Yes, many popular songs use only one chord, relying on rhythm, melody, and production for interest, with classic examples including Aretha Franklin's "Chain of Fools", CCR's "Run Through the Jungle", Harry Nilsson's "Coconut", and Bob Marley's "Get Up, Stand Up". These "one-chord wonders" create hypnotic grooves and focus on other musical elements like vocals and percussion, showcasing that complex harmony isn't always necessary for a hit.
"Tomorrow Never Knows" – The Beatles
A single C major drone underpins the whole song. No progression, just a swirling mix of tape loops and backward guitars.
The "forbidden chord" in music refers to the tritone, an interval spanning three whole tones (six semitones), known for its harsh dissonance, historically called diabolus in musica (devil in music) and avoided in medieval church music for sounding unpleasant and unsettling, but now a crucial tool in genres from jazz to metal for creating tension.
When John Lennon wrote 'Tomorrow Never Knows' he wanted to create a psychedelic sound using one chord, and he did! It's no wonder he is considered one of the worlds greatest songwriters. Here is a short video on how to play it!
Swift has also used a similar progression — the I-V-ii-IV — in 20 different songs. This progression has only one chord different — so instead of being C-G-A minor-F if it's in the key of C, it would be C-G-D minor-F. Re-using chord progressions is nothing new.
7 Popular Sad Chord Progressions
Jimi Hendrix's "favorite chord" is widely considered the dominant 7th sharp 9th (7#9), famously known as the "Hendrix Chord," characterized by its tense, bluesy sound, often played as an E7#9 in songs like "Purple Haze" and "Foxy Lady," blending major and minor qualities with a sharp ninth. He used variations of this chord and thumb-over-the-neck techniques to add richness and movement, creating his signature sound.
The "4 golden chords" refer to the ubiquitous I–V–vi–IV progression, a simple yet powerful chord sequence (like C-G-Am-F in C Major) that forms the backbone of thousands of pop, rock, and country songs, allowing beginners to play countless hits by just changing the key. It's considered a musical shortcut, unlocking easy access to a massive catalog of music by repeating this fundamental pattern.
The musical interval of a tritone or diminished fifth was referred to as The Devil's Chord (or the Devil In Music) and subsequently banned by the Roman Catholic Church.
The scariest piano chords rely on dissonance, tension, and instability, with the Diminished Seventh chord, the Minor Major 7th (Hitchcock chord), and tight note clusters (like minor seconds) being top contenders, often used in progressions like alternating C minor and Ab minor for deep unease or adding a semitone above a minor triad (like A-C-E-F) for a creepy rub.
The "forbidden guitar song" refers primarily to the intro of Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven," famously overplayed by customers in guitar stores, leading to jokes and signs banning it, popularized by Wayne's World. Other notoriously overplayed riffs often included in this category are Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water," Metallica's "Enter Sandman," and Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit," all staples for beginner guitarists testing instruments.
50+ four-chord songs (I–V–vi–IV)
Many of the biggest hits in pop, rock, and even EDM use this simple four-chord progression, making it one of the most recognizable patterns in modern music. So, once you have this simple chord progression down, you can instantly try playing these songs!
Fun fact: I analysed the song Just and realised it has a total of 15 different chords in it.
10 Famous Songs with Three Chords or Less
The 80/20 rule (Pareto principle) applied to guitar means 80% of your musical results come from focusing on just 20% of crucial skills, like core chords, rhythm, scales (pentatonic/blues), and timing, cutting out "fluff" for faster progress. It suggests focusing heavily on essential skills like basic chords, strumming, and rhythm (the "80%") to achieve most of your playing goals, rather than getting lost in advanced theory or complex solos, which often yield less practical benefit early on.
1: Jimi Hendrix
Not only did Jimi Hendrix expand the sonic possibilities of what a guitar could do, but he also found uncharted places that a guitar could take you to.
Popular 3-chord songs span genres and eras, often using common progressions like G-C-D or A-D-E, and include classics like The Troggs' "Wild Thing," CCR's "Bad Moon Rising," Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind," Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues," and modern hits like Ed Sheeran's "Thinking Out Loud" or The Weeknd's "Blinding Lights," proving simple structures create enduring hits.
The tritone is an interval spanning three whole tones, also known as an augmented fourth or diminished fifth. Historically dubbed the “Devil's Interval,” the tritone was considered highly dissonant and was often avoided in early Western music.
7th chord rules involve adding a note a seventh interval above the root of a triad, stacking thirds (root, 3rd, 5th, 7th) to build them, and understanding that the quality of the 7th (major, minor, diminished) changes the chord's sound and function, with the dominant 7th (major triad + minor 7th, like C7 or C-E-G-B♭) being crucial for resolution in progressions. Key rules focus on construction (stacked thirds), notation (e.g., maj7, m7, 7), and tendency tones (like the tritone in dominant 7ths that resolves).
i – VI – III – VII
A grand and expressive progression, this one builds sadness through its rise from minor to major chords before descending back, offering a melancholic, bittersweet sound.
Many Taylor Swift songs are surprisingly simple, often relying on just 3 or 4 basic chords (like G, C, D, Em, Am, F), making them perfect for beginners on guitar or piano, with popular examples including "Shake It Off," "You Belong With Me," "Love Story," "Mirrorball," and "The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived," utilizing progressions that repeat throughout the song for easy learning.