Above is the Axis Of Awesome 4 Chords, a popular YouTube video. The video "proves that all you need to be a pop star is four simple chords." The audio is accompanied with a slide show of the original artists. All of these songs were based on the I-V-vi-IV chord progression. In the key of "C", the progrssion is C-G-Am-F. This progression is created by moving the chords around (displacement) in the I-vi-IV-V Doo-Wop progression that was popular in the 1950s and 1960s and has since been used to write thousands of hit songs. The song list from the video is shown below followed by several they missed.
Journey - Don't Stop Believing
James Blunt - You're Beautiful
Alphaville - Forever Young
Jason Mraz - I'm Yours
Mika - Happy Ending
Alex Lloyd - Amazing
The Calling - Wherever You Will Go
Elton John - Can You Feel The Love Tonight
Maroon 5 - She Will Be Loved
The Last Goodnight - Pictures Of You
U2- With Or Without You
Crowled House - Fall At Your Feet
Kasey Chambers - Not Pretty Enough
The Beatles - Let It Be
Red Hot Chilli Peppers - Under the Bridge
Daryl Braithwaite - The Horses
Bob Marley - No Woman No Cry
Marcy Playgroung - Sex and Candy
Men At Work - Land Down Under
Banjo Patterson's Waltzing Matilda
A Ha - Take On Me
Green Day - When I Come Around
Eagle Eye Cherry - Save Tonight
Toto - Africa
Beoynce - If I were a Boy
The Offspring - Self Esteem
The Offspring - You're Gonna Go Far Kid
Pink - You and Your Hand
Lady Gaga - Poker Face
Aqua - Barbie Girl
The Fray - You Found Me
3Oh!3 - Don't Trust Me
MGMT - Kids
Tim Minchin - Canvas Bags
Natalie Imbruglia - Torn
Five For Fighting - Superman
Other Examples?
Teady Bears - To Know Him Is To Love Him
Chiffons - One Fine Day
Peter, Paul & Mary - Don't Think Twice, It's Alright
Flying Machine - Smile A Little Smile For Me
Jesus Christ Superstar - Everything's Alright
John Denver - Take Me Home, Country Roads
Kelly Clarkson - Breakaway
John Cougar - Hurts So Good
Mary Chapin Carpenter - Passionate Kisses
Rolling Stones - Beast Of Burden
Peter Frampton - Baby, I Love Your Way
Johnny Rivers - Slow Dancing
Don Henley - Not Enough Love In The World
Billy Joel - We Didn't Start The Fire
Matchbox Twenty - Push
Click below for the best in free Axis of Awesome 4 Chords lessons available on the web.
