Funeral Songs: What to Play and What to Avoid

Funeral-appropriate songs

Choosing funeral music is usually done in a few days, by someone who is exhausted. Most UK services need three songs: one as the coffin comes in, one during a quiet moment of reflection, and one as everyone leaves. That is the whole structure, and knowing it makes the decision much smaller.

There is no wrong answer here. A hymn, a football anthem and a Frank Sinatra record have all closed services beautifully. What matters is that it sounds like the person.

We don't sell music - we make cards and prints in house, printed in the UK. This is a straight guide to the songs, and the sympathy card that goes with it.

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Quiet, plainly worded sympathy cards, designed and printed in the UK.

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Entry music: as the coffin comes in

  • Keep it slow and instrumental if you can - the room is still settling and vocals can be too much too soon.
  • Nimrod from Elgar's Enigma Variations is the most used piece in British crematoriums.
  • Ave Maria, Pie Jesu or Adagio for Strings if you want something classical.
  • Somewhere Over The Rainbow, the Israel Kamakawiwoʻole version, is common and gentle.
  • If they were a football supporter, the club anthem here is not disrespectful. It is often the moment people remember.

Reflection music: the quiet middle

  • This is the song people will cry to, so choose it knowing that is the job it's doing.
  • Time To Say Goodbye - Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman.
  • Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd.
  • Fields Of Gold - Eva Cassidy.
  • Angels - Robbie Williams, still one of the most requested in the UK.
  • Supermarket Flowers - Ed Sheeran, particularly for a parent or grandparent.
  • Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon & Garfunkel.

Exit music: leaving the service

  • Lift it if you can. People have to walk back out into a car park and a cup of tea.
  • Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life - Monty Python. Genuinely one of the most played exit songs in Britain.
  • My Way - Frank Sinatra.
  • What A Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong.
  • You'll Never Walk Alone - Gerry & The Pacemakers.
  • Sweet Caroline, if the wake is going to be a proper one.

Hymns that still work in a UK service

  • Abide With Me - the traditional choice, and most people over sixty know the words.
  • The Lord's My Shepherd, Crimond setting.
  • Amazing Grace, sung or on bagpipes.
  • Jerusalem, for someone with a strong sense of home.
  • Morning Has Broken, gentler than most and easy to sing.

Practical things crematoriums ask for

  • Most UK crematoriums allow three pieces of music within a 20 to 30 minute slot. Ask yours early.
  • Many use the Wesley Media or Obitus systems, so the track needs to be a commercially released recording - not a personal file or a live recording.
  • Send the exact version and artist, not just the title. There are dozens of recordings of Ave Maria.
  • Long songs get faded. Pick where you would want the fade and say so.
  • If you want a live singer, tell the funeral director at the first meeting - not the week of.

What to avoid

  • Anything with a lyric that lands badly out of context - check the whole song, not the chorus.
  • Songs the immediate family associate with something painful. Ask before you finalise.
  • Music that only one person in the room knows, at the reflection point. Save it for the wake.
  • Very long orchestral pieces, unless you're happy for them to be cut mid-phrase.

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How to write it so it lands

  • Write the three songs down with artist and version and give them to the funeral director in writing.
  • Listen to each one all the way through before you confirm it.
  • If you can't decide, choose what they actually played in the house. That is usually the right answer.
  • Print the song titles in the order of service so people know what's coming.

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Frequently asked questions

How many songs do you need for a funeral?

Three is standard in the UK: one as the coffin enters, one for reflection during the service, and one as people leave. Most crematoriums allow up to three within the booked slot.

What is the most popular funeral song in the UK?

My Way by Frank Sinatra and Time To Say Goodbye have topped UK funeral lists for years, with Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life consistently the most requested exit song.

Can you play pop music at a funeral?

Yes. Civil and most religious services in the UK allow pop music, though some churches restrict it during the service itself - ask the minister, and keep the pop song for the exit if needed.

Is it okay to play a funny song at a funeral?

Often yes, and it can be the kindest part of the day. Check with the closest family members first, and place it at the end rather than during reflection.

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