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Related Music Theory Alchemy

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“Every Day Is Exactly The Same” by Nine Inch Nails has an interesting chord progression, particularly in the bridge, which adopts a distinct pattern of E, A, C, G repeatedly. This song is classified under Industrial Rock and utilizes repetition impressively to create a sense of monotony and frustration, akin to the lyrical theme.

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Nine Inch Nails’ “Closer” is a unique blend of industrial rock, electronica, and alternative styles that has propelled the song to prominence as one of the band’s most famous and frequently played tracks. The song is in the key of E major and features a recurring chord progression throughout its various sections.

“Tonight, Tonight” by The Smashing Pumpkins draws from the band’s unique style of alternative rock influenced by a distinct palette of harmonic choices. Particularly in the songwriting of Billy Corgan (the band’s primary songwriter), the band tends to use a mix of common and uncommon chords, together with a tendency of exploring different tonalities. Often, the chord changes are driven by guitar inversions, suspensions, or additions.

Taylor Swift’s “Black Dog” features a chorus that uses a sophisticated and intricate chord progression to drive the emotional depth and thematic elements of the song. This progression combines inversions and extensions to create a layered and textured musical atmosphere, reflecting the complexity of the song’s lyrics and enhancing its reflective nature.

“Beast of Burden” by The Rolling Stones uses a common rock arrangement with a focus on the V, I, and vi chords. The distinguishing factor for this particular progression is its consistent use of inverted chords to create more linear, and stepwise, bass lines.

Nine Inch Nails – Every Day Is Exactly The Same – Chorus

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Chord Progression

E, A, C, G, E, A, C, G, E, A, C, G, E, A, C, G, E, A, C, G, E, A, C, G, E, A, C, G, E, A, C, G, E

Chord Progression Analysis

E | A | C | G
Em (i) | A (IV) | Cmaj (♭VI) | G (III)
Borrowed chords: A (IV) and G (III) from E major.

Similar Chord Progressions

1. Radiohead – “Creep”
Chord Progression:
G | B | C | Cm
Gmaj (I) | Bmaj (III) | Cmaj (IV) | Cmin (iv)

2. The Beatles – “In My Life”
Chord Progression:
A | E | F#m | D | G | A
A (I) | E (V) | F#m (vi) | D (IV) | G (♭VII) | A (I)

These examples show a similar use of borrowed chords in their progressions, which contribute to an engaging sound that stands out as a signature element of the artist’s style.

Musical Analysis

The main progression in the chorus is built with two borrowed chords (A and G) from the parallel major key (E Major). The progression starts with the tonic chord (Em) that defines the E minor tonality. It then progresses to the A major chord, which is borrowed from E major, adding interest and brightness to the sound.

Next, the progression moves to C major, which acts as a submediant chord in the E minor key. This chord is not borrowed and belongs to the original key. The progression then moves to the G major chord, which is also borrowed from E major, before returning to the tonic chord (Em). This combination of common and borrowed chords creates a unique and engaging chord progression.

Overall Analysis

The song “Every Day is Exactly the Same” by Nine Inch Nails is in E minor key. The chord progression found in the chorus consists mainly of common chords found in the E minor key, along with a couple of borrowed chords from E major. The use of borrowed chords adds unique color and tension to the music.

Style Analysis

The band Nine Inch Nails is known for its dark, moody, and atmospheric sound, which combines elements of industrial, rock, and electronic music. The use of borrowed chords in this chord progression contributes to this signature style, having a darker feel by taking elements from both E minor and E major keys.

Chords in the Chorus section of Every Day Is Exactly The Same by Nine Inch Nails are:

E, A, C, G, E, A, C, G, E, A, C, G, E, A, C, G, E, A, C, G, E, A, C, G, E, A, C, G, E, A, C, G, E