The I–V–vi–IV chord progression

The pop axis. Bright and anthemic. The most-used progression of the last 40 years.

Quick answer

I–V–vi–IV in C major is C G Am F.

Key

What the I–V–vi–IV progression sounds like

Bright and anthemic. The most-used progression of the last 40 years. In C major it's C G Am F.

Heard in: Let It Be (Beatles), Don't Stop Believin' (Journey).

You'll find it in Pop, Punk and pop punk, Gospel and worship songwriting.

Scales that fit I–V–vi–IV

Over this progression in C, the best-fitting scales are C Major (Ionian), F Lydian, C Mixolydian. Put your own chords into the scale finder to see more.

I–V–vi–IV in every key

The I–V–vi–IV progression in all 12 major keys
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
Db major	Db Ab Bbm Gb
Ab major	Ab Eb Fm Db
Eb major	Eb Bb Cm Ab
Bb major	Bb F Gm Eb
F major	F C Dm Bb

Browse by genre

Pop Rock Blues Jazz Country Folk Soul and R&B Punk and pop punk Metal Lo-fi and chill Gospel and worship Minor-key songwriting

Common questions

What are the chords in the I–V–vi–IV progression?

In C major the I–V–vi–IV progression is C G Am F. The pattern is the same in every key; the table above lists all 12.

What scale goes with I–V–vi–IV?

In C, the C Major (Ionian) fits best. F Lydian and C Mixolydian add different colors.

Last updated November 14, 2026.