Pop Chord Progressions

Most pop songs are built on a handful of four-chord loops. Learn these and you can play along with a huge share of the charts — and write your own songs.

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

012345678910111213141516171819EFGABCDEFGABABCDEFGABCDEDEFGABCDEFGAGABCDEFGABCDBCDEFGABCDEFEFGABCDEFGAB
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

21 pop 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. Sensitive pop

    vi – IV – I – V

    The same four chords started on the minor vi, which makes it sound darker and more emotional.

    In C: Am – F – C – G

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

  3. 50s doo-wop

    I – vi – IV – V

    The classic 1950s ballad loop — still the backbone of many love songs.

    In C: C – Am – F – G

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

  4. Pop ballad

    I – IV – vi – V

    A gentle loop that lifts to IV before settling on the minor vi.

    In C: C – F – Am – G

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

  5. Minor iv cadence

    I – IV – iv – I

    IV turns minor for one bar — a bittersweet move borrowed from the parallel minor key.

    In C: C – F – Fm – C

    In G: G – C – Cm – GIn D: D – G – Gm – D

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. 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

  9. Doo-wop with ii

    I – vi – ii – V

    The 50s loop with ii in place of IV — smoother, because ii and V share more notes.

    In C: C – Am – Dm – G

    In G: G – Em – Am – DIn D: D – Bm – Em – A

  10. 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

  11. vi–IV vamp

    vi (2 bars) – IV (2 bars)

    Two bars of the minor vi, two of IV — a moody verse that sets up a bigger chorus.

    In C: Am – F

    In G: Em – CIn D: Bm – G

  12. Pre-chorus climb

    IV – V – vi (2 bars)

    Rises through IV and V and lands on vi — builds tension before the chorus.

    In C: F – G – Am

    In G: C – D – EmIn D: G – A – Bm

  13. 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

  14. Pop-rock run

    vi – V – IV – V

    Walks down from the minor vi and back up to V — driving and slightly dark, common in pop-rock.

    In C: Am – G – F – G

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

  15. Wistful pop

    I – iii – vi – IV

    Two minor chords in the middle give a major key a nostalgic, looking-back feel.

    In C: C – Em – Am – F

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

  16. Royal road

    IVmaj7 – V7 – iii7 – vi

    The favourite progression of Japanese pop and anime songs: it climbs, then falls into the minor vi — longing rather than sad.

    In C: Fmaj7 – G7 – Em7 – Am

    In G: Cmaj7 – D7 – Bm7 – EmIn D: Gmaj7 – A7 – F♯m7 – Bm

  17. Rising pop

    IV – I – V – vi

    Starts away from home on IV and ends on the minor vi, so the loop never quite resolves.

    In C: F – C – G – Am

    In G: C – G – D – EmIn D: G – D – A – Bm

  18. Minor pop / epic

    i – VI – III – VII

    A dramatic minor loop used in pop, film and game music.

    In Am: Am – F – C – G

    In Em: Em – C – G – DIn Dm: Dm – B♭ – F – C

  19. Minor dance-pop

    i (2 bars) – VI – VII

    Two bars on i, then VI and VII lift back to the top — the loop behind a lot of dance and electronic pop.

    In Am: Am – F – G

    In Em: Em – C – DIn Dm: Dm – B♭ – C

  20. Heartbreak ballad

    i – VI – iv – V

    Sinks to VI and iv, then the major V pulls hard back to i — the sound of a sad ballad.

    In Am: Am – F – Dm – E

    In Em: Em – C – Am – BIn Dm: Dm – B♭ – Gm – A

  21. Minor i–iv loop

    i (2 bars) – iv (2 bars)

    Just two minor chords — moody and spacious, a good bed for a melody.

    In Am: Am – Dm

    In Em: Em – AmIn Dm: Dm – Gm

Why they work

Pop progressions lean on the three major chords of a key (I, IV and V) and its most important minor chord, vi. Swapping the order of the same four chords changes the mood: starting on I sounds bright and confident, starting on vi sounds wistful.

Songwriters often use different loops for different parts of a song — a quiet two-chord vamp in the verse, a climb through IV and V in the pre-chorus, and the strongest resolution (IV–V–I) where the chorus starts.

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

More chord progressions