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.

1. A Ha - Take On Me
2. Akon - Beautiful
3. Akon - Don't Matter
4. Alphaville - Forever Young
5. Andrea Bocelli - Time To Say Goodbye
6. Aqua - Barbie Girl
7. Avril Lavigne - Complicated
8. Beyonce - If I Were A Boy
9. Black Eyed Peas - Where Is the Love
10. Bob Dylan - Wagon Wheel
11. Bob Marley - No Woman No Cry
12. Bon Jovi - It's My Life
13. Dammit - Blink 182
14. Dog Party - Best Friends
15. Eagle Eye Cherry - Save Tonight
16. Elton John - Can You Feel The Love Tonight (from The Lion King)
17. Eminem featuring Rihanna - Love the Way You Lie
18. Five for Fighting - Superman
19. Green Day - When I Come Around
20. Jack Johnson - Taylor
21. James Blunt - You're Beautiful
22. Jason DeRulo - In My Head
23. Jason Mraz - I'm Yours
24. Joan Osborne - One Of Us
25. John Denver - Take Me Home, Country Roads
26. Journey - Don't Stop Believing
27. Kelly Clarkson - Behind These Hazel Eyes
28. Lady Gaga - Paparazzi
29. Lady Gaga - Pokerface
30. Lavern and Shirley TV Theme
31. Lynard Skynard - Simple Man
32. Marcy Playground - Sex and Candy
33. Maroon Five - She Will Be Loved
34. Men At Work - Land Down Under
35. MGMT - Kids
36. Missy Higgins - Scar
37. Plain White Tees - 1234
38. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Otherside
39. Regina Spector - The Call
40. Robert Burns - Auld Lang Syne
41. Spice Girls - Two Become One
42. The Axis of Awesome - Birdplane
43. The Beatles - Let It Be
44. The Calling - Wherever You Will Go
45. The Gregory Brothers - Double Rainbow
46. The Last Goodnight - Pictures of You
47. The Offspring - Self Esteem
48. The Offspring - You're Gonna Go Far Kid
49. The Smashing Pumpkins - Bullet With Butterfly Wings
50. Theme from America's Funniest Home Videos
51. Timberland featuring OneRepublic - Apologize
52. Toto - Africa
53. Train - Hey Soul Sister
54. 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.