Smokestack Lightnin’ – Guitar Riff

Many of the greatest rock and pop hits from the past 40 years only use the same 4 chords. THE SAME 4 CHORDS.

So if you were every thinking of being a rock or pop star, well then all you gotta do is keep writing sappy love songs using these same 4 chords until you make that hit!

This was so famously exposed by the great Axis of Awesome in this video:

(We made a video playlist of all these songs for your pleasure here:

We’re going to show you what those chords are, what they look like on guitar and piano so you can get jammin!

We have to thanks , he spelled what the exact chords and variations you can use:

“B Abm E F# but they are using E B C#m A. You can also use C G Am F.”

For Guitar

I think I got this right. If you’re a music expert, please comment any corrections below…

Here’s B, Abm, E, F# (C Major, A Sharp Major, E Major, F Sharp)

Here’s E, B, C#m, A (E Major, B Major, C Sharp Minor, A Major) – THIS IS THE PATTERN AXIS OF AWESOME USES

Here’s C, G, Am, F (C Major, G Major, A Minor, F Major)

For Piano

Here’s E, B, C#m, A (E Major, B Major, C Sharp Minor, A Major) – THIS IS THE PATTERN AXIS OF AWESOME USES

Here’s a list of all the songs the Axis of Awesome played in a row AND A PLAYLIST to go along with it!:

All of the songs below use this same 4 chord trick!

Elton John – Can You Feel The Love Tonight

Maroon 5 – She Will Be Loved

The Last Goodnight – Pictures of You

U2 – With or Without You

Crowded House – Fall at Your Feet

Kasey Chambers – Not Pretty Enough

The Beatles – Let it Be

Red Hot Chili Peppers – Under the Bridge

Daryl Braithwaite – The Horses

Bob Marley – No Woman No Cry

Marcy Playground – Sex and Candy

Men at Work – Land Down Under

Banjo Patterson’s Waltzing Matilda

A Ha – Take on Me

Green Day – When I Come Around

Eagle Eye Cherry – Save Tonight

Toto – Africa

Beyonce – If I Were A Boy

The Offspring – Self Esteem

The Offspring – You’re Gonna Go Far Kid

Pink – U & Ur Hand

Lady Gaga – Poker Face

Aqua – Barbie Girl

The Fray – You Found Me

30h!3 – Don’t Trust Me

MGMT – Kids

Tim Minchin – Canvas Bags

Natalie Imbruglia – Torn

Five for Fighting – Superman

Axis of Awesome – Birdplane

Missy Higgins – Scar

Big shout out to…

and

For teaching us how to play chords so easily (and the images)!

Related Posts