Tips for picking music for a funeral service

A memorial service is your change to allow people to celebrate life and memories and to have some space to grieve and achieve closure. Since these are different approaches to saying goodbye, the person planning the service needs to consider how the overall tone will be set at this event prior to selecting a playlist.

There was a point in time in which choosing funeral songs meant reviewing a list provided directly by a funeral director and choosing only from a limited number of standard choices. Where possible, these would be arranged for an organ, sometimes even vocals and these songs were most often hymns.

But times have changed and families are looking for something new when it comes to developing a funeral playlist to honor their loved one. Many different instruments can be used from violin to flute to guitar and sometimes soloists might even be able to perform along with an existing track.

Top Tips for Selecting Funeral Songs to say Goodbye

The first stage in the process of choosing funeral songs is to think about the person being memorialized. Did this person have a favorite type of music that they often listened to or favorite songs that jump to mind. The funeral music that you select doesn't have to be something that might fall under the traditional umbrella of funeral music.

Decide what type of tone should be set over the course of funeral service. List all of the songs that you are considering with that in mind and then make edits. If you are trying to set a more reflective mood, then the music should be in line with that. Consulting other people who knew the person well, including family members, might lead you to suggestions that you wouldn't otherwise have thought off. A good place to start with is looking at the person's own music library.

If you have access to their music collection, you can get an idea about the kind of songs they listen to most often or the type of music that was most meaningful. Make sure that you review the words all the way through the songs. Sometimes the lyrics can be surprising if you look at them word for word.

Best Country Funeral Songs for a Mom or Grandma

Of course, choosing funeral songs for a Mom or Grandma will likely have some sentimental or significant decisions to make. Some of the most meaningful contemporary songs for funerals for a Mom or Grandma include:

Best Songs for Funerals for A Sister or A Brother

It can be devastating to lose a sister or a brother and creating the right funeral playlist requires consideration of your individual relationship with this person.

Some examples of appropriate songs for a sister or a brother include:

No matter how you choose a funeral song playlist, it should be informed by the overall tone of the service and who will be in attendance.