Best songs for a funeral slideshow
The right song does half the slideshow's work. Here are choices that carry the weight, grouped by the feeling your family wants in the room.
Timeless and gentle
“What a Wonderful World” — Louis Armstrong · “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” — Israel Kamakawiwoʻole · “Unforgettable” — Nat King Cole · “In My Life” — The Beatles · “Time to Say Goodbye” — Andrea Bocelli & Sarah Brightman. These endure because they hold warmth and loss in the same hand — hard to get wrong for any generation.
Hymns and faith
“Amazing Grace” · “It Is Well with My Soul” · “I'll Fly Away” · “How Great Thou Art” · “You Raise Me Up” — Josh Groban. For a churchgoing life, the familiar hymn does something no popular song can: the whole room already knows it by heart.
Country and plainspoken
“Go Rest High on That Mountain” — Vince Gill · “When I Get Where I'm Going” — Brad Paisley · “If Heaven” — Andy Griggs · “Landslide” — Fleetwood Mac. For outdoorsmen, ranchers, and plain-spoken lives, these fit like a work jacket.
For a celebration of life
“Here Comes the Sun” — The Beatles · “Wind Beneath My Wings” — Bette Midler · “My Way” — Frank Sinatra · “Smile” — Nat King Cole. When the gathering is about gratitude more than grief, let the music smile first and ache second.
The two things nobody warns you about
Copyright. Playing a song in the room is one thing; the moment the slideshow is uploaded, shared, or the service is streamed, popular recordings can trigger automatic blocks and takedowns — sometimes mid-service on a stream. If the video will travel beyond the room, use licensed music or something written for you.
The lyrics.Listen to the whole song once before committing. Several beloved “funeral songs” contain a verse that lands wrong for a particular loss — a breakup line, a lyric about growing old that stings for a life cut short. The room will hear every word.
Or a song that is only theirs
The alternative to borrowing a famous song is a song about the person — their name, the rose garden, the county-fair pie, the phrase they always said. It is what we write for every Legacy tribute, and the words are yours to read and change before anything is recorded. Famous songs carry a thousand funerals; an original carries one.
Questions families ask
What is the most common song for a funeral slideshow?
Perennial choices include "What a Wonderful World" (Louis Armstrong), "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" (Israel Kamakawiwoʻole), "Amazing Grace", and "You Raise Me Up" (Josh Groban). They endure because they are warm without being crushing.
How many songs does a slideshow need?
One song for slideshows up to about five minutes; two for anything longer. A common arc is reflective first, uplifting second.
Can I legally use a popular song in a funeral slideshow?
Playing a song at a private service is generally uncontroversial, but uploading that slideshow to YouTube or Facebook, or streaming the service, can trigger copyright blocks and takedowns. Licensed or original music avoids the problem entirely — worth knowing before, not after, the video is shared with family.
If you would rather not build it yourself
Share the photos and tell us what music they loved — we handle the licensing, the timing, and, if you choose, a song written from their life alone.
Related: how long the slideshow should run and videos for celebrations of life.