I–V–vi–IV

The four chords — open, carrying, without weight — the progression that sounds most like »a song« before any melody is on top.

Degrees: I–V–vi–IV
Mode: major
Bars: 4
In C major: C – G – Am – F

The progression in C major

IC VG viAm IVF

In all twelve keys

The same degrees, shifted twelve times. To move a song into another key, read off the row.

Key	I	V	vi	IV
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	Dm	Bb
Bb major	Bb	F	Gm	Eb
Eb major	Eb	Bb	Cm	Ab
Ab major	Ab	Eb	Fm	Db
Db major	Db	Ab	Bbm	Gb
F# major	F#	C#	D#m	B

Why it sounds that way

Three of the four are the primary degrees: tonic, dominant, subdominant. The fourth, the sixth degree, is the relative minor of the tonic and shares two of its three notes. That is why the loop never really leaves the key and can repeat endlessly without tiring.

Where you hear it

Let It Be — The Beatles
With or Without You — U2
Don't Stop Believin' — Journey
Someone Like You — Adele

Related progressions

vi–IV–I–VThe same four, starting minor I–vi–IV–VThe fifties progression I–IV–VThe three primary chords

Anotona does this for you

Photograph a page of sheet music or play the melody — Anotona finds the key, engraves the notes and transposes them into any other. Free.

See Anotona

Every note on this page is computed, not typed in — following the rule that also makes F# major spell its seventh degree E#, not F.