Funeral Music

I thought that I would run through some funeral music ideas to give those who need it a little inspiration. These are suitable for any type of funeral service, including memorial services and celebration of life ceremonies.

Below you will find my top ten lists of funeral music by genre, including classical funeral music along with more contemporary funeral songs.

Top 10 pieces of funeral music

1. My Way – Frank Sinatra
2. Time To Say Goodbye – Andrea Bocelli & Sarah Brightman
3. Over The Rainbow – Eva Cassidy
4. Wind Beneath My Wings – Bette Midler
5. Angels – Robbie Williams
6. Supermarket Flowers – Ed Sheeran
7. Unforgettable – Nat King Cole
8. You Raise Me Up – Westlife
9. We’ll Meet Again – Vera Lynn
10. Always Look on The Bright Side of Life – Eric Idle from Monty Python’s Life of Brian

Top 10 contemporary songs for funerals

1. Angels – Robbie Williams
2. Supermarket Flowers – Ed Sheeran
3. You Raise Me Up – Westlife
4. See You Again – Wiz Khalifa
5. Dancing Queen -Abba
6. Lay Me Down – Sam Smith
7. Dancing In The Sky – Dani & Lizzi
8. Flying Without Wings – Westlife
9. How Long Will I Love You – Ellie Goulding
10. 7 Years – Lukas Graham

Top 10 hymns for funerals

1. All Things Bright & Beautiful
2. Abide With Me
3. The Lord’s My Shepherd
4. Amazing Grace
5. Jerusalem
6. The Day Thou Gavest, Lord Is Ended
7. Morning Has Broken
8. We Plough The Fields And Scatter
9. The Old Rugged Cross
10. Lord Of All Hopefulness

Top 10 rock songs for funerals

1. Led Zeppelin – Stairway to Heaven
2. Meatloaf – Bat Out of Hell
3. Aerosmith – Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing
4. Queen – Who Wants To Live Forever?
5. Queen – The Show Must Go On
6. Guns and Roses – Knocking on Heaven’s Door
7. Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here
8. ACDC – Highway To Hell
9. Queen – Another One Bites The Dust
10. Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody

Top 10 classical pieces for funerals

1. Time To Say Goodbye – Andrea Bocelli & Sarah Brightman
2. Nimrod – Edward Elgar
3. Canon in D – Pachelbel
4. Ave Maria – Franz Schubert
5. The Lark Ascending – Ralph Vaughan Williams
6. Pie Jesu – Faure
7. Adagio For Strings – Samuel Barber
8. Air On A G String – Bach
9. Four Seasons – Vivaldi
10. Claire De Lune – Claude Debussy

Top 10 sports tunes for funerals

1. Match of The Day Theme Tune – Barry Stoller
2. Soul Limbo (Test Match Special) – Booker T and MG
3. You’ll Never Walk Alone (Liverpool / Celtic) – Gerry & The Pacemakers
4. The Chain (Formula 1 Theme) – Fleetwood Mac
5. Black & White Rag (Pot Black Theme Tune) – George Botsford
6. Chariots of Fire (Athletics) – Vangelis
7. Pop Looks Bach (Ski Sunday) – Sam Fonteyn
8. Light & Tuneful (Tennis – Wimbledon) – New World Orchestra
9. Drag Racer (BBC Snooker) – Power Pack Orchestra
10. A Swingin Safari (Stock Cars) – Bert Kaempfert & His Orchestra

Top 10 TV tunes for funerals

1. Only Fools & Horses
2. Last of the Summer Wine
3. Coronation Street
4. Match of the Day
5. Bring Me Sunshine (Morecambe and Wise)
6. Soul Limbo (Test Match Special)
7. Going Home (Hovis)
8. Eastenders
9. Emmerdale
10. Dr Who

Top 10 country music songs for funerals

1. Country Roads – Jon Denver
2. I Will Always Love You – Dolly Parton
3. Islands in the Stream – Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers
4. 9-5 – Dolly Parton
5. If Tomorrow Never Comes – Garth Brooks
6. Annie’s Song – Jon Denver
7. Ring of Fire – Johnny Cash
8. You’re Still The One – Shania Twain
9. Stand By Your Man – Dolly Parton
10. The Gambler – Kenny Rogers

Top 10 RnB songs for funerals

1. I’ll Be Missing You – Puff Daddy
2. I Miss You – Beyonce
3. One Sweet Day – Boyz II Men
4. Dance With My Father Again – Luther Vandross
5. It So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday – Boyz II Men
6. Killing Me Softly – The Fugees
7. Because I Got High – Afrojack
8. Blinded By Your Grace – Stormzy
9. Call Out My Name – The Weednd
10. I’ll Be Missing You – Chaka Demus

Top 10 indie songs for funerals

1. Chasing Cars – Snow Patrol
2. Wonderwall – Oasis
3. Don’t Look Back in Anger – Oasis
4. One Day Like This – Elbow
5. Bittersweet Symphony – The Verve
6. Fix You – Coldplay
7. Live Forever – Oasis
8. Mr Brightside – The Killers
9. Paradise – Coldplay
10. Clocks – Coldplay

Top 10 jazz songs for funerals

1. Unforgettable – Nat King Cole
2. What A Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong
3. Ain’t No Sunshine – Bill Withers
4. In The Mood – Glenn Miller
5. Smile – Nat King Cole
6. When The Saints Go Marching In
7. At Last – Etta James
8. Take 5 – Dave Brubeck
9. The Thrill Is Gone – BB King
10. Begin The Beguine – Artie Shaw

I hope these have helped to provide a little inspiration. Feel free to get in touch with me if you’d like to find out more about planning and personalising a funeral or celebration of life service.