There are so many chord progressions out there, but when it comes down to it, every musician or producer needs to know these chord progressions.
The 10 common chord progressions you need to know:
| Name | Progression | Example |
| Most Popular Progression | I-V-vi-IV | C-G-Am-F |
| Western Music I | I-IV-V-IV | C-F-G-F |
| Western Music II | I-IV-V-V | C-F-G-G |
| Jazz Progression | ii-V-I | Dm7-Gd7-Cmaj7 |
| 12-Bar Blues | I-I-I-I-IV-IV-I-I-V-IV-I-I | C-C-C-C-F-F-C-C-G-F-C-C |
| Do-wop | I-vi-IV-V | C-Am-F-G |
| (Pachelbel’s) Canon | I-V-vi-iii-IV-I-IV-V | C-G-Am-Em-F-C-F-G |
| Circle of Fifths | vi–ii–V–I | Am–Dm–G–C |
| Turnaround | I−vi−ii−V | C-Am-Dm-G |
| Koakuma/Royal Road | IVΔ7-V7-iii7-vi | FMaj7–G7–Em7–Am |
| Jpop/Jrock | IV-V-iii-vi (ii-V-I) | F-G-Em-Am (Dm-G-C) |
So, what makes these chord progressions so popular and why do you need to know them? Read on to find out and also hear some examples of them!
Why These Chord Progressions?
There are so many chord progressions that can be used to make music that it would be impossible to list them all. But, there are a few chord progressions that tend to pop up in more songs than others.
The following ten chord progressions are some of the most common chord progressions used in music due to their nature of sounding great while creating amazing songs simply and easily.
Most Popular Chord Progression
The I-V-vi-IV progression is called the most common chord progression for good reason, it is heard everywhere. From epic rock songs to even trap and R&B! It has been a staple progression for quite some time and its flexibility to sound energetic or even sad is why it is so popular.
Western Music I & II
The Western 1 (I-IV-V-IV) and its variation Western 2 (I-IV-V-V) are common chord progressions found in western cultures, commonly in North America. It’s flexible, like the most common progression, but is more associated with western artists.
Jazz Progression
The ii-V-I is one of many common jazz chord progressions but is unique because it only uses three chords.
This leads to a chord progression that doesn’t repeat itself in a standard way like a western progression, causing the listener to be more surprised using the song and allowing the artists more flexibility in what they’re playing – perfect for jazz!
12-Bar Blues
This long chord progression is the classic blues progression. Turn on almost any blues song and this is the progression they are probably playing. There is also a shorter version of it that gives the same sound, just shorter. Which is an I-IV-I-V-IV-I-V7-V7.
Do-wop
Remember the Beach Boys? Ok, probably not at this point – which is kinda crazy, but they are definitely worth checking out for the classic Do-wop sound! It’s a happy, upbeat-sounding progression that should definitely be explored if you are unfamiliar with the genre and sound!
Canon
We all know and love it – maybe even hate it – whatever your thought is, this progression is everywhere. It’s named Canon because of the famous classical song Pachebel’s Canon.
The chord progression has been part of standup comedy for many years and got even more exposure from Axis of Awesome who demonstrated how many pop songs use it.
Circle of Fifths
The circle of fifths progression is very cool as it follows the theory of the circle of fifths creating a progression that keeps going and going. It also has a great sound to boot!
Turnaround
The turnaround by itself isn’t particularly great but it is a great way to switch up the main chord progression while still being able to return to it smoothly while sounding great!
Koakuma/Royal Road
Do you watch anime? If you do, you’ll recognize this is the chord progression instantly! It is heard in almost every Japanese song and like how the Western and Canon progressions are common to use here, the Royal Road is their most popular chord progression!
Jpop/Jrock
Similar to the Koakuma progression but has less of that nostalgic sound and more of a sound that could be used in upbeat songs. Like how North Americans are used to hearing “The Most Common Chord Progression” the JRock progression is heard in the same way over there!
Final Thoughts
There is a lot of chord progression that is used in music and many are not listed here, but, these chord progressions are the most common ones used and are instantly recognizable by the way they sound and how often they have been used in music for centuries!