Sad Chord Progressions

36 sad & melancholic progressions

1. 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

2. 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

3. Backdoor ii–V

   iv7 – ♭VII7 – Imaj7 (2 bars)

   Comes home through the back door: a minor iv7 and ♭VII7 instead of ii and V — soft and wistful.

   In C: Fm7 – B♭7 – Cmaj7

   In G: Cm7 – F7 – Gmaj7In D: Gm7 – C7 – Dmaj7

4. Gospel minor plagal

   IVmaj7 – iv6 – Imaj7 (2 bars)

   IV turns into a minor 6th before coming home — the tear-jerking move in gospel and soul ballads.

   In C: Fmaj7 – Fm6 – Cmaj7

   In G: Cmaj7 – Cm6 – Gmaj7In D: Gmaj7 – Gm6 – Dmaj7

5. Psych-pop drift

   IVmaj7 – III7 – vi9 – Imaj7

   Lush 7th and 9th chords with a chromatic III7 — the hazy sound of modern psych-pop.

   In C: Fmaj7 – E7 – Am9 – Cmaj7

   In G: Cmaj7 – B7 – Em9 – Gmaj7In D: Gmaj7 – F♯7 – Bm9 – Dmaj7

6. Deep house descent

   IVmaj7 – iii7 – ii7 – Imaj7

   Four 7th chords stepping down the scale — the classic deep house and garage loop.

   In C: Fmaj7 – Em7 – Dm7 – Cmaj7

   In G: Cmaj7 – Bm7 – Am7 – Gmaj7In D: Gmaj7 – F♯m7 – Em7 – Dmaj7

7. Bittersweet haze

   IVmaj7 – iv6 – iii7 – vi9

   IV turns minor, then the loop sinks to a minor 9th — warm but sad, an 80s soul move.

   In C: Fmaj7 – Fm6 – Em7 – Am9

   In G: Cmaj7 – Cm6 – Bm7 – Em9In D: Gmaj7 – Gm6 – F♯m7 – Bm9

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. Bittersweet

    I – III – IV – iv

    A surprise major III, then IV turning minor — a classic sound of alternative rock ballads.

    In C: C – E – F – Fm

    In G: G – B – C – CmIn D: D – F♯ – G – Gm

13. Falling ♭VII–♭VI

    I – ♭VII – ♭VI – ♭VII

    Two borrowed chords stepping down and back — wistful in a major key.

    In C: C – B♭ – A♭ – B♭

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

14. Neo-soul loop

    IVmaj7 – III7 – vi7 – v7 – I7

    A smooth, moody loop: III7 pulls to vi7, and the minor v7 and I7 lead back round to IV.

    In C: Fmaj7 – E7 – Am7 – Gm7 – C7

    In G: Cmaj7 – B7 – Em7 – Dm7 – G7In D: Gmaj7 – F♯7 – Bm7 – Am7 – D7

15. Descending ballad

    I – V – vi – V – IV – I – IV – V

    Walks gently down from I through vi to IV — the shape of many slow folk and singer-songwriter songs.

    In C: C – G – Am – G – F – C – F – G

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

16. 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

17. Minor circle loop

    i – iv – VII – III

    Moves round the circle of fifths in the minor key.

    In Am: Am – Dm – G – C

    In Em: Em – Am – D – GIn Dm: Dm – Gm – C – F

18. Minor blues

    i7 (4 bars) – iv7 (2 bars) – i7 (2 bars) – VI7 – V7 – i7 – V7

    The 12-bar form in a minor key, with ♭VI7 leading to the dominant V7.

    In Am: Am7 – Dm7 – Am7 – F7 – E7 – Am7 – E7

    In Em: Em7 – Am7 – Em7 – C7 – B7 – Em7 – B7In Dm: Dm7 – Gm7 – Dm7 – B♭7 – A7 – Dm7 – A7

19. 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

20. Minor sway

    i – VII – VI – VII

    Rocks down two steps and back up — dark, hypnotic and easy to play.

    In Am: Am – G – F – G

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

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

22. Natural minor folk

    i – iv – v – i

    Only minor chords, with a soft minor v — old, modal and sorrowful.

    In Am: Am – Dm – Em – Am

    In Em: Em – Am – Bm – EmIn Dm: Dm – Gm – Am – Dm

23. Phrygian

    i (2 bars) – ♭II (2 bars)

    The major chord a half step above i gives a dark, Spanish sound.

    In Am: Am – B♭

    In Em: Em – FIn Dm: Dm – E♭

24. Phrygian drone

    i (2 bars) – ♭II – VII

    Hangs on i, then the half step up to ♭II gives an Eastern, trance-like tension.

    In Am: Am – B♭ – G

    In Em: Em – F – DIn Dm: Dm – E♭ – C

25. Minor 11 groove

    i11 – VII – VImaj7 (2 bars)

    An airy minor 11th falling to VII and a major 7th VI — dark but open, made for late nights.

    In Am: Am11 – G – Fmaj7

    In Em: Em11 – D – Cmaj7In Dm: Dm11 – C – B♭maj7

26. Phrygian riff

    i5 (2 bars) – ♭II5 (2 bars)

    Two power chords a half step apart — the darkest, most menacing move in heavy music.

    In Am: A5 – B♭5

    In Em: E5 – F5In Dm: D5 – E♭5

27. Power-chord epic

    i5 – VI5 – III5 – VII5

    The minor pop/epic loop played as power chords — heavy, wide and emotional.

    In Am: A5 – F5 – C5 – G5

    In Em: E5 – C5 – G5 – D5In Dm: D5 – B♭5 – F5 – C5

28. Dark descent

    i5 – VI5 – ♭II5 – i5

    Drops to VI, then the half step ♭II pulls back down to i — brooding and heavy.

    In Am: A5 – F5 – B♭5 – A5

    In Em: E5 – C5 – F5 – E5In Dm: D5 – B♭5 – E♭5 – D5

29. Tritone riff

    i5 (2 bars) – ♭V5 – iv5

    The power chord a tritone above the root is as far from home as you can get — unsettling and aggressive.

    In Am: A5 – E♭5 – D5

    In Em: E5 – B♭5 – A5In Dm: D5 – A♭5 – G5

30. Shoegaze verse

    iadd9 – VImaj7 – IIIadd9 – VIIsus2

    Open, ringing add9, maj7 and sus2 chords — the dreamy, washed-out verse before the heavy chorus.

    In Am: Am(add9) – Fmaj7 – Cadd9 – Gsus2

    In Em: Em(add9) – Cmaj7 – Gadd9 – Dsus2In Dm: Dm(add9) – B♭maj7 – Fadd9 – Csus2

31. Minor ii–V cycle

    iv7 – VII7 – IIImaj7 – VImaj7 – iiø7 – V7 – i (2 bars)

    Falls round the circle of fifths through the relative major and back to i — the cycle behind many jazz standards.

    In Am: Dm7 – G7 – Cmaj7 – Fmaj7 – Bm7♭5 – E7 – Am

    In Em: Am7 – D7 – Gmaj7 – Cmaj7 – F♯m7♭5 – B7 – EmIn Dm: Gm7 – C7 – Fmaj7 – B♭maj7 – Em7♭5 – A7 – Dm

32. Minor line cliché

    i – imaj7 – i7 – i6

    The chord stays minor while one voice falls by half steps: root, major 7th, minor 7th, 6th.

    In Am: Am – Am(maj7) – Am7 – Am6

    In Em: Em – Em(maj7) – Em7 – Em6In Dm: Dm – Dm(maj7) – Dm7 – Dm6

33. Minor R&B descent

    i7 – VII – VImaj7 – V7♯9

    Walks down to a gritty V7♯9 — moody and dramatic, a slow-jam favourite.

    In Am: Am7 – G – Fmaj7 – E7♯9

    In Em: Em7 – D – Cmaj7 – B7♯9In Dm: Dm7 – C – B♭maj7 – A7♯9

34. Neo-soul minor cycle

    i9 – iv9 – VII9 – IIImaj7

    Minor 9ths into a dominant 9th and the relative major 7th — dark, warm and jazzy.

    In Am: Am9 – Dm9 – G9 – Cmaj7

    In Em: Em9 – Am9 – D9 – Gmaj7In Dm: Dm9 – Gm9 – C9 – Fmaj7

35. Minor 9 vamp

    i9 (2 bars) – iv9 (2 bars)

    Two minor 9th chords, two bars each — the late-night R&B groove.

    In Am: Am9 – Dm9

    In Em: Em9 – Am9In Dm: Dm9 – Gm9

36. Andalusian cadence

    i – VII – VI – V

    Steps down to a major V — the sound of flamenco and much Latin music.

    In Am: Am – G – F – E

    In Em: Em – D – C – BIn Dm: Dm – C – B♭ – A

Why they work

Three things make a progression sound sad: starting or ending on a minor chord (vi in a major key), turning a major chord minor (IV to iv), or never resolving home at all.

Minor keys add a fourth trick: a loop that falls step by step (i–VII–VI) sounds heavy and inevitable, while a major V at the end makes the return to i feel bittersweet rather than happy.

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

More chord progressions

• Pop
• Rock
• Blues
• Jazz
• Soul & R&B
• Folk & country
• Classical & Latin
• Psychedelic
• House
• Alt-metal & shoegaze
• Dream pop & indie soul
• Happy & uplifting
• I–V–vi–IV
• ii–V–I
• 12-bar blues
• Canon progression