Four-Chord Pop Progression

               This chord progression is very common in modern pop music.

Here's a list of some pop songs that use this pattern. Most of these songs were not originally performed/recorded in the key of C, but they can be. Have fun trying them out!  

Call Me Maybe – Carly Rae Jepson
I'm Yours – Jason Mraz
Trouble – Taylor Swift
Can You Feel the Love Tonight? – Lion King
We Are Young – Fun
Baby, Baby – Justin Beiber
Just the Way You Are – Bruno Mars
Hey, Soul Sister – Train
Firework – Katy Perry
Hot and Cold – Katy Perry
Somewhere Over the Rainbow (newer melody)
Country Roads – John Denver
Take On Me – A-ha
What Makes You Beautiful – One Direction
The A Team – Ed Sheeran
If I Die Young – The Band Perry
Jar of Hearts – Christina Perri
I Won't Give Up – Gavin DeGraw
We Found Love – Rhianna
Stronger – Kelly Clarkson
Starships – Niki Manaj
Titanium – David Guetta
Perfect – P!nk
Hey Ya – Outcast
Wrecking Ball – Miley Cyrus
Diamonds – Rhianna
Someone Like You – Adele
Say Something – A Great Big World
Don’t Stop Believing by Journey (1981)
Let It Be by The Beatles (1970)
She Will Be Loved by Maroon 5
Edge of Glory by Lady Gaga (2011)

Here's a link to a great site where you can find chords and play-alongs for a lot of easy pop songs: https://liveukulele.com/songs/  Check it out!

Four-Chord Fun with the Fifties Progression

This chord progression became very popular in the 1950s and continued to be popular for decades. 
Here are some songs that use this progression: 

A Teenager in Love – Dion and the Belmonts     (1959)

All I Have to Do Is Dream – The Everly Brothers     (1960)

All I Want for Christmas Is You – Mariah Carey     (1994)

Blue Moon – The Marcels     (1961)  

Crocodile Rock – Elton John     (1972)   

Duke of Earl – Gene Chandler     (1962)

Earth Angel – The Penguins     (1954)

Every Breath You Take – The Police     (1983)

Heart and Soul – Larry Clinton     (1938)

I Love the Mountains (familiar round)
I Will Always Love You –D. Parton/W. Houston  (1974/1992)  

Lollipop – Ronald and Ruby  (1958)

Monster Mash – Bobby Pickett  (1962)

This Magic Moment -  The Drifters  (1960)

Unchained Melody – Righteous Brothers  (1955)

Where Have All the Flowers Gone? – Pete Seger  (1955) 

Who Put the Bomp (in the Bomp…) – Barry Mann  (1961)

Why Do Fools Fall in Love? – Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers   (1956)

You Are Not Alone – Michael Jackson  (1995)
You Don't Own Me –  Lesley Gore (1963)

For an extensive list, check out this link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_containing_the_50s_progression 

Easy Pop Ukulele

Jeri's List of Easy Pop Ukulele Pieces 

These songs are listed from easiest level to moderately challenging.

Most of the title below include a link to a chord/TAB page. 
Listen to and play along to all of these pieces by accessing my Spotify Playlist, Ukulele Play-Alongs.  

Coconut (lime in the coconut) – C chord whole song, C-G bordun/bass

Banana Boat Song (Day-o) – Pattern #1 practice F F C7 F on “Daylight come, and I wanna go home.”

When I’m Gone, Anna Kendrick (“Cup Song”) – Am, C, F, G chords

https://ukutabs.com/a/anna-kendrick/cups/

Ho Hey, Lumineers – C and F review. C chord most of the time. F on first “I belong with you” each time. https://ukutabs.com/t/the-lumineers/ho-hey/ 

Sweet Home Alabama, Lynrd Skynrd – D, C, G progression

Ring of Fire, Johnny Cash – G and D only (some quick transitions)

Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door, Bob Dylan – G, D, Am7, C (repeatedly)

https://ukutabs.com/b/bob-dylan/knocking-on-heavens-door/

Hallelujah, Leonard Cohen (recording by Rufus Wainwright) – C, Am, F, G, Em  https://ukutabs.com/l/leonard-cohen/hallelujah/

Halo, Beyonce – A, Bm, D, F#m    
https://ukutabs.com/b/beyonce/halo/  (F#m listed as Gbm in TAB)

Let It Be, Beatles – Am, C, F, G   https://ukutabs.com/t/the-beatles/let-it-be/
(Disregard Em and Dm chords. Simply pick F E D C notes instead of playing quick chords.)

The Lion Sleeps Tonight, The Tokens - F, Bb, F, C7 (repeats) Key of F with Tokens' recording.
Key of C with Cyntiah Lin's play-along video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6iPnBZJR1E 

Sunday Morning (All I Need), Maroon 5 – C, Dm, G7   
https://ukutabs.com/m/maroon-5/sunday-morning/

Complicated, Avril Lavigne – Bb, C, Dm, F, Gm   
https://ukutabs.com/a/avril-lavigne/complicated-two/

Bad Moon Rising, Creedence Clearwater Revival – A, D, G  

https://ukutabs.com/c/creedence-clearwater-revival/bad-moon-rising/

Have You Ever Seen the Rain? Creedence Clearwater Revival – Am, C, F, G 

https://ukutabs.com/c/creedence-clearwater-revival/have-you-ever-seen-the-rain/

Thunder, Imagine Dragons – Am, C, Dm, Em, F, G  
https://ukutabs.com/i/imagine-dragons/thunder-two/

On Top of the World, Imagine Dragons – C, Dm, F, G 

https://ukutabs.com/i/imagine-dragons/on-top-of-the-world/

Geronimo, Sheppard – Am, C, Em, G    
https://ukutabs.com/s/sheppard/geronimo/

Free Fallin’, John Mayer – Bb, C, F
https://ukutabs.com/j/john-mayer/free-fallin/

I’m Yours, Jason Mraz – Am, C, D7, F, G
https://ukutabs.com/j/jason-mraz/im-yours/

Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Iz – Am, C, D, Dm7, Em, E7,  F,  G   

https://ukutabs.com/i/israel-kamakawiwoole/somewhere-over-the-rainbow-what-a-wonderful-world/

Crocodile Rock, Elton John – A7, Bm, C, D, D7, E, Em, F, G

https://ukutabs.com/e/elton-john/crocodile-rock/

Love Song, Sara Bareilles – A, Am, Bb, C Dm, F, G, Gm    

https://ukutabs.com/s/sara-bareilles/love-song/

Moonlight, Grace VanderWaal – A, C, C, D, D5, E, Em, G   

https://ukutabs.com/g/grace-vanderwaal/moonlight/   

New find: check out this playable song list by Dr. Jill Reese.

Big Three for Key of D

These are the most common chords in the key of D.

The TONIC chord, based on the first note of the scale, also called the one chord, is D.

The SUB-DOMINANT chord, based on the fourth of the D scale, also called the four chord, is G.

The DOMINANT chord, based on the fifth note of the scale, also called the five chord, is A.

When a note seven scale-steps above the root of a triad (a three-note chord) is added, a "7" is added to the chord name. Seventh chords are more dissonant/tense than simple triads, and they lead our ears/minds to expect a less dissonant (more relaxing) chord to follow. Dominant seventh (V7) chords usually lead back to the I chord. (Notice that Roman Numerals are often used to designate chords.) 

Note: Any of the two- or three-chord songs you have learned in the key of C can be transposed to the key of D by moving the chord name up one note name (a whole-step). More to come...

Big Three for the Key of G

These are the most common chords in the key of G.

The TONIC chord, based on the first note of the scale, also called the one chord, is G.

The SUB-DOMINANT chord, based on the fourth note of the scale, also called the four chord, is C.

The DOMINANT chord, based on the fifth note of the scale, also called the five chord, is D.

When a note seven scale steps above the root of the triad (chord) is added, a "7" is added to the chord name. Seventh chords are more dissonant/tense than simple triads, and they lead our ears/minds to expect a less dissonant chord to follow. Dominant seventh (V7) chords usually lead back to the I chord. (Notice that Roman Numerals are often used to designate chords.) 

Note: Any of the two- or three-chord songs you have learned in the key of F can be transposed to the key of G by moving the chord name up one whole-step. More to come...