5 popular chord progressions and why they work 

So surprised that Fatboy Slim's "Praise You" doesn't appear in the last chord progression examples (IV/I/V/V), as David literally played it on the piano!

You should consider making a series of Spotify playlist based on each chord progression and songs that conform to it!

“Is She Really Going Out With Him?” by Joe Jackson was my introduction to the first sequence. You can also hear it in Billy Joel's “It's Still Rock and Roll To Me”.

I think another reason why the I-V-bVII-IV progression works is because a descending line cliche is implied. The C in the C, the B in the G, the Bb in the Bb and the A in the F. I use this progression in one of my original songs and I think it's my favourite song that I've ever done. I give credit to the progression itself.

When you just talked about the last chord progression, it actually sounded like a rather common variation of The Mixolydian Vamp; bVII-IV-I-I, which is the same chord in the relative mixolydian scale (if it's written as F-C-G-G, it's just a question of wether C or G is the Tonic chord). Maybe that chord progression deserves a video about how the choice of tonic totally changes how it sounds. Example of songs where it sounds very mixolydian: AC/DC - It's a Long Way to The Top (the third title repeat in the chorus), David Bowie - Heroes (the chorus), Chear - Love Hurts (when she sings the title) and The Rolling Stones - Doom and Gloom (the prechorus).

That Tokens song, The Lion Sleeps Tonight, goes back to a song called Mbube by Solomon Linda in the late 1930s in South Africa. It was so influential that it became the namesake for an entire genre of music that is being performed today.

My favorite examples of the I V bVII IV progression are Hey Hey What Can I Do, Celebration Day, both by Led Zeppelin and also One Rainy Wish by Hendrix. It’s also just my favorite chord progression in general

I made a google doc of all these popular chord progressions so I could have them all in one place at a glance. Thanks for all this. It's been such a good tool to practice with as a guitar player. Plus it's so good for writing new music--especially for more generic pieces for background in videos.

BIG shoutout to ALL patrons keeping alive this AMAZING music education channel. Keep on rockin' David!

My favourite I V bVII IV is probably Tunnel of Love. That progression just gives the tune so much drive.

I really like this "chord progressions and why they work" series of videos David, please keep 'em coming!

Thank you so much David, every time I watch any of your videos always blows my mind. You are such an amazing teacher.

Wow. I never noticed what's common in all my favourite songs. I'm a simple person, turns out. I hear I-V-bVII-IV, I like it.

While listening to David playing the piano for the last progression I was already thinking: "Yeah, that's 'Praise you'! It's definitely going to be the first example!" :D

I got a David Bennett piano app ad on a David Bennett piano video Love it

I've heard so many cool songs here in the mixolydian scale, I think I'll write a song in mixolydian when my current ones are done. Thank you, David, for all the explanations of how and why these things work!

The “chord progressions” series has been very impressive, it‘s very revealing how different artists have made use of these musical ideas. No way, or so I would have thought, could Lou Reed and ”Turning Japanese” and the Cranberries have anything in common. Well, shows what I know.

Another couple of examples of the I V bVII IV progression is Fat Old Sun by Pink Floyd and Dean Town by Vulfpeck Great video as always

If the 5 chord of the first progression were minor instead, it would just be another rotation of the Plagal Cascade that you haven't talked about yet! By the way, love that you used OK Go as an example for that one- I've never looked at that chord progression so closely. Besides, I don't think I realized that Do-Re-Mi used sequence.

IV I V V has a very hopeful/aspirational sound to it. Because it's all major, you're always looking up. But because it doesn't end on the tonic, it gives this feeling that you're just not quite "there."

I can’t think of where at the moment but I have definitely heard the first progression used as a way to extend the ending of other songs, where after the song resolves instead of ending it plays this progression just to add a little more power to the ending. It’s such a satisfying resolution

I'm a drummer but started playing guitar about a couple years ago and up till I recently came past this channel never really had a basic understanding of chord progressions which I struggled with getting into guitar. Since discovering this channel, I'm finding it's getting better slowly but surely. Thank you for this wonderful content my brother.

I came here after listening to you on PopMaster - quite a useful channel! 👍

I’m always surprised when I see how many great songs share the same chord progression 😊👏🏻

Another example of I-IV-I-V is I Don't Know My Name by Grace VanderWall, it was the first song I learned on the guitar and it's still the only chord progression i can identify ksksk

The 1, 5, flat 7, 4 was used in a super Nintendo game that I loved as a kid, and once I figured out what it was, I started noticing it everywhere! So it's one of my favorites, glad you led with it

Thanks for doing another one of these. I've found them really useful for my own music.

I think it's worth noting that in Western popular music, songs that use I-II-V and I-IV-I-V will often add a little bit of dissonance and sonic interest by using the V7. One common pattern I've noticed in a lot of old standards is switching back and forth between the straight V and the V7 from one chord phrase to the next. It's so common that a lot of beginner piano students will learn G7 before learning G. (I know I did!)

Loved the examples!! Really great way to see the versatility of each one!

Excellent, David thank you for the upload.

My suggestions for more common chord progressions. 1. i - bIII - bVI - bVII 2. i - bVII - bIII - bVI 3. i - bVII - iv - iv 4. i - bVI - bVII - v

Brilliant breakdown David. Absolutely spot on.

Now for a video game example! The Phrygian vamp evokes for me images of Super Metroid's Red Brinstar area. It's just right to capture the foreboding atmosphere as you get into the real meat and potatoes of the game and the difficulty increases dramatically. As it is a chord equivalent of the Jaws interval of a repeating minor second, it works rather well for that feeling of dread.

Hey man, just wanted to say you did a great job on Popmaster, you had some really hard questions and a brutal choice of bonuses! In other news, your RU-vid channel is great too!

Something interesting about the first progression, I - V - bVII - IV is that it allows a chromatic descending melody over it: I - VII - bVII - VI (in C it would be C - B - Bb A). And, if you reorder the progression starting from the third chord, you get an ascending cycle of fifths sequence bVII - IV - I - V (Bb - F - C - G).

These videos are so well made. Well done!

This helps so much ty to be able to connect songs to chords progressions and the emotions they give us is priceless. This is the foundation that drives all music . So the melody and rythem can flow freely over them .

Loved hearing your own noodling around on every chord progression. Your playing was beautiful, and gave a pure sense of the chord progression, which can be camouflaged by the song examples you bring, because there is so much happening in them in terms of instruments and background noise, in such a short snippet of time.

I was trying to remember where else I'd heard the IV-I-V-V progression; I think the solo section from Jumper by Third Eye Blind uses that progression (or at least some variation). Great video btw :)

Brilliant as usual, thanks for the upload😎

One of my favorite songs with the I V bVII IV chord progression is "Never my love" by the Association. nice to see a variety of decades and artists, especially a group like Blink 182 from my youth.

Always love your vids and you really opened my musical mind with the brighter/darker (or cooler) take on modes - so much so that I guessed mixolydian by ear, which is a first for me.

Fantastic explanation and examples, as usual. Thanks!

Always great content David - 👍👍👍

Excellent lesson as always 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Thank you, David. You're such an amazing theory teacher!

This is the first time Ive seen your videos, thankful for your experience and expertise. Subscribed :)

Yeah, Remember Tomorrow! That's one of my favorite songs ever! I love this channel!!

Gorgeous tone mate.

Very useful segment. Thanks, David!

I really appreciated the approach you took on this video, David. You explained the concepts in simple words for a guy like me who doesn't really understand music theory, and laid out why these chord progressions work in so many songs. Modes like phyrigian and mixolydian make an appearance here, but your mentioning them doesn't detract from my basic understanding of the chord progressions you're describing. In commenting on a few recent videos of yours, I've expressed my bewilderment at your explanation of some of the more advanced concepts like modes. I don't want or expect you to stop talking about advanced music theory concepts, but I hope you will also continue to make videos to explain music for those of us who are "less advanced" in our understanding of music theory. I'm guessing I'm probably not the only one. Thanks!

Your music repertory is very much impressive!

I V bVII IV is such an amazing chord progression! Two great songs that use this progression: Bee Karma - Wand Amor Fati - Washed Out

This is personally my favorite series on this channel like honestly speaking🙂 At least I don't have to replay the songs I wanna play a thousand times just to find out which progressions they use *AND* plus some of these progressions are pretty great🎹☆ so they're quite fun to use during my practice sessions😁 Really appreciate the effort u make in creating such educating stuff like this man. Thanks a bunch!

If you ever make another one, make sure to mention the Midnight City chords: IV - vi - V - ii. It sounds great and is in plenty of songs.

The I V flatVII IV progression gave me epiphanies; each of the example songs have a different sound and feel, even though they share a chord progression. I also thought of the intro of Steely Dan's "Peg", which uses that same chord movement. So, if I'm really working my composing game, I could get my own unique sound from this kind of cadence. Not every chord progression gives me that sense. This is an excellent music theory lesson, David, and you're an exceptional educator.

In the I V bVII IV progression, if you use inversions of the V and the IV chord, you can have a chromatic bass line like C-B-Bb-A :)

Nice Job Dave. Another Good tutorial.

Thank you, that was very helpful

Zero filler! What a fantastic channel!

Great video as ever David, appreciate the work you put into these - thanks my friend, ^oo^

Great video. Thank you.

I always thought of this first I-V-bVII-IV as two plagals descending by a tone/step

You rock mate. THANK YOU! 🙏

Fantastically helpful video, clear and concise

Thanksgiving is coming up, and I just wanted to say I am thankful for David Bennett!

Extrordinarily valuable to me. As usual!

Goodluck on the radio this morning. 21 to beat!

This is soooo interesting - very cool!!

Loving the chord progression videos.

Love your channel. Also you did well on pop master today! Tough questions!

12:02 And, for me, this chord progression just has a sense of WE'VE COME A LONG LONG WAY TOGEEEEETHER

love these vids!

Orinoco Flow with their Sail Away was the first song I thought of when he started playing the IV-I-V-V progression...

A fastly recognized example of the Phrygian vamp (i-bII) is Bowie's Space Oddity intro.....

Describing the "sequence" aspect of the first progression made me realize that it could very easily be extended out to an 8-bar progression by following it up with bVII / bIII / two bars of V. Gives a nice chromatic walkdown from I to V. I'm, like, 90% sure I've heard that used somewhere, but I have no idea where.

Love this channel!!!

I was waiting for Praise You by Fat Boy Slim at the end there

guys actually a really good teacher, because although I know music inside and out I'm self taught but can't read music and he makes this comprehensive

Heard you on Radio 2 today ‘pop master’ got to say, you had some tough questions. Bad luck.Keep up the great work on your channel , really enjoy your break down of the songs.

Just dropped by to say good effort on Popmaster! 😁

I always learn something from these videos. Never heard of "sequencing" before, but it made a lot of sense. I did notice that the IV / I / V / V progression near the end is used for the Cinematic Orchestra's "Build a Home". I transcribed it to guitar a couple of years ago, and I use D/F# / A/E / E !

These videos are GOLD! Loaded with many practical applications … so good! You should create a cadence ear training course. Seriously 🇨🇦

Hope you are doing well, David - you put a lot into this work!

I love the forward driving force behind the I/ii/IV/V progression and think it works perfectly in punk songs

I find the IV-I-V progression interesting. Whether you feel the V cord as a dominant often depends on the melody. It can just as easily be a bIIII-bVIiI-I. I suppose it matters whether the I is major or minor ((i) in this context. But without the melodic song examples,I heard that “V”chord as a “I” chord.. there are plenty of examples of this in the rock realm, even where the “I” isn’t an explicit or implied minor.

A close relative to the Phrygian Vamp is the Phrygian Dominant/Double Harmonic/Flamenco vamp, I bII

One thing you didn't mention in the first progression was the descending chromatic movement within it. Let's say we play it in the key of D. The progression would be D-A-C-G. But within those chords you've got D-C#-C-B. So four half steps. Any time your progression has that kind of line cliche within it, it's going to have a natural flow.

Amazing video as always, i would say that the "phrygian vamp" would be seen as a iii - IV progression (for example Em - F in the key of C major), but your analysis works just as well!

Our favourite music teacher

10:10 This somewhat reminded me "Śmierć poety" ("Death of the poet") by Polish rock band Kult. And sure enough... It's exactly the same chord progression. Em F.

Yet another cool video. Breaking theory into little bites that are easily understood. Good stuff.💪👍🥃🎸

Ben Lee, Catch My Disease! Love that song, and thank you for teaching me it’s I-ii-IV-V. Had been playing it as I-vi-IV-V because my novice guitar brain is so stuck on those 4 chords. Same for 99 luftballoons. Lucky for me ii is also an easy open guitar chord (in G or C).

Two Shrek songs in one David Bennett video. Rare.

you‘re incredible! :D Love your videos, I‘m going to recommend your channel to a friend of mine who‘s studying musicology.

great video david i love your videis

It‘s incredible where he gets all these examples from! Very impressive. As for the last chord progression, I would have actually always watched it as bVII - IV - I - I (instead of IV - I - V - V), but I believe IV - I - V - V makes more sense. And again: great examples! Actually eye opening!

WHOOHOO! 😃 A chord pattern I've suggested in the comments to two previous videos in this series has finally made it in! (It's the second one you talked about; I ii IV V ).

I am a drummer but how you explaining it I'm getting it about 60%, thank you for that.

Great video bro 🔥