I iii vi IV Chord Progression
In the key of C major the I-iii-vi-IV progression is C Em Am F. In the Nashville Number System it is written 1 3m 6m 4.
Jump to the chords and audio in C, G, D, A and E
Why it works
The root rises a third from I to iii, the two chords sharing two notes, then falls a fifth to vi before IV opens the loop back up. It sounds warm and a little bittersweet. It is diatonic to the major scale.
Songs that use it
These are the chords as played in each song, in the song's own key.
| Song | Artist | Section | Chords | Key |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Someone Like You | Adele | intro | A C#m F#m D | A major |
| We Are the Champions | Queen | chorus | F Am Dm Bb | F major |
| The One That Got Away | Katy Perry | verse and chorus | E G#m C#m A | E major |
| Price Tag | Jessie J | verse and pre-chorus | F Am Dm Bb | F major |
I iii vi IV 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
- vi-iii-IV-I: Am Em F C
- Romanesca (major-key form): C G Am Em
- ii-IV-V climb: Dm F G
- I-vi: C Am
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-iii-vi-IV progression in each key?
In C major: C Em Am F. In G major: G Bm Em C. In D major: D F#m Bm G. In A major: A C#m F#m D. In E major: E G#m C#m A.
Which songs use the I-iii-vi-IV progression?
Songs that use it include Someone Like You by Adele, We Are the Champions by Queen, The One That Got Away by Katy Perry.
