The most played funeral songs right now
For many families, music is the emotional heart of a funeral. It stirs memories, offers comfort and, in just a few minutes, says something about who a person was. But which songs are actually played most often at funerals? And how do you choose, from all those familiar pieces, something that genuinely fits? In this article we set out the funeral music that comes up time and again, and show how to use it well in a funeral presentation.
The songs that top the funeral charts
The best-known picture of British funeral music comes from Co-op Funeralcare, the country's largest funeral provider, which for years has tracked the songs played at the services it arranges. Their funeral music chart is widely reported in the press each year, and one thing barely changes: Frank Sinatra's "My Way" has sat at or near the top for as long as the chart has existed.
Rather than quote an exact running order, which shifts a little from year to year, it is more useful to look at the songs that appear in these charts year after year. Here are around twenty that keep coming back:
- My Way, Frank Sinatra
- Time to Say Goodbye, Sarah Brightman and Andrea Bocelli
- Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
- Angels, Robbie Williams
- Supermarket Flowers, Ed Sheeran
- You'll Never Walk Alone, Gerry and the Pacemakers
- Wind Beneath My Wings, Bette Midler
- My Heart Will Go On, Celine Dion
- We'll Meet Again, Vera Lynn
- Unforgettable, Nat King Cole
- Ave Maria, Schubert
- Amazing Grace
- Abide With Me
- The Rose, Bette Midler
- Tears in Heaven, Eric Clapton
- Unchained Melody, The Righteous Brothers
- What a Wonderful World, Louis Armstrong
- Always Look on the Bright Side of Life, Monty Python
- Dancing Queen, ABBA
- See You Again, Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth
What stands out about the list
A few things catch the eye. First, the stability at the top: "My Way" has been the fixed number one for years and shows no sign of being shifted, its lyric about a life lived on one's own terms striking a chord at farewell after farewell.
Second, how far the mix has broadened. Where funerals once leaned almost entirely on classical and religious music, families now reach just as readily for pop and for personal favourites. Hymns such as Amazing Grace and Abide With Me still hold their place, but they now sit alongside the likes of Ed Sheeran, Robbie Williams and ABBA.
Third, the growing room for a smile. It is no longer unusual to hear Monty Python's "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" close a service, and Co-op Funeralcare has noted the same trend for years: more humour, more celebration of a life, and less of the idea that a funeral has to be uniformly sombre. More and more families deliberately choose a song that brings a smile through the tears.
Why these songs work
Most of the songs on the list have something in common: they are about parting, love, memory or letting go, and they call up emotion almost by themselves. That makes them easy to connect with, even for those who do not know the words by heart. The melody and the mood do the work.
A good number of the popular pieces are also instrumental or gentle in build, such as the Ave Maria or a soft reading of Amazing Grace. That is no accident: calm music leaves room for silence, for a speaker and for a photo slideshow, without the words demanding all the attention.
Popular does not always mean fitting
A list like this is meant as inspiration, not as a rule. A song everyone knows can be beautiful, but a piece that genuinely belonged to the person often lands more deeply. The record that was always on in the car, the song from the wedding, or a tune that was sung along to in the kitchen says more than a familiar classic with no real link to them.
So use these songs as a memory jog. If you recognise one that suits the life and the taste of the person who has died, that is a lovely starting point. But do not be afraid to step away from the list and choose something personal instead. You will find the same principle in our piece on choosing photos: what matters is what it stirs, not what is customary.
Using it well in a funeral presentation
Once you have chosen a song, it comes down to how you use it. A few practical pointers:
- With a photo slideshow, calm or instrumental versions often work best, because the images are given room. Reckon on six to eight seconds per photo and allow for the transition time between them.
- For the entrance and the final farewell, a recognisable, gentle piece works nicely. For the final farewell, choose something that can loop, because you cannot know in advance how long that moment will take.
- Mind the length. A song of three to four minutes suits a short slideshow well; a long song really counts as two, or leaves less time for the speakers.
In a funeral presentation built with our tool, the music starts automatically at the right moment and plays on across the photos, with the timing worked out to fit the song by itself. That way you need not worry about the technical side and can focus on what counts: a fitting farewell.
Would you rather see how that works straight away? Make a free trial version: building and previewing it costs nothing.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most played funeral song?
Frank Sinatra's "My Way" has sat at or near the top of the UK funeral charts for years, most notably in the figures published by Co-op Funeralcare, and it shows little sign of being shifted.
Where can I find these funeral music charts?
Co-op Funeralcare, the UK's largest funeral provider, publishes a funeral music chart that is widely reported in the press each year. Other providers and music services put out similar lists, and the names at the top tend to overlap.
Do I have to choose from these popular songs?
No. The list is meant as inspiration, not a rule. A song that genuinely belonged to the person often lands more deeply than a well-known classic. You can read more about choosing from the person outward in Choosing music for a funeral: where do you start?