Climbs the scale one chord at a time — a feeling of building energy.

    In C: C – Dm – Em – F

    In G: G – Am – Bm – CIn D: D – Em – F♯m – G

  14. Two-chord vamp

    I (2 bars) – IV (2 bars)

    Just I and IV, two bars each — the groove behind many verses, leaving room for the melody.

    In C: C – F

    In G: G – CIn D: D – G

  15. Chorus lift

    IV – V – I (2 bars)

    IV–V–I is the strongest way home: the release at the start of a chorus or at the end of a song.

    In C: F – G – C

    In G: C – D – GIn D: G – A – D

Why they work

Uplifting progressions spend most of their time on the major chords I, IV and V, and land on I at strong points — the start of a bar or of a chorus.

Rising motion helps too: climbing from IV to V to I, or step by step up the scale, builds energy that the listener feels released when the tonic arrives.

See them on the circle of fifths · Chord charts · Metronome

More chord progressions