What Are Popular Funeral Songs When Arranging A Funeral?
When arranging a funeral for a loved one, there are many decisions to make, and one of the most important is deciding what songs or music to use.
Music can be an emotional part of a funeral, so prepare for some tears when choosing music for your loved one but don’t worry – emotion is good! The right funeral music will console mourners and be a beautiful tribute to your loved one.
We asked the team here in the office about the most memorable songs anyone had heard at a funeral, and we got quite a range of responses!
“The song she and I used to go clubbing to in our 20s”,
“When my uncle died, my aunt chose the song from the first dance at their wedding ”,
“The song that was on the radio constantly that summer when we were driving to his treatment. We had to play that ”,
“The song I wrote for him on Valentine’s Day.”
We’ve compiled this list of popular funeral music to support you in making this decision for your loved one, But, if the above memories we’ve shared tell us anything, it’s that the story behind the music, is what makes it a touching choice that stays with you long time after your loved ones final send-off.
Classical Music
Classical music is a popular choice for funeral music as it can create a soothing, peaceful, and reflective atmosphere; using music with no words sometimes allows mourners to reflect on their feelings and special memories of the person who has passed away.
Some of the most popular classical pieces include:
- Requiem by Mozart. Mozart originally wrote the Requiem for a memorial honouring a friend. The warm tones of the choir and voice soloists make this the masterpiece it is.
- Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven. A moving piano sonata with moments of brightness, great for reflective moods.
- Air on the G String by Bach. A familiar piece to many, if your loved one like string music (violins, chellos, double-bass) this may be a good choice!
Classical music is truly timeless and could be an excellent idea for funeral music for lost loved ones of any age.
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Religious Hymns
Some funerals may include religious funeral hymns, commonly played during a church service. Hymns could provide comfort to mourners and serve as a tribute to your loved one’s faith if they were religious.
Some beautiful funeral hymns that you may wish to use include:
- Amazing Grace
- How Great Thou Art
- The Old Rugged Cross
A choir can perform funeral hymns if you choose to have one as part of your loved one’s service, or you can have an organist play your funeral hymns for the congregation to sing along to.
One of our team commented on a hymn choice that was just right for her nan,
" My nan's favourite hymn was Morning Has Broken. We all knew that from singing it in assembly at primary school. It isn't a solemn hymn, it isn't a funeral hymn, but that hymn is my nana through and through and was just perfect for us all to sing (though our tears!) at her funeral."
A quick note to help with your planning - if you're starting to feel all the funeral preparation details are getting a lot to manage, remember you can use our free The Farewell Guide funeral planning tool . You can store all the documents, contact information and details that will help you to plan your loved one’s service when the time comes. Take a look here to find out more about how we can support you.
Ok back to the music...
Pop Songs
Pop songs are also a popular choice for funeral music, as everybody has a favourite song, and the words within songs can be very personal to both your loved one and mourners. Using pop songs as funeral songs could be an excellent way to convey your feelings when you can’t find the words yourself, which could help make the grieving process a little easier for you.
Artists who write pop songs tend to write from the heart and create a connection with listeners, which makes them an excellent choice for funeral music.
Some stunning pop songs that could be used as funeral music are:
- See You Again by Charlie Puth & Wiz Khalifa
- Someone Like You by Adele
- Supermarket Flowers by Ed Sheeran
- When The Party’s Over by Billie Eilish
- Angels by Robbie Williams
- One More Light by Linkin Park
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Funeral Music From Celebrity Funerals
While specific details about celebrity funerals are often kept out of the public eye to show respect to the families, the funeral songs chosen at a celebrity’s funeral can be a wonderful insight into who they were as a person.
When it comes time to choose funeral music for your own loved one, you can take inspiration from the meaningful choices made at celebrity funerals. We know you'll be reflecting your loved one's unique personality and life story, but knowing what other people have chosen can help us sometimes to rule some ideas out!
Some of the funeral songs played at celebrity funerals:
- Purple Rain by Prince: Played at his own funeral
- Candle In The Wind by Elton John: Played at Princess Diana’s funeral
- I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston: Played at her own funeral
- Fix You by Coldplay: Played at Dame Deborah James’ funeral
No matter which type of funeral music you choose, by selecting funeral songs that truly mean something to you and your loved one, you’ll ensure that their funeral is a meaningful tribute to their life.
The free funeral planner from The Farewell Guide has a dedicated area where you can store all your loved one’s funeral music choices, as well as all the other finer details to make their funeral a true celebration of their life. To find out more and get started, please click here.