The most popular songs chosen for funeral services have been unveiled.
Opera stars Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman’s Time To Say Goodbye has topped the list of popular works to be played at wakes and funerals.
Co-op Funeralcare’s study of songs played at funerals it arranged over the past year showed Frank Sinatra’s My Way was the second most popular.
Tina Turner’s The Best and Westlife’s You Raise Me Up were also in the top 10.
The Co-op said the top 10 were:
1. Time to Say Goodbye – Andrea Bocelli, Sarah Brightman
2. My Way – Frank Sinatra
3. Somewhere Over The Rainbow – Eva Cassidy
4. You’ll Never Walk Alone – Liverpool FC
5. The Best – Tina Turner
6. Supermarket Flowers – Ed Sheeran
7. Wind Beneath My Wings – Bette Midler
8. Abide With Me (hymn)
9. We’ll Meet Again – Vera Lynn
10. You Raise Me Up – Westlife
Liverpool FC’s You’ll Never Walk Alone by Gerry and the Pacemakers topped a list of sports-themed songs played at funerals.
Among the quirky songs played at funerals over the last year, included Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead from The Wizard of Oz, Dance Monkey by Tones & I, the Jaws movie soundtrack, and We Like To Party by Vengaboys.
Gill Stewart, managing director at Co-op Funeralcare said: “Music has a powerful way of bringing back memories, reflecting our personalities, and connecting us to loved ones.
“Choosing a song that is meaningful to you can be an important part of saying goodbye, whether it’s a traditional hymn or something light-hearted and quirky.
“While every funeral is unique and deeply personal, our annual music chart highlights the tracks that continue to resonate across the nation.
“This year, we’re continuing to encourage open conversations around end-of-life planning.
“Talking about the music you’d like at your funeral is a simple yet meaningful step and can offer real comfort to those left behind.”
The research was conducted among Co-op’s funeral directors and arrangers during May and June 2025 based on more than 90,000 funerals conducted in the last 12 months.
