The I–V–vi–IV chord progression or Axis progression (named after the Australian comedy rock band The Axis of Awesome, who popularized the chord progression's ubiquity), is a common chord progression popular across several music genres. It uses the I, V, vi, and IV chords of the diatonic scale. For example, in the key of C major, this progression would be C–G–Am–F.Bennett, Dan (2008). The Total Rock Bassist, p. 63. Rotations include: I–V–vi–IV:C–G–Am–F V–vi–IV–I:G–Am–F–C vi–IV–I–V:Am–F–C–G IV–I–V–vi:F–C–G–Am The '50s progression uses the same chords but in a different order (I–vi–IV–V), no matter the starting point.
Variations A common ordering of the progression, "vi–IV–I–V", was dubbed the "sensitive female chord progression" by Boston Globe columnist Marc Hirsh.Hirsh, Marc. "Striking a Chord", The Boston Globe, December 31, 2008. In C major this would be Am–F–C–G, modulating the key to A minor.
Hirsh first noticed the chord progression in the song "One of Us" by Joan Osborne,Rundown 3/4: "Sensitive Female Chord Progression", Here and Now, March 4, 2009, wbur.org. and then other songs. He named the progression because he claimed it was used by many performers of the Lilith Fair in the late 1990s. Examples of the progression appeared in pop hits as early as the 1950s, such as in the Teddy Bears' "To Know Him Is to Love Him", written by Phil Spector.
Dan Bennett claims the progression is also called the "pop-punk progression" because of its frequent use in pop punk.
In this ordering, the progression ends with a double plagal cadence in the key of the dominant (in the Mixolydian mode) and could also be respelled ii–VII–IV–I, opening with a backdoor turnaround.
The chord progression is also used in the form IV–I–V–vi, as in songs such as "Umbrella" by Rihanna Gbmaj7, Db(add2)/Ab, Fm7, Bbm9. and "Down" by Jay Sean."Down", MusicNotes.com. Numerous bro-country songs followed the chord progression, as demonstrated by Greg Todd's mash-up of several bro-country songs in an early 2015 video.
It is also common to substitute the supertonic (ii) for the submediant (vi) resulting in the similar sounding I-V-ii-IV. This is present in such songs as the Cure's Just Like Heaven,The Cure: Greatest Hits (songbook). Hal Leonard, 2002. , pp. 58–63 Taylor Swift's Getaway Car, Semisonic's Closing Time and Smash Mouth's All Star.
A 2008 medley by the comedy group the Axis of Awesome, called "Four Chords", demonstrated the ubiquity of the progression in popular music, for comic effect; for instance, as the progression is played as an ostinato, sometimes it is used as a vi–IV–I–V (i. e. the "pessimistic" inversion). It does not accurately represent the chord progressions of all the songs it depicts. It was originally written in D major (thus the progression being D major, A major, B minor, G major) and performed live in the key of E major (thus using the chords E major, B major, C♯ minor, and A major). The song was subsequently published on YouTube. As of May 2020, the two most popular versions have been viewed over 100 million times combined.
The British progressive rock band Porcupine Tree made a song called "Four Chords That Made a Million" that appears to be a satire of the broad use of this progression in contemporary commercial music.
I–V–VII–IV
I–V–VII–IV may be viewed as a variation of I–V–vi–IV, replacing the submediant with the subtonic. It consists of two I-V chord progressions, the second a whole step lower (A–E–G–D = I–V in A and I–V in G), giving it a sort of harmonic drive. There are few keys in which one may play the progression with open chords on the guitar, so it is often portrayed with barre chords ("Lay Lady Lay"). The use of the flattened seventh may lend this progression a bluesy feel or sound, and the whole tone descent may be reminiscent of the ninth and tenth chords of the twelve bar blues (V–IV). The progression also makes possible a chromatic descent across a minor third: –––.
"(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" by Carole King makes prominent use of this progression in its verses. "Lay Lady Lay"Toft, Robert (2010). Hits and Misses, p.58. Bloomsbury. uses the similar progression I–iii–VII–ii; the second and fourth chords are replaced by the relative minor while preserving the same ––– descent. This progression is used in other songs including "Turning Japanese" (1980) by the Vapors, "Sample in a Jar" (1994) by Phish (I–iii–VII–IV), "Waterfalls" (1995) by TLC,Hurwitz, Tobias; ed. (2006). The Total Rock Guitarist, p.39. Alfred Music. and "Don't Tell Me" (2000) by Madonna. "Cinnamon Girl" (1969) by Neil Young uses I–v–VII–IV (all in Mixolydian).Serna, Desi (2013). Fretboard Theory Volume II, p.20. Desi Serna. It opens the verse to "Brown Eyes" by Lady Gaga, is used in the chorus to "Rio" (1982) by Duran Duran and "Sugar Hiccup" (1983) by the Cocteau Twins, and is in the 2nd part of the bridge in "Sweet Jane" (1988) by the Cowboy Junkies.Lloyd, Peter (2014). The Secret Life of Chords, p.97. Australian eBook. . John Maus uses a i-v-VII-iv in c minor for the verse of "Cop Killer" (2011). The progression is also used entirely with minor chords[i-v-vii-iv (g#, d#, f#, c#)] in the middle section of Chopin's etude op. 10 no. 12. However, using the same chord type (major or minor) on all four chords causes it to feel more like a sequence of descending fourths than a bona fide chord progression. I–IV–VII–IV is a similar chord progression which is arch formed (I–IV–VII–IV–I), and has been used in the chorus to "And She Was" (1985) by Talking Heads,Everett, Walter (2008). Expression in Pop-Rock Music, p.115. Routledge. . in "Let's Go Crazy" (1984) by Prince,Till, Rupert (2010). Pop Cult: Religion and Popular Music, p.61. A&C Black. . in "Like a Rock" (1986) by Bob Seger,Rodman, Ronald Wayne (2010). Tuning in: American Narrative Television Music, p.218. Oxford. . in "Steady, As She Goes" (2006) by the Raconteurs (minor tonic: i–V–VII–IV),Rooksby, Rikky (2007). Arranging Songs: How to Put the Parts Together, p.163. Hal Leonard. . and in "American Idiot" by Green Day.
Songs using the progression
This is a partial list of recorded songs containing multiple, repeated uses of the I–V–vi–IV progression. Song title Artist Year ProgressionRecorded Key "10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)""10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)", www.worshiptogether.comMatt Redman and Jonas Myrin 2012 IV–I–V–viG major "18 And Life""18 And Life Chords By Skid Row", Ultimate-Guitar.comSkid Row 1989 vi–IV–I–VC♯ minor "20 Good Reasons""20 Good Reasons", Ultimate-Guitar.comThirsty Merc 2007 I–V–vi–IVC♯ major "Africa""Africa Chords by Toto", ultimate-guitar.comToto 1982 vi–IV–I–V (chorus)F♯ minor (chorus) "Aicha" Cheb Khaled 1996 vi–IV–I–VG minor "Ai Se Eu Te Pego" Michel Teló 2011 I–V–vi–IV B major "All of Me" John Legend 2013 vi–IV–I–V A♭ major "All You Wanted" Michelle Branch 2002 vi–IV–I–V (chorus) A♭ major"All Too Well"Taylor Swift2012I–V–vi–IVC major"Almost"Bowling for Soup2004I–V–vi–IVB major "Alone""", Ultimate-Guitar.comHeart 1987 vi–IV–I–VF♯ major (chorus)"Alone"Alan Walker2016vi–IV–I–VG minor "Amaranth"Nightwish 2007 vi–IV–I–VD minor"A New Day Has Come""20 A New Day Has Come", DrSheetMusic.comCeline Dion2002vi–IV–I–VF♯ major "Anti-Hero" Taylor Swift 2022 IV–I–V–vi E major"Any Way You Want It""Any Way You Want It", BettyLouMusic.com Journey 1980 I–V–vi–IV G major "Apologize""Apologize Chords by OneRepublic", Ultimate-Guitar.com. Timbaland and OneRepublic 2007 vi–IV–I–V C minor"As If It's Your Last"Blackpink 2017 IV−I−V−vi (chorus)A♭ major (chorus) "Audience of One""Audience Of One Chords by Rise Against", Ultimate-Guitar.com. Rise Against 2009 vi–IV–I–V (chorus) C♯ major "Awesome God"Rich Mullins 2005 IV–I–V–viA major "Bad Blood""Bad Blood", ultimate-guitar.com.Taylor Swift 2014 IV–I–V–viG major "Bailando" Enrique Iglesias feat. Descemer Bueno and Gente de Zona 2014 vi–IV–I–V E minor "Be Like That"Be Like That Chords by 3 Doors Down", ultimate-guitar.com.3 Doors Down 2001 I–V–vi–IVG major "Beast of Burden"Bennett, Dan (2008). The Total Rock Bassist, p.63. Alfred. . The Rolling Stones 1978 I–V–vi–IVE major "Bebe" 6ix9ine 2018 vi–IV–I–VA minor "Behind These Hazel Eyes" Kelly Clarkson 2005 vi–IV–I–VA major"Breakeven"The Script2008IV–I–V–vi (chorus)B♭ major/G minor"Building a Mystery""Building a Mystery (chords)", E-Chords.com. Sarah McLachlan 1997 vi–IV–I–V B minor "Bullet""Bullet", MusicNotes.com. Hollywood Undead 2011 I–V–vi–IVE major"Bulletproof Picasso""Bulletproof Picasso Chords by Train, Ultimate-Guitar.com Train 2015 IV–I–V–viG major "Burn"Burn Chords by Ellie Goulding, Ultimate-Guitar.com Ellie Goulding 2013 vi–IV–I–V (pre-chorus and chorus) B♭ minor/D♭ major "California King Bed" Rihanna 2011 I–V–vi–IVG major "Caramelldansen" Caramell 2001 I–V–vi–IVE♭ major/G♭ major "Cheap Thrills" Sia 2016 vi–IV–I–V E minor "City on Our Knees""City On Our Knees Chords by tobyMac", Ultimate-Guitar.com. TobyMac 2009 I–V–vi–IV C major"Clean"Taylor Swift2014I–V–vi–IVE major "Come Over""Come Over", MusicNotes.com. Kenny Chesney 2012 vi–IV–I–VB♭ minor "Complicated" Avril Lavigne 2002 vi–IV–I–V (intro)D minor "Cornelia Street" Taylor Swift 2019 I–V–vi–IVC major "Cruise" Florida Georgia Line 2012 I–V–vi–IVB♭ major"Daddy DJ"Daddy DJ1999vi–IV–I–VC minor "Dammit""Dammit", MusicNotes.com. Blink-182 1997 I–V–vi–IVC major"Demons"Imagine Dragons2013I–V–vi–IVE♭ major"Despacito""Despacito", Ultimate-Guitar.com. Luis Fonsi2017vi–IV–I–VB minor "Don't Trust Me""Don't Trust Me", MusicNotes.com. 3OH!3 2008 vi–IV–I–VB♭ major "Don't You Wanna Stay""Don't You Wanna Stay", MusicNotes.com. Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson 2010 vi–IV–I–VG♯ minor"Dosed"Red Hot Chili Peppers2003I–V–vi–IV (chorus)G major"DotA"Basshunter2006vi–IV–I–VA minor "Down""Down", Ultimate-Guitar.com Jay Sean feat. Lil Wayne 2009 IV–I–V–viD major "Dragostea Din Tei""Dragostea Din Tei", Ultimate-Guitar.com O-Zone 2003 IV–I–V–vi; vi–IV–I–VA minor "Dream Catch Me""Dream Catch Me", Ultimate-Guitar.com Newton Faulkner 2007 I–V–vi–IVD major "Drive By""Drive By", MusicNotes.com. Train 2012 vi–IV–I–V (verse)