The IV–I–V–vi chord progression

Floating pop. Starts away from home, so it feels like it's drifting upward.

Quick answer

IV–I–V–vi in C major is F C G Am.

Key

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

Starts away from home, so it feels like it's drifting upward. In C major it's F C G Am.

You'll find it in Pop songwriting.

Scales that fit IV–I–V–vi

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

IV–I–V–vi in every key

The IV–I–V–vi progression in all 12 major keys
Key	Chords
C major	F C G Am
G major	C G D Em
D major	G D A Bm
A major	D A E F#m
E major	A E B C#m
B major	E B F# G#m
F# major	B F# C# D#m
Db major	Gb Db Ab Bbm
Ab major	Db Ab Eb Fm
Eb major	Ab Eb Bb Cm
Bb major	Eb Bb F Gm
F major	Bb F C Dm

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Common questions

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

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

What scale goes with IV–I–V–vi?

In C, the F Lydian fits best. A Natural minor (Aeolian) and F Major (Ionian) add different colors.

Last updated November 14, 2026.