Simply put, it’s the order in which chords are played in a song. What Is a Chord Progression?įirst things first, let’s talk about what a chord progression is before we get into common chord progressions. Everybody else is doing it, so why shouldn’t you, right? Heck, even if you’re an established songwriter, trying on somebody else’s chord progression is at the very least a fun exercise, and at best it could lead to a major hit song. Songwriting is an art form that requires creativity, imagination, and an understanding of music theory, but if we’re being honest, there’s also a degree of “fake it ‘til you make it.” And with that approach in mind, one technique you could try is to utilize similar chord progressions as existing songs to write your own. Common chord progressions are common for one reason: they sounded good when songwriters used them in the past, so songwriters who have come after know that using these common chord progressions will also sound good.