Pop DriveChord progression · vi – IV – I – V
Emotional pop driver — same chords as Pop Anthem, starts on vi.
In C major
Why the Pop Drive progression works
The Pop Anthem chords started from the minor vi. Starting there makes the mood moody first and lifts only when the IV and I arrive. Same four chords, a different place to begin, a different feeling.
Songs built on it, each in its own key:
- Despacito
- Zombie
- Numb
Heard in: Indie rockPunkPopPop ballad
How to play Pop Drive 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.
Pop Drive 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 Pop Drive
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 |
|---|---|
| vi · Am | A Natural minor |
| IV · F | F Lydian |
| I · C | C Major |
| V · G | G Mixolydian |
Pop Drive questions
What are the chords of the Pop Drive progression?
vi – IV – I – V. In C major that is Am, F, C, G; in G major it is Em, C, G, D.
Which songs use the Pop Drive progression?
Despacito, Zombie and Numb, each in its own key.
What scale do you play over the Pop Drive progression?
C Major and C Major pentatonic fit the whole progression in C major. Chord by chord: A Natural minor over Am, F Lydian over F, C Major over C, G Mixolydian over G.
How do you play the Pop Drive 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.