50s ProgressionChord progression · I – vi – IV – V
Classic 50s doo-wop cycle — sweet and nostalgic.
In C major
Why the 50s Progression progression works
Home, the wistful relative minor, then IV and V. The V points straight back at I, so the end of the loop feels like a doorway to the start. That is the doo-wop sweetness.
Songs built on it, each in its own key:
- Stand by Me
- Earth Angel
- Blue Moon
- Heart and Soul
- Unchained Melody
- Every Breath You Take
- Duke of Earl
Heard in: PopPop balladSoulGospel
How to play 50s Progression in C major
One voicing per chord, each the nearest to the chord before, so your hand stays in one spot. Open any chord in the chord library for every other way to play it.
50s Progression chords in all 12 keys
The same numerals in every key. Each chord opens in the chord library, and each key plays in the progression builder.
What scale to play over 50s Progression
Over the whole progression in C major: C Major, C Major pentatonic. To follow every chord, switch to the scale the progression builder picks for it.
| Chord | Scale over it |
|---|---|
| I · C | C Major |
| vi · Am | A Natural minor |
| IV · F | F Lydian |
| V · G | G Mixolydian |
50s Progression questions
What are the chords of the 50s Progression?
I – vi – IV – V. In C major that is C, Am, F, G; in G major it is G, Em, C, D.
Which songs use the 50s Progression?
Stand by Me, Earth Angel, Blue Moon, Heart and Soul, Unchained Melody, Every Breath You Take and Duke of Earl, each in its own key.
What scale do you play over the 50s Progression?
C Major and C Major pentatonic fit the whole progression in C major. Chord by chord: C Major over C, A Natural minor over Am, F Lydian over F, G Mixolydian over G.
How do you play the 50s Progression in another key?
Keep the numerals and move every chord by the same distance. The table on this page spells it in all 12 keys, and each key opens in the progression builder.