At a glance
- Key
- Ab Major
- Time signature
- 4/4
- Main progression
- vi–IV–I–V
- Chords used
- Ab · Fm · Bbm · Eb · Db
Summary
Released in 2013, 'All of Me' became John Legend's signature hit and his first Billboard Hot 100 number one. The track is celebrated for its stripped-back production and emotional vulnerability, quickly becoming one of the most popular wedding songs of the modern era.
Chord Sheet
Chords Used
Progression by Section
Chorus
Verse
Chord Diagrams
Musical Analysis
The harmonic strength of 'All of Me' lies in its duality between Ab Major and its relative minor, F Minor. While the verse uses the 'Sensitive Female Chord Progression' (vi-IV-I-V), which grounds the song in a contemporary pop-ballad feel, the transition to th…
History
John Legend co-wrote the song with Toby Gad. The lyrics were crafted to be a sincere, stripped-back declaration of love that balanced both the strengths and 'imperfections' of a relationship. Legend wanted to move away from the high-concept production of his p…
“The song took 30 weeks to climb to the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100.”
Full musical analysis
The harmonic strength of 'All of Me' lies in its duality between Ab Major and its relative minor, F Minor. While the verse uses the 'Sensitive Female Chord Progression' (vi-IV-I-V), which grounds the song in a contemporary pop-ballad feel, the transition to the I-vi-ii-V in the chorus provides a sense of resolution and uplifting energy. The use of the ii chord (Bbm) instead of the IV chord (Db) in the chorus adds a slight R&B sophistication while remaining strictly diatonic.
John Legend co-wrote the song with Toby Gad. The lyrics were crafted to be a sincere, stripped-back declaration of love that balanced both the strengths and 'imperfections' of a relationship. Legend wanted to move away from the high-concept production of his previous work to create a timeless piano ballad.
Released in 2013, 'All of Me' became John Legend's signature hit and his first Billboard Hot 100 number one. The track is celebrated for its stripped-back production and emotional vulnerability, quickly becoming one of the most popular wedding songs of the modern era.
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Song DNA
Genre
R&B
Era
2010s
Mood
Romantic
Tempo
Ballad
Key
Major
Texture
Sparse
Sound
Piano-led
Feel
Straight
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Statistics
10.8M
Plays
1.3M
Listeners
5.8M
Genius Views
12
Annotations
100%
Popularity
4:30
Duration
4/4
Time
Credits
Written by
Produced by
From the album Love in the Future