Four Chord Pop Progressions - I V VI IV ( 1 5 6 4 )

I V VI IV

In the key of C major this is: C G Am F.

A 2009 recording by the comedy group The Axis of Awesome, their "Four Chord Song", in E major ( E B C#m A ), is a widely viewed clip on YouTube.

The V is often replaced by III. In the key of C major this is: C Em Am F.

As you can see from the list here there are quite a few songs that use this progression.

• WidipediA: I V VI IV

If the 1 5 6 4 progression where in the key of C major the 1 6 4 5 chords are: C G Am F. For the key of G major the 1 5 6 4 chords are: G D Em C.

• A Ha - Take On Me
• Akon - Beautiful
• Akon - Don't Matter
• Alphaville - Forever Young
• Andrea Bocelli - Time To Say Goodbye
• Aqua - Barbie Girl
• Avril Lavigne - Complicated
• Beyonce - If I Were A Boy
• Black Eyed Peas - Where Is the Love
• Bob Dylan - Wagon Wheel
• Bob Marley - No Woman No Cry
• Bon Jovi - It's My Life
• Dammit - Blink 182
• Dog Party - Best Friends
• Eagle Eye Cherry - Save Tonight
• Elton John - Can You Feel The Love Tonight (from The Lion King)
• Eminem featuring Rihanna - Love the Way You Lie
• Five for Fighting - Superman
• Green Day - When I Come Around
• Jack Johnson - Taylor
• James Blunt - You're Beautiful
• Jason DeRulo - In My Head
• Jason Mraz - I'm Yours
• Joan Osborne - One Of Us
• John Denver - Take Me Home, Country Roads
• Journey - Don't Stop Believing
• Kelly Clarkson - Behind These Hazel Eyes
• Lady Gaga - Paparazzi
• Lady Gaga - Pokerface
• Lavern and Shirley TV Theme
• Lynard Skynard - Simple Man
• Marcy Playground - Sex and Candy
• Maroon Five - She Will Be Loved
• Men At Work - Land Down Under
• MGMT - Kids
• Missy Higgins - Scar
• Plain White Tees - 1234
• Red Hot Chili Peppers - Otherside
• Regina Spector - The Call
• Robert Burns - Auld Lang Syne
• Spice Girls - Two Become One
• The Axis of Awesome - Birdplane
• The Beatles - Let It Be
• The Calling - Wherever You Will Go
• The Gregory Brothers - Double Rainbow
• The Last Goodnight - Pictures of You
• The Offspring - Self Esteem
• The Offspring - You're Gonna Go Far Kid
• The Smashing Pumpkins - Bullet With Butterfly Wings
• Theme from America's Funniest Home Videos
• Timberland featuring OneRepublic - Apologize
• Toto - Africa
• Train - Hey Soul Sister
• U2 - With Or Without You

Songs that part of the songs are using this progression.

• American Pie
• The Call - Regina Spektor
• Say - John Mayer, from the movie The Bucket List
• The Show - Lenka
• Over the Rainbow**

Here's a web site that has links to videos of many of the songs on this list.

As you can see you can learn quite a few songs by simply learning common chord progressions in all 15 keys. Especially the common keys of C, G, D, E, A. And on ukulele F and Bb are also common.

All 15 Keys ( 1 5 6 4 )

Slash Chords

Slash Chords - A slash chord is indication that a chord voicing with the note after the slash should be the bass note of the voicing. In the case of this common 1 5 6 4 progression is creates a descending bass line. On ukulele unless you using a low string four tuning slash chord are commonly ignored and the fundamental chord, the name before the slash are played.

• Three Chord Pop Progression
• Pachebell's Canon