50 Best Songs for a Memorial Service, Funeral or Celebration of Life

What is the best song for a memorial service?

The most requested songs for a memorial service are "Amazing Grace", "Hallelujah", "Tears in Heaven" by Eric Clapton, "Go Rest High on That Mountain" by Vince Gill and "Wind Beneath My Wings" by Bette Midler. But the best song is always the one that belonged to the person you are remembering: the one they sang in the car, played at every party or asked you to play "when the time comes". Start there, then fill in with the lists below.

The most requested memorial songs

1. "Amazing Grace": the hymn almost every family knows.
2. "Hallelujah", Leonard Cohen, or the Jeff Buckley version.
3. "Tears in Heaven", Eric Clapton: written after the loss of his son.
4. "Go Rest High on That Mountain", Vince Gill: the country funeral standard.
5. "Wind Beneath My Wings", Bette Midler: a thank-you to someone who carried you.
6. "My Way", Frank Sinatra: for someone who lived life on their own terms.
7. "What a Wonderful World", Louis Armstrong: gratitude rather than grief.
8. "Over the Rainbow", Israel Kamakawiwo'ole: gentle and hopeful.
9. "Time to Say Goodbye", Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman: grand and moving.
10. "I Will Remember You", Sarah McLachlan: quiet and full of love.

Hymns and faith songs

11. "How Great Thou Art": a traditional hymn of praise and hope.
12. "It Is Well with My Soul": peace in the face of loss.
13. "I Can Only Imagine", MercyMe: wonder at what comes next.
14. "On Eagle's Wings": a comforting Catholic favorite.
15. "Be Not Afraid": reassurance for the family.
16. "Ave Maria", Schubert: often sung by a soloist.
17. "The Lord's Prayer", in Albert Hay Malotte's setting.
18. "I'll Fly Away": an uplifting gospel song for the recessional.

Pop and rock songs for a memorial

19. "Bridge Over Troubled Water", Simon & Garfunkel: about being there for someone.
20. "Knockin' on Heaven's Door", Bob Dylan: simple and universal.
21. "Candle in the Wind", Elton John: a tribute to a life that burned brightly.
22. "Fly", Celine Dion: written for her niece, about letting go.
23. "My Heart Will Go On", Celine Dion: about love that lasts beyond loss.
24. "Angel", Sarah McLachlan: one of the most-played memorial songs.
25. "See You Again", Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth: for a friend gone too soon.
26. "One Sweet Day", Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men: about meeting again someday.
27. "Gone Too Soon", Daughtry: for a life cut short.
28. "Supermarket Flowers", Ed Sheeran: the small, everyday moments after a mother's death.

Country memorial songs

29. "Who You'd Be Today", Kenny Chesney: about someone taken too young.
30. "If Heaven Wasn't So Far Away", Justin Moore: wishing for one more visit.
31. "You Should Be Here", Cole Swindell: written after the loss of his father.
32. "Drink a Beer", Luke Bryan: for a friend, by the lake.
33. "Temporary Home", Carrie Underwood: life as a journey with a destination.
34. "When I Get Where I'm Going", Brad Paisley and Dolly Parton: a peaceful picture of heaven.
35. "The Dance", Garth Brooks: glad for every moment, even knowing how it ends.
36. "Dancing in the Sky", Dani and Lizzy: imagining them happy and free.

Uplifting songs for a celebration of life

A celebration of life focuses on the joy a person brought rather than the loss. These songs make people smile through the tears:

37. "Here Comes the Sun", The Beatles.
38. "Three Little Birds", Bob Marley.
39. "Forever Young", Rod Stewart.
40. "Smile", Nat King Cole.
41. "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)", Green Day.
42. "I Hope You Dance", Lee Ann Womack.
43. "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life", Monty Python: for someone with a wicked sense of humor.
44. "Free Bird", Lynyrd Skynyrd: for a free spirit, and long enough to fill a recessional.

Songs for a memorial slideshow or video

45. "In My Life", The Beatles: short, tender and perfect for early photos.
46. "Photograph", Ed Sheeran: about memories kept in pictures.
47. "Remember When", Alan Jackson: a whole life in a few verses.
48. "100 Years", Five for Fighting: every age, one verse at a time.
49. "Landslide", Fleetwood Mac: about time and change.
50. "Memories", Maroon 5: a toast to the people we lost.

Timing tip: at four to six seconds per photo, a four-minute song carries 40 to 60 photos. Two or three songs are enough for most slideshows. Order the photos from childhood to the most recent, and save the best one for the last chorus.

Instrumental memorial service songs

Instrumental music works beautifully for the prelude, a moment of silence or the slideshow, and it never distracts from the words being spoken. The pieces chosen most often are Pachelbel's "Canon in D", Bach's "Air on the G String", Samuel Barber's "Adagio for Strings", "Nimrod" from Elgar's Enigma Variations, Debussy's "Clair de lune", Erik Satie's "Gymnopédie No. 1" and "Ashokan Farewell" by Jay Ungar, the fiddle tune many people know from documentaries about American history.

Songs for a husband, wife, friend or veteran

For a husband or wife

"The Dance" by Garth Brooks, "Unforgettable" by Nat King Cole and "I Will Always Love You" by Dolly Parton speak to a love that lasted a lifetime.

For a friend

"See You Again", "Drink a Beer" and "I'll Be Missing You" by Puff Daddy and Faith Evans are the songs friends choose most.

For a veteran

Military honors usually include "Taps". Families often add "Amazing Grace" on bagpipes, or "God Bless the U.S.A." by Lee Greenwood for a proud patriot. Ask the funeral home how military honors fit into the order of service.

What not to play

• Songs that are really about breakups, even if the title sounds right.
• Versions with explicit lyrics: ask for the clean edit.
• Songs tied to a painful period in the family's life.
• Very long tracks without a plan: a seven-minute song needs a fade point.
• Songs you have not heard in full on the system you will use: test the volume and the file the day before.
• Too many sad songs in a row: alternate with readings, silence or something brighter.

How many memorial service songs do you need?

Most services use three to six songs. A typical order looks like this:

• Prelude: soft music while guests arrive, often instrumental.
• Processional: a hymn or meaningful song as the family enters.
• Hymn or congregational song: something everyone can sing.
• Reflection: the most personal song, after the eulogy.
• Slideshow: one to three songs.
• Recessional: something hopeful as everyone leaves.

Choosing songs as a family

When several relatives have strong opinions, a simple method helps: ask each person to suggest one song and say why, then keep the songs that come up more than once and the ones with the best stories behind them. The person who knew them best usually gets the final word on the most personal slot, the song after the eulogy.

Music for the reception afterward

Many families gather after the service for a meal. A playlist of the person's favorite music, at low volume, gives people something to talk about ("this was his song!") and makes the room feel less heavy. It is a good place for the upbeat songs that did not fit the ceremony, and for the music that only their closest friends would recognize.

Live music or recordings?

Live music (a soloist, a pianist, a church organist) feels personal and lets the music adjust to the moment. Recordings are simpler and let you use the exact version your loved one knew. Many families combine both: hymns sung live, and one or two recorded songs that belonged to the person. Whatever you choose, send the files or the song list to the funeral home or officiant a few days in advance, and name one person to give the cue.

Religious venue or funeral home?

Churches often have rules about secular music during the service itself, but many allow a favorite song before or after. Funeral homes and outdoor celebrations of life usually allow anything. If you are unsure, ask early: it saves stress on the day.

Sharing the service online

If you livestream or post a recording of the service, platforms may mute or block famous songs for copyright reasons. A personalized song created for personal use is easier to share with family and friends who could not attend.

A song that tells their story

Every song on this list was written about someone else. A personalized tribute song is about the person you lost: their name, their work, the jokes only they told, the place they loved, the thing they always said at the end of a phone call. Many families play it after the eulogy or during the slideshow, and it becomes something they return to on birthdays and anniversaries. Because it is ready in minutes, it fits even the short timeline before a service. Read more in our memorial song ideas and our guide to a custom memorial song.

How to create a memorial tribute song

1. Choose a style from 14 genres: acoustic, country, gospel-inspired, soft rock, folk and more.
2. Add their name or nickname, and up to two more names.
3. Share two or three memories that capture who they were.
4. Review the lyrics, edit or regenerate them for free, and add pronunciation hints if needed.
5. Listen to 4 free 45-second previews and choose the one that feels right.

The full song lasts 3 to 4 minutes and costs $24.99, or $29.99 for Premium with four full versions and editable lyrics. You get the MP3 for the service, a page to share with family and the lyrics as a PDF for the program.

More lists by relationship: funeral songs for grandma, songs about losing your mom and songs for dad in heaven.

When you are ready: create a tribute song and hear the previews for free.