9.7: The Best-Seller Progression

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9.7 The Best-Seller Progression

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🔗 Figure 9.7.1. The II–VV–vivi–IVIV “Best-Seller” Progression

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The II–VV–vivi–IVIV progression occurs in many popular songs, has a Wikipedia page, and has been mentioned in a New Yorker article about bestselling novels (see the third paragraph from the end of the article). The music group Axis of Awesome made a compilation of several songs with the II–VV–vivi–IVIV progression that makes for an entertaining summary (warning: there is some language after the 5-minute mark).

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Here is a written-out example that includes the II–VV–vivi–IVIV progression.

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🔗 Figure 9.7.2. Adele Adkins and Dan Wilson, “Someone Like You” (2011)

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The II–VV–vivi–IVIV progression can be rotated to become vivi–IVIV–II–VV and IVIV–II–VV–vivi.

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🔗 Figure 9.7.3. Example of II–VV–vivi–IVIV rotation to vivi–IVIV–II–VV

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Here is an example with the vivi–IVIV–II–VV progression.

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🔗 Figure 9.7.4. Adele Adkins and Greg Kursten, “Hello” (2015)

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The vivi–IVIV–II–VV progression can also be thought of as being in minor: ii–VIVI–IIIIII–VIIVII

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🔗 Figure 9.7.5. “Best-Seller” Progression with Roman Numerals in Major and Relative Minor

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Whether you hear this progression in major or minor depends on whether you hear the first chord as the tonic or if you hear the third and fourth chord as tonic and dominant.

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Here is an example with the IVIV–II–VV–vivi progression.

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🔗 Figure 9.7.6. Christopher Stewart, Terius Nash, Kuk Harrell, Shawn Carter, “Umbrella” (2007)