The Hit-Making Patterns
Learn the chord progressions that power thousands of songs.
🎯 Practice it: After the Cadence →You've Heard This Before
Listen to this chord progression. You've heard it in hundreds of songs.
This is the 'pop progression' – possibly the most used chord pattern in modern music.
Train your ear with these drills
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You've Heard This Before
Listen to this chord progression. You've heard it in hundreds of songs.
This is the 'pop progression' – possibly the most used chord pattern in modern music.
The Hit-Making Progressions
I - V - vi - IV (The Pop Progression)
Let It Be, No Woman No Cry, With or Without You, Someone Like You, Let It Go...
I - vi - IV - V (The 50s Progression)
Stand By Me, Every Breath You Take, Unchained Melody...
I - IV - V - I (The Classic)
La Bamba, Twist and Shout, Wild Thing...
vi - IV - I - V (The Emotional)
Despacito, Africa, Zombie, Hello...
Try Them Yourself
Play each progression. These 4 patterns power the majority of popular music.
The Pop Progression:
The 50s Progression:
Notice how each one creates a different emotional journey using the same 4 chords in different orders.
Spot the Progression
Listen for the pop progression (I V vi IV) in songs you know — it's one of the most common patterns in modern music.
Also listen for the 50s progression (I vi IV V) — you'll find it in classics from every decade.
Once you recognize these patterns, you'll hear them everywhere. You can't unhear it!