Hopscotch Chord Progression (IV V vi I)
The Hopscotch progression is the chord progression IV-V-vi-I. In the key of C major it is F G Am C, and in the Nashville Number System it is written 4 5 6m 1.
It is also known as hopscotch schema, VI-VII-i-III in the relative minor.
Jump to the chords and audio in C, G, D, A and E
Why it works
Two rising steps from IV to vi, then a skip up to I. The I arrives by a leap instead of a cadence, so either vi or I can feel like home. It uses the major scale or its relative natural minor, and it has grown common in pop since about 2010.
Songs that use it
These are the chords as played in each song, in the song's own key.
| Song | Artist | Section | Chords | Key |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bad Romance | Lady Gaga | chorus | F G Am C | A minor |
| When You Were Young | The Killers | verse and chorus | E F# G#m B | B major |
| Love Story | Taylor Swift | pre-chorus | G A Bm D | D major |
| Heaven | Bryan Adams | chorus | F G Am C | C major |
Hopscotch 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.
Shorter progressions inside it
- IV-V-vi: F G Am
More progressions like this one
- Rotated doo-wop: F G C Am
- I-V-ii: C G Dm
- Wild Thing loop: C F G F
- Louie Louie progression: C F Gm F
All guitar chord progressions →
Created by
Giancarlo is a musician (teaching guitar since 2000), software engineer, AI consultant and published researcher
FAQ
What are the chords of the Hopscotch progression in each key?
In C major: F G Am C. In G major: C D Em G. In D major: G A Bm D. In A major: D E F#m A. In E major: A B C#m E.
Which songs use the Hopscotch progression?
Songs that use it include Bad Romance by Lady Gaga, When You Were Young by The Killers, Love Story by Taylor Swift.
