Classic rock is known for its many rich subgenres and unique sounds. However, in any decade in which classic rock reigned supreme, there was usually a “formula” of sorts for popular songs. When it came to the following classic rock songs, though, their makers used chord progressions that were definitely not common. And that’s precisely what enticed the masses and turned these songs into hits. Let’s take a look, shall we?
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“Aja” by Steely Dan (1977)
Well, honestly, there was no avoiding this one. Whenever the topic of old-school songwriting and chord progressions comes up in my life (which is often, considering my line of work), “Aja” by Steely Dan from the jazz rock album of the same name tends to come up. And that’s unsurprising because the chord progressions found in this song are absolutely insane.
An ambitious song, “Aja” starts with a Bmaj13 chord. After the vocals enter and the beat begins to pick up, the guitars kick in, the tempo increases, and the members go in an almost Latin-inspired direction. A flourish of piano chords kicks in, and the chorus ends with several very unique chords, including Dflatmaj7flat5 and Cmaj7flat5. The unexpected chord changes don’t end there, either. This whole song is a complex whirlwind from start to finish.
“Monkey Man” by The Rolling Stones (1969)
The Rolling Stones often stuck to a formula with their songs, but “Monkey Man” is a special entry in their discography that boasts some unique chord progressions. This 1969 hard rock song features a very distinct piano progression in the introduction, something that wasn’t very common for the time. And once you hear it, you won’t forget it.
“Hook” by Blues Traveler (1995)
How about a more “recent” classic rock tune? This track by Blues Traveler may have come out in the 90s, but it boasts one of the most interesting classic rock chord progressions of all time. “Hook” comes from the album Four and boasts a chord progression that is quite similar to “Canon In D” by Pachelbel: D-A-Bminor-Fsharpminor-G-D-G-A, or I-V-vi-iii-IV-I-IV-V. However, it is transposed in the key of A major. You’ll actually hear this chord progression quite a bit nowadays in pop music, so much so that many an audiophile has bemoaned its use as the “hook” of pop tunes. That seemed to be the point for Blues Traveler, to almost satirically make a song dedicated to the most common hook of all time in a very uncommon way.
Photo by Chris Walter/WireImage
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