The fact that those 4 chords made them famous makes their thesis true.

“Musicians hate them, learn these four chords to play any song”

The fact that Ed Sheeran presented one of their videos at his defense trial for copyright infringement is a thing of beauty.

The fact that 12 years later this song was part of Ed Sheeran's successful defense against a frivolous copyright infringement lawsuit just makes it even more legendary.

Don’t get me wrong. 42 million is a lot of viewers, but..I still feel like more people should know about this gem

You just go 50 songs stuck in my head at once

In case you want the songs: 0:10 Don’t Stop Believing - Journey (1981) 0:18 You’re Beautiful - James Blunt (2004) 0:29 Where is the Love - The Black Eyed Peas (2003) 0:38 Forever Young - Alphaville (1984) 0:45 I’m Yours - Jason Mraz (2008) 0:55 Hey, Soul Sister - Train (2009) 1:03 Wherever You Will Go - The Calling (2001) 1:12 Can You Feel the Love Tonight - Elton John (1994) 1:22 Don’t Matter - Akon (2006) 1:30 Take Me Home, Country Roads - John Denver (1971) 1:38 Paparazzi - Lady Gaga (2008) 1:44 With Or Without You - U2 (1987) 1:53 Pictures of You - The Last Goodnight (2007) 2:02 She Will Be Loved - Maroon 5 (2002) 2:11 Let it Be - The Beatles (1970) 2:16 No Woman, No Cry - Bob Marley (1974) 2:18 Marcy Playground - Sex and Candy (1997) 2:20 Land Down Under - Men At Work (1981) 2:23 The Funny Things You Do - Jill Colucci (1991) 2:30 Taylor - Jack Johnson (2003) 2:36 2 Become 1 - Spice Girls (1996) 2:39 Take On Me - a-ha (1984) 2:55 Save Tonight / Africa - Eagle-Eye Cherry / Toto (1997 / 1992) 3:04 If I Were A Boy / Behind These Hazel Eyes - Beyoncé / Kelly Clarkson (2009 / 2004) 3:10 In My Head - Jason Derulo (2009) 3:20 Bullet with Butterfly Wings - The Smashing Pumpkins (1995) 3:24 One of us - Joan Osborne (1995) 3:26 Complicated - Avril Lavigne (2002) 3:33 Self Esteem - The Offspring (1994) 3:39 You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid - The Offspring (2008) 3:47 Beautiful - Akon (2008) 3:55 Apologize - Timbaland ft. OneRepublic (2007) 4:03 Love The Way You Lie - Eminem ft. Rihanna (2010) 4:10 It’s My Life - Bon Jovi (2000) 4:20 Poker Face - Lady Gaga (2008) 4:25 Barbie Girl - Aqua (1997) 4:27 Other Side - Red Hot Chili Peppers (1999) 4:34 Double Rainbow Song - The Gregory Brothers (2010) 4:43 Kids - MGMT (2007) 4:55 Con te partirò - Andrea Bocelli (1995) 5:02 Auld Lang Syne - Tiny Hill and his Orchestra (1939) 5:09 Superman (It’s Not Easy) - Five for Fighting (2000) 5:13 Bird Plane - The Axis Of Awesome (2008) 5:27 Scar - Missy Higgins (2004)

13 years later. Damn take me back to the simple times.

I'd love to see an updated version of this

When I was in middle school, my bunk mates and I mashed up "Soul Sister", "I'm Yours", "Party In The USA" and "123" for our summer camp talent show. It turns out we had... several more options...

I just love how the last song, "Scar" has the chorus that explains this entire video and then ends with the line "That's all it takes to be a star." It's like it was makes just for it to be in this video because I never knew of it's existence until Axis made this.

I feel like the fact that a solid 80% of these absolute bangers is maybe the even more impressive part. Like what about these cords is sooo appealing?

4 chords that made a million...

i fricking love discount jack black

Currently i am drunk in a train towards Amsterdam. I walked through the train when i encountered a group singing this song. We sang the whole song together until they took off, right at the birdplane song . Thank you for this moment!

We performed this at a choir concert one year and the audience loved it. Highly recommend for large student choirs.

7 years later and this is still a banger

Some dude in the quad: I can play like 50 songs on guitar

OMG I can't believe I'm listening to this friggin awesome gem for the first time in 2024!!!

11 years later and this is still epic!

Look folks, before you start talking about how pop stars are unoriginal, there actually aren't many chord progressions out there. There are surprisingly few combinations that work and sound good. This happens to be one of the most powerful chord progressions; that's why it gets used so much.

4:25 every time I hear poker I always sing “come on Barbie lets go party” at that part.

it only became taboo because it was too powerful, that's why you won't forget it

And now this is Ed sheerans defence in court against yet another copyright infringement

Imagine how many copystrikes this video could get.

I don't know there names, but the one with (in my opinion) the best voice is the one who looks like a Pug. The Chihuahua is pretty good. I'd love to hear the Great Dane when he really tries.

after 11 years of coming back to this every few months I've just now realised that the industry formula for catchy songs caught me even through a parody of said formula...

I still come back to this whenever I need cheering up. I live in the Scottish highlands and am lonely and sore with a chronic illness. This makes me smile every time x

Jack Black, Neil Patrick Harris, and Aiden English make quite the trio.

0:21: Accidentally gets paper in his mouth 0:28: Trying to spit out paper with no success 0:33: Conspicuously chewing something

You’re brilliant and extremely talented!!! I miss your channel. You’re work has always been AWESOME!!!

I always come back to this. Thank you for amazing timeless content.

"Endgame is the most ambitious crossover." The Axis of Awesome:

Who’s music teacher also showed them this?

I can't believe how happy this made me, so amazingly well done!

Man, all these years later and these guys have 45 million friggin views... awesome... I remember watching this on TV once on a comedy special or something, now all these years layer it comes into my feed and I’m stoked. Awesome work

I can't be the only one who is very impressed that Benny could hit the high note in "Take On Me". A note that probably is an entrant on the list of "most botched notes by otherwise decent karaoke singers".

*I - V - vi - IV* Journey - Don't Stop Believing 0:09 James Blunt - You're Beautiful 0:18 Black Eyed Peas - Where Is the Love 0:27 Alphaville - Forever Young 0:37 Jason Mraz - I'm Yours 0:45 Train - Hey Soul Sister 0:54 The Calling - Wherever You Will Go 1:04 Elton John (Lion King)- Can You Feel The Love Tonight 1:12 Akon - Don't Matter 1:21 John Denver - Take Me Home, Country Roads 1:28 Lady Gaga - Paparazzi 1:37 U2 - With Or Without You 1:44 The Last Goodnight - Pictures Of You 1:53 Maroon Five - She Will Be Loved 2:01 The Beatles - Let It Be 2:11 Bob Marley - No Woman No Cry 2:15 Marcy Playground - Sex and Candy 2:17 Men At Work - Land Down Under 2:19 Jill Colucci - The Funny Things You Do 2:23 Jack Johnson - Taylor 2:30 Spice Girls - Two Become One 2:35 A Ha - Take On Me 2:39 Green Day - When I Come Around 2:41 Eagle Eye Cherry - Save Tonight 2:55 *vi - IV - I - V* Toto - Africa 2:56 Beyoncé - If I Were A Boy 3:03 Kelly Clarkson - Behind These Hazel Eyes 3:04 Jason DeRulo - In My Head 3:11 The Smashing Pumpkins - Bullet With Butterfly Wings 3:20 Jan Osborne - One Of Us 3:23 Avril Lavigne - Complicated 3:27 The Offspring - Self Esteem 3:32 The Offspring - You're Gonna Go far, kid 3:39 Akon - Beautiful 3:46 Timbaland feat. One Republic - Apologize 3:55 Eminem feat. Rihanna - Love The Way You Lie 4:03 Bon Jovi - It's My Life 4:10 Lady Gaga - Pokerface 4:19 Aqua - Barbie Girl 4:25 Red Hot Chili Peppers - Otherside 4:27 The Gregory Brothers - Double Rainbow 4:35 MGMT - Kids 4:43 *I - V - vi - IV* Andrea Bocelli - Time To Say Goodbye 4:55 Robert Burns - Auld Lang Syne 5:02 Five For Fighting - Superman / The Axis Of Awesome - Birdplane 5:09 Missy Higgins - Scar 5:26

It's been more than a decade and I keep coming back to watch this video and the other one, and they're still good.

I love these guys! Omg I've watched like 40x bc it's so funny and brilliant!

for those wanting to play on guitar easily- capo on 2nd. C, G, AM, F

“And the cast of Glee” gets me every time 😂😂😂

I just love the bits with Lee, that imperfect singing still matching drives it home.

This just never get old. So good.

only one question remains... who was the first

That sudden Billy corgan bullet with butterfly wings got me...

Ive loved this song for 10 years and still listen all the time. Thank you

Over a decade old now, never get tired of this video, these 4 chords or these songs! :D

All the time when I'm singing one of these songs I keep on singing the way it is here....I forgot how most of the songs actually continue because of this!!

Which anime is this?

Still stuck in my head a decade later. Wow, time flies

I could only imagine how fun this must've been for them to compose especially with the constant small adlib's from other songs 😂legends thank you xx

Pop music is 4 chords for 1,000 people, Jazz is 1,000 chords for 4 people.

My life is brilliant, My love is pure, I saw an angel, Of that I'm sure, People kill and people dyin' Children hurt and you hear them crying' Can you practice what you preach, Would you turn the other cheek, Forever young, I wanna be forever young, I won't hesitate, No more, no more, It can not wait, I'm yours, Lipstick stains, And the front lobe of my left side brains, I knew I wouldn't forget you, If I could, Then I would, I'd go wherever you will go. And can, You feel the love tonight. Nobody wants to see us together, But it don't matter, no. Cause I can't- Oh country road, Take me home, To the place, Where I belong. I'm your biggest fan, I'll follow you until you love me, Papa-Paparazzi, Well I can't believe, With or without you. Pictures of you, Pictures of me, Hung up on your wall, For the world to see, And she will be loved, Yeah, she will be lo-... When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me, No woman no crying, (Yeah momma this surely is a dream), I come from the land down under. Red, white and blue, Funny things you do, America, America, This is you. They say that Taylor was a good girl, Never wanna be late, Complain, express ideas, and complain, I need love like I've never needed love before, I'm going to make love to your baby, Take on me, (When I come around) Take me on, (When I come around) I'll be gone, In a day or two! Save tonight, (It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you) And fight the break of dawn, (There's nothing a hundred men or more could ever do) There's more before I'm gone, (If I were a boy) Here I am, Once again, I'm torn into pieces, Can't deny it, Can't pretend, (I think I would understand) Just thought you were the one in my head, I see you all over me in my head, Beautiful fantasies of you in my head, Despite all my rage I'm still just a rat in a cage, (What if God was one of us?) Tell me, Why'd you have to make things so complicated, I see the way you're acting like somebody- (I know she's playing with me, Well that's okay 'cause I got no self esteem) With a thousand eyes and a good disguise, Hit 'em right between the eyes, Hit 'em right between the eyes, You're so beautiful, So damn beautiful.. Too late to apologize, Too late.. Just gonna stand there and watch me burn, But that's all right 'cause I like the way it hurts, It's my life, It's now or never, I ain't gonna live forever, Can't read my, Can't read my, No he can't read my poker face, (Come on Barbie, Let's go party) How long, How long, Will I slide, Separate my, Double rainbow all the way across the sky, Yeah, Yeah, So intense. Enjoy yourself, Take only what you need from it, A family of treason. Time to, Say goodbye, (veduto e vissuto) Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And never brought to mind, I'm more than a bird, I'm more than a plane, I'm a birdplane, I'm a birdplane, A motherfuckin' birdplane, Doesn't that sound familiar, Doesn't that hit to close to home, And doesn't that make you shiver, The way that things have gone, And doesn't seem peculiar, 'Cause everyone wants a little more, It's something I do remember, To never go this far, That's all it takes to be a star.

Here I am, more than 11 years later, still loving this song. It's still so good.

It was this song that made me realize how much I like that chord structure like most of the songs on this list and a bunch of songs that aren't that I noticed after

My life is brilliant, my love is pure I saw an angel, of that I'm sure People killing people dying Children hurting you hear them crying Can you practice what you preach? Would you turn the other cheek? Forever young, I want to be Forever young I won't hesitate, no more no more It cannot wait, I'm yours Your lipstick stains On the front lobe of my left side brains I knew I wouldn't forget you If I could, then I would I'll go wherever you will go And can you feel the love tonight? Nobody wants to see us together But it don't matter no 'Cause I got you Oh country roads, take me home To the place, where I belong I'm your biggest fan I'll follow you until you love me Papa-Paparazzi 'Cause I can't live, with or without you Pictures of you, pictures of me Hung upon your wall for the world to see And she will be loved yeah, she will be loved When I find myself, in times of trouble Mother Mary comes to me No woman no cry Yeah mama this surely is a dream I come from a land down under Red, white and blue all the funny things you do America, America, this is you They say Taylor was a good girl never one to be late Complain express ideas in her brain I need some love like I never needed love before I wanna make love to your baby Take on me (when I come around) Take me on (when I come around) I'll be gone, winner of you... Save tonight (Its gonna take a lot to drag me away from you) And fight the break of dawn come tomorrow (There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do) Tomorrow I' ll be fine Here I am, once again I'm torn into pieces Can't deny it, can't pretend Just thought you were the one In my head I see you all over me In my head, you fulfill my fantasy In my head Despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a cage What if God was one of us? Tell me, why'd you have to go and make things so complicated? I see the way you're Actin' like you're somebody I know she's playing with me Well, that's okay 'cause I got no self esteem With a thousand lies and a good disguise Hit 'em right between the eyes Hit 'em right between the eyes 'Cause you're so beautiful So damn beautiful Too late to apologize, too late... Just gonna stand there and watch me burn But that's alright because I like the way it hurts It's my life... It's now or never I ain't gonna live forever Can't read my, can't read my No you can't read my poker face Come on Barbie lets go party How long how long will I slide Separate my Double rainbow all the way 'cross the sky Yeah, yeah, so intense Enjoy yourself Take only what you need from him A family of trees wanting Time to say goodbye Veduto e vissuto con te Should auld acquaintance be forgot And never brought to mind? I'm more than a bird I'm more than a plane I'm a birdplane... I'm a birdplane a mother f-ckin' birdplane Doesn't that sound familiar? Doesn't that hit too close to home? Doesn't that make you shiver? The way that things have gone And doesn't that seem peculiar 'Cause everyone wants a little more It's something I do remember to never go this far That's all it takes to be a star...

i want a full cover of The Offsprings- You're going to go far kid.

I kid you not this never gets old. Whether I'm drinking to forget the long day or just hanging with friends this takes me to a whole 'nother plane of awesome where old mixes with new and there are NO complaints from this guy on MUMZ I swear

I play this every time I'm inconsolable to the point of being a danger to myself. Thank you from the ADD/ADHD family. I personally endorse this song as the best medicine for those with a short attention span. I appreciate your art.

We need a yearly update of this song! "4 chords 2019", "4 Chords 2020" etc

There are only 4 bases in every DNA strand, (A, G, C, and T,) but the progression of arrangements of those 4 bases produces anything from a human being to a wombat.

Wow.. I was just letting KZfaq stream anything, all my videos had all ready played... When this came on I stopped cleaning & was in complete awe ... U guys are truly talented!

Music Appreciation Class brought me here. Amazing piece of art. It made me go through all my feelings and emotions. Lots of thoughts in my life. Anyways awesome work guys and this work deserves a standing ovation.

We watched this in music class at school. Is a sick mashup!

2:52 Dayum...I could never hit that note.

This is the most awesome clip I've EVER saw!! 👍👏🔥🔥

10 years?! Wow! I wonder what each of you have lived since this. I use this as an example when explaining music still. Thank you you awesome mo'fo

I used to recite this song with my brother. The song is 6 minutes long, and we still sang it all the way through many times. It probably irritated my mom and my sister, but we didn't care. It hurts whenever I remember these times and realize he's gone.

It just struck me that this actually tells a story of a guy falling in love getting married, argue and fights with his wife, he cheats, tries to apologize, but its too late and then they split and he's single again.

How could I miss this gem

This video has lived rent free in my head for 6 consecutive years. Not even lying. There is always some influence from this song in my ehad somewhere at any given time to this day. And I still remembered all the words and timing just now. Legendary

They sing half of these better then the original singers did

2:39 Take on Me and When I Come Around at the same time gets me every time. Best part

Still amazing over a decade later. Good stuff. 👍❤

Hahaha you guys are Awesome! Oh wait…I get it now 😂 The customs, the acting, the music…just perfect😍

The 4th, the 5th, the minor fall and the Major lift

Such a brilliantly executed concept!

So much for me to take in here. Need to watch again. Informative, well presented with affable charm. Thank you big time James.

Dammit, this song always packs so many emotions, so much nostalgia. Fckin love it!

We need a part 2 to this video with recent pop songs :)

I find myself singing this in random places, and I think people assume I can't keep my mind on one thing or something.

Perfect music for my adhd. Keep it going❤

A forever gem of youTube.

Almost 10 years old and still brilliant, nothing less,

I think every music teacher today has shown their class this video .. xD

Back to this video after 8 years. Unforgettable…

Nice Work, masterpiece

It's incredible how clear they speak English, I understood words that from the original didn't.

This always makes me remember the great citation back from 1950's _"All music has been already played. What's left is to take all the money."_ - Benjaminas Gorbulskis

You 3 deserve so much love.

I have been learning bass 5 years How you have speeded me up with your 4 chords amazing I can follow you and have a better understanding of music as I am playing mainly by ear

came back 7 years later.. it just came back to my mind after that long time..

Oh, the disappointment when you check out some of these songs and they're no where near as good as in this video...

Watched this in music class today. It was brilliant

I don’t understand why I am only finding this song now, I got chills the whole time. So good!

I’m here because of my music teacher. Wow. This is so fascinating.

Instead of slamming music for being "all the same", I think this has more of a "look at all these artists can do with the same 4 chords" feel to it, and I think it's quite neat.

I'm so glad this popped up in my recommendations again. Brings me back to many a party night.

11 years later and I still come back to watch this nonstop