Choose funeral music by its place in the service: entrance, reflection, a shared hymn or the final farewell. A familiar song can be meaningful, but there is no required playlist. Agree each piece, recording and duration with the celebrant or minister and the venue before printing the order of service.
A simple music running order to adapt
Entrance: one agreed track, such as a chosen recording of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”, or silence; confirm when it starts.
Reflection or hymn: a personal favourite, or “Abide With Me” where appropriate; check whether guests will sing and who accompanies them.
Exit: a piece that suits the person, such as “My Way”; confirm the version and whether it plays in full. These are ideas, not a popularity ranking.
Should funeral entrance music start before the coffin arrives?
Ask the person leading the service to agree the cue with the venue. A track might begin as guests settle or as the coffin enters; there is no single rule for every ceremony. Record the start cue beside the exact version of the song.
What if guests do not know the funeral hymn?
Ask the minister or celebrant about a familiar alternative, a soloist, a recording or a period of silence. If guests are invited to sing, confirm the tune and the words permitted in the printed order of service.
Useful services and next steps
For an Anglican funeral, the Church of England’s arrangements page explains how to find a minister. Discuss music choices, timings and what the venue permits with the person leading the service. Find a minister and arrange the funeral
If you are recording your own funeral preferences, Hospice UK’s planning-ahead page links to a free funeral-wishes form. You can note music and readings, then share the note with someone you trust. This is separate from buying a prepaid funeral plan. Use Hospice UK’s funeral-wishes guidance
Once the sequence is agreed, place the chosen titles and cues in the printed programme. Prepare the funeral order of service
What are the most popular funeral songs in the UK?
Co-op Funeralcare publishes a chart of the music chosen at the funerals it arranges. Its August 2025 list, based on more than 90,000 funerals in the previous 12 months, gives this top ten:
"Time to Say Goodbye", Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman
"My Way", Frank Sinatra
"Somewhere Over the Rainbow", Eva Cassidy
"You'll Never Walk Alone", listed in the chart as Liverpool FC
"The Best", Tina Turner
"Supermarket Flowers", Ed Sheeran
"Wind Beneath My Wings", Bette Midler
"Abide With Me", hymn
"We'll Meet Again", Vera Lynn
"You Raise Me Up", Westlife
The mix says a lot about how funerals have changed. Alongside a hymn and a classical crossover piece, the list includes a football anthem, a wartime favourite and recent pop songs. A popular song is not a safe or unimaginative choice; it is often popular precisely because it says something many families want to say.
Which hymns are most often sung at funerals?
Co-op Funeralcare's top five funeral hymns in 2025 were "Abide With Me", "All Things Bright and Beautiful", "The Lord is My Shepherd", "Morning Has Broken" and "Amazing Grace". "Abide With Me" was written by Henry Francis Lyte in 1847, according to the hymn database Hymnary.org, and is most often sung to the tune Eventide by William Henry Monk. "The Lord is My Shepherd" is a setting of Psalm 23, often sung to the tune Crimond.
Other hymns that many families know and choose include:
"Jerusalem", words by William Blake, music by Hubert Parry
"Dear Lord and Father of Mankind", words by John Greenleaf Whittier
"The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, Is Ended", words by John Ellerton
"How Great Thou Art"
"Make Me a Channel of Your Peace", by Sebastian Temple, based on a prayer often linked to St Francis
"Lord of All Hopefulness", words by Jan Struther
If you choose a hymn, think about whether the guests will know it. A familiar hymn may make it easier for those who wish to join in; nobody needs to sing to take part in the farewell. The minister or celebrant can suggest a tune that suits your venue.
What classical music works well at a funeral?
Instrumental and classical music suits moments when no one is speaking, such as the entrance, a time for reflection or the committal. Co-op Funeralcare's 2025 top five classical choices were "Time to Say Goodbye", "Nimrod", "Ave Maria", "Nessun Dorma" and "Adagio for Strings".
"Nimrod" from Edward Elgar's Enigma Variations, slow, steady and very English.
"Ave Maria", in the settings by Franz Schubert or by Charles Gounod over a Bach prelude.
"Nessun Dorma" from Giacomo Puccini's opera Turandot, for someone who loved a big, rousing finish.
"Adagio for Strings" by Samuel Barber, deeply sorrowful and still.
"The Lark Ascending" by Ralph Vaughan Williams, for someone who loved the countryside.
"Canon in D" by Johann Pachelbel, gentle and familiar.
"Clair de lune" by Claude Debussy, quiet and reflective.
What are good non-religious and uplifting funeral songs?
Many families choose the songs the person actually played, whether that was northern soul, a musical, a brass band or punk. Personal relevance matters more than any list. A few songs that often come up for non-religious funerals and celebrations of life:
"What a Wonderful World", Louis Armstrong, for a person who found joy in small things.
"Bridge Over Troubled Water", Simon and Garfunkel, for someone who was always there for others.
"Fix You", Coldplay, for a gentle, hopeful moment.
"Angels", Robbie Williams, big, emotional and widely known.
"Somewhere Only We Know", Keane, for a shared place or a long partnership.
"Don't Stop Me Now", Queen, as exit music for someone full of energy.
"Always Look on the Bright Side of Life", from Monty Python's Life of Brian, for someone who would have wanted people to leave smiling.
If you choose something light-hearted, it often works best as the exit music, when the formal part of the ceremony is over. If you are building the running order, our guide to the funeral order of service shows where each piece usually fits.
Where does music go in a funeral service?
A ceremony usually has several musical moments: entrance music as the coffin comes in or guests sit down, one or two hymns or songs during the service, a piece for reflection after the tribute, sometimes music during the committal, and exit music as people leave. At a crematorium, the time slot limits how much you can fit in. Coventry City Council, for example, books 45-minute slots to allow a 30-minute service, so you may need to fade a long track early or choose shorter pieces.
In a humanist ceremony, Humanists UK says on its funeral FAQs that a hymn can be included if it reflects the person and brings back memories, though not as an act of worship. In a church, the minister may have views on secular songs, so ask early rather than on the day. Readings can carry some of the same feeling as music; our guide to funeral poems and readings has ideas for every kind of ceremony.
Can you have live music, or does it have to be recorded?
Both are possible. Crematoria usually have a music system and a library of tracks. Guildford Borough Council, for instance, says its crematorium uses Obitus for music, tributes and webcasting, and that its music library is free to use. Give the funeral director the exact title, artist and version, because many songs exist in several recordings. The venue and funeral director normally take care of the practical side of playing recorded music, so you only need to tell them what you want.
Live music can be very moving: a soloist, a choir, a piper, a brass player or a friend with a guitar. Check in advance what the venue allows and whether there is an organist. Guildford notes its chapel has an organ but no resident organist, so you may need to arrange one. If a friend is performing, a short rehearsal in the room helps, because emotions on the day can be stronger than anyone expects.
How do different faiths approach funeral music?
Practice varies widely within every faith, so follow the family and the officiant. At Sikh funerals, kirtan, devotional hymns from the Guru Granth Sahib, are often sung, sometimes by trained musicians called ragis, and the evening prayer Sohila Sahib is recited at the cremation, as the National Association of Funeral Directors' guide to Sikh funerals explains. At Hindu funerals, Vedic mantras and prayers are recited at the crematorium, according to its guide to Hindu funerals.
Islamic funerals centre on the funeral prayer, Salat al-Janazah, described in the NAFD's guide to Muslim funerals. In traditional Jewish funerals there is no music at the ceremony, as the London Borough of Ealing's guide to funeral rites across cultures notes. In these and many other traditions, music at the funeral itself may not be expected at all, and a family might choose to share favourite songs at a separate gathering instead.
Frequently asked questions: Funeral songs and hymns
How many songs do you have at a funeral?
There is no rule. Many services include entrance and exit music plus one or two pieces in between, but a short crematorium slot may limit how many you can play in full.
Can you play any song at a funeral?
Usually, at crematoria and secular venues, provided the venue can play the recording you want. In a church, ask the minister first, as some prefer hymns or sacred music during worship.
Can you print the words of a song in the order of service?
Only if the words are out of copyright or a licence covers them. In the UK, copyright in lyrics lasts 70 years after the author's death, so ask the venue or funeral director, or list the title and artist only.
Is it all right to choose a funny or upbeat song?
Yes. Many families end with something upbeat that sums up the person's spirit. It often sits best as the exit music, after the committal.
How Solace Care can help
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