Australian comedy trio Axis of Awesome has been at it for some time without ever cracking the big time. But the lads may have unlocked the formula for success, and it just takes four chords.

Here we see how four single chords form the basis for all the major pop hits of our time. It’s not entirely a new idea. The Pachebel’s Canon Rant also explored the idea. But the Axis manage to cram more songs in, really driving the point home.

After all, we’ve long heard that there are no original ideas. What matters is how well you cover that old ground. And Axis of Awesome do it … well … awesomely!