I IV II V Chord Progression
In the key of C major the I-IV-II-V progression is C F D G. In the Nashville Number System it is written 1 4 2 5.
Chords from outside the key of C major: D.
Jump to the chords and audio in C, G, D, A and E
Why it works
Like I-IV-ii-V, but the ii is major, so II works as a secondary dominant of V. That II contains an F#, the leading tone of G, and gives the turnaround a stronger push. Strictly it is V/V to V.
How to use it
It is common to see the ii in the progression but here we have a major II thrown in with our regular I-IV-V. It almost has a bit of a twangy blues feel, of course adding 7th chords in will help that vibe.
Songs that use it
These are the chords as played in each song, in the song's own key.
| Song | Artist | Section | Chords | Key |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hold Up | Beyonce | intro and verse | C F D G | C major |
| Hold Me Tight | The Beatles | verse | F Bb G C7 | F major |
| Summer Nights | John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John | chorus | D G E A | D major |
| Candy Says | The Velvet Underground | chorus | D G E A | D major |
| Boogie On Reggae Woman | Stevie Wonder | verse | Ab Db Bb7 Eb7 Ab | Ab major |
I IV II V 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
- Montgomery-Ward bridge: C F Dm G
- iii-vi-ii-V: Em Am Dm G
- I-VI-ii-V: C A Dm G
- ii-V vamp: Dm7 G7
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-IV-II-V progression in each key?
In C major: C F D G. In G major: G C A D. In D major: D G E A. In A major: A D B E. In E major: E A F# B.
Which songs use the I-IV-II-V progression?
Songs that use it include Hold Up by Beyonce, Hold Me Tight by The Beatles, Summer Nights by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John.
