How about a little ... Ear Training


Common Chord Progressions In Popular Music

cartoon guitar player by bethann93 (vecteezy.com) cartoon guitar player by bethann93 (vecteezy.com)

Here are some songs that can help you to easily recognize some of the most common chord progressions in popular music.

If you have any suggestions for songs that would be a good addition to this list, please feel free to message me.


I - IV

Yes, these songs (almost) only use two chords.

The Beatles Paperback Writer
Bob Marley Three Little Birds
Temple Of The Dog Hungerstrike
Bruce Springsteen Born In The USA
Wreckless Eric Whole Wide World
Johnny Cash Singer Of Songs

I - V

The Mavericks Dance The Night Away
Chuck Berry You Never Can Tell
Billy Ray Cyrus Achy Breaky Heart

I - V - IV

The Who Baba O'Riley

I - IV - V

Ritchie Valens La Bamba

I - IV - V - I

The Proclaimers I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)

I - IV - I - V

Tom Petty Free Fallin'

I - IV - V - IV

Steve Miller Band The Joker
Katrina & The Waves Walking On Sunshine

I - V - vi - IV

This is the famous pop or money progression. Remember 1564, the year William Shakespeare was born (and Galileo Galilei)

U2 With Or Without You
Bob Marley No Woman, No Cry
The Calling Wherever You Will Go
Red Hot Chili Peppers Under The Bridge
Men At Work Down Under
Snow Patrol Run
Billy Joel We Didn't Start The Fire
Green Day When I Come Around
A-HA Take On Me
The Police So Lonely
Maroon 5 She Will Be Loved
Alphaville Forever Young

V - vi - IV - I

This is still the same order as the "money progression" just shifted by one. (1)5641

Marvin Gaye Sexual Healing
Robbie Williams Angels

vi - IV - I - V

This is still the same order as the "money progression" shifted by two. (15)6415

Eagle-Eye Cherry Save Tonight
Toto Africa
Iggy Pop The Passenger vi - IV - I - V - vi - IV - I - III
The Cranberries Zombie

I - IV - vi - V

This sounds familiar because it is a variation of both the "´50s Progression" (swapping IV and V) and the "Money Progression" (swapping vi and IV). 1465

Fine Young Cannibals She Drives Me Crazy
Robbie Williams Angels

I - vi - IV - V

This is called the ´50s progression

Ben E. King Stand By Me
The Righteous Brothers Unchained Melody
The Chordettes Lollipop
Pete Seeger Where Have All The Flowers Gone
Roy Orbison Pretty Woman
Whitney Houston I Will Always Love You
The Police Every Breath You Take
Frank Zappa Bobby Brown

IV - V - I - vi

This is a variation of the the ´50s progression, same order but starting on the IV-chord. 4516

Marc Cohn Walking in Memphis

I - vi - ii - V

Tom Waits The Piano Has Been Drinking
Charles Trenet La Mer

Dominant chain (Cycle Of Fifths)

Jimi Hendrix Hey Joe

Blues progression

U2 I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For

stepwise diatonic + I - IV - V

Bob Dylan Like A Rolling Stone