History
History guitar chords by One Direction · Key of F Major · Free Chord Sheet
About History
“History” by One Direction is a warm, anthemic pop song from their 2015 album Made in the A.M. — a farewell track with a rich chord progression in F Major. The song features an interesting variety of chords including the A7, Cm7 and C7 dominant flavours that give it its distinctive bittersweet pop feel. With its moderate tempo and D DU DU strumming pattern, it’s an accessible challenge for intermediate players wanting to expand beyond basic open-chord songs into richer pop harmony.
Guitar Chords for History
Chords Used
Strumming Pattern
How to Play History on Guitar
Verse 1
F / A7 / Dm / Cm7 / A# / Gm / C / F
Verse 2
F A7 Dm Cm7 / A# Gm C F C7
Verse 3
F Dm Gm C7 F / Dm Gm A# F C7
Chorus
A# F / A# F / A# F A# / Dm Gm C F C7
Outro
Gm / A# / F / Gm / A# F / C / C7
Playing Tips
The F chord (barre at fret 1 or open F shape) is central to this song — make sure yours rings clean. The A7 chord adds a jazz-pop colour to the verse; practice the A7 shape and its transition to Dm. The Cm7 is the most complex chord in the song — if you struggle with it, simplify to Cm as a starting point. The chorus A#–F repetition is rhythmically satisfying once you get the strumming locked in.
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