Chord Progressions

Starts at home, rises to the V, dips to the relative minor and lands on IV, which leans back to the I as the loop restarts. Every chord belongs to the key, so a melody sits comfortably over all four: it is the loop under countless pop choruses and modern worship songs.

Heard in: Let It Be — The Beatles · Someone Like You — Adele · I'm Yours — Jason Mraz

In 25 of our 95 songs: Build My Life, Oceans (Where Feet May Fail), Counting My Blessings and 22 more

The Axis loop started on its minor chord. Beginning on vi makes the same four chords sound reflective instead of triumphant. Heard from A minor it is i–VI–III–VII, the dark minor loop of film scores, rock and trap.

Heard in: Zombie — The Cranberries

In 26 of our 95 songs: Build My Life, Oceans (Where Feet May Fail), Counting My Blessings and 23 more

The doo-wop changes of the 1950s: home, its relative minor, then IV and V. Ending on the V leaves each pass on a question that the next I answers, which is why it loops so naturally.

Heard in: Stand by Me — Ben E. King · Every Breath You Take — The Police

In 12 of our 95 songs: Build My Life, 10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord), Holy Forever and 9 more

Steps away to IV, sinks to the vi and climbs through the V, so every pass ends with a lift back into the I. The rising vi–V–I at its end is a staple of contemporary worship choruses.

In 11 of our 95 songs: King of Kings, WASHED, Our God Reigns and 8 more

The three major chords of a key: home, the step away and the dominant that pulls back home. With these three alone you can play most folk, country and early rock and roll, and the 12-bar blues is built on them.

Heard in: La Bamba — Ritchie Valens · Twist and Shout — The Beatles

In 25 of our 95 songs: What A God, Counting My Blessings, To Worship You I Live and 22 more

Borrows the ♭VII from the Mixolydian mode, so the loop never touches the leading tone and never quite resolves. The result sounds open and rocking rather than settled: classic rock's favourite move.

Heard in: Sweet Child O' Mine — Guns N' Roses · Sympathy for the Devil — The Rolling Stones

In 2 of our 95 songs: Owe You Praise (feat. Chandler Moore), Always On Time

Pachelbel's eight-chord ground: its bass falls a fourth and rises a step, over and over, so the harmony keeps moving without ever leaving the key. That steady motion suits long melodies that build.

Heard in: Canon in D — Pachelbel

The strongest cadence in tonal harmony: the ii prepares the V, and the V7 resolves into the I. Jazz standards chain it through key after key; with plain triads it closes countless pop and worship phrases too.

Heard in: Autumn Leaves

In 9 of our 95 songs: To Worship You I Live, You Are The One, Heart Of Worship and 6 more

Twelve bars on the I, IV and V, all played as dominant sevenths: four bars of I, two of IV, two of I, then V, IV, I and a turnaround on V. It is the form of the blues and of early rock and roll.

Heard in: Johnny B. Goode — Chuck Berry · Pride and Joy — Stevie Ray Vaughan

A minor key walking down by step to a major V. The descending bass and the major chord at the bottom give it its Spanish, flamenco colour, and the V pulls straight back to the i, so it loops.

Heard in: Hit the Road Jack — Ray Charles · Runaway — Del Shannon

Climbs from IV to V and then, instead of resolving home, drops to iii and vi. Avoiding the I keeps it yearning. It is so common in Japanese pop that its name is Japanese: ōdō shinkō, the royal road progression.

In 2 of our 95 songs: Dame de beber, Firm Foundation (He Won't)