Funeral music
Many people ask for specific pieces of music to be played during the funeral service. It is an opportunity to add a personal touch.
The music chosen can be anything from traditional organ music to something more modern supplied by you. Alternatively you may like to have a live musician playing at the service.
Most crematoria will provide:
• An organist
• Pre-recorded music from which you can choose
• A music system on which you can play music of your choice
Depending on the location of the service, there may be certain restrictions, which our funeral directors can advise you on.
Your Co-operative Funeralcare funeral director can discuss and advise you on music to play at a funeral ceremony and will make all of the necessary arrangements.
Funeral music research
The Co-operative Funeralcare carried out research in 2009 and 2005 into the most popular music played at funeral ceremonies. The research showed that the choice of music played at funerals is changing slowly but surely.
Increasingly more bereaved families are inclined towards choosing contemporary songs which they closely identify with and reflect the life of their loved one.
A summary of the key findings are outlined below:
Top 10 popular songs
| 2009 position |
2005 position |
Song |
Artist |
| 1 |
1 |
My Way |
Frank Sinatra / Shirley Bassey |
| 2 |
2 |
Wind Beneath My Wings |
Bette Midler / Celine Dion |
| 3 |
9 |
Time to Say Goodbye |
Sarah Brightman and Andrea Bocelli |
| 4 |
3 |
Angels |
Robbie Williams |
| 5 |
8 |
Over the Rainbow |
Eva Cassidy |
| 6 |
- |
You Raise Me Up |
Westlife / Boyzone / Josh Grobin |
| 7 |
4 |
My Heart Will Go On |
Celine Dion |
| 8 |
6 |
I Will Always Love You |
Whitney Houston |
| 9 |
7 |
You'll Never Walk Alone |
Gerry and the Pacemakers |
| 10 |
- |
Unforgettable |
Nat King Cole |
Top 10 hymns
| 2009 position |
2005 position |
Hymn |
| 1 |
1 |
The Lord Is My Shepherd |
| 2 |
2 |
Abide With Me |
| 3 |
3 |
All Things Bright and Beautiful |
| 4 |
4 |
Old Rugged Cross |
| 5 |
5 |
Amazing Grace |
| 6 |
7 |
How Great Thou Art |
| 7 |
6 |
The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, Is Ended |
| 8 |
8 |
Jerusalem |
| 9 |
- |
Make Me a Channel of Your Peace |
| 10 |
9 |
Morning has Broken |
Top 10 classical music
| 2009 position |
2005 position |
Piece |
Composer |
| 1 |
1 |
Nimrod from Enigma Variations |
Elgar |
| 2 |
5 |
Pie Jesu from Requiem |
Faure |
| 3 |
2 |
Ave Maria |
Schubert |
| 4 |
6 |
Nessun Dorma |
Puccini |
| 5 |
- |
Canon in D |
Pachelbel |
| 6 |
7 |
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring |
Bach |
| 7 |
4 |
Air on a G String |
Bach |
| 8 |
- |
Going Home from the New World Symphony |
Dvorak |
| 9 |
8 |
The Four Seasons |
Vivaldi |
| 10 |
3 |
Largo from Xerxes |
Handel |
Quirky choices - a selection
| Song |
Artist |
| Another One Bites the Dust |
Queen |
| Disco Inferno |
The Trammps |
| Bat Out of Hell |
Meatloaf |
| Spirit in the Sky |
Doctor and the Medics |
| Ring of Fire |
Johnny Cash |
| Songs of Praise |
TV theme |
| Only Fools and Horses |
TV Theme |
| Z Cars |
TV theme |
| Benny Hill |
TV theme |
| Top Gear |
TV theme |
| Radio 4 Shipping Forecast |
Radio theme |
| Channel 4 Horse Racing |
TV theme |
| Emmerdale |
TV theme |
| Coronation Street |
TV theme |
The Funeral Music 2009 top 10 listings is based on a survey of 242 Co-operative Funeralcare funeral homes, responsible for more than 30,000 funerals between February 2008 and February 2009