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This popped up in my YTube feed. The topic comes up over and over around here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27NbNks2eg0

Lol... So, which came first? The mindless monotonous tedium of "Pop", or the "Nashville Numbers System"?

Well that seals it...all my new songs will be C G Am F ...and if I want to change keys, I'll use my trusty capo

I believe that that the most prevalent one is open
G Em C D. And then capo up.

That's not I V Vi IV (the supposed most popular) but a I Vi IV V

Definitely like the progression...love the shift to a relative minor (I Vi) G em, C am, F Dm etc I use it a lot to create tension in a line before a hook....where someone might expect say a G, but you serve up the Em, then replay the melody line to resolve on G

so say G C D G might be the line, you go G C D Em, G C D G .... you can also double up on the Em to eliminate the second g, so move right to the C

What is Vi?

I always read that open G C D was the most prevalently used chord progression in pop music.
Where are you getting your source?

If you follow the link above to what Beato says it is that almost everything popular is being written in the 1564 progression

It refers to Nashville Numbering, and essentially says root relative minor fifth above the root to fourth above the root

so in C it is C G Am F
in G it is G D Em C

You are doing a 1645 progression with G Em C D which going to C would be C Am F G .....essentially another simple 4 change arrangement where you can re arrange...like I can take the 1564 then next play the 1645 or as Sir Paul says ...one unique chord in the chorus

Here is a link to a guide I created. If you know the basics of music you will appreciate it. I made it for myself, then threw it up on dropbox for a private facebook songwriter group I belong to
https://www.dropbox.com/s/9e1aevkszs4ae18/MusicReferenceGuide2020.pdf?dl=0


What Beato says is that the intricate is gone

FDs is right in that Beato is a great source of info. Among all the stuff one can "Youtube" vs "Google", he stands out with what he talks about and what he knows. His deconstructions and artist selections are really interesting and worht watching

I'm aware of all that.

What is Vi? Must be VI or 6th. The little i threw me. Thought it might mean something else.

minor

If you're a guitarist, and weren't born with "squid fingers", I think commonalities have a lot to do with what key you sing in and how easy the chords are to play. The typical listener isn't a musician so, all they generally want is a "dance beat" with an easy to follow melody. Only musicians tend to criticize each other for being too "generic" or too "outside the box". Big picture... Whoever writes the best songs makes the rules!

The guy trying to sue GaGa is a complete a$$ Wipe!

On the other hand, I may now have a great excuse to SUCK!

That's about the size of it, songs are the main thing, and since you are dealing with human beings, it's all about how the music makes them feel, thats why Bruce is so poplular.

The one thing I disagree with Beaoto on and i agree with almost everything, but this idea that we need to train listeners to enjoy more complex types of music. He mentions, and plays Stings fortress around your heart again, saying if that was out today nobody would know what to think of it. I knew Sting was different sounding, but he was so melodic and knew how to write pop songs it didnt matter. And I was no more musically educated than any other 12 year old.

He's using the same argument jazz musicians and classical musicians make, so if we start educating listeners how to listen, then they wont even like rock or pop music, they will quickly move on to jazz and classical. Jazz musicians practice 8 hours a day, does anybody really care? Only their niche.

As Japov said, music is about people, it's not cerebral in anyway, its about emotions. If you want a musicians audience play jazz, but dontexpect average joe to like it.

Its very hard to write good pop songs, you're limited in what you can do, in jazz you can go out as far as you like, and no problems.

I still think Twist and Shout is one of the greatest rock songs of all time. I dont have a reason for that.

Leave the listener alone, it's not their job to be trained how to listen to music, that is rediculous. Greatness shines through no matter who it is, and let kids be kids. I used to love Sweet, and The Bay City Rollers, and YMCA, and air supply.

Do whatever you do well, is the best advice

Common sense, right? Whatever you hear is what you're going to emulate. ESPECIALLY if 90% of what you hear is INTENTIONALLY generic!