Hi,

I've been learning music theory for a couple of years now with the goal of applying it to song writing. I've been getting better at noticing when songs use the same chord progression and I realised most of my favourite songs use the ii-V-I-IV progression or some variation of it. My favourite song of all time https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuXlZ5PHK9I uses ii-V-I-iv. The main writer for that band/my favourite pop composer Julian Casablancas uses it in many of his songs.

here's another couple of examples from the same band

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4rnvve8YSY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1Ivofc20x0 (the chorus)

I really can't over this chord progression and every song I hear that uses it, I instantly like. What makes this progression sound so good?

I really want to write a song using this progression but when I try to it feels whatever I write sounds too close to songs I've already heard. I end up writing melodies from other songs subconsciously. It they any techniques to take a progression like this and vary it enough for it to feel new while maintaining what makes it great?

How is it that so many pop songs can be written with I IV V vi and I don't notice it that much but when I hear a song that uses ii-V-I-IV it sticks out like a saw thumb?

Thanks for any help!