I V vi IV (read as 1 5 6 4) is likely the most recycled chord progression in modern popular music history. Many of the most famous pop songs of the last century utilize this chord sequence.
Here is an example of the I V vi IV progression in the key of C which uses the following chords: C G Amin F.
The Axis of Awesome made a great montage of songs that use the I V vi IV chord progression. Although the original version of the songs were in different keys, they put them all in the same key to demonstrate how the chord series connects them all.
Songs Utilizing I V vi IV
- Journey -- "Don't Stop Believing"
- James Blunt -- "You're Beautiful"
- Black Eyed Peas -- "Where Is the Love"
- Alphaville -- "Forever Young"
- Jason Mraz -- "I'm Yours"
- Train -- "Hey Soul Sister"
- The Calling -- "Wherever You Will Go"
- Elton John -- "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" (from The Lion King)
- Akon -- "Don't Matter"
- John Denver -- "Take Me Home, Country Roads"
- Lady Gaga -- "Paparazzi"
- U2 -- "With Or Without You"
- The Last Goodnight -- "Pictures of You"
- Maroon Five -- "She Will Be Loved"
- The Beatles -- "Let It Be"
- Bob Marley -- "No Woman No Cry"
- Marcy Playground -- "Sex and Candy"
- Men At Work -- "Land Down Under"
- Theme from America's Funniest Home Videos
- Jack Johnson -- "Taylor"
- Spice Girls -- "Two Become One"
- A Ha -- "Take On Me"
- Green Day -- "When I Come Around"
- Eagle Eye Cherry -- "Save Tonight"
- Toto -- "Africa"
- Beyonce -- "If I Were A Boy"
- Kelly Clarkson -- "Behind These Hazel Eyes"
- Jason DeRulo -- "In My Head"
- The Smashing Pumpkins -- "Bullet With Butterfly Wings"
- Joan Osborne -- "One Of Us"
- Avril Lavigne -- "Complicated"
- The Offspring -- "Self Esteem"
- The Offspring -- "You're Gonna Go Far Kid"
- Akon -- "Beautiful"
- Timberland featuring OneRepublic -- "Apologize"
- Eminem featuring Rihanna -- "Love the Way You Lie"
- Bon Jovi -- "It's My Life"
- Lady Gaga -- "Pokerface"
- Aqua -- "Barbie Girl"
- Red Hot Chili Peppers -- "Otherside"
- The Gregory Brothers -- "Double Rainbow"
- MGMT -- "Kids"
- Andrea Bocelli -- "Time To Say Goodbye"
- Robert Burns -- "Auld Lang Syne"
- Five for fighting -- "Superman"
- The Axis of Awesome -- "Birdplane"
- Missy Higgins -- "Scar"