Check out the complete video here:
21 Taylor Swift songs, 1 chord progression
Click Here To Learn Piano or Keyboard
21 Taylor Swift songs, 1 chord progression
Tweet on Twitter
Share on Facebook
Pinterest
Tweet on Twitter
Share on Facebook
Pinterest
So you did read my request?
The most overused chord progression in western pop
i thought that was the I vi IV V
@Tushar Jamwal as long as it’s those four chords no matter what arrangement
It’s just all so boring, all popular culture has been reduced to beyond boring, this music is the equivalent of marvel movies – also anyone noticed how both these qualitative and quantitative changes to media occurred post-GFC?
that’s funny, I’ve written a thousand songs and never used that, I’ll try it out
Please don’t
@Karl LanscheIt’s not bad, if you have already done something unique a thousand times🤷♂️
@Moiäijä NSV i was just kidding. Not everything needs chord change like giant steps. A song became famous under the name: ” papa was a rolling stone” and uses only one chord. So go for it
@Karl Lansche chord progressions are reused across different songs in fairly creative ways sometimes
@Karl Lansche Oh okay, sorry that I didn’t understand.
Such bitterness in this comment section
for real…
its a bit understandable but yeah kinda mean, not all that crazy about taylor either but i guess i just dont “get” it
tbh i count any combination of those 4 chords as Axis – so by that count shes prob used it even more than 21 times!
@KlaxonCow dude. You say twice that saying “any” is overdoing it…but…you also said in your first comment that “any. Is the same…so…either you felt like “educating” someone with a lot of words, or forgot you already said the overdone statement
@KlaxonCowthats a very verbose way of forgetting that there are 7 musical modes and more than one time signature… 🤨
@KlaxonCowits very weird to take a generalized opinion by someone and try to prove them wrong by setting up strawman parameters they didnt agree to…
@Kati Ukulele Yeah, I was saying that “any” combination is too far (just as Kati commenting above me said).
But you could argue that a rotated combination is “the same thing” (sort of). As it retains the same chords in the same order.
I mean, folks are free to disagree with me. But I honestly don’t think anything I said was particularly controversial.
I feel like I’m getting shot for folks not liking the message. But, you know, give me a counter-argument, not just whining.
(And, in fairness, Mac bringing up musical modes is a counter-argument. Though I feel time signatures is a stretch, in that how many modern pop songs are in anything but 4/4 time? But, sure, it’s a valid counter-argument. It just doesn’t feel too weighty, that one.)
@KlaxonCow What many of us may actually be saying is your generalization goes flat in the face of other chord progressions such as the doowop chord progression which predates the axis progression, as well as many other progressions using the same chords but different combinations.
Flat out saying that any combination is the same is outright incorrect and a flagrant over simplification, and then trying to defend that with a long winded argument that really just screams “I’m a gatekeeper to music and know WAY more than you” makes pretty much anyone reading your comment not like it.
Again, as said in my first comment, David Bennett goes over many progressions in many videos showing how the progressions are, in many cases, the same chords yes but have their own names that predate the “axis” progression. I’d look into his videos and take a gander before commenting something so inaccurate.
This probably partially explains why I have a similar “meh” response to most of her songs.
Most POP songs. Oh and country. Actually, rock now too. Huh, weird how consumerism drives us to a singularity, isnt it?
Well. I mean. If it ain’t broke…
If anything, I hope this motivates people to seek out lesser known artists with more innovative and interesting songwriting styles. For every trite mainstream pop artist there are a thousand more fascinating musicians waiting for you to hear them.
Theres still some “big” artists making interesting sounding music in terms of chord progression. I do think TS is one of the most generic sounds I’ve ever heard, but im sure there must be some big names in western pop who have more interesting music. Imo kpop genre “big” artists tend to generally sound interesting despite racking millions of views
@bluecresc Yeah I agree with that!
I hope people watch David’s video about this before commenting on this Short.
Yeh..
Taylor has always posited herself as a lyricist first type of songwriter, which explains her big and long lasting draw that has spanned her 16 year long career. Not everyone listens to music just for the experience of music, but for the stories that are told in the lyrics. Yes, her chord progressions are simpler but they’re more of a vessel for her lyrics than anything. And that’s fine, you don’t have to listen to it if it’s clearly not your thing
That would be fine if the lyrics were nice 🙂
There are many songwriters who are “lyricist first” who use more than 4 chords. Her draw is mass appeal through how easy her songs are to listen to, backed by incredible marketing. This is just lazy arrangement, even ACDC varied their chord progressions more. And this is coming from a fan of her music.
So a poet, not a song writer.
Lol
what makes a good song isn’t just the chord progression. lyrics, production, global feeling is just as important
I love this chord progression, I also like Taylor’s music. And I listen to Animals as Leaders and Periphery with just as much joy.
I guess I’m not a hard person to please but that must be the case for most people because most people just simply listen to the music they like instead of bickering about music they don’t like like in the comments here.
“written”
Lol i love the NPCs here simping for this sellout “artist”
I would like to see more videos like this David.
nice mashup
This sure says a lot about the lack of imagination in most of today’s popular music.
rock music is built on only using 1 chord progression. i dont like taylor swift’s music, but that doesn’t mean she has a lack of imagination.
just be beautiful and know the right people….talent not needed
@Callisto If you think that rock music is built on only 1 chord progression, then you haven’t listened to much rock music at all!
@JustAFocus yes, its based off of the 12 bar blues and variations of it.
She said that it takes her about 30 minutes to write a song sometimes. I guess it’s easier when you have an established formula. But it obviously works, so why change it?
and she’s taking this formula right to the bank