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. A song and its recording have separate rights. To use our MP3 option, you must own both or have permission to include them in the tribute video and share it. Buying a download or paying for a streaming subscription does not provide that permission. See the U.S. Copyright Office’s music guidance. The songs listed above are ideas to discuss with your family, not recordings we supply.
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 Legacy tributes. Our studio reviews the words before recording, and you review the finished video. Famous songs carry a thousand funerals; an original carries one.
Questions families ask
Can I upload my own song to Tributes By Tomorrow?
Yes. One MP3 upload is included in the $149 Tribute package at no extra charge. Upload it after checkout and confirm that you have the rights to use it. Your song plays once, followed by instrumental music if more photos remain. The limit is 40 MB and 30 minutes.
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?
For our upload option, you must own both the music and recording or have permission to include them in the video and share it. A purchased download or streaming subscription is not that permission. We provide instrumental music if you do not have a song you can use.
If you would rather not build it yourself
Choose Tribute with our instrumental music or upload your own MP3 with permission to use it, at no extra charge. Choose Legacy for original songs written from their life. We take care of the photos and timing.
Related: how long the slideshow should run and videos for celebrations of life.