Here is a site that may give you some insight into your question. The site shows many chord progressions and lists hundreds of songs containing them.

https://www.hooktheory.com/theorytab/common-chord-progressions

I believe that there are over four thousand chords with a zillion more voicings. I don't have the math skills to count the voicings. I bring up this voicing issue because, for me, at least, if I hear even a simple C chord and I also need to play that chord, I may not recognize that it was played in the root, first inversion, or second inversion. These voicings are not always played because they sound the best but because they may be faster to get to or easier to play.

Many melodies are based on major and minor scales; each note in the scale is the root or tonic note of its own chord. These chords are common chords assigned to the melody.

There is a lot you did not say in your post. Are you playing cover songs or writing original music? Knowing what chord to play in a cover song that you may know the basic melody line to depends on what other people in the group are playing. A little more information from you would be helpful.

Billy

“Amazing! I’ll be working with Jaco Pastorius, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, and Buddy Rich, and you’re telling me it’s not that great of a gig?
“Well…” Saint Peter, hesitated, “God’s got this girlfriend who thinks she can sing…”