Royal road progression

IVM7–V7–iii7–vi chord progression in C. Playⓘ
One potential way to resolve the chord progression using the tonic chord: ii–V7–I. Playⓘ

The Royal Road progression (王道進行, ōdō shinkō), also known as the IVM7–V7–iii7–vi progression or koakuma chord progression (小悪魔コード進行, koakuma kōdo shinkō),[1] is a common chord progression within contemporary Japanese pop music.[2]

  1. ^ 梅村 祥之, 伊達 彩斗 (June 10, 2017). "地図標高データを用いたメロディ生成の試み". 研究報告音楽情報科学. 115 (39). Hiroshima Institute of Technology: 1–6. ISSN 2188-8752. コード進行としてJ-POP で頻繁に使用される「王道 進行」ないし「小悪魔コード進行」と呼ばれる F → G → E m → Am のコード進行… [The chord progression of F → G → E m → Am, a progression often used in J-pop, is called "ōdō shinkō" or "koakuma kōdo shinkō"...]
  2. ^ Ramage, Maxwell (2023). "The Royal Road Progression in Japanese Popular Music". Music Theory Spectrum. 45 (2): 238–256. doi:10.1093/mts/mtad008.