Music has been a part of funeral ceremonies for centuries, from hymns to classical pieces. As personalizing services grows in popularity, song choices have expanded, offering unique ways to honor loved ones with meaningful tunes.
When choosing music for a funeral, focus on the person being remembered. Consider their favorite songs or style of music. Instead of sticking to traditional options, select meaningful pieces that reflect their personality and bring comfort, creating a heartfelt and personalized service.
We’ve created a list of songs organized by genre to help you choose. Whether they loved rock, country, or old classics, you’ll find thoughtful options to honor their memory below.
1. Take Me Home – John Denver
2. Yesterday – The Beatles
3. My Way – Frank Sinatra
4. You’ll Never Walk Alone – Gerry & The Pacemakers
5. Turn Turn Turn – The Byrds
6. Always On My Mind – Elvis
7. Amazing Grace – Celtic Women
8. In My Life – The Beatles
9. Imagine – John Lennon
10. Heaven Can Wait – Meatloaf
1. Supermarket Flowers – Ed Sheeran
2. Breathe Me – Sia
3. Fix You – Coldplay
4. See You Again –Charlie Puth
5. Somewhere Over The Rainbow – Israel Kamakawiwo’ole (and other artists)
6. I’ll Be Missing You – P. Diddy & Faith Evans
7. Angel – Sarah McLachlan
8. Angles – Robbie Williams
9. Chasing Cars – Snow Patrol
10. Gone, Gone, Gone – Phillip Phillips
1. Tears In Heaven – Eric Clapton
2. Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd
3. Babe I’m Gonna Leave You – Led Zeppelin
4. Scream – Chris Cornell
5. My City of Ruins – Bruce Springsteen
6. November Rain – Guns N’ Roses
7. Hallelujah – Bon Jovi
8. Stairway To Heaven – Led Zeppelin
9. I’ll Back You Up – Dave Matthews Band
10. Man of the Hour – Pearl Jam
1. Surround You – Echosmith
2. The Trapeze Swinger – Iron & Wine
3. Heartbeats – Jose Gonzalez
4. Blood – The Middle East
5. The Funeral – Band of Horses
6. Awake My Soul – Mumford & Sons
7. While We Were Dreaming – Pink Mountaintops
8. Higher Love – James Vincent McMorrow
9. The Night We Met – Lord Huron
10. Twenty Years – Augustana
1. If I Die Young – The Band Perry
2. Go Rest High On That Mountain – Vince Gill
3. Angels Among Us – Alabama
4. If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away – Justin Moore
5. I Drive Your Truck – Lee Brice
6. Drink a Beer – Luke Bryan
7. Who You’d Be Today – Kenny Chesney
8. One Hell of an Amen – Brantley Gilbert
9. If You’re Reading This – Tim McGraw
10. See You Again – Carrie Underwood
You can play music softly as guests arrive, during the service to highlight meaningful moments, or as they leave. Music adds a comforting and personal touch to the ceremony.
Music adds a creative and uplifting touch, enhancing the funeral ceremony and creating a meaningful atmosphere, no matter the type or timing of the service.
Funeral homes need a music license to legally play copyrighted music, whether it’s live, on a CD, DVD, cassette, or as hold music.