Popular Rock Chord Changes

A few stand out as being particularly prevalent when it comes to the most famous chord changes in today’s rock music. Here are 15 of the most commonly used chord changes in today’s rock music:

  1. I-V-vi-IV – This chord progression is often called the “50s progression” and is used in countless songs, including “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond and “Let it Be” by The Beatles.
  2. ii-V-I – This chord progression is often used in jazz music, but it’s also commonly found in rock songs like “Don’t Stop Believin'” by Journey.
  3. I-vi-IV-V – This chord progression is often referred to as the “pop-punk progression” and is used in many pop-punk and punk rock songs such as “The Middle” by Jimmy Eat World.
  4. I-vi-iii-IV – This chord progression is often called the “sentimental progression” and is used in many songs that evoke a sense of nostalgia and longing, such as “Wonderwall” by Oasis.
  5. I-vi-V-IV – This chord progression is often called the “four chord progression” and is used in many pop and rock songs, such as “Living on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi.
  6. I-vi-vi-V-IV-I-V – This chord progression is often called the “eight chord progression” and is used in many pop and rock songs, such as “Summer of ’69” by Bryan Adams.
  7. I-V-vi-iii-IV-I-V – This chord progression is often called the “seven chord progression” and is used in many pop and rock songs, such as “Counting Stars” by OneRepublic.
  8. iii-vi-ii-V-I – This chord progression is often called the “jazz progression” and is used in many jazz and rock songs, such as “Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers.
  9. ii-V-I-vi – This chord progression is often called the “rock progression” and is used in many rock songs, such as “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin.
  10. ii-V-I-vi-IV-V – This chord progression is often called the “blues progression” and is used in many blues and rock songs, such as “Sweet Home Chicago” by Robert Johnson
  11. iii-vi-ii-V-I-vi – This chord progression is often called the “jazz-rock progression” and is used in many jazz-rock and rock songs, such as “All Along the Watchtower” by Jimi Hendrix.
  12. ii-V-I-vi-IV-V-I – This chord progression is often called the “rock-blues progression” and is used in many rock and blues songs, such as “Born to Run” by Bruce Springsteen.
  13. iii-vi-ii-V-I-vi-IV-V – This chord progression is often called the “jazz-rock-blues progression” and is used in many jazz-rock and rock-blues songs, such as “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen.
  14. I-vi-IV-V – This chord progression is often called the “pop progression” and is used in many pop and rock songs, such as “Happy Birthday” by Stevie Wonder.
  15. I-vi-vi-V-IV-I-V-V – This chord progression is often called the “eight-chord progression.”

50 Female Lyricists Who Penned Top Ten Rock Hits

An alphabetical list of 50 female lyricists who have penned top 10 hits in the rock music genre:

  1. Adele Adkins – “Someone Like You,” “Rolling in the Deep”
  2. Alanis Morissette – “Ironic,” “You Oughta Know”
  3. Ann Wilson – “Crazy on You,” “Barracuda”
  4. Bonnie Tyler – “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” “Holding Out for a Hero”
  5. Carly Simon – “You’re So Vain,” “Nobody Does It Better”
  6. Carole King – “I Feel the Earth Move,” “So Far Away”
  7. Chaka Khan – “Ain’t Nobody,” “Through the Fire”
  8. Chynna Phillips – “Hold On,” “Walking on Sunshine”
  9. Debbie Harry – “Heart of Glass,” “Call Me”
  10. Dido – “Thank You,” “White Flag”
  11. Donna Summer – “She Works Hard for the Money,” “Hot Stuff”
  12. Dua Lipa – “Levitating,” “Don’t Show Up”
  13. Dusty Springfield – “Son of a Preacher Man,” “The Look of Love”
  14. Ellie Goulding – “Lights,” “Anything Could Happen”
  15. Fiona Apple – “Criminal,” “Shadowboxer”
  16. Florence Welch – “Shake It Out,” “Spectrum (Say My Name)”
  17. Gwen Stefani – “Hollaback Girl,” “The Sweet Escape”
  18. Heart – “Barracuda,” “What About Love”
  19. Joss Stone – “You Had Me,” “Right to Be Wrong”
  20. Kate Bush – “Running Up That Hill,” “Wuthering Heights”
  21. KD Lang – “Constant Craving,” “Miss Chatelaine”
  22. Kelly Clarkson – “Since U Been Gone,” “Stronger”
  23. Lauryn Hill – “Doo Wop (That Thing),” “Everything is Everything”
  24. Lily Allen – “Smile,” “The Fear”
  25. Lisa Loeb – “Stay (I Missed You),” “Do You Sleep?”
  26. Madonna – “Like a Virgin,” “Material Girl”
  27. Mariah Carey – “Fantasy,” “Vision of Love”
  28. Mary J. Blige – “Family Affair,” “Be Without You”
  29. Meredith Brooks – “Bitch,” “What Would Happen”
  30. Missy Elliott – “Get Ur Freak On,” “Work It”
  31. Nico – “These Days,” “Femme Fatale”
  32. No Doubt – “Don’t Speak,” “Just a Girl”
  33. Pink – “So What,” “Just Give Me a Reason”
  34. Regina Spektor – “Fidelity,” “Us”
  35. Rita Ora – “Your Song,” “Anywhere”
  36. Robyn – “Dancing On My Own,” “Honey”
  37. Sade – “Smooth Operator,” “Sweetest Taboo”
  38. Sarah McLachlan – “Building a Mystery,” “I Will Remember You”
  39. Sia – “Chandelier,” “Elastic Heart”
  40. Siouxsie Sioux – “Peek-a-Boo,” “Cities in Dust”
  41. Stevie Nicks – “Edge of Seventeen,” “Landslide”
  42. Taylor Swift – “Blank Space,” “Shake It Off”
  43. Tina Turner – “What’s Love Got to Do with It,” “Private Dancer”
  44. Tori Amos – “Cornflake Girl,” “A Sorta Fairytale”
  45. Tracy Chapman – “Fast Car,” “Talkin’ ‘Bout a Revolution”
  46. Janis Ian – “At Seventeen,” “Society’s Child”
  47. Joni Mitchell – “Both Sides, Now,” “Big Yellow Taxi”
  48. Kate Nash – “Foundations,” “Merry Happy”
  49. Lisa Stansfield – “All Around the World,” “Change”
  50. Suzanne Vega – “Luka,” “Tom’s Diner”