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All About the Four Chords of Pop

While sitting in his recliner smoking a cigar, my grandfather used to turn on the radio to see what kids were listening to these days. He would grumble and groan at the whiny moans and auto-tuned voices that flood today's top hits. With a huff under his breath, he muttered, "All pop songs sound the same," before changing the station to something more his style. I would often wonder how he could take ten, twenty, or thirty songs and fail to see the difference between them. Besides, each song had a different artist, different lyrics, a different theme; what was it that made them all so similar?

Listening closely, I had a revelation. Many of these songs are a combination of the same four chords (I V VI IV). Which, in the key of C major, the most common key, these chords correspond to (C, G, Am, and F). No wonder many of these songs sound the same; they all include the same progression! With the help of Wikipedia and TV Tropes, I have concocted a list of songs that use I V VI IV, as played in the popcorn video here.

Songs like Journey's "Don't Stop Believing," Lady Gaga's "Paparazzi," Train's "Hey Soul Sister," and many more are all variations of I V VI IV. The Beatles' "Let it Be" includes this progression, and even some country-rock songs like John Denver's "Take Me Home Country Roads" have these same chords.

I V VI IV in the Past

But is this phenomenon limited to recent music? The answer is no, not at all. The first instance of this progression is in Pachelbel's Canon, which was written centuries ago and rediscovered in 1919. Previously, Pachelbel had only been known to be a friend of the Bach family. He somewhat influenced J.S. Bach's work, but the resurgence of Canon has made him somewhat of a "One-hit wonder" among classical musicians.

Musicians of the last century have taken note of the success of this chord progression. In the 1950s, these chords were considered the Doo Wop progression. If you've ever listened to children play the piano, you've probably heard the song "Heart and Soul," which was originally written in 1938 but became famous by playing in the background of commercials for Quaker Oats and iPad Mini. When learning the piano, it is often one of the first songs one learns to play, primarily because of its catchy tune and easy chords and rhythm.

Modernity of I V VI IV

Modern artists have noted how "catchy" these chords are when used properly, and they have used this to their advantage. Even though the I V VI IV progression is the most popular, these chords are arranged in all kinds of ways.

One of the other popular progressions using the same exact chords is VI IV I V, which was quoted the "sensitive female chord progression" by Boston Globe columnist Marc Hirsh. It's seriously the same progression, but it starts on the VI chord instead of the I chord. Songs such as "Love the Way You Lie" by Rihanna and Eminem and "Grenade" by Bruno Mars are technically written using this progression. But it's basically the same chords with a different start.

Writing a Hit Song: Musical Genius or Memorized Recipe?

So what does it take to write a hit song? According to the Australian comedic rock group the Axis of Awesome, all it takes is these four chords. In a live performance, they played roughly fifty songs such as "You're Gonna Go Far, Kid" by the Offspring and "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz using only these chords on a keyboard, guitar, and with their voices. The video has over 30 million views on YouTube as of today, and views are continuing to climb.

Looking through the comments, it's amazing to see how many people don't realize that the I V VI IV progression dominates today's popular music scene in all different genres like rock and country. It's the progression that makes millions. But its familiarity is what is causing all these songs to sound the same, and it seems that this is not letting up any time soon.

Even though the same chords over and over again are repetitive, it does not necessarily mean that the quality of music is going down. Writing songs using this progression is similar to learning how to draw using a certain technique. This technique works, so an artist would use it, but it doesn't mean that all their work is the same.

There are colors, lines, shapes, sizes, and many other things that differentiate pieces from one another. It's the same thing with songwriting. The instruments, beat, tempo, lyrics, and vocals are all different, even if the background chords are all the same.

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That being said, many of these recent pop songs are short-lived, and that may be due to their unoriginality. They tend to fade in and out like a popular teen romance novel. Once the song is the most popular song of the month; then it fades away to the group of forgotten songs on an iTunes playlist. Some may attribute this to the use of repetitive chord progressions, but if you know anything about music theory (or even if you don't), you might realize that some chords just belong together. The chords C, Am, F, and G are meant to be, if in the key of C major.

What Do You Think?

What do you think is a result of repetitive chord progressions in popular music? From a songwriting standpoint, it gives songs a familiarity, almost a "sing-along" vibe, which tends to bring people together. "I V VI IV" has been around for centuries, and its popularity is resurging in recent decades. It might be the chord progression that defines our generation, or it might just be the most common recipe for a quick-fire pop song.

Kenneth Avery from Hamilton, Alabama on June 15, 2014:

Hello Fateslayer,

This is an excellent piece of writing. Amazing in every aspect of writing.

I loved every word--and the lay-out was superb.

Voted up and all the choices because you deserve it. I am learning, again, to play the acoustic guitar. Pick, not just strum. I find what you write about very true.

Actually, you can write and even sing your own country song if you start in G, go to C, then to D, and back to G. I have did this on occasion and some skeptics laughed. But I had an idea and went with it.

You have such a gift for writing. Just keep writing and good things are bound to happen to you.

I cordially invite you to read one or two of my hubs, and be one of my followers.

That would make my day.

I am so honored to meet you.

Sincerely,

Kenneth Avery, Hamilton, Alabama

CJ Baker from Parts Unknown on May 16, 2014:

Awesome Hub! I am glad you included the Axis of Awesome video, I seen that a little while ago and thought it was hilarious. I am glad to revisit it.

Rozalyn Winters on May 16, 2014:

Haha -- have you seen Pachelbel Rant on YouTube? You should search for it--it's absolutely hilarious. :-)

Harry from Sydney, Australia on May 16, 2014:

There're many continental European artists (especially from the 80's synthwave era) who seem to compose catchy tunes using a lot of D and A-minor in their songs ... so I guess it seems to be a formula that works ... interesting hub

Lorne Hemmerling from Prescott on May 16, 2014:

I remember working on Taylor Swift songs for my students. I soon realized they were all four chords, the same four chords in a different order and keys. Then I started listening to other 'pop' artists and realized everything is four chords. Then I started listening to my own compositions and realized all my songs are four chords. Well, at least I am on the right track! Heaven forbid we should learn a fifth chord.

LT Wright from California on May 16, 2014:

I suppose four chords seems like very little but when you account for different keys and different ways to arrange them, you can actually create a lot of diversity. Music itself is only written with 7 notes but there are endless ways to put them together. Ultimately, it's the vocal melody and lyrics that are most important in popular music for most people.

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