The G, D, Em, C thing

Talking about chord progressions which can be played in any key. Speed and rhythm are just variations. That particular progression has been played to death in any key. To my mind (since I started out as a music major) it has gotten far too predictable. It's one reason that I prefer live concerts to albums - I can get sucked in by the performance and passion and then I quit analyzing the music and chords. That's a successful concert in my mind.

Kathleen

Where's said list? Anyway, both Prayer and Bad Name use completely different chord progressions that the band never has used again ever since AFAIK. Hits are more than just the right chords

Is It???

Here some BJ songs with the Em - C - G - D/F# formula:
Misunderstood
Destination Anywhere

Two Story Town Am - F - C - G
Complicated Am - F - C - G

Have A Nice Day Bm - G - D - A
Bells Of Freedom Bm - G - D - A

Undivided Dm - Bb - F - C

It's My Life Cm - Ab - Eb - Bb (then a minot change...)

Using these chords you're halfway on the way to a hit

Want more proof?

I'm not meaning to talk bad about the BJ cause this is a trick everybody use.

Is it (by any chance) most with post 2000 songs?

Are ya asking me? Well, as you/we can see it's seems like it is. The chordprogresion is like I said an "easy" way to make a song sound good and catchy.
Ofcause it takes more than just the chords, but like I said it a good start.
I got lots of other hits based on this formula. I find it quite facinating
I don't think there are any other post 2000 songs with these chordprogresion.

Uhm, your point? Undivided, Bells Of Freedom, Two Story Town, Complicated, Destination Anywhere and Misunderstood were not hits. Using these chords makes for an anthemic feel, granted, but it's all down to the vocal line and marketing in the end when it comes to a hit song.

Father Time also uses the chord-progression and was not a hit. Hell, _I_ have used that chord progression in many of my songs and I've yet to score a hit.

You know wrong.

YGLABN: Cm Ab Bb Cm - Cm Ab Eb Bb
It's My Life: Cm Ab Eb Bb - Cm Ab Bb


Not exactly the same, but close and in the same key.

LOAP: Em C D - G C D

That has been used loads of times. It's not like Bon Jovi songs are the original rock songs, but hey, who cares? Louie Louie is a great song and it has only 3 chords. Twist & Shout is a great song and it has only 3 chords. Johnny B Goode is... you get the point.

Ice

Isn't a chord progression similar to that used in Santa Fe also??

Yes it is basically the same, although Santa Fe was recorded a half step lower (Eb).

True, but the additional chord changes give YGLABN a completely different, much more "lively" and less static feeling. The way the chords are used in case of IML, Complicated and HAND is basically very samey, cause the changes are simply by the bar, whereas in case of YGLABN, they are - at least to me - a bit more "swinging". (Yes, I am aware of the G5 B5 "fill" in IML's chorus) But yes, the progressions are similiar. But not the same. And, assuming that was actually intented to be an argument, we both know it really doesn't matter which key songs are in to determine if they're similiar. There wouldn't be too many different songs in the world if that was the case!

I can't think of any other BJ song with the Em C D / G C D progression though, at least none of the "big" ones reused it AFAIK. But if you say Santa Fe used it, I'll believe you. I never listened to Jon's solo stuff too much.

Yeah, of course. I love simple rock & roll, and there's nothing wrong with chord changes being repeated. Hell, I love punkrock, and that genre is definitely not famous for originality.

But I just wanted to point out, if re-using chord progression alone made for sure hits, they'd also use some different ones from time to time, cause it's not like IML was their only (or biggest) hit.