Top Funeral Songs for Honouring a Loved One  

Written and performed by Carrie Underwood, See You Again is a power ballad about moving on from a loved one’s passing. The lyrics for the song provide hope that one day everyone will be reunited with their loved ones in the afterlife. The song has resonated with people that have been separated from loved ones whether because of a death or distance. Underwood has stated that veterans’ families have shared stories of how the song has helped them through their loved one’s deployment. This has changed how Underwood performs the song and made it more special for her to play. 

Luke Bryan has described Drink a Beer as “the coolest sad song ever” and relates to it after losing both of his siblings. This country ballad shares the story of an unexpected loss of someone close. The narrator in the song discusses how they will honor the passing of their friend by drinking a beer and watching the sun set. Rather than talking about moving on and rebuilding, this raw and emotional song looks at how someone copes immediately following the loss. 

This collaboration between Brad Paisley and Dolly Parton is a popular choice for funeral music. The song is primarily sung by Paisley with Parton adding harmony vocals for the chorus of the song. The narrator in the song discusses all the things they will get to do when they reach heaven like walk with their grandfather. The message the song tries to reinforce is that although they may be gone, there’s no need to cry because they’re now in a better place.  

As the lead single to their fifth major studio album, My Old Man is a ballad about Zac Brown’s father and the examples and values he instilled in his son. The song reflects on the circle of life beginning with Brown’s childhood and looking up to his father like he was a giant. From there it discusses Brown’s rebellious adolescent years before the third verse where it reveals that his father is hearing this tribute from heaven.  

Heaven is a powerful song about losing someone. In this piano ballad, Beyoncé shares a story of losing someone too soon and letting go of her lost love. Many fans believe that the song was produced as a tribute to a miscarriage Beyoncé had several years ago. This beautiful tribute is one of the top funeral songs chosen by families that want to play more modern music at their loved one’s service. 

Ed Sheeran wrote Supermarket Flowers as a tribute to his grandmother after she passed away. Sheeran was working on an album when his grandma passed away at a nearby hospital. The song was not intended to be released and was just something to help Sheeran cope with his grief. His father suggested that he perform it at the funeral. After his grandfather heard the song, he insisted that Sheeran release it on his next album. 

In his song Lay Me Down, Sam Smith shares the story of losing someone you love dearly. The popular funeral song gets you thinking about someone you’ve lost and all the little things you miss about them. In the song, Smith sings about how overwhelming the experience has been and the thing’s he’ll miss most about his partner. 

Although it’s titled Funeral, the song is surprisingly upbeat. That’s because Lukas Graham is Irish-Catholic and he wrote the song to reflect the atmosphere of an Irish funeral. The Irish choose to celebrate a loved one’s death and turn the funeral into a party to celebrate the deceased’s life. This song would be a good fit for families planning a celebration of life. 

Wind Beneath My Wings has been one of the most popular funeral songs since its release. Originally intended to be a love song, it wasn’t until the songs writers heard it performed as a ballad that they realized the song has a greater meaning. The song is a way of saying thanks for someone who was important in your life. Whether it’s about a friend, parent, or mentor, the song resonates with many people and is played at many life milestones.  

This Grammy award winning song has been one of the top funeral songs for families for nearly 20 years. Although some people consider it to be a break up song, many hear a heart wrenching tribute to a loved one who has passed away. The song evokes emotions and memories of a loved one and how the narrator will never forget the individual or the memories they shared together. 

Amazing Grace has been a popular choice for funeral music for many years. The song has been covered by hundreds of artists over the years. The song’s message discusses how forgiveness and redemption are possible for everyone through the mercy of God. It has been dubbed one of the most recognizable songs of all time and is performed an estimated 10 million times annually. 

Hallelujah was originally written by Leonard Cohen but later made famous by Jeff Buckley. It is a popular choice for funerals because of the poetic lyrics and soft melody. Many families choose to include with their funeral music as it fits with the atmosphere of a service and saying a goodbye to a loved one as they cross over into the afterlife.