What is the most common chord progression?

I–V–vi–IV (C–G–Am–F in C major) is one of the most common progressions in modern pop and worship music.

What chord progression is used in jazz?

The ii–V–I progression (for example Dm7–G7–Cmaj7) is the foundation of jazz harmony.

What chords are used in lo-fi music?

Lo-fi usually uses seventh and ninth chords, such as Cmaj7, Am7, Dm9 and G7, often in progressions like ii–V–I or a descending IVmaj7–iii7–ii7–Imaj7.

Chord Progressions Explained: 10 Progressions Behind Thousands of Songs

The most common chord progressions in pop, jazz, blues, worship and lo-fi, explained with Roman numerals and examples in easy keys you can play today.

A chord progression is a series of chords played one after another. A surprising number of songs share the same few progressions; what makes them different is the melody, rhythm, sound and words on top. Learn these ten and you will recognise them everywhere.

Roman numerals in one minute

Musicians name chords by their position in the key, so a progression works in any key. In C major:

I	ii	iii	IV	V	vi	vii°
C	Dm	Em	F	G	Am	Bdim

Capital numerals are major chords, lower-case are minor, and ° means diminished. In G major, the same numbers give G, Am, Bm, C, D, Em and F♯dim. (New to this? Start with our music theory basics.)

1. I – V – vi – IV (the "pop" progression)

C – G – Am – F. Possibly the most used progression in modern pop and worship music. It feels hopeful and uplifting, and works for verses and choruses alike.

2. vi – IV – I – V (the emotional version)

Am – F – C – G. The same four chords starting on the minor chord. It sounds more wistful and is common in ballads and anthems.

3. I – vi – IV – V (the 1950s progression)

C – Am – F – G. The sound of doo-wop and classic love songs. Loop it slowly on piano for an instant nostalgic feel.

4. ii – V – I (the jazz progression)

Dm7 – G7 – Cmaj7. The backbone of jazz. Almost every jazz standard is built from chains of ii–V–I movements, often moving through several keys. Seventh chords make it smooth and warm.

5. I – vi – ii – V (the turnaround)

Cmaj7 – Am7 – Dm7 – G7. Also called "rhythm changes" in its jazz form. It loops back to the start beautifully and is a favourite in lo-fi and bossa nova.

6. The 12-bar blues

Bars 1–4	Bars 5–8	Bars 9–12
I – I – I – I	IV – IV – I – I	V – IV – I – V

In A: A7, D7 and E7. The foundation of blues, early rock and roll and much of jazz. Using seventh chords on every step gives it its bluesy flavour.

7. I – IV – V (the three-chord song)

C – F – G. Folk, country, rock and many hymns use only these three chords. Master them in a few keys and you can accompany a huge number of songs.

8. i – VI – III – VII (the minor epic)

Am – F – C – G in A minor. Common in film music, rock and emotional pop. In A minor the chords are i (Am), III (C), VI (F) and VII (G).

9. i – VII – VI – V (the Andalusian cadence)

Am – G – F – E. A descending progression with a Spanish, flamenco feeling. The last chord, E major, pulls strongly back to Am.

10. IVmaj7 – iii7 – ii7 – Imaj7 (the lo-fi descent)

Fmaj7 – Em7 – Dm7 – Cmaj7. Stepping down through seventh chords creates the dreamy, floating mood of lo-fi and neo-soul. Try playing it slowly with soft, swung drums.

How to make progressions your own

Change the rhythm: hold one chord for two bars, or change chords on off-beats.
Add colour notes: turn triads into 7ths, 9ths or sus chords (Csus2, Fadd9).
Change the key: move the progression up or down to fit your voice.
Borrow a chord: in C major, try F minor (iv) instead of F for a bittersweet twist.
Use inversions: play C/E or G/B so the bass line moves smoothly.

Practise them

Open our chord finder to see each chord on piano and guitar and hear how it sounds. Then set the metronome to 70–80 BPM and play each progression for a few minutes, changing chords every bar. When one feels natural, try writing a melody over it with our songwriting guide.