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“Viva La Vida” by Coldplay is a pop song that sits primarily in the key of G major, featuring four common chords: C Major, D Major, G Major, and E minor. The song’s simplicity lies in the consistent use of these chords, which creates a consistent harmony throughout the song.

The progression for the song is tuned to a standard E Standard (E A D G B E) and it is in the key of G.

The chorus of Muse’s “Hysteria” displays a mix of chords from the key of C Major and borrowed chords from the parallel minor key (C minor). The chord progression uses a combination of functional harmony mixed with chromatic elements, embodying characteristics of both rock and classical genres.

“I Guess That’s Why They Call it the Blues” is a well-known hit by Elton John from the album “Too Low for Zero” released in 1983. The song is a blend of pop, rock and blues styles and showcases Elton John’s proficiency in blending different music genres. The verse uses a straightforward I-V-vi-IV progression which is a common progression in pop music.

The Chorus’s

The Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations” presents an interesting mix of major and minor chords with excellent use of chord inversions and borrowings. The song is harmonically adventurous, showcasing the band’s pop mastery with Brian Wilson’s unmatched compositional skills. This song is primarily in the key of A Major, with many borrowed chords and modulation that creates its unique feel.

Coldplay – Viva La Vida – Chorus

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Chord Progression

[‘C’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘Em’, ‘C’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘Em’, ‘C’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘Em’, ‘C’, ‘D’, ‘Bm’, ‘Em’]

Chord Progression Analysis

These are the full chord names with their roman numerals:

– C Major (IV)
– D Major (V)
– G Major (I)
– E minor (vi)
– C Major (IV)
– D Major (V)
– G Major (I)
– E minor (vi)
– C Major (IV)
– D Major (V)
– G Major (I)
– E minor (vi)
– C Major (IV)
– D Major (V)
– B minor (iii)
– E minor (vi)

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Borrowed Chord: None in this progression.
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Similar Chord Progressions

Here are some songs by other artists that share

Musical Analysis

This progression follows a repeated pattern of IV-V-I-vi, using the strong resolution from the V (D major) to the I (G major) chord. This is then followed by a descending progression from I to vi (G major to E minor). The inclusion of the iii chord (B minor) introduces a slightly melancholic twist to the otherwise upbeat progression.

Overall Analysis

The song “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay is in the key of G major and follows a fairly simple chord progression in the pop/rock genre. This progression particularly makes use of the I, IV, V, and vi chords in this key, which is a typical pop progression.

Style Analysis

Coldplay’s style in this song is typical of their blend of pop-rock and alternative music, with an emphasis on creating anthemic, uplifting choruses. The chord progression is simple and effective, driving the song with a positive, uplifting feel that is intermittently contrasted by the more melancholic iii chord.

Chords in the Chorus section of Viva La Vida by Coldplay are:

[‘C’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘Em’, ‘C’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘Em’, ‘C’, ‘D’, ‘G’, ‘Em’, ‘C’, ‘D’, ‘Bm’, ‘Em’]