When Huey Lewis & The News started on their 3rd album ("Sports") they made the decision to make every song on it radio-oriented … because they knew in order to have the success that very much eluded them on their prior albums, with what would be their last chance, they need song(s) that had the appeal to get a high level of radio airplay, because radio was still the main source of new music listening at the time.
You can actually sing different melodies over these progressions. The song "Call and Answer" by "Bare Naked Ladies" can be directly sung along or over the song "Feel Like Making Love" by "Bad Company". Same chords, same rhythm. You can pick up an acoustic guitar and sing which ever melody you wish.
Ultimately it's the consumer that determines that these four chords are used. These chords are simply pleasant for the Western ear to hear. It's us. We just like those 4 chords together.
Electronic Dance Music (in particular House Techno or similar Genres) is one that always sticks to the 1, 4, 5, 6 chord progression or some minor variation. Hardly anybody if at all, dares to insert any diminished and/or augmented chords into the progression. I'm hoping to change that a lot.
And this is why Gen X musicians are turned off to a lot of music thats out now. π What happened to more complexity like Sergio Mendez "Never gonna let you go"? No one is really utilizing other sounds, alternate chords, diminished, or complex modulations. Mind you, you dont have to intellectualize your music just for it own sake. But do it for the sake of the music itself and to push your own palette further. I do that with my own music as well. Im not trying to be a music snob or anything, but these 4 chords are just monotonous and boring and everything sounds the same. 02:07 His expression is how I feel about lots of music today. 02:18
Well, I am a little bit sick of this progression: vi IV I V, but at the same time amazed, how many melodies people can create using themβ£π₯°π₯° Par example, I love Aloe Black – Wake me up, and Let it be, and Doctor Doctor by UFO and some others. I think there's not matter of chords alone, music touch you when it gives you feelings, something that touches your heart also how it is done by vocalist who makes lyrics resonate with some strings inside you. π₯°
I actively avoid the I V vi IV progression like the plague. Ive used it twice since my first album and that was it. Im all about the Royal Road progression (IV V iii vi) π
The trick is to make songs different enough for them to work. Iron Maiden literally use the same freaking chords in every chorus (ECDE) and almost no song of theirs sounds really like any other, nor is there any other band that sounds just like Iron Maiden. That being said, playing Heavy Metal means you don't aim to be super popular with the masses from the start. Modern pop is like a hyper processed confection, if you use the same food colorings, preservatives and other dreck, you'll sound the exact freaking same.
I dont agree with all of your views on modern music , but this problem in modern music is pretty apparent and hard to argue theres any benefit to this other than financial gain. Smh
1) Back in the day, I used to play some small gigs with my dad playing βolderβ country songs. We changed key from song to song to avoid sounding the same. 2) when practicing, I would often get confused and switch songs (medley) without knowing it.
It took me some research of the fifth and sixth examples (Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood" and "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together") to realize that the the third example (Kelly Clarkson's "Stronger What Doesn't Kill You") is the only song to use the key of C as I, IV, V, and vi. The two Taylor Swift songs use the key of G, the first song uses the key of D, second song uses the key of F, the fourth song uses the key of Aβ― (Bβ), and the last song (Lady Gaga's "The Edge Of Glory") uses the key of A.
And the Beatles' "Let It Be" seems to use 11 chords on the C scale: C, F, G, Am, Am7, Fmaj7, F6, Dm7, Bβ,C/E, and F/A.
The final destination for all of this like most of pretty much everything else that sucks with modern society including why singles are selected this way has one name – Capitalism.
Rick – they are selling the celebrity not the music – Its the "Johnny Bravo" effect. The NBA does it, the NFL does it, CNN and FOX news do it, and ESPN tries. They sell the celebrity not the content – the content is the same. Its also the Apple marketing strategy.
I loathe the i-VI-III-VII progression (or vi-IV-I-V, as you put it here in its relative major). That progression should be outlawed. It goes way back. 2 Chili Peppers hits, friends writing "originals", theme songs to YouTube videos, all these modern hits…enough with Am-F-C-G and all its modulations in other keys.
When Huey Lewis & The News started on their 3rd album ("Sports") they made the decision to make every song on it radio-oriented … because they knew in order to have the success that very much eluded them on their prior albums, with what would be their last chance, they need song(s) that had the appeal to get a high level of radio airplay, because radio was still the main source of new music listening at the time.
Chords?
You can actually sing different melodies over these progressions. The song "Call and Answer" by "Bare Naked Ladies" can be directly sung along or over the song "Feel Like Making Love" by "Bad Company". Same chords, same rhythm. You can pick up an acoustic guitar and sing which ever melody you wish.
Ultimately it's the consumer that determines that these four chords are used. These chords are simply pleasant for the Western ear to hear. It's us. We just like those 4 chords together.
Pretty sad to think about really.
Bahahah killer outro. ππ€£
Electronic Dance Music (in particular House Techno or similar Genres) is one that always sticks to the 1, 4, 5, 6 chord progression or some minor variation. Hardly anybody if at all, dares to insert any diminished and/or augmented chords into the progression. I'm hoping to change that a lot.
They're always there, and in different orders. These are the only 4 chords, and in many cases its all there are in the whole song.
In Bloom
People need to stop listening to boring homogenized music too. You vote with your attention.
And this is why Gen X musicians are turned off to a lot of music thats out now. π
What happened to more complexity like Sergio Mendez "Never gonna let you go"?
No one is really utilizing other sounds, alternate chords, diminished, or complex modulations.
Mind you, you dont have to intellectualize your music just for it own sake.
But do it for the sake of the music itself and to push your own palette further.
I do that with my own music as well. Im not trying to be a music snob or anything, but these 4 chords are just monotonous and boring and everything sounds the same.
02:07 His expression is how I feel about lots of music today. 02:18
Its not the artists fault!
Well, I am a little bit sick of this progression: vi IV I V, but at the same time amazed, how many melodies people can create using themβ£π₯°π₯° Par example, I love Aloe Black – Wake me up, and Let it be, and Doctor Doctor by UFO and some others. I think there's not matter of chords alone, music touch you when it gives you feelings, something that touches your heart also how it is done by vocalist who makes lyrics resonate with some strings inside you. π₯°
Istina je. ππππππππππππππππππππππ
I actively avoid the I V vi IV progression like the plague. Ive used it twice since my first album and that was it. Im all about the Royal Road progression (IV V iii vi) π
The trick is to make songs different enough for them to work. Iron Maiden literally use the same freaking chords in every chorus (ECDE) and almost no song of theirs sounds really like any other, nor is there any other band that sounds just like Iron Maiden. That being said, playing Heavy Metal means you don't aim to be super popular with the masses from the start. Modern pop is like a hyper processed confection, if you use the same food colorings, preservatives and other dreck, you'll sound the exact freaking same.
I dont agree with all of your views on modern music , but this problem in modern music is pretty apparent and hard to argue theres any benefit to this other than financial gain. Smh
1) Back in the day, I used to play some small gigs with my dad playing βolderβ country songs. We changed key from song to song to avoid sounding the same.
2) when practicing, I would often get confused and switch songs (medley) without knowing it.
It took me some research of the fifth and sixth examples (Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood" and "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together") to realize that the the third example (Kelly Clarkson's "Stronger What Doesn't Kill You") is the only song to use the key of C as I, IV, V, and vi. The two Taylor Swift songs use the key of G, the first song uses the key of D, second song uses the key of F, the fourth song uses the key of Aβ― (Bβ), and the last song (Lady Gaga's "The Edge Of Glory") uses the key of A.
And the Beatles' "Let It Be" seems to use 11 chords on the C scale: C, F, G, Am, Am7, Fmaj7, F6, Dm7, Bβ,C/E, and F/A.
The use of the same chords to create such a wide variety of sounding songs is actually what makes many pop songs so ingenious.
The final destination for all of this like most of pretty much everything else that sucks with modern society including why singles are selected this way has one name – Capitalism.
Iβm a I -V – Vi – iV kinda guy, myself.
Stop listening to Mainstream Radio and you'll discover the good stuff. Of course that won't change the charts, but it will enlighten your ears.
Lol who needs originality – certainly not the Stones
Rick – they are selling the celebrity not the music – Its the "Johnny Bravo" effect. The NBA does it, the NFL does it, CNN and FOX news do it, and ESPN tries. They sell the celebrity not the content – the content is the same. Its also the Apple marketing strategy.
I loathe the i-VI-III-VII progression (or vi-IV-I-V, as you put it here in its relative major). That progression should be outlawed. It goes way back. 2 Chili Peppers hits, friends writing "originals", theme songs to YouTube videos, all these modern hits…enough with Am-F-C-G and all its modulations in other keys.
Max Martin was on our Canadian Radio station last week.
Well this was fun to watchπ
Originality is hard.
I mean thereβs only so many chords out there.
Thatβs funny π