1) The Beatles, “Eight Days a Week,” verse
From Beatles for Sale (1964), written by Paul McCartney & John Lennon
Audio: Youtube (0:05–0:20)
Harmonic Rhythm: | D | E7 | G | D | (x2)
D E7
Ooh I need your love babe
G D
Guess you know it's true
D E7
Hope you need my love babe
G D
Just like I need you
2) CeeLo Green, “Forget You,” verse
From Beatles for Sale (1964), written by Paul McCartney & John Lennon
Audio: Youtube (0:13–0:45)
Note: All section except the bridge repeat this same chord progression.
Harmonic Rhythm: | C | D7 | F | C | (x4)
C D7
I see you driving round town with the girl I love
F C
And I'm like "Forget you!" Ooo ooo ooo
C D7
I guess the change in my pocket wasn't enough
F C
And I'm like "Forget you, and forget her too."
C D7
If I was richer, I'd still be with ya
F C
Now ain't that something (Ain't that something)
C D7
And though there's pain in my chest I still wish you the best
F C
With a "Forget you"
3) Ben Folds, “Rockin' The Suburbs,” verse
From Rockin' The Suburbs (2001), written by Ben Folds.
Audio: Youtube (0:59–1:21)
Note: Everything up until the final chorus repeats the same progression.
Harmonic Rhythm: | D | F C | (x4)
D F C
I'm rocking the suburbs, just like Michael Jackson did,
D F C
I'm rocking the suburbs, except that he was talen-ted.
D F C
I'm rocking the suburbs; take the cheques and face the facts,
D F [C]
That some producer with computers, fixes all my shitty tracks.
4) AURORA, “Conqueror,” chorus
From All My Demons Greeting Me as a Friend (2016), written by Geir Luedy, Magnus Skylstad, Odd Martin, AURORA
Audio: Youtube (0:29–0:50)
Harmonic Rhythm: | C | D | F | C | (x2)
C D
I've been looking for the conqueror
F C
But you don't seem to come my way
C D
I've been looking for the only one
F C
But you don't seem to come my way
[Verse 1]
E F#
My boy, come take my hand
A E F
Throw your guitar and your clothes in the back seat
E F#
My love, they don't understand
A E G#m
But I'll hold your hurt in the box here beside me
[Chorus]
E F#
F*** up, anxious, too much
A E
But I'll love you like you need me to
F E
Imperfect for you
E F#
Messy, completely distressed
A E
But I'm not like that since I met you
F E
Imperfect for you
6) The Beatles, “Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band,” verse 1
From Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967), written by Paul McCartney and John Lennon
Audio: Youtube (0:21–0:42)
Harmonic Rhythm: | G7 A7 | C7 G7 | (x2)
| A7 | C7 | G7 C7 | G7 |
G7 A7
It was twenty years ago today
C7 G7
Sergeant Pepper taught the band to play
G7 A7
They've been going in and out of style
C7 G7
But they're guaranteed to raise a smile
A7
So may I introduce to you
C7
The act you've known for all these years
G7 C7 G7
Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band
1) Phil Collins, “In the Air Tonight,” verse
From Face Value (1981), written by Phil Collins
Audio: YouTube (0:35–1:10)
Dm C /D Bb/D
I can feel it coming in the air tonight
C/D
oh lord
Dm C/D Bb/D
I've been waiting for this moment.. for all my life
C/D
oh lord
Dm C/D Bb/D
Can you feel it coming in the air tonight
C/D Dm
oh lord, oh Lord?
2) Jimi Hendrix, “All Along the Watchtower” (chorus)
From Electric Ladyland (1968), written by Bob Dylan.
Audio: Youtube (0:17–0:53)
Note: The entire song repeats the same progression.
Cm B♭ A♭ B♭ Cm B♭ A♭ B♭
"There must be some kind of way out of here," said the joker to the thief,
Cm B♭ A♭ B♭ Cm B♭ A♭ B♭
"There's too much confusion, I can't get no relief.
Cm B♭ A♭ B♭ Cm B♭ A♭ B♭
Businessmen, they drink my wine, plowmen dig my earth,
Cm B♭ A♭ B♭ Cm B♭ A♭ B♭
None will level on the line nobody offered his word."
3) Taylor Swift, “Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince,” verse
From Lover (2019), written by Joel Little & Taylor Swift
Audio: Youtube (0:11–0:39)
Bm
You know I adore you, I'm crazier for you
A
Than I was at 16, lost in a film scene
G
Waving homecoming queens, marching band playing
A
I'm lost in the lights
Bm
American glory faded before me
A
Now I'm feeling hopeless, ripped up my prom dress
G
Running through rose thorns, I saw the scoreboard
A
And ran for my life (ah)
8) Duran Duran, “Come Undone,” verse
From Duran Duran (1993), written by Warren Cuccurullo, Nick Rhodes, John Taylor & Simon Le Bon
Audio: Youtube (0:38–1:01)
Harmonic Rhythm:
| Cm | B♭|A♭| B♭| (x2)
Cm B♭
Mine immaculate dream
A♭ B♭
made of breath and skin I've been waiting for you
Cm B♭
Signed with a home tattoo
A♭ B♭
happy birthday to you was created for ya
1) Lana Del Rey, “Lust for Life,” chorus
From Lust for Life (2017), written Max Martin, The Weekend, Rick Nowels & Lana Del Rey
Audio: MP3
A♭
And our lust for life, and our lust for life
B♭
And our lust for life, and our lust for life
Cm
Keeps us alive, keeps us alive
Keeps us alive, keeps us alive
A♭
And our lust for life, and our lust for life
B♭
And our lust for life, and our lust for life
Cm
Keeps us alive, keeps us alive
Keeps us alive, keeps us alive
Rosenberg, From Rock Music to Theory Pedagogy, Appendix C (includes a list of popular music using I-V-vi-IV and vi-IV-I-V)
Yale Musical Examples Database: See the "Harmonic Progressions" tab at the bottom.
Scott Lipscomb, "12 -Bar Blues Songs," History and Styles of Rock
Scott Lipscomb, Songs with the "I-vi-IV-V Progression," History and Styles of Rock
See the list of examples of the Doo-Wop Progression on Wikipedia here.