Four chords, over a hundred songs
The vi–IV–I–V progression behind a huge number of pop songs, with the song list and a table that opens it in any key, with or without inversions.
The progression under the hits
A great many pop songs use the same four chords: vi, IV, I and V. The comedy group Axis of Awesome made this famous by singing dozens of hits over them in one medley. The four-chord page embeds their video and lists the songs, grouped into the main list, songs built on Pachelbel’s Canon, and more recent hits — well over a hundred in all.
Learn these four chords in one key and you can accompany every song on the list in that key.
Practice it in any key
The table below the songs has a row for each key, sharp and flat spellings included, with two links. Without inversions gives you the four chords in root position. With inversions uses the first inversion for IV and V, which keeps your hand in one place, the way pianists usually play this progression.
Each link opens the progression as an exercise that asks for the four chords in order, round and round the loop.
From the progression to a song
Once the loop feels easy, find one of the songs in the song search and practice its actual chords, or move it to the key you have been drilling. For other progressions, see progressions.