…exploring the combinatorics of pop’s favorite chords, and finding the obvious gaps.
From: Ian
To: Dan
There are 6 ways to order the chords I — IV — V — vi, invariant to circular shifts. Four of those orderings are used all over the place. Here they are:
I → IV → vi → V
- Boston – More Than a Feeling
- Scandal – Goodbye To You
- Bryan Adams – Summer of ‘69 (starting on vi, i.e. vi → V → I → IV)
I → V → vi → IV
Zillions of songs, see:
Maybe highlighted best by:
I → vi → IV → V
Every song from the 1950s, e.g.:
Also:
- CCR – Have You Ever Seen the Rain (starting on IV, i.e. IV → V → I → vi)
I → vi → V → IV
- Cheap Trick – Surrender
- Candlebox – Far Behind
- Tom Petty – Learning to Fly (starting on IV, i.e. IV → I → vi → V)
I → IV → V → vi
I → V → IV → vi
These two are totally underutilized! Maybe going from vi to I doesn't sound good. Or maybe we could write some huge hits using these progressions.