I–V–vi–IV chord progression
The pop progression. In C major it's C – G – Am – F. Press play, then pick any key from the menu.
In C major, 4 beats per chord. Open in the progression builder
- IC
- VG
- viAm
- IVF
Why it works
The four chords are the four strongest chords of a major key, and the order keeps every change small. C to G is the home chord moving to the chord that most wants to come home. Instead of going back, the loop steps to Am, the relative minor, which shares two notes with C, so it feels like home with the lights dimmed. F then lifts again and leads straight back to C. Because it never actually resolves V to I, the loop can repeat forever without sounding finished, which is exactly what a verse or chorus needs.
The sound in one line: bright, driving, endlessly loopable.
What moves at each change
The bass line in C major is C – G – A – F. On piano, keep your hand in one place by choosing inversions:
- I → V: C to G: play G in 1st inversion (B–D–G) and G stays under the same finger, while C moves down to B and E down to D.
- V → vi: G to Am: play Am in root position (A–C–E), while G moves up to A, B up to C and D up to E.
- vi → IV: Am to F: play F in 1st inversion (A–C–F) and A and C stay under the same fingers, while E moves up to F.
- IV → I (back to the top): F to C: play C in 1st inversion (E–G–C) and C stays under the same finger, while F moves down to E and A down to G.
I–V–vi–IV in all 12 keys
Same 4-chord pattern, twelve keys. Tap a row to hear it there.
| Key | Chords | |
|---|---|---|
| C major | C – G – Am – F | |
| G major | G – D – Em – C | |
| D major | D – A – Bm – G | |
| A major | A – E – F♯m – D | |
| E major | E – B – C♯m – A | |
| B major | B – F♯ – G♯m – E | |
| F♯ major | F♯ – C♯ – D♯m – B | |
| D♭ major | D♭ – A♭ – B♭m – G♭ | |
| A♭ major | A♭ – E♭ – Fm – D♭ | |
| E♭ major | E♭ – B♭ – Cm – A♭ | |
| B♭ major | B♭ – F – Gm – E♭ | |
| F major | F – C – Dm – B♭ |
On guitar
The friendliest keys for I–V–vi–IV on guitar are G major and C major, where every chord is an open shape.
G major: G – D – Em – C
C major: C – G – Am – F
Somewhere else? A capo moves these shapes up: capo 2 turns G major shapes into the key a whole step higher. Capo chart.
Ways to vary it
- Start on the vi instead and you get vi–IV–I–V, the same four chords with a moodier first impression.
- Hold each chord for two bars in a chorus and one bar in the verse to make the same loop feel faster.
- Swap the IV for ii (Dm in C) for a softer, more jazz-leaning turn.
Related progressions
Build your own progression and share it as a link
I–V–vi–IV: questions
What is the I–V–vi–IV chord progression?
The pop progression: the chords on degrees 1, 5, 6, 4 of a major key. In C major that's C – G – Am – F.
Why does I–V–vi–IV sound good?
The four chords are the four strongest chords of a major key, and the order keeps every change small. C to G is the home chord moving to the chord that most wants to come home.
How do I play I–V–vi–IV in G?
G – D – Em – C. Every one of those has an open shape on guitar.
How do I change I–V–vi–IV to another key?
Keep the numerals and swap the key: the numbers say which note of the scale each chord is built on. Use the key menu in the player above, or the table of all 12 keys on this page.
What else is I–V–vi–IV called?
"1 5 6 4" or "axis progression". Musicians also call it the pop progression.
Chords in every key are generated from the scale and checked by the site's theory tests. We describe progressions in general terms and don't transcribe songs. Updated September 2026.