I–V–vi–IV progression
<score midi="1">{
\new Staff \with { \remove "Time_signature_engraver" }
\repeat volta 2 {<c' e' g'>2 <c' e' a'> <c' f' a'>}
}</score> |
|
| I–V–vi–IV chord progression in C major (click image for audio) | |
The I–V–vi–IV progression is a common chord progression popular across several genres of music. It involves the I, V, vi, and IV chords; for example, in the key of C major, this would be: C–G–Am–F.[1] Uses based on a different starting point but with the same order of chords, include:
- I-V-vi-IV
- V-vi-IV-I
- vi-IV-I-V
- IV-I-V-vi
The 50s progression uses the same chords but in a different order (I–vi–IV–V), no matter the starting point.
Variations
<score midi="1">{
\new Staff \with { \remove "Time_signature_engraver" }
\repeat volta 2 {<c' e' a'>2 <c' f' a'> <c' e' g'> }
}</score> |
|
| "Sensitive female chord progression" ordering, in C major | |
<score midi="1">{
\new Staff \with { \remove "Time_signature_engraver" }
\clef "bass"
\repeat volta 2 {<c g>16 <c g> <c g> <c g> <c g> <c g> <b, fis> <b, fis> <g, d> <g, d> <g, d> <g, d> <g, d> <g, d> <gis, dis> <gis, dis> <a, e> <a, e> <a, e> <a, e> <a, e> <a, e> <g, d> <ges, des> <f, c> <f, c> <f, c> <f, c> <f c'> <f c'> <e b> <e b>}
}</score> |
|
| "Pop-punk progression" variation in C major, based on Bennett[1] | |
A common ordering of the progression, "vi–IV–I–V", was dubbed the sensitive female chord progression by Boston Globe Columnist Marc Hirsh.[2] In C major this would be Am–F–C–G. Hirsh first noticed the chord progression in the song "One of Us" by Joan Osborne,[3] and then other songs. He named the progression because he claimed it was used by many performers of the Lilith Fair in the late 1990s.[2]
Dan Bennett claims the progression is also called the "pop-punk progression" because of its frequent use in pop punk.[1]
The vi–IV–I–V progression has been associated with the heroic in many popular Hollywood movies and movie trailers, especially in films released since 2000.[4]
The chord progression is also used in the form IV–I–V–vi, as in songs such as "Umbrella" by Rihanna[5] and "Down" by Jay Sean.[6] Numerous bro-country songs followed the chord progression, as demonstrated by Greg Todd's mash-up of several bro-country songs in an early 2015 video.[7]
A 2009 song by the comedy group The Axis of Awesome, called "Four Chords", parodied the ubiquity of the progression in popular music. It was written in D major (thus using the chords D major, A major, B minor, and G major) and was subsequently published on YouTube.[8] As of August 2015, the most popular version has been viewed over 35 million times.[9]
Examples
<templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>
Examples of use of the I–V–vi–IV progression include:
- Adele – "Someone Like You" (chorus)[10]
- Alanis Morissette – "Head Over Feet"[11]
- The All-American Rejects – "Night Drive" from Move Along[12]
- The Rolling Stones – "Beast of Burden"[1]
- The Beatles – "Let It Be"[1]
- Blink-182 – "Dammit",[1] "Feeling This",[1] "Always", "Carousel", " What's My Age Again?"
- Bob Marley & The Wailers – "No Woman No Cry" (verse) (chorus too, but followed by I–IV–I–V)
- Green Day – "When I Come Around"[1]
- Idina Menzel – "Let It Go" (Chorus)[13]
- James Blunt – "You're Beautiful"[8]
- Kelly Clarkson and Jason Aldean – "Don't You Wanna Stay"[14]
- Mika – "Happy Ending"[15]
- P!nk – "Perfect"[16]
Songs using the vi–IV–I–V progression:
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- Anselmo Ralph – "Não Me Toca"[17]
- Beyoncé – "If I Were a Boy"[18]
- Bon Jovi – "It's My Life"[19]
- Bruno Mars – "Grenade"[20]
- The Cranberries – "Zombie"[21]
- Don Omar – "Danza Kuduro"[22]
- Eagle Eye Cherry – "Save Tonight"[23]
- Eminem – "Not Afraid"[24]
- Eminem and Rihanna – "Love the Way You Lie"[25]
- Enrique Iglesias – "Bailando"[26]
- Flo-Rida – "Whistle"[27]
- Guy Sebastian and Lupe Fiasco – "Battle Scars"[28]
- Jack & Jack – "Tides"
- Jessie J – "Nobody's Perfect"[29]
- Justin Bieber – "Love Me"[30]
- Kelly Clarkson – "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)"[31]
- Lady Gaga – "Poker Face"[32]
- The Lonely Island and Akon – "I Just Had Sex"[33]
- Maroon 5 – "Never Gonna Leave This Bed" [34]
- Nelly – "Just a Dream"[35]
- Nicki Minaj – "Marilyn Monroe"[36]
- The Offspring – "The Kids Aren't Alright"[37]
- The Offspring – "Self Esteem"[2]
- Toto – "Africa"[38]
- Train – "Drive By"[39]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Bennett, Dan (2008). The Total Rock Bassist, p. 63. ISBN 978-0739052693
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Hirsh, Marc. "Striking a Chord", The Boston Globe, December 31, 2008.
- ↑ Rundown 3/4: "Sensitive Female Chord Progression", Here and Now, March 4, 2009, wbur.org.
- ↑ Murphy, Scott (2014). 'A Pop-Music Progression in Recent Popular Movies and Movie Trailers', Music, Sound, and the Moving Image 8.2 (Autumn): 141-162.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.(subscription required) Gbmaj7, Db(add2)/Ab, Fm7, Bbm9.
- ↑ "Down", MusicNotes.com. (subscription required)
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ "Someone Like You", MusicNotes.com. (subscription required)
- ↑ "Head Over Feet", MusicNotes.com. Chords marked. (subscription required)
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ [1] Let It Go], hooktheory.com
- ↑ "Don't You Wanna Stay", MusicNotes.com. (subscription required)
- ↑ "Happy Ending", MusicNotes.com. Chords marked. (subscription required)
- ↑ "Perfect", MusicNotes.com. (subscription required)
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ [2]
- ↑ "Save Tonight", MusicNotes.com. (subscription required)
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)", MusicNotes.com. Chords marked. (subscription required)
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0092240
- ↑ "Just a Dream", MusicNotes.com. (subscription required)
- ↑ "Marilyn Monroe", MusicNotes.com. (subscription required)
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Further reading
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
