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The piece “3’s and 7’s” by Queens of The Stone Age illustrates a fascinating blend of minor and major tonality, accented dissonances, and unexpected harmonic turns, which is characteristic of the band’s stoner rock and alternative metal style. The verse 2 chord progression is in A# minor and it sticks to a fairly repetitive three-chord progression of A#m – G# – F.

“I Sat By The Ocean” by Queens of the Stone Age employs multiple chords which creates a complex and engaging harmony in the verse. The song is in the key G# major and it uses multiple borrowed chords from other keys. It’s worth noting that Queens of the Stone Age has a distinct sound that incorporates elements of stoner rock, heavy metal, and alternative rock into their material. Sizeable use of power chords that gives the song its heavy rock feel.

“Closer” by Nine Inch Nails works within a minimalist musical framework, where a few shiftless chords and tension-filled pentatonic melodies define the song. It inculcates a dark atmospheric mood through its instrumentation and harmony. The repetitive and consistent use of the Cm7 chord creates a haunting, pulsating groove that add to the atmospheric layer of the song.

The song “It’s A Fire” by Portishead features complex harmonic structures, distinguished by a fusion of pop, rock, and elements of jazz harmonies. The band, known for their trip-hop style, employ chromatically richer harmony and non-diatonic chord progressions in this piece. The chord progression of ‘It’s A Fire’ is consistent with this approach as we see the frequent use of suspended and minor chords alongside major ones, which creates a sense of unresolved tension. Borrowed chords, usually taken from the parallel minor or major key, are also used frequently to add stylistic color to the harmony.

“Since I’ve Been Loving You” by Led Zeppelin is a slow-tempo blues-rock song featuring a sophisticated and expressive chord progression that falls predominantly within the C minor key, standing out from the more traditional blues structures. The chords in the verse display a creative use of borrowed chords and chromaticism, contributing to the song’s moody and emotionally-evocative atmosphere. The progression is less common in rock music, which is what makes it characteristic of Led Zeppelin’s innovative musical explorations.

Queens of the Stone Age – 3S And 7S – Verse 1

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Chord Progression

[‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’]

Chord Progression Analysis

The repeating chord sequence for the verse of “3s and 7s” is A#m, G#, F.

The breakdown is as follows:
A# Minor (‘i’)
G# Major (‘VII’)
F Major (‘VI’)

Similar Chord Progressions

A similar chord progression can be found in Radiohead’s “Paranoid Android.” Although in a different key (G minor), its verse follows a similar pattern:

G Minor (‘i’)
F Major (‘VII’)
Eb Major (‘VI’)

This chord progression is, however, quite common and is found in numerous other modern compositions.

Musical Analysis

In regards to the harmonic function of the chords, the sequence continually resolves from a tense i – VII to VI, before repeating. This sequence focuses on the tonic (A#m) as a driver throughout the verse, commonly leading into the dominant 7th chord (G#) before resolving into the submediant (F). It’s also worth mentioning that from a traditional Classical point, the chord progression lacks a V – I (dominant – Tonic) resolution except in some sections where E (V) resolves to A#m (i).

Overall Analysis

The song “3s and 7s” by Queens of the Stone Age is in the key of A# minor. The chord progression predominantly features three chords: A#m, G#, and F. The progression utilizes elements of rock and metal music, characteristic of the band’s style. The composition has a darker feel brought by the use of minor chords and dropped tuning, which is frequently employed in harder styles of rock music.

Style Analysis

Queens of the Stone Age are known for their unique fusion of heavy metal, hard rock, and alternative rock. The chord progression of “3s and 7s” reflects this, venturing outside of classic rock paradigms. The repeated use of A#m, G#, and F lends itself to a darker, more contemplative, and atmospheric feel.

Chords in the Verse 1 section of 3S And 7S by Queens of the Stone Age are:

[‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’, ‘A#m’, ‘G#’, ‘F’]