8-Bar Blues Chord Progression

The 8-bar blues is the chord progression I V IV IV / I V I V. In the key of C major it is C G F F / C G C G, and in the Nashville Number System it is written 1 5 4 4 / 1 5 1 5.

Jump to the chords and audio in C, G, D, A and E

Why it works

The form moves to V in bar 2 and to IV in bar 3, much faster than a 12-bar. Wikipedia quotes that early V as the mark of the 8-bar blues. Because the verse is so short it feels like a question and answer that keeps circling, and the last-bar V throws it straight back to the top.

Songs that use it

These are the chords as played in each song, in the song's own key.

8-Bar Blues Chord Progression: Chords and Audio in C, G, D, A and E

Press play to hear each key. The diagrams show the shapes used in the audio, and every chord links to its full page.

Key of C major

C   G   F   F

C   G   C   G

C

G

F

Key of G major

G   D   C   C

G   D   G   D

G

D

C

Key of D major

D   A   G   G

D   A   D   A

D

A

G

Key of A major

A   E   D   D

A   E   A   E

A

E

D

Key of E major

E   B   A   A

E   B   E   B

E

B

A

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