i bVI bVII Chord Progression
In the key of C minor the i-bVI-bVII progression is Cm Ab Bb. In the Nashville Number System it is written 1m b6 b7.
It is also known as Aeolian cadence.
The same loop is also written bVI-bVII-i.
Jump to the chords and audio in C, G, D, A and E
Why it works
The Aeolian rise. bVI to bVII climbs by step toward the tonic, and bVII to i is the subtonic resolution, the natural minor substitute for V to i. It is the sound of rock anthems and heavy riffs.
The same loop as Aeolian cadence (bVI-bVII-i)
Two major chords climb by step and land on the tonic, with bVII doing the job of the dominant. Open Music Theory names this the Aeolian cadence and notes that, unlike the shuttle, it is goal-directed. When the last chord is major it becomes the Mario cadence, bVI-bVII-I.
How to use it
This minor rock progression has a nice but light driving feel to it. It's a great set of chords if you have a story to tell! Sometimes the bVI and bVII are switched and it also sounds nice if you add a V in there occasionally.
Songs that use it
These are the chords as played in each song, in the song's own key.
| Song | Artist | Section | Chords | Key |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Running Up That Hill | Kate Bush | chorus | Ab Bb Cm | C minor |
| Stay | The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber | chorus | Gb Ab Bbm | Bb minor |
| Redbone | Childish Gambino | verse | Bb C Dm | D minor |
| Eye of the Tiger | Survivor | verse | Am F G with capo 3, sounding Cm Ab Bb | C minor |
| You Give Love a Bad Name | Bon Jovi | chorus | Cm Ab Bb (i VI VII) | C minor |
| Go Your Own Way | Fleetwood Mac | chorus | Dm Bb C (i VI VII) | D minor |
| Lose Yourself | Eminem | chorus | Dm Bb C (i VI VII9) | D minor |
| Poker Face | Lady Gaga | verse | G#m E/G# F# (i VI6 VII) | G# minor |
| Dirty Diana | Michael Jackson | verse and chorus | Gm Eb F (i VI VII) | G minor |
| Tarzan Boy | Baltimora | verse | Dm Bb C (plays vi-IV-V) | F major |
| Take Me Home Tonight | Eddie Money | verse and pre-chorus | Bbm Gb Ab (plays vi-IV-V) | Db major |
| Sex and Candy | Marcy Playground | chorus | Bm G A (plays vi-IV-V) | D major |
| The Fellowship theme (The Lord of the Rings) | Howard Shore | end of each phrase | bVI-bVII-I |
i bVI bVII 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.
More progressions like this one
- i-bVII-bIII-bVI: Cm Bb Eb Ab
- i-bVI shuttle: Cm Ab
- Minor i-iv-V: Cm Fm G
- Minor i-iv-i-V shuttle: Cm Fm Cm G
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 i-bVI-bVII progression in each key?
In C minor: Cm Ab Bb. In G minor: Gm Eb F. In D minor: Dm Bb C. In A minor: Am F G. In E minor: Em C D.
Which songs use the i-bVI-bVII progression?
Songs that use it include Running Up That Hill by Kate Bush, Stay by The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber, Redbone by Childish Gambino.
