10 Popular Guitar Chord Progressions (With Songs & Examples)

Want to know a secret? Most popular songs use the same handful of chord progressions. Learn these patterns, and you'll be able to play thousands of songs—and write your own.

One thing to keep in mind: Just because a song uses one of these progressions doesn't mean the whole song uses it. Most songs switch between different progressions for the verse, chorus, and bridge. But these are the building blocks—once you recognize them, you'll start hearing them everywhere.

In this lesson, I'll walk you through 10 of the most common chord progressions you'll encounter. For each one, I'll show you the chords in multiple keys, give you some song examples, and explain why it works.

Quick note: I'm using the number system throughout this lesson (I, IV, V, etc.). If you're not familiar with how that works, check out my guitar theory guide—it'll make everything here click. But even if you're new to the numbers, just follow along with the chord names and you'll be fine.

Quick Reference: Popular Chord Progressions

The Number System (60-Second Version)

Before we dive in, here's the quick explanation: in any major key, each note of the scale gets a number. The chord built on that note gets the same number.
In the key of G:

• I = G major (the "home" chord)
• ii = A minor
• iii = B minor
• IV = C major
• V = D major
• vi = E minor

Uppercase numerals (I, IV, V) = major chords. Lowercase (ii, iii, vi) = minor chords.

Why use numbers instead of chord names? Because the same pattern works in every key. A I–IV–V in G is G–C–D. A I–IV–V in A is A–D–E. Same sound, different starting point.

Alright, let's get into the progressions.

1. The I – IV – V (The Foundation)

This is the granddaddy of all chord progressions. Rock, country, blues, folk—the I–IV–V is everywhere.

• In G: G – C – D
• In C: C – F – G
• In D: D – G – A
• In A: A – D – E
• In E: E – A – B

Why it works: The I is home. The IV creates movement away from home. The V creates tension that wants to resolve back to the I. It's the most natural-sounding progression in Western music.

Songs that use it:

• "Twist and Shout" – The Beatles
• "La Bamba" – Ritchie Valens
• "Wild Thing" – The Troggs
• "Louie Louie" – The Kingsmen

If you want to go deep on this one, I've got a whole lesson on the G, C, and D chords with 20+ songs you can play using just these three chords.

2. The I – IV – V – IV (With a Twist)

A simple variation—instead of going V back to I, you pass through the IV again. Creates a nice rocking feel.

• In G: G – C – D – C
• In C: C – F – G – F
• In D: D – G – A – G

Why it works: That extra IV on the way back softens the resolution. Instead of V snapping back to I, you get a gentler landing.

Songs that use it:

• "Free Fallin'" – Tom Petty
• "Born to Be Wild" – Steppenwolf

3. The I – V – vi – IV (The Most Popular Progression of All Time)

This is it. The most popular chord progression in modern music. You've heard it in literally hundreds of hit songs.

• In G: G – D – Em – C
• In C: C – G – Am – F
• In D: D – A – Bm – G
• In A: A – E – F#m – D
• In E: E – B – C#m – A

Why it works: Starting on the I and going to the V creates immediate lift. Dropping to the vi (minor) adds emotional weight. The IV sets up the return to I. It's satisfying every single time.

Songs that use it:

• "Let It Be" – The Beatles
• "No Woman No Cry" – Bob Marley
• "With or Without You" – U2
• "Someone Like You" – Adele
• "I'm Yours" – Jason Mraz
• "When I Come Around" – Green Day

Look up "Four Chord Song" by Axis of Awesome on YouTube—they mashed up dozens of hit songs using this exact progression. It's hilarious and eye-opening.
I did a whole separate lesson on this one: The Most Popular Chord Progression of All Time.

4. The I – vi – IV – V (The 50s Progression)

Also called the "doo-wop" progression. Flip the order of the previous one and you get a completely different vibe—more nostalgic, more classic.

• In G: G – Em – C – D
• In C: C – Am – F – G
• In D: D – Bm – G – A

Why it works: Going from I to vi right away drops you into an emotional space. The IV and V build back up to the resolution. It has a circular, timeless feel.

Songs that use it:

• "Stand By Me" – Ben E. King
• "Every Breath You Take" – The Police
• "Unchained Melody" – Righteous Brothers
• "Earth Angel" – The Penguins

Now we're adding the ii chord. This creates a more sophisticated sound—you'll hear this constantly in jazz, but it shows up in pop too.

• In G: G – Em – Am – D
• In C: C – Am – Dm – G
• In D: D – Bm – Em – A

Why it works: The ii–V movement is the strongest resolution in music theory. Adding it after I–vi creates a full circle that feels complete and polished.

Songs that use it:

• "Blue Moon" – Rodgers & Hart
• "Heart and Soul" – Hoagy Carmichael
• "I Will Always Love You" – Dolly Parton / Whitney Houston
  
  

6. The ii – V – I (The Jazz Essential)

This is THE progression in jazz. If you want to learn jazz guitar, you need this one in your bones.

• In G: Am – D – G
• In C: Dm – G – C
• In D: Em – A – D
• In A: Bm – E – A

Why it works: The ii sets up the V, and the V resolves to the I. It's the strongest sense of "coming home" you can create. Jazz musicians will often substitute more complex chords (like Dm7 – G7 – Cmaj7), but the underlying progression is the same.

Songs that use it:

• Most jazz standards
• "Fly Me to the Moon" – Frank Sinatra
• "Autumn Leaves"

7. The I – iii – IV – V

Adding the iii chord creates a nice stepwise motion up from the I chord. It's less common but has a really nice lift to it.

• In G: G – Bm – C – D
• In C: C – Em – F – G
• In D: D – F#m – G – A

Why it works: Moving from I to iii is a gentle step (they share two notes). Then IV to V sets up the return. It feels like climbing a staircase.

Songs that use it:

• "Crocodile Rock" – Elton John
• Parts of "Stairway to Heaven" – Led Zeppelin

Another variation on our core chords, this time with the vi in the middle instead of the end.

• In G: G – C – Em – D
• In C: C – F – Am – G
• In D: D – G – Bm – A

Why it works: The IV to vi movement is smooth (they also share notes), and dropping to that minor chord before the V creates a nice emotional dip before resolution.

Songs that use it:

• "Zombie" – The Cranberries
• "Self Esteem" – The Offspring
• "What's Up" – 4 Non Blondes

9. The I – II – III – IV – V (Chromatic Walk-Up)

This one's different—we're using major chords on the II and III, which technically aren't in the key. It creates a cool chromatic walk-up effect.

• In G: G – A – B – C – D
• In C: C – D – E – F – G

Why it works: The "wrong" major chords create tension and forward momentum. It's ear-catching because it breaks the rules, but resolves satisfyingly to the IV and V.

Songs that use it:

• Less common, but shows up in rock and experimental music

10. The IV – V – I – vi (Starting Away From Home)

Most progressions start on the I chord. This one starts on the IV, which gives it an unusual, slightly unsettled feel.

• In G: C – D – G – Em
• In C: F – G – C – Am
• In D: G – A – D – Bm

Why it works: Starting on IV feels like you're jumping into the middle of something. The V–I gives you the resolution, and the vi extends the phrase.

Songs that use it:

• Parts of "Hey Ya!" – OutKast
• Various alternative rock songs

Bonus: The 12-Bar Blues

No list of popular progressions is complete without the blues. This isn't just a chord progression—it's a whole form, 12 bars long. I like to think of 12 bar progressions in three groups of four bars. So to play the progression below, just play each chord for a full bar, and read left to right. 

Basic structure (in G):

Or in numbers:

Why it works: The 12-bar blues is built on the I–IV–V, but stretched out with that long I chord at the beginning. The V–IV–I–V at the end is called the "turnaround" and creates momentum into the next 12 bars.

Songs that use it:

• "Johnny B. Goode" – Chuck Berry
• "Hound Dog" – Elvis Presley
• "Pride and Joy" – Stevie Ray Vaughan
• Basically every traditional blues song ever 

Don't just read through this list—pick one progression and actually play it. Here's what I'd suggest:

1. Start with I–IV–V in G (G–C–D). Get comfortable switching between those three chords.
2. Add the vi to make it I–V–vi–IV (G–D–Em–C). Now you can play hundreds of songs.
3. Try the same progressions in other keys. If you can play them in G, C, and D, you'll cover most situations.
4. Listen for these progressions in songs you know. Once you recognize them, you'll hear them everywhere.

The key is understanding that these aren't random—they're patterns that show up over and over because they work. Learn the patterns, and you'll never be stuck wondering what chord comes next.

Want to Understand WHY These Work?

If you want to go deeper than just memorizing these progressions—if you want to understand the system behind them so you can figure out any song and create your own progressions—check out Guitar Theory Unlocked.

I'll walk you through the number system step by step, show you how chords are built, and give you the tools to understand any chord progression you encounter.

Once it clicks, you'll wonder how you ever played without it.

Related Lessons

• G-C-D: The 3 Greatest Guitar Chords (+20 Songs)
• The Most Popular Chord Progression of All Time
• Guitar Theory: The Complete Beginner's Guide
• Cool Chord Progression With Drone Notes
• Tips For Changing Keys In A Song